WHUFC.com
Rather than be daunted by the prospect, Freddie Sears is eager to take on
Liverpool
01.12.2008
Freddie Sears is excited about the prospect of running out at Anfield this
evening after the personal thrill of signing a new five-year contract.
The 19-year-old striker played at the famous old stadium as a youngster and
would love to repeat the experience. "To play at Anfield is great, the
atmosphere alone is unbelievable," he said. "I played there for my school,
at under-14 level, so it will be great to go back there now with West Ham
and as part of the first team. I am looking forward to it."
Confidence is high in the camp after the win at Sunderland and Sears sees no
reason why the team cannot get a positive result. "It was not the greatest
of games at Sunderland, but it was a good win. All the team have stuck
together. Lately, we have been playing good football but not got the
results. Hopefully we can push on now and take this into the Liverpool
game."
While there is the desire for the team to collectively rise to the
challenge, Sears is also hoping he will be able to maintain the progress
made this campaign. "The aim is to try and be in the team week in week out,
I am getting more chances and showing people what I can do. I am still
learning though and trying to get better all the time."
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Squad strength a real plus
WHUFC.com
The manager has been speaking positively about the form of some of his
players ahead of the Anfield date
01.12.2008
Gianfranco Zola has offered plenty of praise for his players before the
high-profile trip to Liverpool on Monday night.
While the Barclays Premier League focus this past weekend has been on major
derby meetings and some of English football's leading lights, Zola has been
quick to emphasise the credentials of his own squad. Among them will be
Craig Bellamy, with the striker sure to be keen to turn in a strong
performance against the club he left to join West Ham United back in summer
2007.
"Craig is getting there," the manager said. "He has got enthusiasm and he
wants to improve. I don't think he is very far [from his best]. Against
Sunderland, he helped the team and the players a lot with his attitude. He
was a little bit tired because he had played with the national team ... This
week he has been brilliant in training and I am sure on Monday he can be one
of the players that can change the game."
One of those who has publicly spoken about the impact of Bellamy on his own
game is Freddie Sears and Zola is delighted with his progress. "He is still
in the process of learning and he is getting better and better," he said.
"The moment will come for him again. Even if he is not playing right now, he
will have another chance I am sure and I believe that he is going to be
better. We gave him a five-year contract because we believe he can be the
future of the club and we trust in him."
The manager has had plenty of encouragement for his defence as a unit,
describing them as "outstanding" while there is positive news on Kieron Dyer
who is close to a playing return having been out since August 2007. "He is
progressing very, very well," said Zola. "He is training the best he has
this week and he is doing really well. It's been a very long time."
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Liverpool match preview
WHUFC.com
All of the team news and background ahead of Monday's Barclays Premier
League match at Anfield
01.12.2008
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v West Ham United
Anfield
Monday 1 December
8pm
Referee: Peter Walton
WHUTV - Full audio commentary
Introduction
* West Ham United travel to Liverpool for their second consecutive away game
in the Barclays Premier League. The team will be on a high following the 1-0
win at Sunderland last time out.
* Manager Gianfranco Zola has another strong squad to choose from after more
senior players returned to training as he pits his wits against Rafael
Benitez.
* Zola's side sit 15th in the table after Saturday's fixtures, with five
wins and two draws and a goal difference of minus five from their opening 14
fixtures. The home side are joint top, but sit below Chelsea on goal
difference having won ten and drawn three of their opening 14 games.
* Last weekend's win pushed West Ham United four places up the table and
victory at Anfield could see them climb to seventh, depending on results
from games played earlier in the weekend. Liverpool could move three points
clear of Chelsea, who play Arsenal on Sunday.
* The visitors will be looking to record their first win on Merseyside since
14 September 1963. The London side have lost on their last seven visits
there since goals from Frank Lampard and Marc Keller helped secure a 2-2
draw in February 1999.
* Home form is a different story, though. Last season Mark Noble scored a
last-gasp penalty to give West Ham United a memorable 1-0 win at the Boleyn
Ground on 30 January.
* After ending a run of 25 games without a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw with
Portsmouth, Robert Green and the West Ham United defence have earned two in
a row, following the shut-out against Sunderland.
* West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker said: "We can go there and try to
take the game to them, which I'm sure we're going to, play some nice stuff
and you never know. Fulham went there last Saturday and got a result and we
go there full of confidence with two clean sheets. We'll see if we can keep
the run going."
* Speaking to the club's official website about the injury to Fernando
Torres, Liverpool manager Benitez said: "We have [Robbie] Keane and when we
bought him it was with the idea that he can score goals. We also have Dirk
Kuyt, David Ngog and Ryan Babel. Hopefully they can score enough goals and
we can talk about Fernando in three weeks' time. We have shown enough
quality and character without him and hopefully we can do it again."
* West Ham United are next in top flight action in another Monday fixture,
at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 8 December. Liverpool have a Saturday game
away at Blackburn Rovers on 5 December.
Last time out
Sunday 23 November 2008 - Sunderland 0-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Faubert (Boa Morte
76), Parker, Bowyer (Mullins 61), Behrami, Bellamy (Di Michele 87), Cole
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Davenport, Collison, Sears
Goal: Behrami 20
Wednesday 26 November - Liverpool 1-0 Marseille
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio (Dossena 46),
Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt (Leiva Lucas 85), Gerrard, Riera (Benayoun 63),
Torres
Subs not used: Cavalieri, Keane, Babel, Kelly
Goal: Gerrard 23
Team news
* Parker sat out training on Thursday and Friday with a virus, but trained
over the weekend and has travelled to the north-west along with fit-again
Mark Noble.
* Kieron Dyer continues to impress his manager in training and is edging
ever closer to a return, possibly in a specially arranged game this coming
week. Jonathan Spector is also in training following a hip injury
respectively.
* The return of those players mean Danny Gabbidon and Dean Ashton are the
only long-term absentees.
* It has been a busy week as five more West Ham United players went out on
loan, bringing the total number to eight. James Tomkins went to Derby
County, Kyel Reid was loaned to Blackpool, Southend United borrowed Junior
Stanislas, Jordan Spence moved to Leyton Orient and Jimmy Walker will spend
five weeks at Colchester United. The quintet joined Bondz N'Gala, Josh Payne
and Nigel Quashie, who are already gaining experience away from the Boleyn
Ground.
* Tomkins and Reid had performed particularly well for the reserves in the
2-0 win over Portsmouth on Tuesday. David Di Michele, Freddie Sears, Luis
Boa Morte, Walter Lopez and Calum Davenport all played a key role in the
game as well to further demonstrate the options available to Zola
* Liverpool will be without Torres, who suffered a hamstring injury after
their win over Marseille. Full-back Andrea Dossena is the favourite to
replace Fabio Aurelio, who is out for a few weeks with a calf problem.
Background
* The teams last met on 5 March 2008 at Anfield, when a Fernando Torres
hat-trick helped Liverpool to a 4-0 win.
* The lineups were:
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Mascherano,
Alonso, Babel (Pennant 76), Kuyt (Benayoun 63), Torres (Crouch 82)
Subs not used: Itandje, Hyypia
Goals: Torres 8, 61, 81, Gerrard 83
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson (Spector 63), McCartney,
Solano (Ashton 69), Noble, Mullins, Ljungberg, Boa Morte, Cole (Zamora 69)
Subs not used: Wright, Pantsil
* West Ham United's last win at Anfield, on 14 September 1963, came courtesy
of goals from Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst. Jim Standen also saved a
penalty from Ronnie Moran in the match.
* If selected, Craig Bellamy will be making his 200th career Premier League
appearance against one of his former clubs. The Welshman made 42 appearances
for the Reds, scoring nine goals.
* Liverpool, meanwhile, could boast two former West Ham United players.
Yossi Benayoun made 72 appearances for the club, while Javier Mascherano
played seven times in a loan spell in east London.
* Robert Green is the only West Ham United player to have featured in every
minute of every Premier League game this season, while Matthew Upson has
also started every league match.
Head to head (last six meetings, league unless stated)
5 March 2008 - Liverpool 4-0 West Ham United
30 January 2008 - West Ham United 1-0 Liverpool
30 January 2007 - West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool
26 August 2006 - Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
13 May 2005 - West Ham United 3-3 Liverpool aet (FA Cup final)
26 April 2006 - West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool
Overall record v Liverpool (all competitions): W 23, D 33, L 60
General information
For ticket information, click here For details on getting to Anfield, click
here
Weather: The forecast is for a cold but bright day. The temperature is not
expected to get above 5C.
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Liverpool v West Ham preview
Reds looking to go three points clear at the top
Last updated: 1st December 2008
SSN
Liverpool will be aiming to go clear at the top of the table when they
welcome West Ham to Anfield on Monday night. The Reds can go three points
clear at the summit of the Premier League with victory over Gianfranco
Zola's side following Chelsea's 2-1 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday. Liverpool
will have to make do without star striker Fernando Torres, who scored a
hat-trick in this fixture last season, as he is sidelined with a hamstring
problem. Robbie Keane is expected to replace the Spaniard in attack with
either Dirk Kuyt or Steven Gerrard supporting him up front. Fabio Aurelio is
missing with a calf problem meaning Italian full-back Andrea Dossena is
likely to replace him at left-back. Javier Mascherano will be hoping to
line-up against his old club, while Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel are
pushing for recalls. West Ham, who are chasing back-to-back wins, are close
to full strength for the trip to Merseyside. Scott Parker is expected to
shake off illness to start in midfield, while Craig Bellamy will lead the
attack against his former employers. Kieron Dyer remains a long-term
absentee for West Ham as the Hammers go in search of their first win at
Anfield since 1963.
Possible starting XIs
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Kuyt, Alonso,
Mascherano, Reira, Gerrard, Keane.
West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Faubert, Parker, Behrami,
Bowyer, Bellamy, Cole.
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Dyer eyes up festive return
Hammers midfielder set to play in friendly this week
Last updated: 1st December 2008
SSN
Kieron Dyer is hoping to make his first-team comeback for West Ham United
over Christmas. The midfielder has been sidelined since August 2007 after
breaking his leg against Bristol Rovers in the Carling Cup on just his third
appearance for the Hammers. The £6million signing from Newcastle United was
aiming to return at the start of this season, only to suffer a stress
fracture which delayed his comeback. However, Dyer is due play in a
behind-closed-doors friendly later this week and the 29-year-old is eager to
be playing again. It will be great to get that first game under my belt,"
said Dyer. "I'm not going to say I'm going to be thrown straight back into
the first team. "Ideally I will have three or four preparation games and
then be ready, perhaps for the Christmas period. "Every day I feel sharper
and I do believe now I need to make up for lost time. "My 30th birthday is
coming up later this month and some players start to look toward the end of
their careers when they reach that milestone. "With the amount of football
I've missed though, I feel I have a good five years still left in me."
Former manager Alan Curbishley brought Dyer to Upton Park, but he left a
year later and was replaced by Gianfranco Zola. Dyer, who has won 33 England
caps, added: "Gianfranco Zola has been good to me. On his first day he
called me into his office and said he remembered playing against me."
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Agent hands Zola hammer blow in January bid to lure Juventus prospect
Sebastian Giovinco
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 4:16 PM on 01st December 2008
Daily Mail
West Ham have suffered a setback in their efforts to lure highly rated
Italian Sebastian Giovinco after his agent announced he will not be leaving
for Upton Park in January. The Juventus attacking midfielder is a target of
the east London club, with manager Gianfranco Zola showing an interest in
taking the 21-year-old on loan until the rest of the season, having
previously worked with him at Italy Under-21 level. But Giovinco, who
returned to Juve in the summer after a successful loan spell at Empoli,
recently signed a two-year extension which will keep him in Turin until
2013. 'Seba (Giovinco) will remain in Turin,' announced Giovinco's agent,
Andrea D'Amico. 'Everyone knows that Zola has great admiration for Giovinco
and it doesn't surprise me that they would like him at West Ham. 'But the
episode of sending him somewhere else to prove his quality is a chapter of
the past. 'If Sebastian is at Juve it means that he has the quality of Juve.
He is awaiting his moment and he is patient.'
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Liverpool v West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 1st December 2008
By: Preview Percy
Next we have Liverpool at Anfield where we haven't won since September 1963.
Youngsters will find this hard to believe but Liverpool were the Man Utd of
the 70s. Much as they will hate to admit it, Liverpool have a lot in common
with the mob from Salford. They were – indeed still are to a certain extent
- a club "supported" by a lot of people with about as much connection with
Liverpool as I have with Papua New Guinea. Like their rivals from up the
M62, the red half of Liverpool have been no strangers to dodgy dealings
which, like the red half of Manchester seem to have some strange cloak of
invisibility when the authorities come sniffing around, and the next time
some holier than thou scally without the guts to support Everton starts
acting up over the Tevez affair, you might want to point out that their club
was once found guilty of match–fixing and it was only some exceedingly dodgy
dealing involving Arsenal and Man Utd that saved them from the expulsion
from the league their antics deserved.
Of course that was just after the First World War, all a long while ago, and
the club has of course been squeaky-clean in all its dealings ever since, if
you don't count the illegal approaches to players still under contract to
other clubs which has been going on for the past 40 years at least.
Tottenham's silence over the Robbie Keane deal was eventually bought by a
bribe, sorry, that should read "charitable donation," but Aston Villa
remained slightly more principled and Gareth Barry stayed put, much to the
delight of football fans everywhere. Still, in case anyone was in any doubt
about how classy an act this club is, the fact that an official LFC
publication felt the need to suggest that the forthcoming match might be
Gianfranco Zola's last in charge of our club will give you an insight into
how things work up in the (no, don't laugh) "City of Culture" – you can only
imagine the uproar that would have hit Merseyside had the positions been
reversed.
It's been a long while since Liverpool won the top prize in English football
– 18 years in fact. Every year since then it's been of case of "maybe this
year" whilst the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea have shared the
trophy between them. They've started better than in recent years this season
and lie in second place on goal difference behind Chelsea. They've ground
out results more than usual this season – though their league and cup
matches against Spurs were an exception, suggesting as they did that the
"charitable donations" didn't just end with the cheque they sent to White
Hart Lane.
Their latest match was a 1-0 home victory over Olympique Marseille in the
Champions League, a result that flattered them somewhat, or as boss Benitez
put it "it was a scary win." There will be some enforced changes from the
starting line-up of the other night. In goal will be our old friend Pepe
Reina, a keeper who has gifted us a goal or two in the past. In the
right-back berth one would expect to see Arbeola but at left-back the
Italian Dossena is likely to deputise for the injured Aurelio, whose calf is
likely to see him sidelined for a couple of weeks. In the middle is Jamie
Carragher, whose retirement from international football took place at about
the same time as my own – and had about as much effect. He will line up
alongside Daniel Agger, who travelling supporters may remember hitting a
thunderbolt against us in our first match up there after promotion.
In midfield we will meet the familiar face of Steven Gerrard, a player whose
underworld connections mean that I will refrain from pointing out that the
Percy household was telling the world what a diver he was well before
everyone else picked up on the fact. Alongside him may be Javier Mascherano,
a player given sanction to play for the club a couple of seasons ago in
contravention of the generally accepted principle that no player can play
for more than two clubs in a year. FIFA's logical gymnastics on the case
revolved around the fact that the seasons in South America and Europe don't
coincide. Strangely, a number of other European clubs have tried that
argument before and since without success. Perhaps if they'd changed their
names to "Real Madrid" they'd have had more luck.
The big blonde Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, whose name is never pronounced twice the
same way by commentators and fans alike, is another likely starter, though
former Hammer Yossi Benayoun has spent large chunks of this season starting
on the bench. His move from the Boleyn was controversial in that he had
verbally agreed to sign a new contract but changed his mind following a few
illegally placed words in the right ear from his current employers. If only
we'd thought to ask for a "charitable donation". On the left we are likely
to see Spanish winger Riera who arrived from Espanyol on deadline day. The
26 year-old is already on his sixth professional club (if you count two
spells at Espanyol), a journey that took in an unsuccessful (and not
much-mentioned) season up the road at Man City. Also in the squad is former
Arsenal youth player Jermaine Pennant who will forever be remembered for
wrapping his Merc round an Aylesbury lamppost whilst uninsured, disqualified
and drunk. The latter point might have had something to do with his giving
name "Ashley Cole" to the attending officer once the little light had turned
red on the breathalyser. The result was a 90-day sentence, though two-thirds
of it was spent playing for Birmingham City wearing an electronic tag.
Rumours that Pennant begged to be let back into prison to complete his
sentence in nicer surroundings are of course just scurrilous.
A change will be required to the usual strike-force on Monday night.
Fernando Torres' hamstring has gone once more and he'll be out for a good
while. Keane will start and he may be accompanied by Dutchman Ryan Babel who
can operate in an advanced role if required. As cover Liverpool have added
the young Frenchman David N'Gog to the squad, though, with only one
Premiership start to his name he is probably regarded more as one for the
future.
As for our line-up, well the injuries are slowly beginning to subside – but
not quite as much as the BBC seem to think. Auntie includes the likes of
Ashton, Gabbidon, Spector and Noble in the squad. Of those only Noble has
any realistic chance of being available – and even he's rated as "doubtful".
Tristan might be available for the bench, assuming that he actually exisits
(well have YOU seen him since his signing?) but Reid, Tomkins and Walker –
all of whom are shown as available by the Beeb - will be sitting this one
out having gone out on loan to Blackpool, Derby and Colchester respectively.
I would write to ask for that particular bit of my licence fee back but I'm
still waiting for a response to my letters about Jonathan Ross and Strictly
Come Bloody Dancing so I'm not holding out much hope.
On the assumption that the players available are pretty much those who were
about last week I'd expect us to start with a 4-4-2 for this one with
Bellamy looking to put one over on his old club up front alongside Cole.
Whatever side we put out it'll be difficult to get anything out of this
match. History is against us and, like Old Trafford, there seems to be an
unwritten law of the game that prevents referees giving decisions against
the home club, and anyone who thinks dodgy penalties are something peculiar
to Man Utd clearly wasn't about in the 1970's – and that's before we
consider Gerrard's legendary unsteadiness that manifests itself anywhere
about 30 yards out. Although the distinctly average Fulham managed to get a
point up there the other week I really can't see lightning striking twice on
this one. Sunderland played to James Collins' strengths up on Wearside last
week and I just can't see the home side doing the same this week. I'll
therefore take us to lose 2-0 with Robert Green having a blinder to keep the
score down and make it 46 years without a win up there.
Enjoy the game!
Last season: lost 4-0 In the middle of the horrible "12 goal week" a
clueless second half performance and a Torres hat-trick are enough to wipe
out what had, up to that point, been a positive goal difference.
Danger Man: Gerrard – either from distance or with his free-kick winning
"abilities".
Look out for: A number of gentlemen in stripey pullovers and masks carrying
bags marked "swag" heading away from the ground towards players' houses once
the home team has been announced. Hint to Merseyside police – if you want to
catch the burglars, staking out the players' houses on match nights might be
a good idea.
Listen out for: Their match-day announcer whose depressed tones make Leonard
Cohen sound like a Butlins Redcoat.
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West Ham's Kieron Dyer set for return after 15 months out
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer is set to make his return to football after
15 months out injured, thanks to a new state-of-the-art machine known as the
Alter G-trainer.
Telegraph
By Emily Benammar
Last Updated: 1:51PM GMT 01 Dec 2008
Out of action since breaking his leg in two places last August against
Bristol Rovers, Dyer has hailed the new equipment as invaluable, and is now
fully focused on getting his career back on track. Confident he still has a
way to go in his career despite his age, Dyer said: "It's the nearest thing
to running on the moon. It's invaluable when you have suffered an injury
such as mine. When the shin has had a severe trauma, impact work can be very
uncomfortable. "With that machine, you can reduce you body weight by so
much, it means you can ease your way into things. "Every day I feel sharper
and I do believe now I need to make up for lost time.
"My 30th birthday is coming up later this month and some players start to
look toward the end of their careers when they reach that milestone. "With
the amount of football I've missed though - I have another five years left
in me. "The club are organising a game behind closed doors this week for
myself and Johnathan Spector - it will be great to get that first game under
my belt."
Realistic about what he is capable of, the England international said that
he is not looking to launch himself back into the Premier League unprepared.
"Ideally I will have three or four preparation games and then be ready -
perhaps for Christmas," he said. "I'm not going to be thrown straight back
into the first team. "I'll be wearing a heart-rate monitor and my fitness
levels will be judged."
Injuries such as Dyer's usually take six to nine months to fully repair, but
having suffered so many set backs - including three operations as opposed to
the usual one - Dyer admits he got very low at times. Having returned to
training over the summer, Dyer was just weeks away from making his return
until he turned sharply in training and felt a pain in his shin he knew was
about to cause him further setback. "That was my lowest point because I had
been so close to coming back," he told the Evening Standard. "To be told I
was going to be out for another three months was pretty heartbreaking -
there was nothing I could do."
The equipment in question - the Alter G-trainer - is a treadmill enveloped
inside a bag which, when inflated, changes the air pressure inside which
means that, with an injury such as Dyer's, you can run without feeling the
impact on your joints. Dyer will return to Upton Park under new manager
Gianfranco Zola. Though sad to have seen Alan Curbishley leave, Dyer is
looking to catching Zola's eye. "I feel sorry for Alan Curbishley because he
bought me, Scott Parker and Craig Bellamy and, while he was manager, we
probably only played twenty games between us," he said. "But Gianfranco Zola
has also been good to me. On his first day he called me into his office and
said he remembered playing against me. "He liked the way I played and it
suited the way he wants to go. Now, after all this time, I can hopefully
begin to repay peoples' faith in me."
Meanwhile, Zola has said he is extremely keen to sign Sebastian Giovinco
from Juventus. "He's a player I know very well," said Zola. "He's played for
me for the Under-21s and he's a player I admire. "He's one of those players
who can change a game. "I don't think Juventus would be willing to give him
up, though, because they need him."
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West Ham's Dyer desperate to make up for lost time after 15 months of injury
nightmare
By Ken Dyer
Last updated at 2:28 PM on 01st December 2008
Daily Mail
Kieron Dyer is walking on air and ready for a comeback after 15 months of
misery at West Ham. The former England star broke his leg in a Carling Cup
tie against Bristol Rovers in August 2007 and has since endured three
operations that left him questioning whether he would ever play football
again. Now though, he is finally ready to return, thanks to his
determination and a £50,000 state-of-the-art machine, the 'Alter G-Trainer'.
Top physiotherapist John Green, who treats a number of top stars such as
Dyer, West Ham team-mate Dean Ashton and Newcastle's Michael Owen, bought
the revolutionary machine after a visit to US basketball team LA Lakers.
Dyer, who has won 32 England caps in a career plagued by injury, won't be
involved in tonight's match at Liverpool but will play in a
behind-closed-doors friendly this week. 'Every day I feel sharper and I do
believe I now I need make up for lost time,' he said. 'My 30th birthday is
coming up later this month and some players start to look toward the end of
their careers when they reach that milestone. 'With the amount of football
I've missed though, I feel I have a good five years still left in me.
Hopefully the club are organising a game behind closed doors this week for
myself and Jonathan Spector, who is also coming back after a long injury. It
will be great to get that first game under my belt. 'It all depends how I go
after that. I'm not going to say I'm going to be thrown straight back into
the first team. I'll be wearing a heart-rate monitor and my fitness levels
will be judged. 'Ideally I will have three or four preparation games and
then be ready, perhaps for the Christmas period.'
Dyer has always tried to remain positive but he admitted there have been
some real low points over the last 15 months. 'The lowest I got was probably
just before this season started,' said the midfielder. 'The first team squad
had gone to Toronto but I stayed behind to finish a great pre-season with
John Green. 'I went back training with the kids while the senior squad were
in Canada and I felt great - I was really flying. 'When they came back from
Canada I joined in training and felt sharp. It was great to be back amongst
the lads again. 'But then it all went wrong. We were doing a one-on-one
training session, I turned quickly and felt a shooting pain in my shin. I
went for an X-ray straight away and they told me I had a stress response to
the original fracture. That was my lowest point because I was so close to
coming back and then to be told that I was going to be out for another three
months was pretty heartbreaking. 'An injury like this usually takes six to
nine months but I had so many setbacks. One operation is usually enough but
I ended up having three on the same leg and there was nothing I could do. 'I
was probably a nightmare around the house but I've had a few setbacks in my
career so I'm accustomed to dealing with it in my own way and I tried not to
let it affect anyone else too much.'
Everything has now changed thanks to a new revolutionary piece of equipment
brought it by Green. It is a treadmill enveloped inside a huge bag which,
when inflated, changes the air pressure within. The user zips himself into
the bag and can then, by tapping in simple instructions onto a screen,
reduce his body weight by anything up to 30 per cent. This means that
recuperating players such as Dyer and Ashton, who is recovering from an
ankle operation, can run on the treadmill without the impact on their joints
which would delay their return. 'It's the nearest thing to running on the
moon,' said Dyer. 'Dean's very fortunate to have that machine at the start
of his rehabilitation. I was coming to the end of my rehab when John Green
bought it over from the United States. 'It helped me no end and I am
convinced that, if I had been using that machine from the start, I would
have been playing football by now. 'It's invaluable when you have suffered
an injury such as mine. When the shin has had a severe trauma, impact work
can be very uncomfortable. 'With that machine, you can reduce you body
weight by so much, it means you can ease your way into things.'
Dyer now believes the dark days are behind him and even though Alan
Curbishley, who brought him to Upton Park from Newcastle, has been sacked,
the winger hopes he can make a difference for Gianfranco Zola. Dyer added:
'In a way I feel sorry for Alan Curbishley because he bought me, Scott
Parker and Craig Bellamy and, while he was manager, we probably only played
20 games between us. 'But Gianfranco Zola has also been good to me. On his
first day he called me into his office and said he remembered playing
against me. 'He liked the way I played and it suited the way he wants to go.
Now, after all this time, I can hopefully begin to repay peoples' faith in
me.'
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I'm A Happy Hammer Again
The Sun
Published: Today
KIERON DYER is eyeing a first-team return with West Ham before Christmas.
The 29-year-old has been out of action for 15 months after breaking his leg
in a Carling Cup tie against Bristol City. He had three operations and was
close to a comeback at the start of the season before suffering a stress
fracture in training. But with his fitness gradually returning, the Hammers
have lined up a behind-closed-doors friendly for him later this week. Dyer
said: "It will be great to get that first game under my belt. "I'm not going
to say I'm going to be thrown straight back into the first team. "Ideally I
will have three or four preparation games and then be ready, perhaps for the
Christmas period. "Every day I feel sharper and I do believe now I need to
make up for lost time. "My 30th birthday is coming up later this month and
some players start to look toward the end of their careers when they reach
that milestone. "With the amount of football I've missed though, I feel I
have a good five years still left in me."
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Kieron Dyer targets Christmas return
Times Online
Kieron Dyer, the West Ham United midfielder, is targeting a Christmas return
to competitive football after 15 months out with a career-threatening
injury. The 29-year-old broke his leg against Bristol Rovers in a Carling
Cup tie in August 2007, less than a fortnight after joining the London club
from Newcastle United, but is set to feature in a friendly this week. He has
had three operations on the injury and was close to returning at the start
of this season until he suffered a stress fracture in training and was ruled
out for another three months. Dyer will not feature in the Premier League
match at Liverpool tonight, but West Ham have organised a
behind-closed-doors friendly this week especially for him and Jonathan
Spector, who is also returning from a long-term injury. "It will be great to
get that first game under my belt," Dyer said. "I'm not going to say I'm
going to be thrown straight back into the first team. Ideally I will have
three or four preparation games and then be ready, perhaps for the Christmas
period. "Every day I feel sharper and I do believe now I need to make up for
lost time. My 30th birthday is coming up later this month and some players
start to look toward the end of their careers when they reach that
milestone. With the amount of football I've missed though, I feel I have a
good five years still left in me."
Dyer, who has won 33 England caps, added: "Gianfranco Zola has been good to
me. On his first day he called me into his office and said he remembered
playing against me."
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Is this reluctance, having a detrimental effect on West Ham United?
Posted by: Rob Facey, today
Football Fancast
Football FanCast columnist Rob Facey wonders whether the reluctance to sell
West Ham for anything less than the asking price is having a detrimental
effect on the side's fortunes on the pitch? West Ham face Liverpool tonight
desperate for a win to help lift the doom and gloom that currently surrounds
Upton Park. The Hammers are just two points off the relegation zone after
struggling to find their form under Gianfranco Zola. A positive result at
Anfield would be the perfect tonic to a season that has seen the club lurch
from one crisis to another, both on and off the pitch. Injuries to key
players and a change of manager was compounded by their dire financial
situation, although reports are today claiming that the owners have already
turned down three bids to buy out the club.
The Mirror states that owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and his associates have
dismissed the bids out of hand as they are way short of their £120million
valuation.
The club are roughly £50m in debt which takes up the valuation up to around
£170m and Gudmundsson is keen to make sure that he does not make a loss on
the club. The club's sponsors, XL, folded earlier in the season and the
potential £30m pay out as a result of the Tevez saga on the horizon, the
Icelandic businessman, who was already bankrupt following the collapse of
the banks in his native country, will be fearing the worst. But, in troubled
times, can beggars be choosers?
The club are slowly tumbling down the league and have already resigned
themselves to not being able to sign any new players in January. If the
situation does not change at West Ham chances are they will even be forced
into selling a player or two which, bearing in mind their current lack of
quality and depth, will only send them tumbling further. While it is
understandable that Gudmundsson doesn't want to see his £135m investment
dwindle away, is his reluctance to sell up for anything less harming the
club's long term stability?
Or, are they being sensible and making sure that the prospective owners are
right for the club? Either way, a resolution is needed sooner rather than
later, as their delay is only having a detrimental effect on the side's
fortunes, on and off the pitch.
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