Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil completed their transfers to Fulham on Tuesday evening
15.07.2008
West Ham United can confirm that Fulham have signed Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil in a combined £6.3m deal that could rise by a further £1m depending on appearances.
Zamora has signed a four-year contract and Pantsil has a three-year deal. The west London club made their approach last week and the two players were granted permission to enter into discussions with a view to a permanent move. Both then agreed personal terms and passed medicals ahead of the announcement. The decision to let Zamora leave was influenced in part by the fact Alan Curbishley has plenty of options in attack, including Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy, Carlton Cole and Freddie Sears along with the support play of Kieron Dyer and Luis Boa Morte.
Zamora had been with the club since January 2004 and will forever be remembered for his winning goal in the 2005 play-off final that took the club back to the top flight after a two-season absence. A knee injury and competition for places meant the striker played just 14 times in the 2007/08 campaign, scoring one goal. Pantsil signed after impressing for Ghana at the 2006 World Cup but the right-back made only seven league starts for the club in two seasons, along with 12 substitute appearances.
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "In view of the competition for places at the club and a lack of first-team opportunities likely in the new season, we recognised both players' wish for regular football. Bobby Zamora played a significant part in the club securing promotion back in 2004/05 and his form and goals particularly in that Championship season will not be forgotten. I am sure both he and John Pantsil will be warmly welcomed whenever they return to the Boleyn Ground in the years to come."
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New home kit launch - WHUFC
The new West Ham United home kit for the 2008/09 season will be unveiled on Monday 21 July
15.07.2008
West Ham United will be unveiling the club's new Umbro home kit on Monday 21 July and taking pre-orders ahead of the official launch date of Wednesday 30 July.
The brand new strip will be available exclusively via the club stores at the Boleyn Ground and Lakeside and also through the official web-based Megastore. Pre-order bookings can be taken both instore and online for the striking claret and blue kit which has been made using Umbro's new Trilogy fabric, a thermodynamic performance-enhancing material designed to control vapour, moisture and heat. The new kit has a unique contrast v neckline featuring a white mock collar, solid sky sleeves and tonal striped jacquard throughout the main body.
The perfect complement to the already-released sky blue away kit released last month, the new home strip is expected to be equally popular for fans wanting to follow their favourites in style next season. The club shops and Megastore also have all the latest lines from the new Umbro training wear available - the very same athlete-inspired range that is being worn by Alan Curbishley's men during pre-season this summer.
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Upson relishing summer work -- WHUFC
The No6 is putting in the hours on the training pitches to ensure he is in contention come the big kick-off
15.07.2008
Matthew Upson is enjoying being back in the thick of things at Chadwell Heath as pre-season training steps up a gear.
The central defender enjoyed a memorable first full campaign at the Boleyn Ground with highlights including captaining the team to victory against his former club Birmingham City, showing good form to win back his England place and heading the winner against champions-elect Manchester United. However, the season ended frustratingly with a knock keeping him out of the final few games but he is back and raring to go this pre-season.
"I am finding my feet again pre-season after recovering from my injury over the summer," Upson said. "I was disappointed to miss the last few games of last season obviously as felt I was playing well but I have put that behind me now and am looking forward to what will hopefully be a 100 per cent season for me in terms of staying fit."
The No6 has not minded the hard work out on the training pitches, with double sessions and intense work-outs the order of the day. "I know some players really don't like pre-season but I don't mind it to be honest, it can he tough after you have had six weeks off but you have to go through this hard work to be ready for the new season so I just see it as part and parcel of the job."
Also keeping Upson motivated is the emergence of James Tomkins and the rehabilitation of Welsh defensive duo James Collins and Danny Gabbidon. All could have their eyes on challenging Upson and Anton Ferdinand for a starting berth in the new campaign. The 29-year-old is not worried though. "The way I see it is that the more competition we have the healthier the squad and that is the attitude amongst the whole squad I think. We really missed players like Ginge and Gabbs last season so it will be good to see them back.
"James Tomkins also did very well when he got his chance so there is no reason why he may not continue where he left off so I know I have to fight to get my place back but will obviously do my hardest to do that." With Upson determined and plenty of attacking options ahead of him, there is plenty of positives to be seen at the training ground.
"The team didn't quite have that edge in those games to go and get victories to get into those European spots last year so hopefully we can get closer to achieving that this season. There is a good feeling on confidence and optimism amongst everyone and having a nearly fit squad out on the training pitch everyday is huge boost which in turn should result in us finishing higher up the table this season."
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MLS squad takes shape - WHUFC
West Ham United now know all the 18 names that could face the club in the MLS All-Star game
15.07.2008
The final 18-man Major League Soccer squad has been named for the MLS All-Star game against West Ham United on Thursday 24 July.
In addition to the First XI announced last week, including David Beckham, coach Steve Nicol and league commissioner Don Garber added seven players. Nicol chose Juan Pablo Ángel, Jim Brennan, Christian Gomez, Pablo Mastroeni and Pat Onstad. Garber selected Edson Buddle and Dwayne De Rosario. Brennan, Onstad and De Rosario are all Canadian and will feel at home when the game is played at the BMO Field home of Toronto FC.
whufc.com will confirm the travelling party from east London when the squad depart for Ohio at the end of the week, with the club due to play Columbus Crew in a friendly on Sunday 20 July. Watch out for full text, photo and video coverage of the North American tour including daily reports, training news and exclusive interviews.
MLS All-Star squad
Goalkeepers: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo), Matt Reis (New England Revolution
Defenders: Jim Brennan (Toronto FC), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Frankie Hejduk* (Columbus Crew), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution).
Midfielders: David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Christian Gomez (Colorado Rapids), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew).
Strikers: Juan Pablo Angel (forward, New York Red Bulls), Edson Buddle+ (Los Angeles Galaxy), Kenny Cooper* (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan* (Los Angeles Galaxy).
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Zamora & Pantsil sign for Fulham - BBC
Fulham have signed striker Bobby Zamora and full-back John Pantsil from West Ham for a joint fee of £6.3m. Zamora, 27, had been at Upton Park since January 2004, but managed just 14 games last season, scoring one goal. "I am looking forward to joining the rest of the team this week and preparing for the new campaign," he told the Fulham website. Ghana international Pantsil joined West Ham in 2006 but started just seven league games for the Hammers. Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said he was "very pleased" to add the pair to his squad. "Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play," added Hodgson. "I have no doubt that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us to strengthen our attacking options. "John has a versatility that will provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the strength and depth we have in the squad."
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Zamora and Paintsil go Cottaging - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 15th July 2008
By: A Different Staff Writer
Fulham have completed the signing of Hammers pair Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil. The pair have moved along the District Line for a reported combined fee of £6.3m - though it is thought that the vast majority of that fee relates to Zamora. Zamora signed for United in January 2004 as part of the deal that lumbered Spurs with Jermain Defoe. Over the 4 years he spent as a Hammer he scored 40 goals in 152 appearances, including, arguably, some of the the most important goals in West Ham United's history, his three goals in the play-off semi-finals and final playing a major part in restoring Premiership football to E13. Zamora played a major role in the side that finished in the top half of the Premiership and reached the final of the FA Cup in 2005/06, and at the start of 2006/07 scored six in the first four games of the season. However, a barren run ensued, coinciding with the club's fight against relegation. A return to form towards the end of the season saw him combine well with Carlos Tevez and Zamora will be remembered for being the first - and so far only - player to score a league winner for the away side at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Coincidentally, Zamora had also contributed to a mini-breakdown for Sol Campbell in the match that saw United become the last team to win at Highbury.
Zamora's last season with United was blighted by injury and he made only 14 appearances. With the return to fitness of Craig Bellamy and the emergence of Freddie Sears Zamora was deemed surplus to requirements and, following a spell where he was linked with a loan move to West London's rich boys QPR, Zamora finally made the move to Fulham. John Pa(i)ntsil signed for United in 2006 from Hapoel Tel Aviv on the recommendation of Yossi Benayoun. The Ghanaian international caused immediate confusion by insisting his name was Paintsil, rather than Pantsil which apparently appears on all official documents. His opportunities for United have been limited and the bulk of his 24 appearances have been made from the bench. One of these appearances came in last season's 2-1 victory over Manchester United when he put in a storming performance which he failed to repeat in subsequent matches. However, his role in the 2-1 victory over the Premier and European Champions endeared him to a section of the Boleyn faithful to the extent that a number of, it has to be said largely ironic, chants developed likening the Ghanaian's skills to those of Kaka. Whether Pa(i)ntsil appreciated the irony is not known but he usually made every effort to acknowledge the crowd to the extent that he had to be virtually dragged off the pitch atfter last season's 2-2 home draw to Villa in the last game of the season. kumb.com wishes both players all the best with their new club.
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Cottagers land Hammers duo - SSN
Zamora and Pantsil complete moves
Last updated: 15th July 2008
Fulham have completed the signing of West Ham duo Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil. The Cottagers will pay their capital rivals £6.3million for the striker and full-back, although the fee could rise by a further £1million. Zamora has penned a four-year deal at Craven Cottage, whilst Ghana star Pantsil has inked a three-year contract. Zamora leaves Upton Park after four-and-a-half years in East London, whilst Pantsil moves on after joining in 2006. Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was delighted to secure the double deal. "I am very pleased that we have been able to add both Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to our squad," he told the club's official website. "Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play. "I have no doubt that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us to stregthen our attacking options. "John has a versatility that will provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the strength and depth we have in the squad. "Completing both signings has been a protracted process which has been much speculated about in the media, I am delighted that we can now officially welcome the players to the club, following the completion of all of the necessary paperwork."
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Arango happy at Mallorca - SSN
Venezuelan midfielder not looking for English move
By Francisco Acedo Last updated: 15th July 2008
Juan Arango says he has received no offers to leave Mallorca after being linked with a move to the Premier League. The midfielder was rumoured to be a target for Liverpool during the January transfer window after impressing for Mallorca. Reports in the Venezuelan's homeland have recently claimed that Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have also had him watched. French giants Marseille have been following Arango, but the player is happy to stay with Primera Liga club Mallorca. "I do not know anything about any team," Arango told AS from Mallorca's pre-season training camp. "I have not received any offers from English football and now I only think about Mallorca. "I've spoken with my agent and he told me that he has not received any formal offers." Mallorca's sporting director Nando Pons has confirmed the club are not keen to discuss the departure of Arango. Pons said: "Players of the quality of Juan are very difficult to find and, if you sell, you have to invest much more in someone of his quality."
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Feeling The Pinch - Just Like My Dreams
A couple of the morning papers have strongly linked Lucas Neill with a switch to Manchester City. In the case of the Daily Mail, it is the centre piece of a doom-laden story about the club being credit-crunched into imminent financial oblivion or something similarly sensational. The article suggests the West Ham skipper has actively been offered to both Galatasaray and Portsmouth as oppose to courted by them, and such is West Ham's financial plight that we are ready to accept a cut-price offer, believed to be less than £750,000, to allow Neill to move to Eastlands.
The defender is reportedly tempted by City's big plans for an assault on the top six, which, suspiciously, is the exact same reasoning the player voiced when he chose to join the club over Liverpool in January last year. Neill is also said to regard his old boss as one of the best managers in the game; this despite the fact he left Blackburn under a cloud of accusations and recriminations. The Mail insists the 30-year old's wages of around £60,000 a week are now the only potential stumbling block and West Ham United may have to pay off some of his contract to force through the move.
With Elano at the top of City's pay league, on £55,000 a week, and Dunne's new deal yielding around £50,000 a week, the Eastlands board are said to be reluctant to match Neill's current wages. The proposed signing of Ronaldinho would be a one-off change in the wage structure not to be repeated. The Mail insist Neill is ready to accept a drop in earnings after West Ham signalled they will grant him a final pay-off to cover the two years left on his contract. Quite why United would agree to something like this when they could just keep the club captain themselves for the same outlay is a puzzle. Surely we can't be in that much need for £750,000?
Unnamed 'sources close to the club' are said to be increasingly concerned that mounting financial problems in Iceland have forced owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson to tighten his belt and explore ways of reducing the club's overheads. Although the drive to bring in funds and lower the wage bill began yesterday with a £6million move to Fulham for Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil, West Ham's board are said to be desperate to find takers for top earner Freddie Ljungberg. Also available is Anton Ferdinand if the club receive an offer around £10 million. Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham are named as clubs monitoring the situation. Goalkeeper Robert Green is another said to be attracting interest, while the club is fighting to keep versatile Northern Ireland defender George McCartney.
A dramatic downturn in the Icelandic economy is blamed for leaving the club in disarray, with several senior players either sold or available and doubts growing over Curbishley's future. Gudmundsson is said to have grown increasingly anxious at the way his country's financial troubles have multiplied since the start of the year, when investors first began voicing misgivings over whether the banks were at risk of defaulting on huge foreign loans. It has developed into a crisis of confidence in the banking sector, with reports from Reykjavik referring to a collapsing currency, rising inflation and predictions of an imminent recession.
Over at the Sun, they think Mark Hughes is ready to make an audacious bid to sign both Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy. The players played under Hughes at Blackburn and, in the case of Bellamy, at international level. Both were sold reluctantly by Hughes during his time at Ewood Park— striker Bellamy left for Liverpool in a £6million switch while defender Neill joined the Hammers for £1.5m.
According to the article, Alan Curbishley is under increasing pressure to reduce the massive wage bill at Upton Park and the two players are believed to earn £75,000- a-week combined. It was Neill's wages, say the Sun, that forced Turkish club Galatasaray to think again about signing the Aussie defender. While City owner Thaksin Shinawatra wants to sign a big-name star and has targeted Barcelona ace Ronaldinho, Hughes is keen to bring in players who know what the Premier League is all about.
As if Alan Curbishley wasn't already under enough pressure, a leading bookmaker has just issued a press release with the odds for the new season's "Sack Race". Who will be the first Barclays Premier League manager to lose his job? The shortest odds accompany the names of Curbishley, Gary Megson, Paul Ince, Roy Hodgson, Kevin Keegan and the newly promoted trio of Phil Brown, Tony Mowbray and Tony Pulis. At second favourite for the race nobody wants to win, the squeeze on Curbishley these next few months looks set to be every bit emotional as it is fiscal.
Posted by Trilby at 00:31
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Hammers sign 'Swiss Beckham' Behrami, signalling Neill switch to Man City - Daily Mail
By [JOHN EDWARDS]
Last updated at 11:47 PM on 15th July 2008
Lucas Neill moved a step closer to joining Manchester City last night after West Ham agreed a deal with Lazio right-back Valon Behrami. The 23-year old Switzerland defender flew into London for a medical after activating a FIFA rule that will allow him to become a West Ham player for a fraction of Lazio's original asking price. West Ham will sign Behrami for less than a third of his initial £11m valuation after he informed Lazio he was invoking article 17, which gives players nearing the end of their contracts the right to move on without costing a fee. Lazio will be entitled to compensation and are seeking over £3m, but West Ham are hoping to settle on around £1.5m for a versatile defender who started all three of Switzerland's Euro 2008 matches. Kosovo-born Behrami, whose Italian model girlfriend Elena Bonzanni should add some glamour to Upton Park, chose West Ham ahead of Palermo and Werder Bremen.
His arrival casts further uncertainty over Neill's West Ham future. Sportsmail revealed that City manager Mark Hughes was keen to revive their Blackburn partnership, and a move looks even likelier after the Australia defender was left in little doubt he would be competing for the right-back spot if he remained at Upton Park.With just 12 months left on his contract, he seems sure to opt for a fresh start at Eastlands.
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Zamora and Pantsil Depart - West Ham Online
Alex V - Tue Jul 15 2008
The first bit of major business for West Ham this Summer has been completed - the sale of Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to Fulham. What's the significance of this, other than coins in the club's coffers?
Bobby Zamora leaves, I'm sure, with the blessing of virtually every West Ham fan - despite never quite cementing a regular first-team place at the club he has never publicly complained, and has played a crucial role in our renaissance since that disastrous relegation in 2003. Of course the highlight is the crucial goal in the play-off final that got us promoted, but there are others - the game at Highbury in 2006 where Zamora turned Sol Campbell inside out and effectively ended his Arsenal career, and that extraordinary solo goal (at Birmingham I think) in the same season.
Some will be surprised that Zamora was worth £5m plus in the transfer market, but I am not surprised in the slightest. He is a proven Premiership player, which is an incredibly valuable commodity, and has managed to score goals at this level despite never being an established first-team player at West Ham. In many ways this could be seen as a cut-price deal - we are selling him after an injury-hit season rather than at the peak of his form.
Pantsil had much more of a modest career at the club, and the suggestion that his part of this deal could have been worth up to £1.5 million or more is certainly a bit more of a surprise. He was always a player who didn't quite fit any mould at the club - too lightweight as a right-back, with not really enough flair as a right-winger. He was obviously an enthusiastic type though, and I hope he gets an opportunity at Fulham to cement a place that he was never seriously going to command at West Ham.
Pantsil's departure has no real bearing on the West Ham squad. We have a clutch of players capable of patrolling the right-wing, and Pantsil and Solano are probably both casualties of this fact. Though Neill is being linked with a move away from the club, it's hard to see how we can afford to let our only dedicated right-back go - we arguably needed another right-back whether or not Pantsil left the club.
Zamora's sale is much more interesting - I don't think West Ham would possibly consider starting the season with only 4 strikers, so I think this makes it near-certain that another forward is coming into the club. And I am vaguely reliably informed that a new signing is coming this week. Is it a striker?
The pessimists among you will no doubt expect the new Iain Dowie to be joining the club, but I am much more hopeful. I don't quite see the logic of bringing another developing striker into the club - Cole and Sears already fit that mould. I also don't expect the new player to be a lead-the-line style physical presence, because Ashton and Cole can do that. I expect it to be a player who can drop off the front, and maybe even play as part of a 5 in midfield - this is the sort of player we were desperately in need of last season, playing the 4-5-1 formation that I expect Curbishley to retain for the tougher games next season.
There's no doubt that Eidur Gudjohnsen fits the bill, and he'd be my guess. I don't like his age - nearly 30 - but there's no doubting his pedigree, and I think he would definitely bring something different to the current squad.
What I totally agree with is the silence from the club at this time - negotiations at this time of the year are worth millions, and we have to show faith that those in charge are making the best decisions for West Ham's long-term future. Certainly there is no reason to doubt that West Ham's squad will be stronger by the start of the campaign proper.
In the meantime, let's wish all the best to Bobby Zamora for some decent service to the club.
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Zamora quits West Ham for Fulham and insists: A new club is just what I needed - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 8:09 AM on 16th July 2008
Bobby Zamora is looking forward to a new challenge after moving across London to Fulham with West Ham team-mate John Pantsil for a joint fee of £6.3million. The striker has signed a four-year contract after four-and-a-half years with the Hammers where he scored 39 goals in all competitions following his transfer from Tottenham in January 2004. Pantsil, who can play in either defence or midfield, has agreed a three-year deal. Injury hampered 27-year-old Zamora last season and he was restricted to just 12 starts and only one goal against a woeful Derby side. However, Zamora is now looking forward to becoming an established team member at Craven Cottage. He said: 'I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to enable me to play for Fulham next season. 'I am looking forward to joining the rest of the team this week and preparing for the new campaign. 'This is a new challenge for me and the prospect of working with a coach of Roy Hodgson's calibre was a great opportunity, so I am excited at the prospect of competing for a regular place in the team.' Zamora made his name at Brighton where he scored 77 goals in 130 league and cup games. Such a prolific record alerted a number of clubs and he sealed a move to White Hart Lane in summer 2003. However, he was handed few starts and moved on to Upton Park in January 2004 with Jermain Defoe heading in the opposite direction.
Pantsil began his career in his native Ghana before he headed to Poland and then Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv in December 2004. The 27-year-old represented Ghana at the 2002, 2006 and 2008 African Nations Cup competitions and was selected for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Pantsil also played all his country's games in the 2006 World Cup but he found his appearances limited at Upton Park, making just nine starts during his time with the Hammers. Fulham boss Roy Hodgson welcomed the pair to Craven Cottage saying: 'I am very pleased that we have been able to add both Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to our squad. 'Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play. I have no doubt that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us to strengthen our attacking options. 'John has a versatility that will provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the strength and depth we have in the squad. 'Completing both signings has been a protracted process which has been much speculated about in the media, I am delighted that we can now officially welcome the players to the club, following the completion of all of the necessary paperwork.'
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West Ham to bid £2m for Leicester starlet Joe Mattock - The Mirror
By Mirror.co.uk 16/07/2008
Alan Curbishley is ready to make a second attempt to sign Leicester wonderkid Joe Mattock with a £2m swoop. West Ham boss Curbishley will take on Aston Villa and Everton in a scrap to sign the England Under-21 defender this summer. Curbishley failed with a £1.25m bid for the 18-year-old in January as Foxes chief Milan Mandaric held out for a substantial fee.
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A Swiss Rolling In? - Just Like My Dreams
Fulham have finally completed the protracted signings of Bobby Zamora and John Pa(i)ntsil. The pair move across London for a combined sum of £6.3 million, although the fee could rise by a further £1 million based on appearances. Zamora has penned a four-year deal at Craven Cottage, whilst Ghana defender Pantsil has put his name to a three-year contract.
Bobby Zamora leaves Upton Park after four-and-a-half years in East London, having signed for United in January 2004 as part of the deal that saw Jermain Defoe move to Tottenham. Over that time he bagged 40 goals in 152 appearances, including three goals in the play-off semi-finals and final that restored Premiership football to E13. The following year Zamora played a major role in the side that finished in the top half of the Premiership and reached the final of the FA Cup. At the start of 2006/07 he scored six in the first four games of the season before a barren run ensued which coincided with the club's fight against relegation. A stunning return to form towards the end of the season saw him combine well with Carlos Tevez to fire the Hammers to improbable safety; in the process becoming the first - and so far only - player to score a league winner for the away side at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.
Zamora's last season with United was blighted by injury and he made only 14 appearances. With the return to fitness of Craig Bellamy and Dean Ashton, the form of Carlton Cole and the emergence of Freddie Sears, Zamora was deemed surplus to requirements and was granted permission last week to discuss a move to Fulham.
John Pantsil began his career in Berekum, Ghana. A player comfortable at full back or in midfield, he had stints with Berekum Arsenal and Liberty Professionals and a brief spell with Polish side Widzew Lódz before moving to Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2002. After the 2006 World Cup, Pantsil joined West Ham United on their pre-season tour of Sweden on the recommendation of Yossi Benayoun. He featured in the matches out there putting in some impressive performances before his signing with the Club was completed in August 2006.
The Ghanaian international caused immediate confusion by insisting his name was Paintsil, rather than Pantsil which apparently appears on all official documents. His opportunities for United have been limited and the bulk of his 24 appearances have been made from the bench. One of these appearances came in last season's 2-1 victory over Manchester United when he put in a storming performance which he failed to repeat in subsequent matches. His role in that victory endeared him to a section of the Boleyn faithful to the extent that a number of chants developed likening the Ghanaian's skills to those of Kaka.
In addressing the departure of the two players, West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "In view of the competition for places at the club and a lack of first-team opportunities likely in the new season, we recognised both players' wish for regular football. Bobby Zamora played a significant part in the club securing promotion back in 2004/05 and his form and goals particularly in that Championship season will not be forgotten. I am sure both he and John Pantsil will be warmly welcomed whenever they return to the Boleyn Ground in the years to come."
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was obviously delighted to secure the double deal. "I am very pleased that we have been able to add both Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to our squad," he told the club's official website. "Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play. I have no doubt that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us to stregthen our attacking options. John has a versatility that will provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the strength and depth we have in the squad. Completing both signings has been a protracted process which has been much speculated about in the media. I am delighted that we can now officially welcome the players to the club, following the completion of all of the necessary paperwork."
Speaking this morning, Bobby Zamora added: "I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to enable me to play for Fulham next season. I am looking forward to joining the rest of the team this week and preparing for the new campaign. This is a new challenge for me and the prospect of working with a coach of Roy Hodgson's caliber was a great opportunity, so I am excited at the prospect of competing for a regular place in the team."
In other news, Lucas Neill was said to be a step closer to joining Manchester City tonight after West Ham United finally agreed a deal with Lazio right-back Valon Behrami. According to the Mail, the 23-year old Switzerland defender flew into London for a medical after activating a FIFA rule that will allow him to become a West Ham player for a fraction of Lazio's original asking price. It is claimed West Ham will sign Behrami for less than a third of his initial £11 million valuation after he informed Lazio he was invoking article 17, which gives players nearing the end of their contracts the right to move on without costing a fee.
Lazio will be entitled to compensation and are seeking over £3 million, but United are hoping to settle on around £1.5 million for a versatile defender who started all three of Switzerland's Euro 2008 matches. The article states Kosovo-born Behrami has chosen the Hammers ahead of both Palermo and Werder Bremen; this despite comments last week suggesting the player was heading to Germany. The Mail insists that Behrami's impending arrival casts further uncertainty over Neill's West Ham future. An earlier story had revealed how Mark Hughes was keen to revive their Blackburn partnership, and now the paper think a move is even likelier after the Australia defender was left in little doubt he would be competing for the left-back spot if he remained at Upton Park.
Of course, how convincing you find this story depends largely on your opinion of the Daily Mail. The ludicrous scare story the newspaper ran over night that predicted the impending financial meltdown of the Club seemed predicated on a spurious web of half truths and blind speculation. Far from a dramatic downturn in the Icelandic economy and a crisis of confidence in the banking sector, cursory investigations actually show Landsbanki made an after tax profit of €456,000,000 in 2007. The first 3 months figures for 2008, which were only released to the press in May this year, show profits were up again to €171,000,000 after tax. If that is skid row then sign me up.
Posted by Trilby at 20:51
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Ferdinand the latest big name to snub Newcastle
By Sam Wallace
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Independent.co.uk Web
Newcastle United's faltering summer recruitment drive was knocked back once again yesterday when Anton Ferdinand pulled out of transfer negotiations with the club. The West Ham defender was one of a group of players the club's London-based transfer team had hoped to sign.
Although West Ham were prepared to part with the former England Under-21 international, Ferdinand himself was understood to be less than keen on moving to the North-east. It leaves Newcastle in a predicament, with their only two signings in the transfer window the Argentine winger Jonas Gutierrez from Real Mallorca and Danny Guthrie, the Liverpool midfielder who was on loan at Bolton Wanderers last season.
While Ferdinand, 23, was hardly likely to change the club's fortunes single-handedly, Newcastle are badly short of cover in central defence. They had counted on signing the Manchester City captain, Richard Dunne, but that deal has come to nothing with the new manager Mark Hughes' arrival at Eastlands.
Given that this was intended to be a summer of rebuilding at St James', the job still looks far from done. In terms of defenders, David Rozenhal, Stephen Carr and Peter Ramage have all left this summer.
Newcastle's transfer business is conducted from London by the three-man team of Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere. Their views on transfers have not always chimed with those of the club's manager, Kevin Keegan, although they were in agreement over Peter Crouch, who also turned down Newcastle. At this rate, it would appear that they are being forced to look a long way down their list of potential targets.
West Ham will continue in their attempts to offload Ferdinand as they trim a vastly inflated wage bill. They valued him at £6m, with Newcastle by far the most interested party. Tottenham and Aston Villa are also believed to have expressed an interest. Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil last night completed a joint £6.3m move to Fulham, while Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy are believed to be available for the right price.
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Hammers Eye Up Wonderkid Joe - The Sun
WEST HAM boss Alan Curbishley is ready to make a second attempt to sign Leicester wonderkid Joe Mattock with a £2million swoop. Curbs will rival Aston Villa and Everton in a scrap to bag the England Under-21 international this summer. He failed with a £1.25m bid for the defender, 18, in January.
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Mark Hughes eyes West Ham's Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy as potential transfer targets - Telegraph
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Last Updated: 11:03am BST 15/07/2008
While Manchester City wait to hear the outcome of their bid for Ronaldinho, Mark Hughes has been busy unearthing other targets for the club and has identified West Ham's Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy as potential signings. Both are former Hughes charges at Blackburn and are likely to be available because of West Ham's increasingly fragile financial state as the club's Icelandic owners begin to feel the pinch of an increasingly harsh downturn of the North Atlantic state's economy. Neill, 30, and Bellamy, 29, are both on significant wages in excess of £50,000 per week making the pair expendable to Alan Curbishley who has been told to cut West Ham's wage bill. Hughes reluctantly sold Neill, the Australia captain, to West Ham last season but is keen to hook up with the player again. Should Neill complete the move, he will join Richard Dunne and Micah Richards to create a formidable back line at Eastlands. Bellamy, who became West Ham's record signing when he joined from Liverpool for £7.5 million, scored 17 goals in 32 games in his time at Blackburn under Hughes. Bellamy also played for the manager with Wales. Last year, Bellamy scored three goals in nine appearances for West Ham in a season blighted by injury.
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Fulham sign Zamora and Pantsil
Chris Barrett
The Guardian, Wednesday July 16, 2008
Fulham have made their fifth and sixth signings of the summer with Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil arriving from West Ham United for a joint fee of £6.3m. The 27-year-old Zamora departs Upton Park 4½ years after joining from Tottenham while Pantsil, the Ghana defender, moves west to Craven Cottage after two seasons in east London where first-team opportunities have been limited.
The acquisition of Zamora, who scored 39 goals in all competitions for West Ham, is a welcome boost for the Fulham manager, Roy Hodgson, who has been looking to strengthen his forward options, particularly in light of the departure of Brian McBride to Major League Soccer in May.
"Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play," said Hodgson. "His quality has allowed us to strengthen our attacking options."
Pantsil, 27, represented Ghana at three African Cup of Nations tournaments and played all his country's games at the 2006 World Cup. But he made only nine starts since arriving at West Ham in 2006.
Hodgson has also signed Zoltan Gera, Mark Schwarzer and Andranik Teymourian on free transfers, as well as David Stockdale from Darlington for £600,000.
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Brooking backs England U19s to bounce back
tribalfooball.com - July 15, 2008
West Ham legend Sir Trevor Brooking insists all is not lost for England after their opening U19 European Championship defeat to the Czech Republic.
Brooking, the FA's Director Of Football Development, insists England can defeat next opponents Italy and told theFA.com: "I think we're quite capable of beating Italy. "Defensively, they weren't as strong as I've seen them in the past so from an attacking point of view, I think we can get at them. "They have one or two good players though, so it will be a good test but certainly at present, England are more than capable of getting back and qualifying from this group but we need to perform well against Italy."
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West Ham have deal in-place for Lazio's Behrami
tribalfootball.com - July 15, 2008
West Ham have agreed a deal for Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami. The Daily Mail says the 23-year old Switzerland defender flew into London for a medical after activating a FIFA rule that will allow him to become a West Ham player for a fraction of Lazio's original asking price. West Ham will sign Behrami for less than a third of his initial £11m valuation after he informed Lazio he was invoking article 17, which gives players nearing the end of their contracts the right to move on without costing a fee. Lazio will be entitled to compensation and are seeking over £3m, but West Ham are hoping to settle on around £1.5m for a versatile defender who started all three of Switzerland's Euro 2008 matches.
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Palermo president Zamparini: Behrami joining West Ham
tribalfootball.com - July 15, 2008
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has revealed Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami is set to join West Ham United. Zamparini said: "For Behrami, I tried to establish contact with (Lazio president) Claudio Lotito some time ago, but have not received any answers. "I now believe that the player will go to West Ham."
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West Ham's Upson admits stiff defensive competition
tribalfooball.com - July 15, 2008
West Ham defender Matthew Upson admits he needs a strong preseason to maintain his first-choice status in manager Alan Curbishley's plans. He told whufc.com: "The way I see it is that the more competition we have the healthier the squad and that is the attitude amongst the whole squad I think. We really missed players like Ginge (James Collins) and Gabbs (Danny Gabbidon) last season so it will be good to see them back. "James Tomkins also did very well when he got his chance so there is no reason why he may not continue where he left off so I know I have to fight to get my place back but will obviously do my hardest to do that."
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Irons set to take cut-price offer for Neill - Guardian Series
WEST HAM boss Alan Curbishley is set to sell skipper Lucas Neill to Manchester City, according to media sources. The Australian international's future has been in question in recent weeks and it is thought that the Hammers had offered the full back to Portsmouth and Turkish giants Galatasary. But it now seems that Neill is heading to the City of Manchester Stadium to link up with former boss Mark Hughes. And - despite Neill's agent insisting the player is happy at Upton Park - it seems that Curbishley is prepared to accept a knockdown price of £750,000 for the 30-year-old in a bid to control the club's rapidly increasing wage bill. Hughes sold Neill to the Hammers for an undisclosed fee in January 2007 while Blackburn manager. But it seems the former Wales boss now wants the Irons captain to be the next piece of the jigsaw as he moulds a new-look side at Eastlands. advertisementNeill - who is rumoured to pick up around £60,000 a week in wages with the east Londoners - would free up some much-needed funds for Curbishley if the move goes ahead.
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West Ham's Ashton: I want to be England regular
tribalfooball.com - July 15, 2008
West Ham striker Dean Ashton says his main aim this season is to become an England first-choice. Ashton, who broke his ankle two years ago while training with the national side, was called up by Fabio Capello this summer. Ash, 24, said: "My main aims are to stay fit, play games and get goals. I want to be an England regular."
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Hammers youngsters can't prevent England defeat - Guardian Series
JAMES Tomkins and Freddie Sears put in accomplished performances but couldn't prevent England from getting their European U19 Championships off to a bad start. The West Ham youngsters both played the 90 minutes - Tomkins leading the back line well and Sears looking lively up front - as the Young Lions went down 2-0 to Czech Republic. Two second half goals from Tomas Necid proved to be enough for a deserved victory for the hosts. England U19s are back in action against Italy on Thursday.
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