Young forward Zavon Hines has impressed already at Coventry City - just two
games into his loan spell
01.04.2008
On-loan West Ham United forward Zavon Hines scored on only his second
appearance in league football as Coventry City drew 1-1 at Sheffield
Wednesday.
Having agreed a one-month loan last week, the 19-year-old made his debut at
the weekend for the Midlands club as an 87th-minute replacement in their 3-1
home win against Plymouth Argyle. On Tuesday night at fellow Championship
strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, Hines came off the bench in the 75th minute
and within nine minutes had struck a sweet volley to give the visitors the
lead. Only a last-gasp equaliser from Richard Wood denied Hines a dream
night.
The No9's contribution means Coventry have moved three points clear of the
Championship drop zone but more crucially also have four teams separating
them from the relegation places - including Sheffield Wednesday. Hines will
hope to have done enough to impress manager Chris Coleman and earn a
starting berth away to high-fliers Watford on Saturday - the same day as
goalkeeper Richard Wright is expected to be in action for Southampton at
home to Bristol City. Fellow loanee Kyel Reid could play for Crystal Palace
on Monday at second-placed Stoke City.
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N'Gala earns new contract - WHUFC
Bondz N'Gala is another one of the Academy's bright hopes to have extended
their stay at West Ham United
01.04.2008
West Ham United have secured the services of 18-year-old defender Bondz
N'Gala on a new contract.
The homegrown youngster from Forest Gate is one of a number of talented
centre-backs coming through at the club and has established himself as a
reserve-team regular in recent weeks alongside Jordan Spence. Both teenagers
are looking to follow Anton Ferdinand and James Tomkins in progressing from
the Academy to becoming first-team regulars and Tony Carr sees only
positives ahead - especially with the U18s and reserves riding high in their
respective league tables.
Of the imposing player known to his team-mates as Bonzo, Carr said: "Bondz
has signed a professional contract and at the moment the youth team and the
Academy are having a good little spell. We are getting players into the
first team and the boys are still getting good results. Things couldn't be
better at the moment. I am really pleased with the way things have gone in
the last couple of months. We have got Jordan Spence also who is maturing
into a fine centre-back. We have got more to come we hope."
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N'Gala earns Hammers contract - SSN
Young defender agrees professional terms
By Chris Burton Last updated: 1st April 2008
West Ham Academy prospect Bondz N'Gala has agreed a new deal to keep him at
Upton Park. The 18-year-old centre-back has established himself as a regular
in the Hammers' reserve side and has put in a number of impressive displays
this season alongside fellow first-team hopeful Jordan Spence. The duo will
be looking to follow in the footsteps of Anton Ferdinand and James Tomkins
in progressing into Alan Curbishley's plans, and Academy coach Tony Carr
predicts bright futures for the young pairing. "Bondz has signed a
professional contract and at the moment the youth team and the Academy are
having a good little spell," he told the club's official website. "We are
getting players into the first team and the boys are still getting good
results. Things couldn't be better at the moment. "I am really pleased with
the way things have gone in the last couple of months. "We have got Jordan
Spence also who is maturing into a fine centre-back. We have got more to
come we hope."
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Etherington and Faubert out - West Ham Blog
The club have confirmed that Matthew Etherington and Julien Faubert will
miss the remainder of the season with their respective groin and calf
injuries. Curbs is keen for Faubert to have a full pre-season so we can see
what moved him to spend 6m on the promising winger - let's hope it's not the
same as what he saw that prompted him to buy Luis Boa-Morte. Losing these
two is likely to mean we will see more of Boa-Morte for the rest of the
season, as our options are limited to injury prone players such as Ljungberg
and Solano.
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Upson 'may not be risked' in Portsmouth clash -Guardian Series
By Rob Pritchard
ALAN Curbishley will not risk injured defender Matthew Upson's fitness,
despite his side's horrific recent defensive record. West Ham have conceded
16 goals in their last six matches - the last four of which have seen Upson
sidelined with a calf injury suffered in the 4-0 defeat at Liverpool. And
the former Arsenal man's absence has coincided with a new-found fragility at
the heart of the Hammers' back-four. But despite initial reports that the
England man would be out of action for just a week, Curbishley revealed that
Upson may miss next Tuesday's home match against Portsmouth. "We'll have to
see if Upson will be right for Portsmouth. We don't want to put anyone at
risk so we'll just have to see what we've got," said the manager. "Everyone
can see, if they care to look at the back of the programme, the problems
we've had. "Great credit to the players that have been playing, I've got no
complaints."
Upson is one of a staggering 15 Irons first-team players currently
unavailable - including fellow defenders Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and
Calum Davenport - leaving Anton Ferdinand as the club's only fit senior
centre-back. Indeed, the Irons injury crisis has seen both full-back
Jonathan Spector and Basildon teenager James Tomkins drafted into the
starting eleven in recent weeks. Ferdinand himself has also endured a
difficult month, but Curbishley has backed the former England Under-21 star
- whose loose clearance led to Sunderland's winner at the Stadium of Light
on Saturday - to come through. "You can see the disruption. People forget
Collins and Gabbidon and obviously Upson, Etherington, Faubert, Dyer,
Bowyer, Bellamy, Zamora are all out," he added. "I think Anton has had
different partners. I think he's done great at Sunderland, to be honest. "We
started off with Spector there, then Tomkins has had to come on and Specs
has gone to left-back then right-back. "It's been very very difficult for
us."
12:51pm Tuesday 1st April 2008
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Arsenal Striker Abdulla Joins West Ham On Trial -youngguns.worldpress.com
Arsenal striker Ahmed Abdulla scored on his debut for West Ham after the
Saudi Arabian striker joined the club on a two week trial. The school boy
rejected the scholarship terms offered to him by Liam Brady in January, in a
deal we told you about first, after problems with his agent, and initially
joined Tottenham in a deal that saw Jason Banton return to the club, but has
now switched to the Hammers who are currently short of Youth strikers. Under
18's Coach Tony Carr speaking with the clubs official website said: "He has
been training for a week, he is only a schoolboy and I put him in to see
what he could do. He has come in, worked hard and scored a goal. It is early
days for him but he has done well."
Should Ahmed sign for West Ham, he would find himself battling with Arsenal
for the Under 18's group A top spot, and a disappointing sight after Abdulla
had shown early talents in last season Nike Cup tournament, but agent
problems meant he took time to decide on the scholarship, and Arsenal moved
for Luke Freeman, leaving the Saudi in the cold. The Gunners are thought to
ask around £100.000 for the player, a similar fee they paid for the
fore-mentioned Freeman, but the form of Jason Banton as a forward means a
replacement will not be needed. Young Guns would like to thank Ahmed for his
services and wish him all the best in the future, we would also like to
thank regular blog commenter Joshua for helping with this news.
Article By - J.Sanderson
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Hammers Starlet wants Transfer cmonyuirons.com
Kyel Reid wants a transfer deal to Crystal Palace this summer.
The 20-year-old who joined the Eagles until the end of the season last
Thursday, is currently the third choice left winger at parent club West Ham
behind Matthew Etherington and Luis Boa Morte and faces crunch talks with
manager Alan Curbishley in the summer. If Curbishley decides he is surplus
to requirements then Reid, who lives with his family in New Cross, admits he
would favour a move to SE25.
He said: "At the end of the season I'll sit down with Alan and see what his
plans are for me and then have a talk with my agent and think what his
opinion is on what I should do. I will hopefully listen to whatever clubs
are interested as well and probably hear what the gaffer has to say here and
see whether he wants me to stay. "I'm pleased to come here because it's
still in London and not far for me to travel or my family. I think Palace is
a good club as well. "I've been playing reserves for four or five years now
and it's not really challenging me anymore. I just wanted to get out there
and play first team football either in the Championship or Premier League."
Reid also admitted that there were a few other clubs interested in him both
before the deadline day and on it.
He said: There were quite a few clubs that were interested before the
deadline as well but at the time the manager wouldn't let me out on loan, he
wanted me around the team in case I was needed but it got to the end where
he said I needed some games so he let me go out on loan."
Surely a season long loan to Palace would be best for West Ham!
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