For the first time in two years, West Ham striker Dean Ashton's ambition of
becoming an England regular is back within his grasp. Ashton broke his ankle
24 hours before making his proposed England debut in the summer of 2006 and
it has been a long and painful route back to full fitness and prime form. He
missed the whole of the 2006-07 season for West Ham - and even last year it
was not until the closing months of the campaign that he rediscovered his
true self. Five of Ashton's 11 goals last season came in the last eight
games. His reward was a recall to the England fold and a long-awaited debut
in the friendly against Trinidad and Tobago. Ashton savoured his brief taste
of international football and, heading into a new campaign, he is hungry for
more. Crucially for West Ham, Ashton will chase an international career at
Upton Park having signed a new five-year contract during the summer. "My
experience with England was worth only having a short summer off as it is
obviously one of my aims to be a regular with the international set-up," he
said. "My main aims are to stay fit, play more games than I did last season
and get plenty of goals. I want to be an England regular."
Ashton was hunting for form and full fitness in a West Ham side ravaged by
injuries to such a degree that manager Alan Curbishley was never able to
name his first-choice team. And the key absentees were all players who would
have helped Ashton flourish up front - Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Julien
Faubert, Bobby Zamora, Matthew Etherington, Scott Parker. Without those
attacking, creative talents, Curbishley often resorted to playing a direct
brand of football, with five in midfield, which suited neither the players
nor the fans. If Curbishley did start with two strikers, the powerful frames
of Ashton and Carlton Cole meant West Ham all too frequently succumbed to
the temptation of just hoofing the ball forwards. It is with the ball at his
feet that Ashton is at his most dangerous. He can score simple goals and
eye-catching goals, from inside and outside the box, and he has an acute eye
for a pass. West Ham fans only need to think back to the 2006 FA Cup final
against Liverpool, when Ashton produced a virtuoso performance despite being
only 75% fit. His defence-splitting pass set up West Ham's first goal and
Ashton scored the second, a tap-in which he still rates as his favourite
goal. When Ashton's England chance did eventually come the reviews were not
generous. He struggled to get into the game on the difficult pitch in Port
of Spain. But England manager Fabio Capello has no doubts about Ashton's
quality and guaranteed he will be involved with Three Lions again. "Yes, he
will be with us for the next games as long as he is fit. I don't understand
the criticism of Ashton," said Capello. "The England shirt brings a lot of
pressure. He is a good player."
Ashton has every chance of nailing down a regular place in the England
squad, an ambition that drove him through the tortuous sessions in the
swimming pool and in the physio room during those dark months when he was
recovering in Manchester and nowhere near his Hammers team-mates. Ashton
finished the season with five goals in his last eight games and continued
that run into pre-season, scoring three times on West Ham's trip to America.
Curbishley never had the chance to play Ashton alongside Carlos Tevez but he
is relishing the opportunity to build a regular strike pairing of Ashton and
Bellamy.
One of West Ham's best performances in a largely mediocre season last year
was the 3-0 away win at the Madejski Stadium, where Ashton, Bellamy and
Matthew Etherington combined to tear Reading's defence to shreds. And
Curbishley said: "I want to see certain combinations of players that I
haven't had a chance to see. I want to play Craig Bellamy with Dean Ashton.
"I know when I do get them all in an XI that we are a quick offensive side
and if we get everyone fit we are in a position to push on. We have a squad
that is strong enough to challenge for the top six."
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Marseille boss Gerets: West Ham and Wigan target Cisse is going nowhere -
Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 12:17 PM on 01st August 2008
Marseille coach Eric Gerets is confident Djibril Cisse will not leave the
club before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. The France
striker has made no secret of his desire to join an English side and there
were believed to be a few interested parties earlier this summer - including
West Ham and Wigan. But no bids have come in for Cisse and Gerets reckons
the striker will be with OM for the forthcoming season. In my head, he is
staying, except if there is an offer of X million euros,' said the Belgian.
'But this offer is not coming. For some time, I have been left with the idea
that he is going to stay at the club.' Cisse joined OM permanently from
Liverpool last summer.
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Curbs says money is not an issue By Harry Amber-Mitchell - UptonSparks.com
Posted on Friday 01 Aug 2008 13:03:00
Woohoo to the Curbs...well, you've got to start on a positive note, the man
has been the subject of some real criticism over the past few weeks. He's
the one that we all adore (sort of), the one that leaves us asking for more
(goals...points...interest, whatever), he's the
Cuuuuurrrrrrbishleeeeeeyyyyy.
Anyway, the man who goes to sleep having a little think about what will
happen to West Ham every day (except Saturdays, as rumour has it that's the
day he thinks about crazy golf before he goes to sleep. Especially that hole
with the windmill...he'll do it one day) has had a few words to say about
the current transfer situation: ''Contrary to some reports we are fully
committed to strengthening the playing staff." Yeah! West Ham have loads of
cash. ''There will not be a mass exodus and fans can be assured we are
working as hard as always to ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of
the team."
High calibre? Let's get in Messi and Ronaldo...nobody would expect that.
"Since the new group took over West Ham we have tried to push forward and I
don't see selling players as a way of pushing forward." This being the same
group that threw money at the problem, and all they got was a team full of
injuries and 10th place in the Prem? "I want to see certain combinations of
players that I haven't had a chance to see. I want to play Craig Bellamy
with Dean Ashton." When he says play, does he mean fight? Because that is
something I would want to watch. Especially if they were given footballs as
weapons. Plus, why hasn't he seen certain combinations of players? He does
know he's the manager and he can do what he wants, right? That means HE can
put players together...perhaps this death match thing might take off... "I
know when I do get them all in that we are a quick offensive side and if we
get everyone fit we are in a position to push on. We have a squad that is
strong enough to challenge for the top six."
Yeah, but so do Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham,
Evertone, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Newcastle (OK, not Newcastle. They'll
never break the top six for at least a decade). Ah well, you gotta love the
Curbs, if nothing else for the fact he won his first game in charge against
Manchester United.
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Eidur sees Barca future - Setanta
by Joseph Caron Dawe, 01 August 2008
Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen is confident he still has a future at the
club after manager Josep Guardiola expressed his belief in the player.
Guardiola's appointment earlier this summer brought with it some uncertainty
over a series of players' futures, and the changes have been rung at Camp
Nou with the exits of the likes of Ronaldinho, Deco, and Giovani dos Santos
and a number of arrivals too. Gudjohnsen had been linked with West Ham,
Newcastle, Manchester City and Aston Villa as a return to England looked
increasingly likely, but it would appear Guardiola has a place in his plans
for the Icelandic forward. "The coach has proven that he is strong and hard.
He is always on top of the players and very attentive in training,"
Gudjohnsen told the club's official website. "He said he has faith in me. I
am ready to carry on at Barca. If nothing happens before August 31, I'll
still be here. "It's not easy, but I am a strong character and I only worry
about football matters. I just have to think about getting into the
strongest form possible." Gudjohnsen continued: "I will be fully ready on
August 12. We are only thinking about ourselves. We all know that we have a
final to play in the first leg of the Champions League.
"It is normal that nobody wants to be drawn against us because of the
quality that we have in our squad."
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Pinilla linked with West Ham - Setanta
by Richard Field, 01 August 2008
West Ham are reportedly chasing the services of Chilean striker Mauricio
Pinilla who was released by Hearts last month. The South American left
Hearts after two injury-plagued seasons with the SPL side. Pinilla – who has
led a nomadic existence in the world of football - is also attracting
interest in Portugal, Germany and Argentina according to Passball who
represent the player. The group would not deny reports that West Ham are
also in the hunt for the former Inter player. "There is an English side
that is very interested, but in addition there are three other teams that
are behind the [English] club, but we cannot give any names yet," commented
a Passball spokesman in El Mercurio
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Pablo Back for West Ham Friendly - TWTD
Friday 01 Aug 2008 16:26:42 by Phil
Striker Pablo Couñago will be back in the Town side which faces West Ham in
Monday's final senior pre-season friendly. The Spaniard picked up a foot
injury in the West Brom game and missed the trip to Brighton. Physio Matt
Byard told the club site: "It was more a precaution than anything else with
Pablo at Brighton. "He probably would have played if it was a league game,
but it wasn't worth the risk because if he took another knock on the foot
you could have been looking at two or three weeks off. "He is recovering
well and will be back in training before Monday. I would expect him to be
fine for the West Ham game." Former Blue Kieron Dyer has targeted a return
to match action against Town, while ex-loanee Mark Noble is likely to be in
the Hammers' line-up
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From Dos Santos and Ngog to Vela and Sears - 10 teenagers with the talent to
impress in the Premier League - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 1:43 PM on 01st August 2008
GIOVANI DOS SANTOS (TOTTENHAM) Hugely talented and versatile Mexican
forward whose signing from Barcelona represents something of a coup for
Spurs. The 19-year-old - who is half-Brazilian - impressed at times for
Barca last season but left in search of a more regular first-team place.
THEO WALCOTT (ARSENAL) Still only 19, Walcott has not developed as Arsenal
boss Arsene Wenger would have hoped but the quick and skilful forward could
well feature more regularly since Alexander Hleb's departure to Barcelona.
CARLOS VELA (ARSENAL) Not a name familiar to many people in England, this
young Mexican striker was 'parked' in Spain until recently due to work
permit issues. However, he is back and ready to fight for a place in north
London and is likely to be eased into the side this season.
EMILIANO INSUA (LIVERPOOL) Argentinian left back who leads a crop of
exciting youngsters recruited under Rafael Benitez. Has already made the
occasional first-team appearance and is on the standby list for his
country's Olympic squad.
FRANCO DI SANTO (CHELSEA) Gangly Argentinian striker scored on his debut
against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical recently having managed seven goals in
eight reserve matches last season. Joined earlier this year from Chilean
outfit Audax Italiano.
FREDDIE SEARS (WEST HAM) The striker shot to prominence with a debut
winner against Blackburn in March, becoming an instant local hero. A genuine
talent, who appeared for England's Under-19s in this summer's European
Championships, Sears could be a regular starter for United by the end of the
season.
JACK COLLISON (WEST HAM) Tall midfielder who made his senior Wales debut
earlier this year to cap a rapid rise. After two appearances for the
Hammers, he will be keen to kick on under Alan Curbishley and encouraged by
the examples shown by the likes of Sears, Mark Noble and Anton Ferdinand.
DANIEL STURRIDGE (MANCHESTER CITY) The England Under-19 striker is among
several teenage stars in the City ranks alongside Ched Evans and Felipe
Caicedo. Sturridge, whose uncles are former players Dean and Simon, took his
few chances last season by scoring against Sheffield United and Derby.
DAVID NGOG (LIVERPOOL) Highly-rated teenage striker recently bought from
Paris St Germain. Ngog, who is the cousin of former Rangers and Newcastle
defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, struggled in an under-performing Paris St
Germain team last season but his pace could be well suited to the wealth of
midfield talent the Reds possess.
GARETH BALE (TOTTENHAM) Immensely talented Welsh left-back who did well
for Spurs until a serious foot injury in December curtailed his early
progress. However, he now faces competition for his place from Brazil
international Gilberto.
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