Several West Ham United players will be representing their countries in
important qualifiers this week
13.10.2008
After a largely positive weekend for West Ham United's national-team
contingent, this week sees another round of international fixtures take
centre stage.
Under-21
Mark Noble has the upper hand in the battle of the two club-mates as he
helped England to a 3-2 win over a Wales side featuring Jack Collison in the
first leg of first leg of the European Under-21 Championship play-off. Both
midfielders started the match in Cardiff and more than played their part.
The second leg takes place at Villa Park on Tuesday night with England the
favourites to secure a place at the finals in Sweden next summer.
England
After helping England to a 5-1 win against Kazakhstan, Matthew Upson should
retain his starting berth in place of the injured John Terry as the Three
Lions travel to Belarus on Wednesday. Upson put in a solid display in the
Wembley win. Robert Green, who was beaten to the bench by Scott Carson, will
not travel to Minsk because of a sore knee. England sit top of qualifying
Group 6 having won three from three.
Wales
James Collins and Craig Bellamy will both be hoping to play in Wales'
crucial Group 4 qualifier in Germany after playing in the 2-1 win over
Liechtenstein on Saturday.
Bellamy started and was involved throughout the 81 minutes he was on the
pitch. Collins came on as a substitute to replace the Wales captain - his
first senior appearance since December - and was delighted to be back
playing again after overcoming a serious knee injury. He said: "It's not a
gamble to play me on Wednesday. I've been training at West Ham now for two
months and played a few reserve games.
"I had the operation and pretty much three weeks after that I was working.
It's paid off because I'm slimmer, fitter and stronger than ever. If I'm not
ready to play now I'll never be. It's a tough game for us on Wednesday but
hopefully if I do play I'll see how I come through."
Australia
Lucas Neill is with the Australia squad preparing for the visit of Qatar.
The Socceroos have a 100 per cent record after one game and will look to
move up from third in the Asian qualifying group after the Brisbane match.
Australia captain Neill thinks he is going into the match in good shape. "My
form is getting better and better this season. I am happy with the way
things are going," he said. "I definitely feel more like my old self. This
year I feel strong. Last season I did not have a proper pre-season - it was
stop-start. I'd play and two days later I was still only 90-95 per cent.
"The games come thick and fast in England, as you know and I just wasn't
recovering well enough. This time I had the chance to have a good six weeks
with no football then got in to a six week pre-season which was fantastic.
It gave me a good base for fitness, something to work on for the whole
season."
Switzerland
Valon Behrami will be looking to help Switzerland build on their 2-1 win
over Latvia at the weekend as they face a must-win game against Greece in
Athens. He played the full 90 minutes in St Gallen and will again hope to
start in a midfield role. Switzerland sit third in Group 2 with four points
from three matches - having suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Luxembourg last
month.
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Games the key for Bellamy - WHUFC
A midweek test against Germany will serve Craig Bellamy well for the Sunday
trip to Hull City
13.10.2008
Craig Bellamy is looking forward to taking on the might of Germany on
Wednesday night after the "big bonus" of an extended weekend run-out for the
West Ham United striker in World Cup qualifying.
Although he did not score in the 2-0 win against Liechtenstein, the Wales
captain was not too despondent - even with a missed penalty. It was his
first start of the season after three club games off the bench. He said: "If
I scored a hat-trick and played as well as I could have, ran into the corner
and pulled up lame that would have destroyed me. So to come off and feel I
am ready to play on Wednesday is great. I have not had that in a long time
to be able to play consecutive matches.
"Training does not prepare you for a game, which is different as it is about
touch, turning - a completely different scenario. People say you need games
to get into the rhythm. Hopefully this will help me become sharper ...
hopefully they more I play in games and you will see a different scenario.
You only get sharp with games and my game is based on sharpness. So the more
games I get, the better I will be."
Bellamy is a man for the big occasion and expects he and his international
colleagues - including fit-again James Collins - to provide a test for their
hosts in Monchengladbach on Wednesday. "Germany will be a completely
different game, much quicker," he said. "It will be a good football pitch ?
my goals have been against the decent sides at international level and there
is no more decent team than Germany.
"I don't know why we play better against bigger teams," the striker added.
"Maybe the counterattack, or maybe the mentality. I know it might sound
strange, but to play against the bigger teams is easier as you know what you
are up against. You know you will be up against it, and you know you need to
be on your game otherwise it will be very tough."
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Quashie set for Birmingham loan - BBC
Birmingham City hope to finally complete a loan deal for West Ham's Nigel
Quashie in the next week. The 30-year-old has been training with the Blues
for several weeks in a bid to prove his fitness after missing the last 19
months through injury. Boss Alex McLeish is also close to a decision over
whether to sign Togo midfielder Souleymane Mamam, 23. Mamam, who has been on
trial at St Andrew's for two weeks, has played in two practice matches. He
was signed by Manchester United in 2003, only to then suffer work permit
problems and be sent out on loan to United's 'nursery' club Royal Antwerp.
But they opted not to renew his contract in 2007, since when he has played a
further year at Antwerp before going on trial this summer to Mark McGhee's
Motherwell. McLeish will finally make his mind up after seeing Mamam play
again in a reserve match next Tuesday. And he expects to decide whether to
pursue a deal for the much-travelled Quashie before Blues' next game against
Burnley on Saturday week (18 October). "We would hope to tie Nigel up on a
month's deal with a view to extending that if he proves his fitness,"
McLeish told the Birmingham Mail. "Probably before the Burnley game we will
get it done." Quashie joined West Ham in January 2007 following the fourth
of his relegations from the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion (he
also went down with QPR, Nottingham Forest and Southampton). But he has made
just seven starts in almost two years at Upton Park, largely down to a
nagging foot injury which kept him out all of last season.
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International round-up - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 13th October 2008
By: Staff Writer
Matthew Upson played a full 90 minutes as England comfortably beat
Kazakhstan at Wembley. The 29-year-old centre-half had a fairly uneventful
evening as Fabio Capello's charges strolled to victory - eventually -
against a young side full of inexperience. Robert Green - also in the squad
for Saturday and this coming Wednesday's game against Belarus - was an
unused substitute. Elsewhere, striker Craig Bellamy didn't enjoy the best of
comebacks after he missed a penalty in Wales' 2-0 win over minnows
Liechtenstein at the Millennium Stadium. Talking after the game, the Welsh
captain said: "It is not the first penalty I have missed so I am not going
to beat myself up about it. But it was so bad the keeper nearly dived over
it!"
Bellamy managed to play for 80 minutes before being replaced by centre-half
James Collins - another formerly-injured Hammer returning to the
international stage.
Valon Behrami was part of the Swiss side that narrowly beat Latvia at the
AFG Arena on Saturday night. The United midfielder, whose fitness was cause
for concern last week after a training ground incident shook off any doubts
by completing the entire game. Friday night saw Mark Noble's England
under-21s edge past their Welsh counterparts - including Jack Collison - in
the first leg of their Euro Championship qualifier.
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Green out of Belarus trip - SSN
West Ham keeper out of squad
Last updated: 13th October 2008
The Football Association have confirmed that Robert Green has withdrawn from
the England squad. The West Ham goalkeeper has soreness in his knee and will
not be travelling with the main squad for their World Cup qualifier against
Belarus on Wednesday. Green was not involved in Saturday's qualifier at
Wembley against Kazakhstan and it is unlikely coach Fabio Capello will call
for further cover. David James started the match against The Kazaks, whilst
West Brom's Scott Carson was on the substitute's bench.
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West Ham close to new sponsorship deal - Telegraph
West Ham United are close to securing a new £4m-a-year shirt sponsorship
deal that could ease fears that the club has been destabilised by turbulence
in the Icelandic economy.
By Paul Kelso
Last Updated: 7:55PM BST 13 Oct 2008
The club's previous shirt sponsor, the travel company XL in which the club's
owners Bjorgulfur Gudmundsson had an interest, collapsed last month leaving
a blank space on the shirts and a £4m hole in the balance sheet.
Negotiations with a replacement sponsor are understood to be at an advanced
stage however, and the club is hopeful that it will at least match the
estimated £4m a year paid by XL, and possibly exceed it. A new deal would go
some way to easing concerns that the crisis in the Icelandic economy could
impact on the club. The collapse last week of Iceland's biggest [chk] bank
Landsbanki, of which Gudmundsson was chairman, and other assets in which has
major interests has led to speculation that the club could be sold. West Ham
sources insist that they have had no indication that Gudmundsson is
considering a sale, and say that the club remains on a sound financial
footing. While City sources suggest there have been inquiries from potential
bidders interested in the club, no formal offers have been received. The
Premier League has carried out its own inquiry into the club's finances in
addition to the checks carried out as a condition of entry into the league,
and is satisfied that there is no immediate threat to its ability to
complete the season. As a British-registered company the club itself could
be insulated from any attempts by the Icelandic government to freeze the
overseas assets of leading businessmen. The clubs does have loans with a
consortium of five banks, at least one of which is Icelandic. The club's
most recent accounts, to May 31 2007, show net debts of £51m. Potential
purchasers of Newcastle meanwhile will be contacted in the next 24 hours by
investment bankers brokering the sale of the club on Mike Ashley's behalf.
With a measure of stability returning to the financial markets yesterday the
seven parties that have expressed a serious interest in the club will have
the chance to formalise their approaches in the coming days.
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Dubai suitor switches attention from Charlton to West Ham
Matt Scott The Guardian, Tuesday October 14 2008
West Ham were yesterday the subject of a takeover approach by Dubai's
sovereign-wealth fund Zabeel Investments. The same company, controlled by
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, declared its interest in Charlton Athletic last
Friday in the form of an "indicative bid". But yesterday's approach was far
more discreetly conducted.
Club sources confirm that contact was made but insist there are "no talks"
after the owner, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, rejected the offer. Twenty-four
hours earlier he had informed high-level staff that his commitment to West
Ham was as strong as ever and that he would remain with the club in the long
term.
However, it is believed that talks are continuing with Gudmundsson on a
personal level as he faces increased pressure to cash in on his £85m
investment. Dubai's bid is serious and Amanda Staveley, the dealmaker who
introduced the Abu Dhabi United Group to Manchester City, is understood to
be in the Emirate to talk through the potential purchase.
Although West Ham continue to insist that they are viable - unlike several
other clubs to have changed hands in recent years, no takeover debt was
loaded on to them- Gudmundsson's personal finances have been hit by the
financial crash. He and his son Thor Bjorgolfsson were, until last week at
least, Iceland's two richest men. But as 41% shareholders in the collapsed
Landsbanki, the country's second-biggest bank, and having guaranteed loans
in the charter airline XL, which folded a month ago, they have been heavily
exposed to the meltdown of their nation's economy.
West Ham, an attractive proposition given their proximity to the 2012
Olympic stadium, face a potential eight-figure liability in the shape of
Sheffield United's compensation claim in the Carlos Tevez case. They are
contesting this through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
There have been two approaches for West Ham from the Gulf and another from
China in recent days, but Dubai's appears to be the most likely to succeed.
If it does, Premier League ownership rules will forbid Zabeel's takeover of
Charlton.
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West Ham's James Collins urges John Toshack to gamble on him for Wales -
Telegraph
James Collins, the West Ham defender, wants Wales manager John Toshack to
take a gamble and give him his first start for his country since January.
By John Ley in Dusseldorf
Last Updated: 10:35PM BST 13 Oct 2008
James Collins has not played since January when he damaged his cruciate
ligaments playing for West Ham, at Portsmouth, but made a belated late
appearance for Wales, against Liechtenstein at the weekend and is ready to
start for the first time in 10 months. Collins's last game for Wales was in
Germany in November when the Principality produced an outstanding
performance in Frankfurt, earning a goalless draw. Toshack may consider
switching to a three-man back line in Moenchengladbach and Collins is keen
to feature. "It won't be a gamble to play on Wednesday as I have been
training with West Hamfor two months now and played two or three reserve
matches," said Collins, "and if I am not ready to play now, I will never be.
"West Ham knew that I was coming away to play games so fingers crossed I do.
I need as many games as possible after being out nearly a year and it will
be a tough game on Wednesday and hopefully if I do play I will I get through
it. "My body is as good as it had ever been and I am confident if I go out
on the pitch there are no injury problems. "I have thought about how I can
improve. Coming back from any injury is tough. You think about here heading
and hopefully I can concentrate on football again and be a better player."
Meanwhile, Chris Gunter will enjoy his return to Germany after last season's
visit kick-started his career. "A week before Germany I was playing in a
reserve game for Cardiff and Iwas really not even on the bench at the time,"
recalled the Spurs defender. "It was touch and go whether I would start in
Germany but I haven't looked back since. That game really kick-started my
career. It was such a proud night for me, it was my first big international
game in terms of the opposition. It was a proud night for my family watching
at home. A year in football is a long time but that game is still with me."
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Would-be West Ham suitor to sue brother - sport.co.uk
Author: Nigel Brown
Posted on: 13 October 2008 - 8:06 PM
West Ham may be forced to wait for a financial lifeline - after prospective
new-owner Anil Ambani announced he is set to launch one of the biggest libel
claims in history against his own brother. The Indian billionaire, who is
ranked as the sixth-richest man on the planet with a personal fortune of
£23bn, is suing his older sibling Mukesh, who sits one place above him in
the rich list, for a total of £1.2bn. Anil, who is eyeing a £150m bid for
the east London club, alleges that Mukesh falsely suggested to The New York
Times that he co-ordinated a group of spies which "collects data about the
vulnerabilities of the powerful." With Hammers chairman Bjorgolfur
Gudmundsson in financial peril after his Landsbanki bank was seized by the
Icelandic government, Ambani had been hailed as the saviour of Upton Park.
Gudmundsson, who owns 42 per cent of Landsbanki in his position as a major
shareholder and chairman, has already seen his £100 million shareholding in
XL Airways bite the dust. The 66-year-old, who was ranked as the 799th
richest man in the world by Forbes, is determined to keep hold of West Ham
but is now unlikely to be able to finance any transfers in January. But
this latest development is set to put any move on hold with the two men set
to go head-to-head in one of the most sensational legal wrangles of all
time. The pair have been at each other's throats over their father's
inheritence following his death in 2005, leading to a dispute which has even
forced the Indian government to intervene on occasions. And Anil, who is
seething at his brother's comments which were also reprinted in two Indian
newspapers, is now ready to forsake his own mother's wishes of mediation and
seek compensation from his estranged sibling.
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West Ham plan to take Sheffield United appeal over compensation to High
Court - The Times
Gary Jacob
West Ham United will step up their fight against paying Sheffield United
compensation by lodging an appeal in the High Court this week. An
arbitration panel ruled last month that West Ham are liable for compensation
on the basis that Carlos Tévez, their former player, was worth more than the
three points that separated them and Sheffield United, who were relegated,
after the 2006-07 season.
The East London club, who breached Premier League rules in the transfer of
the Argentina forward, have also asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport in
Lausanne, Switzerland, to hear the dispute and are willing to take the issue
to Fifa.
West Ham's appeal, which must be submitted by Thursday, will try to show
that the panel made an error of law or came to incorrect findings of facts
in its judgment and it will force the arbitration panel to delay
deliberations on the level of compensation.
Sheffield United are revising their estimate of the cost of relegation to
£50 million to take into account a second year outside the top flight.
However, some legal experts say that it is unlikely that they will be able
to prove that their loss extends to more than one season because they had an
opportunity to gain promotion.
West Ham, who have a debt of about £40 million, are believed to have been
put up for sale by their Icelandic owners because of the effects of the
credit crunch. But Diego Tristán is expected to join the club until the end
of the season, after the 32-year-old former Spain striker was released by
Livorno, the Italian club.
The new owners of Manchester City stamped their mark on the club last night
by confirming four new directors. Khaldoon al-Mubarak, who replaced Thaksin
Shinawatra as chairman after the £200 million takeover of the club last
month, is joined on the board by Simon Pearce, an adviser to the Abu Dhabi
Government, Martin Edelman, a lawyer, and Victor Restis, an associate of
Shinawatra.
Garry Cook, the executive chairman, keeps his place on the board.
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Kirk Blows' sport comment: Crunch time in the East End - londonpaper.co.uk
by Kirk Blows. Tuesday, 07 October 2008
They say money can buy you anything but love. As West Ham chairman
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson will confirm, it can certainly buy you a headache.
CLANG! Holiday firm XL, the outfit Gudmundsson is reported to have
guaranteed loans of around £160m to, crashes to earth to leave the Hammers
without a shirt sponsor. BANG! Sheffield United win their potential £30m
claim for compensation against West Ham in the wake of the Carlos Tevez
affair. BONG! Landsbanki, the bank Gudmundsson was chairman of and held a 40
per cent stake in, goes into receivership and is taken over by the Icelandic
government. So it's no surprise that this morning's tabloids saw fit to
claim that West Ham could become the Premier League's first victims of the
current global financial crisis. Especially with vice-chairman Asgeir
Fridgeirsson admitting that there would be no money for new manager
Gianfranco Zola to make player purchases in January. Chief executive Scott
Duxbury insists the failure of Gudmundsson's outside business interests will
not threaten the stability and security of West Ham. Fans will certainly
hope that's the case, but it's fair to question whether West Ham remains an
attractive investment for Gudmundsson in the current economic climate. If he
decides it doesn't then the Hammers could become one of the next Premier
League clubs to change hands – to yet another foreign owner, no doubt.
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Green Suffers Injury Setback - C'Mon Yu Irons!
Oct 14, 2008 Injuries, West Ham News, england
Robert Green has pulled out of the England squad and may be out of Sunday's
game for West Ham United against Hull City due to a slight knee injury.
Green was not involved in England's 5-1 win over Kazakhstan on Saturday,
where David James played and Scott Carson was on the bench.
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How positive thinking put an end to the Upson downs by NEIL ASHTON - Daily
Mail
Last updated at 12:19 AM on 14th October 2008
David James saves imaginary shots and prevents 'ghost goals' as part of his
bizarre pre-match ritual, but in Matthew Upson's mind he has already blocked
them before they trouble the England goalkeeper. Upson gave a fascinating
insight into his psyche yesterday as he revealed that a sports psychologist
has given him the belief that he can compete with the best in the business.
He painted a picture of a player plagued by self-doubt when he was at
Birmingham, hanging on to his Barclays Premier League winner's medal with
Arsenal from 2002 and wondering whether he would fulfil his potential. 'When
I was at Birmingham, I was relatively stagnant in my career and I was doing
things the same way as I had always done,' he admitted. 'Previously when I
joined up with the squad maybe I didn't believe I deserved to be there. That
ends in one way - with poor performances. Now I fully believe I deserve to
be here with the England squad and am capable of stepping in and doing a
good job'.
The West Ham defender's nervous performance against Kazakhstan on Saturday
suggested that he is unlikely to trouble John Terry for his long-term place
in the England team, but Upson is surging with unshakeable belief. Upson,
29, who is likely to partner Rio Ferdinand again in the centre of England's
defence against Belarus tomorrow evening, said: 'You have to have a belief
when you step into a position and into a game of such scale. If you don't
fully believe that, then you aren't going to perform the way you know you
can. When I was younger, I probably wouldn't have been able to deal with it
as well.'
Upson revealed the positive thinking technique had helped him deal with his
mistake at Wembley, a backpass that nearly led to Kazakhstan taking a
surprise lead. 'I understand the mistake, move on, keep the body language
good - all these things are important. The next time you get the ball, be
positive or do something very simple and positive. All these things help
being able to perform at the elite level, which England is. 'It's an
individual thing. Some people might not want to touch it, some people are
into it. I think that if you're going to achieve the best thing you can, you
need to be mentally prepared. That's the same in any job and I think it's
something which is very important. 'Every day I think about playing for
England. You have to re-evaluate your targets as you go along and make new
ones. Mine is to play in the World Cup finals with England.'
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Irons set to step up legal challenge - TeamTalk
West Ham aim to shake off their crisis-club image by stepping up their legal
fight against Sheffield United and signing Diego Tristan. The club have sent
a legal submission to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) claiming that
FIFA rules will be breached if they do not agree to hear their appeal over
the Carlos Tevez affair.
The club are also hopeful of agreeing a deal with 32-year-old Spanish
striker Tristan, who is currently a free agent, to show there are signs of
stability amid the global financial crisis that has struck hard for the
club's Icelandic owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. In relation to the Tevez
affair, the Hammers are disputing the independent tribunal ruling against
them which could see the club forced to pay millions in compensation to
Sheffield United. That tribunal was brought under Football Association rules
which also state that no appeal is permitted to a court of law, but in their
legal submission to CAS, West Ham have argued that the FA rules would be in
breach of FIFA statutes if they did not allow for an appeal to the
Swiss-based arbitration court. Sheffield United are disputing whether CAS
have jurisdiction and the court in Lausanne, Switzerland, will now hold a
preliminary hearing to decide whether they are able to deal with the case.
In their argument against an appeal, the Blades have pointed to the dispute
between Ashley Cole and the Premier League in 2005, where CAS said they did
not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal from the player over his £75,000
fine imposed by the league for holding unauthorised talks with Chelsea while
he was still at Arsenal. Meanwhile, Gudmundsson is continuing to insist he
views West Ham as a personal investment that will not be affected by the
Icelandic banking crisis. Pressure is growing for all Icelandic banks'
overseas investments to be liquidised to allow the money to be sent back to
the country to ease the crisis, but Gudmundsson has assured fellow directors
he has no intention of selling the club. City sources believe however that
there is an appetite for another foreign takeover despite the credit crunch
- with the Middle East the most likely origin of any possible offer should
Gudmundsson change his mind.
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Upson: I deserve my England spot - TeamTalk
Matthew Upson is sure he is good enough for England - even though he must
compete with the captain and vice-captain for a place in the team. Upson
seems certain to win his 11th cap on Wednesday after John Terry was ruled
out of the Group Six World Cup qualifier with Belarus having failed to
recover from the back injury that prevented him from facing Kazakhstan at
the weekend. The 29-year-old West Ham man was once at the end of a very long
line of central defenders hoping to wear the Three Lions on their chest. Now
Upson appears to be the first-choice replacement after being called into
Fabio Capello's starting line-up for the win over Andorra last month when
Rio Ferdinand was missing and then replacing Terry against Kazakhstan. The
one-time Arsenal man is adamant he is worthy of a place - and he does not
regard himself as a mere stand-in any more. "Maybe previously I have not
believed in myself enough," he said. "I did not think I deserved to be here.
"But when you feel like that, you only end up going one way. Now I do
believe I deserve to be here. I think I can step in and do the job. "Just
because John Terry is the captain and Rio Ferdinand is the vice-captain does
not automatically mean they are going to get picked. "Things change very
quickly in football. You get injuries and loss of form. It doesn't matter
what someone else is doing, it is about how I am playing and I have to make
sure I am ready."
Upson must feel quietly confident of playing a major role in England's bid
to reach South Africa in two years' time. While Ferdinand's absences are
rare, Terry has been a more frequent visitor to the treatment table in
recent times. It cannot be forgotten Terry was missing on a number of
occasions during the ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, most notably
against Russia in Moscow and Croatia at Wembley, both of which were lost
when a draw would have steered England into the finals.
At one time, there would have been no need to worry. Jonathan Woodgate,
Ledley King, Sol Campbell and Jamie Carragher were all adequate replacements
with plenty of experience at the highest level. But slowly that strength in
depth has disappeared. The fitness of King and Woodgate cannot be trusted,
age has finally caught up with Campbell, while Carragher was not prepared to
sit on the bench forever and promptly retired, claiming he was not bothered
about playing for England in the first place. Aside from Upson, Everton's
Joleon Lescott is the other central defender in Capello's squad, with Wes
Brown earmarked for the right-back role. Delve any deeper and you end up
with Under-21 duo Steven Taylor and David Wheater, plus Micah Richards, once
viewed as the great hope of English defenders but immediately discarded by
Capello, who has detected some previously unseen flaw in the Manchester City
youngster. None of this inspires any confidence, especially if Terry's
combative style is starting to catch up with him. Not that Upson can afford
to worry too much about that. "It is a blow to lose John but I guess it is a
hazard of the game," he said. "That is what the squad is here for. "We have
enough strength in depth. We just have to pull together and make sure we
approach Belarus in the same manner as always."
The loss of Terry is not the only blow England have suffered, with Ashley
Cole ruled out by a hamstring injury sustained against Kazakhstan. England
know they stand on the brink of history given they have never started a
World Cup qualifying campaign with four successive wins. Equally, as Upson
said, a draw would not be a disaster as Croatia have already dropped five
points, including three to England as they were crushed in Zagreb, while
Ukraine do not look any better. Former Arsenal star Alexander Hleb is
struggling to be fit for Belarus, although that has not stopped some
inflammatory remarks coming out of the Belarus camp. Wayne Rooney has been
singled out for some verbal jousting, with claims he is weak. It is not an
image Upson recognises. "The one thing he isn't is weak," said the
29-year-old. "Wayne has made an unbelievable start to his career. "People
sometimes forget how young he is. When you are young, you tend to find
everything is for free. There is not much expectation and you grab what you
see. "But when things get tough, people expect a certain level of
performance from us. Wayne has coped with it brilliantly and has gone from
strength to strength. "If Belarus feel like spicing up the game like that it
is up to them. We will just stay focused with concrete heads, determined to
achieve what we want."
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Upson: We put ourselves at risk - TeamTalk
Matthew Upson feels John Terry's style contributes to his growing list of
injuries - but admits defenders have to put themselves on the line. Terry
has been ruled out of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Belarus in
Minsk with a back injury that has prevented him from training since Fabio
Capello's squad first got together last week. As the England captain also
sat out Saturday's win over Kazakhstan, plus the key Euro 2008 clashes with
Russia and Croatia last autumn - both of which were lost when a draw in
either would probably have been good enough to seal a place at the finals -
his absence is not exactly uncommon. Upson is sorry to see Terry miss out,
even if the West Ham defender is profiting at his expense. And he can see
exactly why the Chelsea man's body is so battered. "Injuries are a hazard of
the position and there comes a time where, especially as a defender, you're
going to have to put your body on the line," he said. "You have to make a
decision in some games, and John does that every week. "The older you get
the more you start to get these problems. It is a case of getting some good
advice and good treatment to make sure your body is strong enough to
compete."
Terry once said he wanted to play in every game he could and not even the
prospect of spending the latter part of his life in a wheelchair would alter
his opinion.
It may be an ill-advised viewpoint but Upson feels a certain amount of
physical discomfort has to be tolerated as part of the job. "The contact has
an effect," he said.
"When you have a piece of surgery the balance of your body changes. After
years of pounding away you can have a chronic problem. "But its part of the
position and you have to expect it." Upson certainly feels he is far
tougher, mentally and physically, than he was when Arsene Wenger discarded
him five years ago. It is not so much he feels Wenger was wrong to let him
leave Arsenal for Birmingham, more that when he started to analyse his
career, Upson recognised he had not done himself justice. "Arsenal was a
lesson for me," he said. "I left having not touched the potential I had as a
young lad. "I didn't really come through and do the things I knew I could.
That was to do with my mental approach. "It didn't matter how hard I
trained, all these other things weren't up to scratch. "There was a sense of
failure and if you behave in the same way then the outcome is generally the
same, so you have to change your approach."
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There'll be no Gold at Hammers - The Sun
Published: Today
BIRMINGHAM chief David Gold has ruled out a move for West Ham. Boyhood
Hammers fan Gold and business partner David Sullivan had a 28 per cent stake
in the club in the early 90s. The Upton Park club are in financial turmoil
but Gold said: "It won't happen. I couldn't cause more worry among our
fans."
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West Ham defender Upson: Sports shrink has improved my game
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham defender Matthew Upson has credited working with a sports shrink to
his return to the England squad. Three years ago, Upson's career had hit a
full stop. In his own words, he was 'stagnating' at Birmingham, a seemingly
endless line of top-class central defenders blocking his path to national
honours. But a chance meeting with psychologist Mike Griffiths transformed
the 29-year-old's career. A move to West Ham also helped, so now, when Upson
takes his place in Fabio Capello's side for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier
with Belarus in Minsk, he will feel he truly belongs. "I was relatively
stagnant in my career and was doing things the same way I had always done,"
he said. "But I had a bit of a realisation that if I really wanted to move
on I'd have to sacrifice a bit more to my job and commit a bit more in
certain areas. "My path crossed with Mike Griffiths' and he helped me figure
out how to go about it. "Most great things you do, you'll have pictured it
before you've done it. So you'll start at the end, which is achieving it,
and work backwards, on how do I get there? "There's loads of factors
involved, ups and downs and mishaps, positive things; it's a process. "But
it is not as easy as someone just telling you what to do, you've got do it
under pressure."
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West Ham's Upson: Nothing worked for me at Arsenal
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United defender Matthew Upson admits he struggled at former club
Arsenal. Upson feels he is far tougher, mentally and physically, than he was
when Arsene Wenger discarded him five years ago. It is not so much he feels
Wenger was wrong to let him leave Highbury, more that when he started to
analyse his career, Upson recognised he had not done himself justice.
"Arsenal was a lesson for me," he said. "I left having not touched the
potential I had as a young lad. "I didn't really come through and do the
things I knew I could. That was to do with my mental approach. "It didn't
matter how hard I trained, all these other things weren't up to scratch.
"There was a sense of failure and if you behave in the same way then the
outcome is generally the same so you have to change your approach."
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West Ham defender Upson happy working with Italian coaches
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United defender Matthew Upson believes working with Italian coaches
for club and country will improve his game. "I don't think working under two
Italian coaches would be a bad thing," he said. "Zola is obviously not as
experienced but he focuses on the same things. "They bring a real tactical
awareness to defending. Even if I have not featured in the game, I have
learned a lot from training. "It doesn't have to be particularly demanding
work but you need repetition to develop the habit of being in the right
position."
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Birmingham supremo Gold rules out West Ham return
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
Birmingham City supremo David Gold has ruled out saving West Ham United.
Boyhood Hammers fan Gold and business partner David Sullivan had a 28 per
cent stake in the club in the early 90s. The Upton Park club are in
financial turmoil but Gold said: "It won't happen. I couldn't cause more
worry among our fans."
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West Ham management excited by Hall potential
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham academy boss Tony Carr believe they have a top prospect in 14
year-old striker Robert Hall, who played for England U16 last week. He told
whufc.com: "Robert is a good prospect and hopefully he will continue to
improve. He will keep his feet on the ground. I am sure that will be the
case because he is a good lad with a good family behind him. Hopefully he is
one for the future for us."
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West Ham chief delighted with England U19 skipper Spence
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham academy boss Tony Carr is delighted with the progress of Jordan
Spence, the England U19 captain. He told whufc.com: "They obviously like him
in the England set-up as he has come all the way through. It is great that
they have qualified. We have got a good spread of academy products in the
international picture with Mark Noble leading the way with the Under-21s,
while we also have Jack Collison involved with Wales."
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West Ham skipper Neill: Zola fantastic
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham captain Lucas Neill is enjoying life under new gaffer Gianfranco
Zola. He said: "Zola is a fantastic guy, really enthusiastic. He is a
footballing man and all the boys are really pleased with the way things have
gone so far. "If I was not held in such high regard at West Ham and being
captain and very proud of that. Why leave somewhere where I am one of the
most important people at the club? "I don't mean that in an arrogant way. I
mean it is such a responsibility and I relish it."
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Toshack wants Collison to make West Ham loan exit
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
Wales boss John Toshack wants West Ham midfielder Jack Collison to move away
on-loan. "Collison needs more games at West Ham and may benefit if he goes
out on loan somewhere," said Toshack.
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West Ham's Collins: Wales game no risk
14.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham defender James Collins insists he's not dicing with his fitness by
playing for Wales tomorrow against Germany. He said: "It won't be a gamble
as I've been training with West Ham for two months now and played three
reserve matches. If I'm not ready to play now, I never will be."
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