WHUFC.com
Jack Collison is looking forward to the visit of Portsmouth after a weekend
of highs and lows
11.11.2008
Jack Collison has mixed emotions after scoring his first goal in West Ham
United colours at the weekend.
Despite being delighted at having got off the mark, Collison was
understandably a bit subdued after the team lost out to Everton in a game
that they had performed so well in and looked like taking all three points
from. In spite of the late drama, the young Wales international says the
mood in the camp remains positive as everyone was back on out on the pitches
at Chadwell Heath on Monday preparing for this Saturday's match with
Portsmouth.
"It was nice to get my first Premier League goal but, of course, the result
was disappointing," said Collison "Especially as we played so well and no
one would have argued that, before they scored, we would have been worthy
winners. But that's what happens in football, things can change so quickly,
everything turns and you are suddenly 3-1 down.
"There was disbelief after in the dressing room as to why we hadn't won the
game, but we go will go out again in training this week and put all that
hard work into another good performance to get the right result against
Portsmouth."
Collison did enjoy getting on the scoresheet, though, and explained how
team-mate Scott Parker played his part. He said: "I knew what he was going
to do. I knew the ball was going to end up in my path. He just dropped it
back to me, it opened up and I was able to bend it around the keeper. It was
a great touch from Scotty, but he does that every day in training, so that
was why I was expecting it."
After nearly scoring the week before at Middlesbrough, Collison was
determined not to miss the opportunity and is working hard to show manager
Gianfranco Zola that he is worthy of a first-team place. "I am very happy
with the way things are going for me. The manager has come in and given me a
lot of confidence and belief in my abilities and now I want to just grab
each chance he is giving me, for the team," he said.
"People can see that we are playing good football and that all the players
are being encouraged to play with freedom, but results do count, of course
they do. All the boys have complete faith in what the manager is getting us
to do and if we can keep performing like we have been, the results will
come, we are confident of that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carr looking for a reaction
WHUFC.com
Tony Carr is hoping for a response from his Under-18 side after they lost
4-2 to Ipswich Town on Saturday
11.11.2008
West Ham United's youth academy director Tony Carr is looking for his young
side to bounce back against Charlton Athletic this Saturday, after being on
the wrong end of a 4-2 scoreline at the weekend.
The Under-18s started off brightly against Ipswich Town at Little Heath as
Anthony Edgar put them ahead after five minutes with a goal from the edge of
the box following a well-worked move. The home side were dominant, but
Ipswich found their way back in and equalised from the spot, when a late
defensive clearance forced goalkeeper Peter Loveday to come out from his
goal and, in the wet conditions, clash with an Ipswich forward. Another goal
for the away side came along shortly afterwards.
Carr sent on England Under-15 striker Robert Hall, who made an immediate
impact by helping to set up his side's second of the day. He jinked and
dribbled his way into the box, cutting the ball back for Balint Bajner to
head home.
At 3-2, West Ham United were playing with more urgency, but it would be
Ipswich who were to score again, breaking away from their hosts' pressure to
score following a free-kick which was deflected in off Bajner for an own
goal.
After the game, Carr said: "We were all very disappointed, especially as we
had done so well the week before, with the 6-1 win over Southampton. We
thought that would be our springboard, but it wasn't to be and so we look to
do better away at Charlton on Saturday."
West Ham United: Loveday, Brooks, Brown, McNaughton (Madelski), Fry, Ocus
(Hall), Kearns, Lee, Bajner, Edgar, Grasser (Abdullah).
Subs not used: Montano
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bowyer positive for Portsmouth
WHUFC.com
Another strong display has given Lee Bowyer belief that the team will turn
things around this Saturday
11.11.2008
Lee Bowyer said all at West Ham United are only looking ahead to the next
game against Portsmouth in a positive way with the aim of turning the team's
performances of late into the results they deserve.
The midfielder was at the heart of much the good work against Everton on
Saturday and although the team lost out in a dramatic turnaround at the end,
he said confidence was still high. "No one likes losing and we know we need
to get the results, but the confidence is not low at all," he said. "There
is no team outplaying us, in fact, if you look at the Everton game, we
outplayed them and yet somehow still lost.
"We dominated the match and after we scored, felt we could get another one
as we had so much pace up front with Bellars and Freddie, so it was a
strange one with what happened and we were disappointed we couldn't put that
performance into a win."
He added: "Results matter, but if you look at the football we are playing,
it does make us all feel that we are going the right way and the right
results will follow that." After injury blighted much of last season for
Bowyer and a little part of the start of this campaign, he is now feeling
good and is enjoying the football under Gianfranco Zola.
"I missed a part of last season because of the groin injury, I then did my
hamstring at the beginning of the new season, but I now feel better with
each game I am playing. As a player in this team, the way we are playing, is
very exciting and enjoyablde, I think the other lads would say the same.
"We need to just get tighter as a team again and build on what we have been
trying to do and as I said, the confidence is already there to put that into
a few wins."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
New delay in Tevez case
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 11th November 2008
By: Staff Writer
Lawyers acting on behalf of Sheffield Utd have been told they will have to
wait until Christmas before discovering whether their attempts to prevent
the Hammers taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport are
successful. The long-running saga took another twist today when Mr Justice
Teare, hearing the Yorkshire club's injunction appeal (designed to prevent
West Ham united from approaching the CAS) at the High Court this morning
told those present that he would take time to consider the evidence before
reaching a judgement "at some point before Christmas".
Sheffield United thought they had won millions from West Ham United last
month when an arbitration panel acting on behalf of the FA declared the
Championship club had the right to sue for damages. The decision prompted
premature celebrations from Blades fans who printed bank notes featuring
Carlos Tevez, the player at the centre of the whole affair. However a series
of delays means that they will have to wait for several months at least
before getting their hands on any cash - and only then if all of West Ham
United's attempts to have the crazy arbitration ruling overturned fail.
Further litigation awaits early next year when both clubs are set to attend
a damages hearing in which it will be decided if and how much Sheffield
United should be awarded.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham made to wait on Carlos Tevez verdict
Times Online
West Ham United may have to wait until Christmas to discover whether their
legal fight against Sheffield United over the Carlos Tevez affair is finally
over. High Court Judge Nigel Teare will reserve judgment for several weeks
before deciding whether to grant Sheffield United a permanent injunction
preventing West Ham taking an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) in Lausanne. The judge has told the clubs he will make a decision
"sometime before Christmas", and until that ruling there will be no attempt
by either side to take the matter further with CAS. Meanwhile, the
independent arbitration panel under Lord Griffiths that found against West
Ham in September has told the clubs that a decision on the level of damages
will not be made before the middle of March next year. Sheffield United are
claiming up to £50million in compensation after the arbitration panel ruled
that Tevez should not have been permitted to play in the final matches of
the 2006-07 season, when the Argentina striker helped West Ham avoid
relegation. West Ham had argued that they had already been punished by the
Premier League - they were fined £5.5million - and were merely following
league instructions. The arbitration panel decided however that the Hammers
had not abided by their pledge to end all third-party agreements in relation
to Tevez. "On the totality of the evidence, we have no doubt that West Ham
would have secured at least three fewer points over the 2006/7 season if
Carlos Tevez had not been playing for the club," the judgement of the
tribunal said.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HATCHET MAN: No sponsor, two points off the bottom and up for sale ... yes,
exciting times at West Ham!
Last updated at 1:02 PM on 11th November 2008
Daily Mail
Scott Duxbury must be warped if he thinks these are exciting times for West
Ham. The Manchester United-supporting chief executive may lead a charmed
life but convincing Upton Park staff nothing can hurt them either is a
more than tough sell. Duxbury mailed employees as reports emerged that one
of West Ham owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson's key companies had collapsed and
that he would welcome offers for a takeover. The message landed in their
inboxes just a few days before a crucial High Court battle with Sheffield
United in the Carlos Tevez affair, which could cost the club more than £30
million, and after the team had taken just one point from five games. The
day after Gianfranco Zola's team made it one point from six. It is a fair
bet that the recipients of Duxbury's mail have not forgotten what he is
capable of. A tribunal recently found he told a Premier League commission
last year that he would tear up a third party agreement relating to Tevez
while assuring the striker's representative he would do nothing of the sort.
So when he tells West Ham staff: 'These are exciting times' in a message
designed to reassure them, they must know they are right to be worried.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sheffield United told to justify £50m Tevez claim
By Jason Burt
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Independent.co.uk Web
West Ham have won the right to a forensic examination of Sheffield United's
accounts as they fight attempts by the Championship club to gain up to £50m
in compensation following the Carlos Tevez affair. At a directions hearing
yesterday, Lord Griffiths, who had chaired the three-man independent
Football Association tribunal into the case, agreed that the process should
now take place. Griffiths has set a deadline of mid-March for the
examination to be completed, while both sides will now discuss how it is to
be undertaken.
West Ham were also relieved to hear yesterday that United will not be
informed until "some point before Christmas" as to whether they can stop
their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport into the independent
tribunal's findings in favour of United. In theory an injunction could have
been granted in the High Court by Mr Justice Teare, which would have killed
West Ham's attempts to challenge the finding, but after a two-day hearing he
decided he needed more time to complete his deliberations. Cas also needs to
decide whether it has the jurisdiction to hear the appeal. Although both
decisions do little to clear up the uncertainty which continues to surround
West Ham, the club will regard the developments as fairly positive given
their gloomy prospects not so long ago.
It has been argued that the confusion over West Ham's possible liabilities
for fielding Tevez at the end of the 2006-07 season may affect the prospects
of crisis-hit owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson selling the club. One cash-rich
bidder has been waiting in the wings for some time but, as yet, West Ham
have not had an official approach although, it is understood, there have
been informal talks with some of Gudmundsson's advisers.
Part of those talks would entail dealing with the potential costs
surrounding the Tevez saga, although West Ham are confident that they could
satisfy any demands by ring-fencing funds.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers and City takeovers went wrong, says deal-maker
Harris fixed sale of five top-flight clubs but admits to game of risk and
feels foreign money is the future
David Conn in Zurich guardian.co.uk, Wednesday November 12 2008 00.01 GMT
The Guardian, Wednesday November 12 2008
Keith Harris, the chairman of the merchant bank Seymour Pierce and a former
Football League chairman, is the prime deal-maker who has engineered
takeovers of four Premier League clubs in the past two years. He is
currently seeking buyers for Newcastle United and Everton, but acknowledged
yesterday that his deals at West Ham United and Manchester City had gone
"wrong". In the turbulent financial climate, he said, fans cannot expect the
deals always to go according to plan.
Of the four takeovers on which Harris has most recently worked he cited as
great successes the record of the United States businessman Randy Lerner at
Aston Villa and the fortunes of Hull City under the ownership of a
consortium led by the Essex-based property investor Russell Bartlett.
However, at West Ham the Icelandic businessman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has
suffered a severe dent in his wealth due to the banking and economic
collapses in Iceland and Harris said he expects to be appointed shortly to
sell the club on again. At Manchester City the former Thai prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra was already facing criminal charges in Thailand and had
his assets frozen when he took the club over in June 2007. Fourteen months
later he had to sell and has since been convicted of corruption. Last week
he was refused permission to return to Britain.
Harris said he had hired a private detective agency to investigate Thaksin's
record before the City deal and decided the charges were politically
motivated by the military government. However, Harris agreed, given the
Thaksin experience, that selling a football club to somebody facing criminal
charges puts the club at risk and the Premier League should not allow it in
future. The league's "fit and proper person test" currently bars only people
who have been convicted of criminal offences, not those being prosecuted.
"It is rather sad at the moment with Thaksin's visa being revoked," Harris
said. "I don't think at that time I could have done any more investigation.
But I think the Premier League will amend the way it views these
circumstances."
Harris spoke about English football's glittering success and current
financial challenges at an International Football Arena breakfast meeting in
Zurich. He adamantly rejected the Uefa president Michel Platini's recent
warning that English clubs risk losing their identities, arguing instead
that more overseas takeovers are inevitable.
"In the UK we are no longer as important as we were. Our pockets are not as
deep and Barclays Bank [in which Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al
Nahyan, Manchester City's new owner, recently bought a 16% stake], like many
of our football clubs, has gone to where the wealth and economic power lies.
We cannot regulate against this in a free world and have to accept these
changes, embrace them and deal with the issues they create."
Explaining the motives of the businessmen coming in, Harris said they regard
football clubs as "trophy assets" but he also convinces them they can make
substantial profits without having to put additional money into the clubs
after buying them.
"I have been able to demonstrate that if you do it correctly, the club
should generate sufficient cash to fund itself, so having bought it you
shouldn't have to put more money in unless you choose to. And you can
generate a return of 5-10% in the value of the club every year over a period
of seven to 10 years."
Lerner, whose sensitive and shrewd stewardship of Aston Villa is the deal of
which Harris is most proud, plans to own Villa for just that, seven to 10
years.
However, Harris's own experience of other deals has shown that the course of
football club takeovers does not always run smoothly. Discussing the
collapsing fortunes of Gudmundsson, whose Icelandic bank, Landsbanki, was
nationalised last month at a loss to its principal shareholder of about
£250m, Harris said it could not have been foreseen when the Icelander bought
the club for £85m two years ago.
"He was one of the wealthiest men in what was a very wealthy country,"
Harris said regretfully. "His intentions were entirely honourable. The fact
that the Iceland banking system was over-leveraged and hanging by a thread,
I don't think anybody knew at the time. The collapse was due to the
turbulence of the global financial system and not something anybody could
have envisaged."
Harris emphasised the seriousness of the world's financial crisis, referring
to the situation in Zurich, Europe's private banking capital, where the
giant global financial institution UBS has recently been bailed out by the
Swiss government. The turmoil is making it more difficult, he said, to find
buyers for England's football clubs.
"It is not a question of price negotiation," he explained. "But people are
wondering: 'Should we?' Is now the time to spend the money? Should I be
buying what are essentially trophy assets today?"
Newcastle, Harris said, is still a desirable club to buy, because it has a
52,000-seat "fabulous stadium" already developed in a one-club city where
the supporters have amply demonstrated the fierceness of their devotion.
The owner, Mike Ashley, who bought Newcastle only last year, has not fallen
victim to the financial crisis but Harris said Ashley is committed to
selling because the St James' Park faithful turned against him after Kevin
Keegan's resignation as the manager. There is, Harris confirmed, "an
interest from two parties, wealthy investment funds, not from the Middle
East", adding that the US magnate, Philip Anschutz, reported to be
interested, is not one of them.
Everton, the other Premier League club which has instructed Harris to seek
investment, is, he said openly, not as encouraging a proposition to buyers
looking to increase the value of their investments.
"There is no progress at all," Harris said. "The demographics of Liverpool
as a city are not hugely compelling. It is not a very wealthy city; Everton
share the city with another club which arguably has been in the vanguard for
the last decade and they both have a stadium to build. So the economics need
a lot of looking at."
Of English football's general health Harris said many Championship clubs
have serious problems and are losing money, caused substantially by the
"huge gulf in income" between the two leagues. He believes that the debts of
the Premier League clubs are not at "high-risk level" as the FA chairman,
Lord Triesman, warned last month, pointing out that much of it is "soft"
interest-free debt to owners and most other clubs make enough money to
service their bank borrowings.
However, he said, he is concerned about Liverpool, who owe £350m to two
banks, Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, which have suffered severely in
the downturn. The money is due to be repaid in January, although Liverpool
have an option to extend the loan until next July. After that, Harris said,
they will find it difficult to extend or refinance the loan. They would have
to raise cash, which could be difficult, and the club, owned by Tom Hicks
and George Gillett, could then be in trouble, Harris said, before adding
that a solution was likely to be found.
"It's a brave banker that would repossess Liverpool Football Club," he said
with a smile.
Mr Fix-it
Harris has acted as financial broker on takeovers of five Premier League
clubs
Chelsea July 2003
Harris worked on the £17m acquisition from Ken Bates by the Russian oligarch
billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Aston Villa August 2006
Harris brokered the £62.6m takeover by US credit card billionaire Randy
Lerner.
West Ham United November 2006
The Icelandic banking and economic meltdown has led to severe losses for
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who bought the club for £85m. Harris expects to be
instructed shortly to find new investment for the club.
Hull City June 2007
One of Harris's lower-profile deals - Adam Pearson sold Hull for £10m to
three businessmen led, according to Harris, by the Essex-based property
investor Russell Bartlett.
Manchester City June 2007
'It went wrong,' Harris said of the takeover by Thaksin Shinawatra, who had
criminal corruption charges laid against him and his assets frozen in
Thailand. Harris conceded that clubs are placed at risk by being sold to
somebody facing criminal charges.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bowyer: West Ham going in right direction under Zola
12.11.08 | tribalfootball.com
Lee Bowyer says West Ham's players feel they're going in the "right
direction" under manager Gianfranco Zola. He told whufc.com: "Results
matter, but if you look at the football we are playing, it does make us all
feel that we are going the right way and the right results will follow
that." After injury blighted much of last season for Bowyer and a little
part of the start of this campaign, he is now feeling good and is enjoying
the football under Zola. "I missed a part of last season because of the
groin injury, I then did my hamstring at the beginning of the new season,
but I now feel better with each game I am playing. As a player in this team,
the way we are playing, is very exciting and enjoyable, I think the other
lads would say the same. "We need to just get tighter as a team again and
build on what we have been trying to do and as I said, the confidence is
already there to put that into a few wins."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Collison: West Ham players fully behind Zola
12.11.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham players are fully behind manager Gianfranco Zola, says midfielder
Jack Collison. Collison, the 20-year-old who scored in the 3-1 defeat by
Everton at the weekend, told official website whufc.com: "All the boys have
complete faith in what the manager is getting us to do and if we can keep
performing like we have been, the results will come, we are confident of
that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Distin: Pompey can't expect easy ride at Upton Park
Portsmouth.co.uk
Published Date: 12 November 2008
By Jordan Cross
Sylvain Distin shot down talk West Ham are ripe for the picking. Distin
doesn't expect an easy ride against the Hammers this weekend, despite them
losing five of their last six games. And he dismissed the Blues' last three
wins at Upton Park as a reason for optimism ahead of Saturday's clash.
Gianfranco Zola is starting to feel the heat after a difficult baptism as
West Ham manager. The Italian has lost six of his nine games in charge to
leave his side two points off the bottom of the table. It was another tale
of woe for him on Saturday, as three goals in the last seven minutes saw a
1-0 advantage turn into a 3-1 defeat against Everton. Distin feels they'll
still be confident, however, after an encouraging start to the season. He
said: 'If you forget about all the work you have done after one defeat, you
will never win any games.
'There are 40 games in a season, so I'm sure they will forget what happened
to them on Saturday. 'There will be a lot of games you win and lose. A lot
of things will happen. 'We all have good runs and bad runs through the
season. So I don't think they will be under pressure. 'I don't think what
has happened up there before will make a difference. 'They're a different
team, with different staff, so you can't compare it.'
Saturday's win at Sunderland made the league table better reading for Pompey
fans. But Distin stated it wasn't a necessary victory in terms of boosting
confidence.
The 30-year-old insisted the team's belief was strong anyway after a string
of good performances since Tony Adams took charge – despite results not
going Pompey's way. Distin said: 'Things haven't changed in training. We are
confident. 'For the table, the Sunderland win was important. 'If you win
two games you are in the top six or seven. So we have to push to be towards
that top group if we can. 'We have been playing well in games and lost. 'You
are not going to win every single game. We are not United or Chelsea. 'I'm
always confident. No matter what, there is always the possibility to turn
things around. 'I enjoy playing. I was watching all the games on Sunday and
felt like I wanted to play again. 'I love the game. Losing is part of it and
so is winning, but you have a better week when you win.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Club faces nervous wait over player decision - lep.co.uk
Date: 12 November 2008
West Ham United face a nervous wait before discovering whether their legal
fight against Sheffield United over the saga involving Manchester United
striker Carlos Tevez is finally over. High Court Judge Nigel Teare will
reserve judgment for several weeks before deciding whether to grant the
Blades a permanent injunction preventing West Ham taking an appeal to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. The judge has told the
clubs he will make a decision before Christmas and until that ruling there
will be no attempt by either side to take the matter further with CAS.
Meanwhile, the independent arbitration panel under Lord Griffiths that found
against West Ham in September has told the clubs a decision on the level of
damages will not be made before the middle of March next year. Sheffield
United are claiming up to £50million in compensation after the arbitration
panel ruled that Tevez should not have been permitted to play in the final
matches of the 2006-07 season, when the Argentina striker helped West Ham
avoid relegation. West Ham had argued that they had already been punished by
the Premier League - they were fined £5.5million - and were merely following
league instructions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers defeat brings sour taste to Collison strike
1:27pm Tuesday 11th November 2008
Echo
WEST Ham midfielder Jack Collison was delighted to grab his first Premier
League goal against Everton at the weekend, but he would have gladly traded
it for all three points. The 20-year-old's fine strike on the hour mark
looked to have been enough to earn the Hammers all three points after a
strong attacking performance. But the Toffees pulled them back with three
goals in the final ten minutes, confining Gianfranco Zola to his fourth
defeat in five games. While Collison was pleased to have opened his league
account for the Irons, he admitted the achievement was soured by the result.
"It was nice to get my first Premier League goal, but of course, the result
was disappointing," said the youngster. "Especially as we played so well and
no one would have argued that, before they scored, we would have been worthy
winners. But that's what happens in football, things chance so quickly,
everything turns and you are suddenly 3-1 down. "There was disbelief after
in the dressing room as to why we hadn't won the game, but we will go out
again in training this week and put all that hard work into another good
performance to get the right result against Portsmouth."
Collison's goal arrived in the 63rd minute after receiving a smart pass from
midfield partner Scott Parker, and he was keen to praise the former Chelsea
player's involvement in the move. "I knew what he (Scott Parker) was going
to do. Knew the ball was going to end up in my path. He just dropped it back
to me, it opened up and I was able to bend it round the keeper. It was a
great touch from Scotty, but he does that every day in training, so that was
why I was expecting it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Surely Sheffield United will do the right thing over Iain Hulme horror
tackle
The Mirror
By Dan Silver 11/11/2008
The high court will rule today on Sheffield United's money-grubbing – er, I
mean courageous – crusade against West Ham today. The Yorkshire club's
ever-likeable chairman Kevin McCabe could be heading back to court sooner
than he anticipated, however, following his player Chris Morgan's despicable
forearm smash on Barnsley midfielder Iain Hulme at the weekend. Hulme has a
fractured skull and internal bleeding, and came through a potentially
life-saving operation after the game. His club are now taking legal advice
on the matter. Surely there'll be no need, though. Given McCabe's commitment
to truth and justice – the watch-words behind his hounding of the Hammers -
he'll be honour-bound to do the right thing long before the lawyers get
involved.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Posts
