Tickets for West Ham United's third round Carling Cup match will go on sale on 10 September
02.09.2008
West Ham United's next stop in the quest to reach Wembley is a trip to Vicarage Road on Tuesday 23 September.
Following the 4-1 win against Macclesfield Town at the Boelyn Ground in the Carling Cup second round, the team's reward is a visit to the Championship outfit. The travelling support has been allocated 2,300 for the match, which kicks-off at 7.45pm. Ticket prices have been set at £15 for adults, with concessions £5. Among Alan Curbishley's lineup could be Calum Davenport, who scored his first goal for United in Saturday's 4-1 against Blackburn Rovers to underline that he is over a serious neck injury suffered in the first game of a loan spell at Watford back in January.
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Bellamy focuses on fitness - WHUFC
Craig Bellamy has explained why he is concentrating on his rehabilitation work at Chadwell Heath this week
02.09.2008
Craig Bellamy has said it is in the best interests of everyone that he does not join up with Wales for their World Cup qualifiers as he continues his comeback from a hamstring injury.
The striker returned to action off the bench for West Ham United on Saturday, scoring a fantastic late goal in the 4-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers, but is still undergoing rehabilitation on the injury he picked up at the end of a prolific pre-season. While disappointed not to be linking up with his country, Bellamy is aiming to be available for the next set of qualifiers in October. By then, he hopes to have had plenty of Premier League match action under his belt for the club.
Bellamy added that the decision not to take part in Wales' matches against Azerbaijan and Russia next Saturday and Wednesday respectively was mutually agreed by all parties. "Myself, West Ham and Wales all discussed what was the right thing to do and we all agreed that it would be best for me to stay back here at West Ham and continue my recovery from the hamstring injury," he said.
"There was no problem on anyone's part and we all shared the same view that it was best I stayed here at West Ham. In the build-up to the game on Saturday, the hamstring was a bit tight and that was why I only played 20 minutes of the game. It still felt a little tight again after the match and so this week, I will be carrying on with more rehab work to make sure I am completely recovered.
"After working so hard to come back this summer, I didn't want to risk breaking down again because I had come back too soon." While delighted to have been able to play a part in the match against Blackburn on Saturday and get back on the scoresheet, Bellamy explained he was not yet back to full fitness and said it would be of no benefit to himself, his club or country if he travelled to play in the internationals this week.
"No one can question my commitment to Wales - as I said, I don't want to be missing what are two crucial games for my country, and I am confident I will be available for selection for the next set of matches in October. Having missed so much of the season last year for West Ham and Wales, it is best that I stay here at the training ground and keep on with the rehab work. At this stage of my career, I want to be able to play to the best of my abilities and give my all and for that, I need to be fully fit."
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No new signings but it's not all doom and gloom at Upton Park - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 2nd September 2008
By: Thomas Rooney
So, as has been well documented, West Ham were unable to bring any new faces in during transfer deadline day yesterday. In fact they were one of only a handful of Premier League clubs that didn't add to their squad. The only piece of business that West Ham did was to sell George McCartney to Sunderland.
All in all, the Hammers have allowed eight players to leave the club during the most recent transfer window while only bringing in the one – Valon Behrami from Lazio. Hardly what is needed to help maintain a top ten finish is it? When you also consider that Danny Gabbidon, James Collins, Nigel Quashie, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer haven't played a league game between them so far this season, it does leave Alan Curbishley with a rather depleted squad in the next few weeks.
Something the departures of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney highlight is the gap they leave in the defence. Between them, they played 72 times for West Ham last season and in all honesty, they haven't been replaced. Calum Davenport and Matthew Upson are pretty much the only fit centre backs at the club right now and they only made 35 appearances between them last season – with Davenport only making one of those. Therefore, it has to be a worry as to how much he can be relied upon to be fit or in form in all the games until the January transfer window when Alan Curbishley can add to his squad again.
Then there is the left back situation. To cut a long story short – there now isn't one. McCartney has been the left back at the club for the last two seasons and made his last appearance in Saturday's 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers. Fair enough, it appears he has left for family reasons and a decent enough fee has been received for his services, but when can Curbs spend it? Not until January. Who is going to operate at left full back in the coming weeks/months?
One thing that I will say is that there may still be hope of signing at least one player in the next few days. Sometimes deals are delayed somewhat for various reasons and this could be the case again. In fact, Stephen Appiah – who is a free agent after being released by Fenerbache – could be on his way to Upton Park today if reports are to be believed. The 27-year-old midfielder is captain of the Ghana national team and is also attracting interest from Italian giants Juventus. I don't know enough about him to debate whether he's a good signing or not, but I think most West Ham fans would take him.
Whether Appiah joins or not, something it won't end is the growing unrest amongst supporters of West Ham. There are already rumours of protests against the board and the signing of someone on a free transfer isn't exactly going to end the frustration. Especially following the exit of talented players such as Freddie Ljungberg, Nolberto Solano, Bobby Zamora and Anton Ferdinand.
Something I would place a lot of my football betting money on is the fact that Curbishley is far from happy with the current situation. He won't be happy with the fact that certain players have been allowed to leave – that's my opinion anyway. He would also have targeted a few more players to bring into the club, but for one reason or another it hasn't happened. Has he not been given the money? Are West Ham using too much of their wage budget on the constantly injured players? I realise that I have posted more questions than answers in this piece, but that all seems rather appropriate with regards to the uncertainties surrounding the club right now.
It's not all doom and gloom though – far from it. West Ham have two wins out of three, are sitting fifth in the league and Craig Bellamy made a scoring return against his former club Blackburn on Saturday. So, for now, fans should remain positive. A few more wins and the feel good factor will spread itself all around the club. You will be surprised to see how many players shrug off annoying knocks when they are part of a winning team as well. Winning football matches is the be all and end all. It can make everything else at a football club seem OK.
Protests against the board will not help this happen and should be avoided. West Ham have a good team with several talented and hard-working players. Everything might not be perfect right now, but everyone should get behind the team in the coming weeks. Who knows, if West Ham are sitting in a top six position by January (I'd like to see the football odds on this!), players will be queuing up to join. Let's be patient and let's be positive. It's the only way we won't drive ourselves completely insane.
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Bellamy explains Wales absence - SSN
Striker to work on fitness with Hammers
Last updated: 2nd September 2008
West Ham United striker Craig Bellamy insists his long-term fitness will be best served by withdrawing from the Wales squad. Bellamy picked up a hamstring strain in pre-season and has been pulled out of Wales' squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Azerbaijan and Russia. He made a goalscoring appearance as a substitute in West Ham's 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers last Saturday, and feels he needs to work on his fitness at his club, rather than risk a setback by playing for Wales. "Myself, West Ham and Wales all discussed what was the right thing to do and we all agreed that it would be best for me to stay back here at West Ham and continue my recovery from the hamstring injury," Bellamy told the club's official website. "There was no problem on anyone's part and we all shared the same view that it was best I stayed here at West Ham. "In the build-up to the game on Saturday, the hamstring was a bit tight and that was why I only played 20 minutes of the game. It still felt a little tight again after the match and so this week, I will be carrying on with more rehab work to make sure I am completely recovered. "After working so hard to come back this summer, I didn't want to risk breaking down again because I had come back too soon. "No one can question my commitment to Wales - as I said, I don't want to be missing what are two crucial games for my country, and I am confident I will be available for selection for the next set of matches in October. "Having missed so much of the season last year for West Ham and Wales, it is best that I stay here at the training ground and keep on with the rehab work. "At this stage of my career, I want to be able to play to the best of my abilities and give my all and for that, I need to be fully fit."
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Come Back Ben Thatcher - All Is Forgiven! - West Ham Online
Alex V - Tue Sep 2 2008
So the window closes, and West Ham have ended the transfer period by selling two first team players. Doom and gloom time? Same old West Ham?
First of all let me state that I find nothing wrong in the club selling players – that is exactly what I called for at the start of the Summer, so it would be hypocritical of me to change my opinion now. I thought the club needed to contract the squad to about 25 players, and arguably we have around that number now at the club. But obviously it cannot have turned out exactly as the club intended, with the squad now left without a recognised left-back.
What worries me most about the McCartney sale is that once again the club have decided it is in their best interests to take the money first, and ask squad questions later. Nobody in their right mind really believes that the club want to have no senior recognised left-back at the club. And it is also clear that McCartney wanted to go. But surely there is a third way – promise McCartney a move in January, at which time he would presumably be worth just as much in the transfer market. The same could arguably have been said about Anton Ferdinand as well. When real money is on the table, the club seem to take it – if I was a Villa or a Spurs I would be looking at Dean Ashton and thinking that sooner or later the club will sell.
It's also not as if the left-back problem hasn't been obvious over the last 18 months. The club have had that long to find a suitable backup for McCartney to fill exactly the sort of gap created by injury or unexpected transfers like this. Perhaps Mattock was overpriced, or Shorey deemed too expensive and the wrong age – we don't want the club blowing their budget on purely backup players. But when West Ham do sort themselves out we should never face this situation again – last Summer the manager should have been given a list of the best available left-backs in Europe for a variety of budgets and roles. My gut feeling is that no list or any help was offered to Curbs, who has proven himself no expert in the continental transfer market, and considered Ben Thatcher as possible cover! We have been left short-handed and now crippled by the poor organisation of the club as a result.
McCartney himself is hardly the issue – he was a decent left-back who performed very steadily for the club last season. But as I have said before, journeymen players do not take clubs forward on their own, and compared to any left-back of real note McCartney is ordinary. Were there a suitable replacement ready, I would be totally in support of a sale at £5 million plus. Sunderland's bid was the right offer at completely the wrong time.
My actual concern yesterday was less to do with the McCartney sale, but more to do with the sort of desperation purchases I suspected the club were considering. Paulo Ferreira is a good player no doubt, but as an expensive 29 year old he was exactly the sort of purchase I don't want the club to be making anymore. Clearly the club have had a number of irons in the fire over the Summer – my information is that we would be surprised to hear about some of the players that nearly joined the club, though perhaps some of these might be considered lucky escapes rather than missed opportunities. My chief concern is that Curbs is naturally drawn towards a certain sort of Premiership journeyman, and that these players are unnecessary and short-term purchases – those sort of players have been noticable by their absence this Summer, which may be the best indicator to where the real power is at West Ham these days.
In the short-term I think the squad will cope – after all we have started well without McCartney. We absolutely cannot afford an injury to Lucas Neill now, and presumably Luis Boa Morte will be called upon at times once more as an emergency left-back. It's also disappointing to see that Behrami won't get the chance to show us what he can do in midfield for a while yet. I think a cannier manager than Curbs might decide that 3-5-2 is a real option in the meantime (Portsmouth switched to that formation at Everton with superb results at the weekend), but I think Curbs will stick to his pedestrian old-fashioned 4-4-2 and simply hope to grind out performances in the same manner as the last 18 months.
A player I don't expect to see in the frame is Joe Widdowson, another in the long line of youth players who never seem to have enough to make the jump to the first team – I am fed up with this situation to be honest. If Widdowson is good enough, then why not play him in the first three games (or at least have him on the bench)? If he's not good enough, then why is he at the club? I find this situation depressingly familiar – I bet I could have looked at Widdowson two years ago and seen that he wasn't a potential premiership player. What I want to see is Nani's young influx eventually pushing at the first team in all positions – it is arguably as important that we find young full-back talent for years to come as it is that we find first team cover for McCartney now.
Let's not be doom and gloom – I can still see a long-term strategy here. After all I called for a contraction of the squad at the start of the Summer – I didn't expect it to take quite this course, but I still think that in principle it is in the best interests of the club. We need less McCartneys and more Behramis. I'm fed up of watching players who I know have peaked in mid-table – if we want world-class players for our glory-hunt, we have to either develop them through the academy or bring them in young and cheap. We can't have sentimental favourites – if we want proper standards at this club, we should understand why players like McCartney should be considered little more than a stop-gap.
That said, you can't mount a serious challenge for Europe without a left-back. That is a mess. Expectations have to be lowered for this season as a result.
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Saturday's performance and result was encouraging. While the scoreline may have flattered us, I don't think there is much doubt that in terms of football played we deserved to win the game. Of course Blackburn came close to getting right back into it, but I think that is the Premiership for you – no team will roll over, and in most games teams get chances.
I was particularly happy to hear that the post-match inquest was on how we let the opposition back into the game – it's a sign of a squad determined to improve themselves. The conceded goal was soft, with Parker guilty of showboating and Davenport too easily turned. But I hope that the players also took encouragement from the game – with 25 minutes to go we were about as comfortable as you can be with a lead, and there was little real sign of the sort of panic that made the Wigan game so uncomfortable.
I have a word of warning – I thought Blackburn played to our strengths. I expected them to be combative and harry us all over the pitch, but they stood off and let us play. That's bad tactics against West Ham in my opinion – you need to stifle us and stop us playing, and let the crowd get on our backs, that's the way to stop us at home. I wouldn't expect many teams to come to the Boleyn and sit back like that, so it may be something of a false result – I think we will see many more matches like the Wigan one, and fewer like the Blackburn one. As long as we win regardless I won't care of course.
I thought Carlton Cole was our best player again - I am coming to the conclusion that our best 11 may include Cole, and it should be a huge boost to his confidence that he was kept on the pitch ahead of Ashton on Saturday. Great to see him score as well - a bit more confidence in and around the goal would really finish off the package.
But the biggest plus on the day was the bench. Even when we were under the cosh I was thinking that we still had Bellamy to introduce into the match. Having those options to change the match is worth points in this league, and perhaps the biggest disappointment of the transfer window is that we just weren't able to bring in another attacking option, just to turn to when all else fails in a match. I suppose if you wanted to be harsh over the club's transfer policy, you would have to say that Ljungberg and Zamora would be great options from the bench – I hope we don't regret those sales too much if injuries take their toll again.
A two-week break now. A good time to start scouting those left-backs for the January transfer window.
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West Ham close to signing Stephen Appiah - Telegraph
West Ham could complete the signing of free agent Stephen Appiah today despite sources close to the player insisting he is in no rush to join the London club.
By Matt Lawless
Last Updated: 12:03PM BST 02 Sep 2008
Appiah, 27, has reportedly been offered a £40,000-per week three-year contract to move to Upton Park with the club's technical director Gianluca Nani leading the negotiations in Italy. The Ghanian international reached a mutual agreement over an early release from his contract at Turkish outfit Fenerbache last month and his availability on a free transfer has alerted a host of European suitors to his services. West Ham are the favourites to sign the midfielder despite interest from his former club Juventus, whom he spent two years with in Serie A until 2005, and are hoping to complete the deal during the international break. Although the transfer window is now officially closed until January, Alan Curbishley can sign the unattached player since free agents are allowed to join a new club outside the deadline. However, a source close to the player insisted that while Appiah is seriously considering West Ham's approach, he is also exploring other potential avenues. "Stephen is in no rush to sign as he can move whenever he wants to," revealed the source. "Now he is a free agent and he is weighing up his options."
West Ham's lack of success in the transfer market this summer has been a great source of frustration for the club's supporters. The Icelandic owners and manager Alan Curbishley have both come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks for their failings, particularly for selling six prominent first team players.
Curbishley did not add any new additions before yesterday's deadline, losing defender George McCartney – their only recognised left-back – to Sunderland in the process. It is understood that Curbishley was extremely disappointed by the sale of the Northern Ireland international – who is said to have handed in a transfer request – having previously admitting his defensive options are limited. But, after last weekend's emphatic 4-1 win over Blackburn offered the former Charlton manager some timely respite, the signing of Appiah should allay concerns.
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West Ham Set To Beat Juventus To Free Agent Appiah? - PremiershipLatest.com
Submitted by Jake Briggs on Tue, 2008-09-02 11:17. West Ham United Premiership Transfer News
Stephen Appiah could make a shock move to Premier League club West Ham United on Tuesday, despite the Ghanaian International being heavily linked with a move back to former team Juventus, according to reports in Italy. 27-year-old Appiah is a free agent after successfully negotiating his way out of his contract with Turkish side Fenerbahce recently. Which means the midfielder is free to join any club, despite the transfer window closing. Since that happened Appiah has been linked with teams across Europe, but the Ghana captain has made no secret of his desire to rejoin La Vecchia Signora, who he left in 2005 for the Turkish side. Juve coach Claudio Ranieri isstill searching for a central-midfielder, despite the signing of Christian Poulsen from Sevilla earlier in the summer, with reports suggesting that Juventus are still following the Ghanaian, along with rival Turin team Torino. However, the Italian press is now claiming that Appiah is due to make the switch to Upton Park and could even find himself a Premier League player by the end of Tuesday. One of the factor's said to have influenced Appiah is the Hammers sporting director Gianluca Nani, who has worked with Appiah before at Brescia.
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Will it be Curbs or the board who leaves Upton Park? By Steve Turner - UptonSparks.com
Posted on Tuesday 02 Sep 2008 09:22:00
Well, the sale of George McCartney confirmed one thing: The West Ham football club known and loved of old has gone, and is now a club built on lies.
Not long after Alan Curbishley said there would be no more sales after Anton Ferdinand left for Sunderland, the board sanctions a deal for the player who appeared most times last season. We all know his missus was unhappy, but was it not the man himself Roy Keane who stated that players should not move for their wives? George McCartney was a consistent and reliable performer for the club, and not only that; he's the only left back! So who's going to go there instead? Lucas Neill? I know McCartney hasn't been in for the last three games and the Hammers have won two games...but still.
So, what's the situation? Will Alan Curbishley, in a fit of anger and frustration, have showdown talks with the board thanks to being usurped in the transfer market? Or will the board, having proved they failed on their promise not to make West Ham into a selling club, be forced to fall on their swords? This is the board that spent big after staying in the Premier League, not to stay up, but just to consolidate. That's not to say it wasn't the right thing to do, but to mortgage the club in a bid to do so is wrong. So, one of the two needs to make a move. Alan Curbishley gets far, far too much stick and pressure as the main man of the club - he's done good things and needs more support. So the board, the Icelanders who thought they could take the club to the next level by spending before realising that they actually needed to pay out of their own pockets, should have a long hard think about the strategy they're employing.
Then either pay less and consolidate the transfer market, or put your hands in your pockets and pay up like you promised.
There's no middle ground.
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Date for Hammers' cup clash with Watford announced - Guardian Series
1:25pm Tuesday 2nd September 2008
THE date for West Ham's Carling Cup clash with Championship outfit Watford has been announced. The Hammers travel to Vicarage Road for the third round tie on Tuesday, September 23. Kick off is at 7.45pm. Irons boss Alan Curbishley saw his side scrape past League Two strugglers Maccelsfield in the second round at Upton Park last week. Gareth Evans gave Keith Alexander's men a shock early lead and the Hammers were just 16 minutes from a humilating defeat when Lee Bowyer headed home to send the game into extra time. Macclesfield had Izak Reid controversially sent off late on in normal time, and the East Londoners took full advantage when goals from Carlton Cole, Zavon Hines and Kyel Reid in extra time fired them to victory. Watford meanwhile, also struggled in their opening two rounds of the competion. Will Hoskins grabbed a late winner against Bristol Rovers in the first round, while another late goal saw them see off Darlington in the second round. Damien Francis gave the Hornets the lead against the Quakers before a last gasp equaliser from Gregg Blundell sent the game to extra time. Youngster John-Joe O'Toole scored the winner four minutes from time. The game could see an emotional return to Vicarage Road for Hammers star Calum Davenport. The defender spent a disasterous loan spell with Adrian Boothroyd's men in January, when he suffered a horific broken neck in his debut game against Charlton. However, the 25-year-old has made a remarkable recovery and has started every game for the Irson so far this season.
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Would It Be Wise To Buy Appiah - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 2 September, 2008 - 11:12.
Those West Ham fans seeking a crumb of comfort in the form of signing out of contract Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah, would do well to remember that the player has suffered a long series of injuries during his career and is not going to get any fitter as he gets older. Having blown a fortune on players with a history of injuries and watched most of then sit on the treatment table while collecting massive wages, the current owners are quite rightly not too keen on making a move for the ex-Fenerbache midfielder. Ironically word has reached us that Appiah may be signed purely to try and placate angry season ticket holders who feel that they have been duped by the board, a sort of "sorry to dump on you" present. The truth is that the hatches have been well and truly battoned down at the Boleyn, at the end of the day some thing has to give, those of a sceptical disposition might well consider if the 'agenda' that Alan Curbishley has referred to recently might actually not just be coming from the press but also from within the club. Having been made to look foolish over player sales the incumbent manger might well decide to jump before he gets pushed. "I am no quitter and I am a big boy" comments recently attributed to Curbishley sounds determined doesn't it? But not if it falls on deaf ears!-Ed PS: personally I think Curbs has been a little hard done by and that there is DEFINITELY some kind of agenda going on at the club regarding him.
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"Same Old West Ham Taking The ____"…Out Of Us - The West Ham Process
09.02.08 | Comment?
"People are talking about us and what we are doing. But just have a look at what we do by the time the window closes and see where we are at" - Alan Curbishley July 2008
Ok Curbishley I am looking. I am looking hard. I am peering into a gaunt and dark room, face pressed against a dirty window pane. I am straining desperately hard to make out some figures in the room but no, it's just shadows. As I step back a small sign hangs above the window, "Be back in January, sorry for any inconvenience" it says. I mutter a few curses of annoyance and turn my back thinking to myself, "I doubt that window has ever been open, let alone be back in January"
I have to apologise for my state of delirium, it's what happens to a man when he waits up to the early hours of the morning to hear some news from his beloved football club…news of a signature maybe. Go on West Ham, just one little signature…no? Maybe? Please…oh go on you know you want to.
It's just same old West Ham…what do we really expect. When the transfer window opened this summer we all gladly welcomed it…a chance to off load some dead wood we thought and maybe even get in some decent, match-changing, players. Wasn't much to I ask didn't think….we wasn't asking for the world, or even the league. We didn't even ask for Robinho. What do the club throw back at us? The sale of John Paintsil, Bobby Zamora, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney, Nobby Solano (not including Ljungberg in this one…mutual consent and all that). ALL of which are first team players in the current injury situation we (once again) find ourselves in. Ok, we did bring in Behrami. Yeh. I actually did a little wee with excitement then.
I so longed for the opportunity to write the following paragraph this morning:
"With the sale of Nigel Quashie, Louis Boa Morte, and Carlton Cole to raise funds, it has been great to see West Ham investing the money into….."
Nope. They are all still West Ham players….as far as I am concerned (and people may disagree), at the end of last season these were the players considered "dead-wood".
Are the club blinded to our current squad situation or are they simply trying to blind us to their financial situation…or even objectives?
George McCartney
Now having read the club statement regarding Linda, I understand why he left. I wouldn't want to ruin his family life for the sake of a football shirt, but seriously the board must have been rubbing their money-grabbing, boney, biscuit fingers with absolute glee when George approached them and said I am not happy. "I've got room for £5m in my pockets" I can hear BG thinking.
Here is my main issue with this sale though. Two years ago McCartney became a West Ham left back. The only actual one we had infact. Our injury situation was appalling last year, but George managed to survive…thank goodness. Because we did not have a replacement. Curbishley was a very lucky man. McCartney did eventually get injured and most people were thinking "we should probably get someone in incase this happens again". We didn't. Then the transfer window comes and goes with us still needing a replacement left-back.
Then we sell George McCartney.
We do not have a single first team left-back at our club
Pompey brought some left back in at the last minute….why wasn't we fighting them off with a stick. I'll take anyone now so long as I don't have to endure another woeful Lucas Neill performance in that position.
But it's OK ladies and gentlemen, Curbs can play LBM there. All our problems are solved.
I have made a point of not singling Curbishley out on this one because it is clear a lot of what has happened is out of his control. But the signatures he made last year were in his control because we had a chairman (Eggy) who was willing to part with the cash. Eggy had ambition, he wanted to bring success to our club and so he released the funds to do so. Curbishley was the one who spent the money on the players he wanted.
So to Mr. Curbishley and the Board, one parting comment….Louis Boa Morte, for all his hard work, is not the answer to everything. Just because you pay Lucas Neill more money than most people in the world, doesn't mean he deserves to play every week.
And please give us some answers because what you are doing to us the supporters is an absolute disgrace….and you are losing us. Because we do not want to be paying the prices we do to watch an underperforming, lackluster, shallow team with no ambition.
Sam
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Sunderland re-sign West Ham defender George McCartney - Telegraph
Sunderland manager Roy Keane completed his tenth signing of the summer – and his second from West Ham – by re-signing defender George McCartney.
By Matt Lawless
Last Updated: 9:09AM BST 02 Sep 2008
The Northern Ireland international, 27, completed his return to the Stadium of Light after a two-year stay at Upton Park, agreeing a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee. McCartney, who made 157 appearances for Sunderland before his departure to east London in a swap deal for Clive Clarke in 2006, joins former West Ham teammate Anton Ferdinand after handing in a written transfer request to manager Alan Curbishley. Last season's ever-present and Hammer of the Year runner-up admitted his decision to relocate to the north-east was influenced by family reasons since his wife had failed to settle in the capital, despite having pledged his future to the club by signing an improved contract. "I had two great seasons with West Ham and I'd like to thank them for giving me the opportunity to play for a club with the history they have and their fantastic supporters. "But for personal reasons alone, this move is right for me. It's great to be back at Sunderland," he said. West Ham, who failed to add any new additions on deadline day, are now without a recognised left-back at the club, while Sunderland manager Roy Keane said he was looking forward to getting on with the season. "It's great to be able to bring George back to Sunderland," he said. "I've made no secret of the positions I've been looking to strengthen and a left-back was one of my priorities, I'm delighted."
Keane added: "I'm happy with my squad now. We have strength in depth and healthy competition for places in all areas. "I'm looking forward to getting on with the season." Meanwhile, defender Danny Higginbotham has returned to Premier League newcomers Stoke only one season after leaving for Wearside.
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Duxbury's Bull-$%!^ - WestHamUnitedMad.co.uk
By Plymouth_hammer Tuesday, 2nd September 2008
West Ham's CEO Scott Duxbury has played another blinder in allowing George McCartney to leave for Sunderland without signing any cover. Cast your thoughts back just over six weeks when the not-so-squeaky-clean CEO proudly sat next to the Hammers only summer signing Valon Behrami and introduced him to the waiting media. Behrami was described "a valuable addition to the squad" and Duxbury was grinning from ear to ear when he said, "Valon's signing is also an indication of the club's positive ambitions and shows that, contrary to some reports, we are firmly committed to strengthening the playing staff. "There will not be a mass exodus and fans can be assured that we are working hard as always to ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of the team." So then, the transfer window is now closed and two of our best defenders have exited the building without any additions being made to the squad.
If this is what our CEO really calls 'positive ambition' then heads should roll somewhere very soon.
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Juve-Target Appiah To Join West Ham Today? - Goal.com
According to reports in Italy, Juventus and Torino transfer target Stephen Appiah could complete a free transfer move to West Ham by the end of today.
Appiah is currently a free agent after he negotiated an exit from Fenerbahce a couple of weeks ago. Since then the 27-year-old has been linked with a whole host of clubs in Italy, England, Spain and Scotland, but he has made no secret of his desire to rejoin Juventus, who he represented from 2003 to 2005, before joining Fenerbahce for €8m. There have since been reports in the press that a deal is imminent, especially because Juventus are looking to sign a centre midfielder. The summer transfer window shut last night, but because Appiah is a free agent he is still permitted to find himself a new club. According to reports in Italy, the Ghanaian, despite still being followed by Juventus, as well as Torino, could in fact be set to join Premiership side West Ham. Indeed the transfer could be sealed by the end of today. A key player in negotiations is believed to be West Ham's sporting and football technical director Gianluca Nani, who previously worked at Appiah's old club in Italy, Brescia.
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Is Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson Preparing To Sell West Ham - West Ham fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 2 September, 2008 - 09:21.
The middle eastern outfit who have just purchased Manchester City are just one of a whole group of investors looking to buy clubs in the english premier league. There is a groundswell of opinion that the current owner of West Ham United is either preparing the way to sell the club or making plans and putting funds aside for Slaven Bilic should he take over as manager. Having been given almost unlimited funds prior to this window, Alan Curbishley's statement that he stands by his signings and that his squad, when fully fit, can compete at the highest level may have come back to bite him. It appears that the board have taken him at his word and decided to massively increase the medical set up and training facilities to get the unfit fit rather than invest money in new signings. Fans feel cheated but unfortunately football nowadays is all about money and rightly or wrongly BG has decided enough is enough, only time will tell if his course of action is correct, but if he is going to sell the club or install a new manager it would rather explain the recent fire sale wouldn't it? - Ed
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McCartney wings his way back home to Sunderland under orders from the wife - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:07 PM on 02nd September 2008
George McCartney rejoined Sunderland because his wife could not settle. The full-back left West Ham to return to the north east in a £6million deal even though manager Alan Curbishley promised that no-one else would leave following the sale of Anton Ferdinand. The Northern Ireland international said: 'My wife Elaine didn't settle and Sunderland have offered me the chance to return to the north east where I spent ten years. 'I'd like to wish West Ham and Alan Curbishley all the very best of luck.'
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A tangled web weaved - Cmon Yu Irons
2 September 2008
Ambition? What's that about hey. Just more lies coming out of our great club, and from a stingy owner who has no ambition for our club, just in it for the money.
I'm sick and tired of our great club being abused like this, when we have such a great history. Yet we hear of other clubs in this credit crunch doing deals like a card dealer in Las Vegas.
Let's be honest, our club don't stand a chance with owners like this; And I persoanlly wanted us to progress…don't get me wrong, I didn't want us to be like Man Utd, or chelsea, with their bully tactics. But I at least wanted to have ambition as well as money to spend- not a tight owner and liar who is no better than Terence Brown.
We were promised much, and now we are owned by a fruit machine…much going into the money machine, and little coming back.
This post was submitted by Dave Hall.
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West Ham on the defensive - fancast.com
Posted by: FFC Towers News Desk, today
After selling George McCartney to Sunderland, West Ham have come out quickly to defend the move. West Ham United has responded to criticism of their sale of George McCartney by claiming they had little option but to allow the defender to rejoin Sunderland. The Hammers board have come under fire from unhappy supporters after they allowed the 27-year-old Northern Ireland international to return to Wearside for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £3million on transfer deadline day. McCartney, who spent eight years with the Black Cats before leaving for Upton Park in 2006, has signed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light. "We had no intention of selling George McCartney but it became clear in the last couple of days after he handed in a written transfer request that he was desperate to move on for family reasons," chief executive Scott Duxbury told the club's official website. "Once Sunderland came in with an improved offer, we decided the deal was in the best interests of all parties."
McCartney, who made 71 appearances during his two years with the Hammers, explained: "My wife didn't settle in London and Sunderland have offered me the chance to return to the north-east, where I spent ten years after joining the club as a youngster. "I'd like to wish West Ham and Alan Curbishley all the very best of luck."
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