WHUFC.com
An awayday approach is vital for West Ham United when they return to action
at the Boleyn Ground
17.12.2008
Gianfranco Zola has been back in training with his squad this week bouyed by
last weekend's many positives but fully focused on the test ahead and with
feet firmly on the ground.
High-flying Aston Villa head to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday and the
manager knows his team must replicate their fine away performances- four
games unbeaten - in front of their own supporters against such in-form
opposition. For Zola, it is just a question of belief as he can find no
fault with the players' attitude or approach - either at Chadwell Heath or
in Barclays Premier League action.
"I think right now we have to have a little confidence when we play in front
of our supporters because recently we have been lacking on that," he said.
"If we can get the freedom that we have when we play away from home, I am
sure things will be much better."
The manager - who has spoken recently of his love of flying after gaining
his pilots' licence - has no doubt the team are close to taking flight,
which could bode well for the second half of the season with everything,
including the FA Cup, to play for. Certainly, he thinks some of his team
will only be better for the efforts shown in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea on
Sunday.
Speaking of scorer Craig Bellamy, Zola said: "I am pleased for Craig. The
goal will help him to build his confidence because he has been playing well
but not scoring. This goal will help him a lot and I am pleased for him and
I am sure it can be the first of a long series. I was so pleased for him, it
was like I had scored myself."
Strike partner Carlton Cole earned praise from the manager again, and he is
backing the forward to find the end product his forward play deserves. "If
Carlton can improve a little bit with his finishing he can be a hell of a
player. The way he works for the team, his control of the ball is
unbelievable. I am pleased with him."
Naturally for a team that has made defensive excellence a key characteristic
in recent games, Zola had more words of praise for his rearguard. He was
also quick to emphasise the protection in front of and behind the back four.
"The centre-halves were outstanding and the midfield were brilliant. Not
just Scott Parker, Mark Noble, Jack Collison and Valon Behrami were
brilliant - Jack has done fantastically well for a young player while
sometimes I think there is two of Valon on the pitch.
"In goal, Robert Green has been on a roll and has been outstanding in his
last five or six matches. It is amazing. He is doing great. We knew he was
capable of these great saves and he is doing it regularly. I am pleased for
him. He has got a great chance to go with the national team."
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Neill laughs off pay hike talk
West Ham skipper plays down contract demand
Last updated: 17th December 2008
SSN
Lucas Neill has vehemently denied he has demanded West Ham offer him
increased terms or he will leave next summer on a free transfer. Reports
suggested the Hammers skipper, who is out of contract next summer, had
approached the club's board for improved terms on the two-and-half year deal
he penned in January 2007. Neill's initial reaction was to laugh off the
report stating it was 'clearly untrue', although he can understand why some
West Ham fans would have different feelings after reading the story. When
asked whether he had demanded an improved deal from the West Ham hierarchy,
he told Sky Sports News: "No, not at all.
"My reaction was to laugh it off. Obviously because it's clearly untrue, but
for 40,000 West Ham fans there is a different reaction. The first one is
'how dare he?' and 'how greedy'. "I know the situation with the club and the
way things have gone. I love the club. I love the role that I have. I relish
the challenge. "It's just for me now being 31 in March it's about being able
to play as long as I can."
Former Blackburn defender Neill has confirmed the club have held initial
talks with him over an extension, although he claims the length of the deal
or terms have not been discussed. "There's been no on-going negotiations,"
he added. "There's been no talk of how long, how much. It's just been a case
of me saying I want to finish my career at West Ham. "I made that statement
at the season and when the time is right and when the time is right for the
club, because it's not their priority at the moment, then we'll do it. "It's
just interesting all the things come out now which are totally untrue and
unquoted. It doesn't affect me, but obviously it can sometimes influence
people involved in the club."
It has been suggested West Ham's Icelandic owners could be forced sell some
of the club's more valuable players in January due to the collapse Iceland's
national bank coupled with the hefty bill they need to settle with Sheffield
United over the Carlos Tevez affair. The Blades are reportedly willing to
settle for a £25million out-of-court settlement in a bid to put the bed the
episode that saw the South Yorkshire outfit claim compensation following
their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2006/07 campaign.
Although many of West Ham's players may not know if they are staying or
going, Neill believes Gianfranco Zola's squad are happy and enjoying their
football under the Italian tactician. "The players aren't worried. The
immediate first-team squad is all really happy and really enjoying their
football. "Inside the dressing room you can take it straight from me that no
one's thinking about leaving. No one's talking about leaving. "I've had
assurances from the manager that he wants me to stay. I can't speak for any
of the other players because they are one-on-one conversations, but as a
team he's building, he's still building, he likes what he has and wants to
add to it, so the last thing he'll want to do is remove some of the quality
that we have because obviously that'll affect his plans massively and what
we're all trying to achieve. "I can't speak from a financial or board point
of view but from a player or coaching point of view the squad needs to stay
together."
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Icelanders in £250m West Ham sale talks
Ken Dyer
17.12.08
Evening Standard
West Ham owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has slapped a £250million price tag on
the Premier League club. Officials at Upton Park also revealed today that
takeover talks are under way with more than five potential investors. The
future ownership of the Hammers has been in doubt since October when
Icelandic billionaire Gudmundsson emerged as a high-profile victim of the
credit crunch. The club's vice-chairman, Asgeir Fridgeirsson, confirmed
contact has since been made with several interested parties but insisted a
sale is still only one of the options under consideration. Court papers
filed this week in Iceland show that Hansa, the club's holding company,
wants around £250m which, if achieved, would be more than double the £108m
(including debt) which Gudmundsson spent on buying the Hammers in November
2006. City sources, however, believe a more achievable overall valuation of
the club is in the region of £100m to £150m. Fridgeirsson said "We are
reviewing the asset and looking at what might be the value of the club.
There is a great interest in West Ham and many parties are calling to show
interest. "It is part of reviewing the assets of Mr Gudmundsson and what
might be the possible value of each asset. Following such a review we will
take a decision whether to sell or not. "We don't have to sell the club.
It's a process where we are gathering options and information to see what is
out there in terms of demand."
One potential stumbling block to the sale could be Sheffield United's
outstanding claim for more than £30m in damages over the Carlos Tevez
affair. However, any potential pay-out could be factored into the cost of a
takeover deal. Gudmundsson reportedly lost an estimated £230m following the
October nationalisation of Landsbanki, in which he held a 41 per cent stake.
Other companies in which he has involvement, including Hansa, have also gone
into administration. Given the financial uncertainty at Upton Park, there
has also been talk of an exodus of star players. Captain Lucas Neill today
insisted he has been assured of his future at the club beyond the January
transfer window by manager Gianfranco Zola. The defender also dismissed as
"untrue" reports that he had demanded a pay rise. Neill, who reportedly
earns £70,000 on a contract which runs out in the summer, said: "My reaction
to hearing the story [about the pay rise] was to laugh it off because it was
clearly untrue but for 40,000 West Ham fans that may not have been the case
so I wanted to make that clear. "Among the players, no one is talking about
leaving or anything like that. I have been assured by the manager that he
wants me to stay at the club. "I can't speak for other players but that is
what I have been told."
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West Ham meet with potential investors
West Ham officials have confirmed the club has spoken with potential new
investors.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jeremy Wilson
Last Updated: 3:22PM GMT 17 Dec 2008
Current owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is considering selling the Premier
League club after being hit severely by the global economic downturn and
particularly the crisis in Iceland. Gudmundsson wants around £250 million
for the Hammers after seeing how attractive Manchester City was to Abu Dhabi
investors earlier this year, lawyers for Hansa, the London club's holding
company, said in court papers filed in Iceland. West Ham was bought through
WH Holding Ltd in November 2006 for £85 million and Gudmundsson has been
considering a sale for the last month. "We are reviewing the asset, looking
at what might be the value of the club," said vice chairman Asgeir
Fridgeirsson. "There is a great interest in the club and many interested
parties are calling to show interest. It is part of reviewing the assets of
Mr Gudmundsson and what might be the possible value of each asset.
"Following such a review we will take a decision whether to sell or not. We
don't have to sell. It's a process where we are gathering options and
information to see what is out there in terms of demand."
One potential stumbling block to the sale could be Sheffield United's claim
for more than £30 million in damages over the Carlos Tevez affair. An
independent Football Association-appointed panel said Sheffield United were
entitled to compensation because Tevez was not eligible to play for West Ham
at the end of the 2006-07 season. He has since moved to Manchester United.
West Ham are still hoping to take their appeal to the Court of Arbitration
for Sport.
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West Ham for sale at £250m: Icelandic owner opens talks with five potential
buyers
Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 2:17 PM on 17th December 2008
West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has taken a step towards selling the
club after receiving several provisional offers. Although the Icelandic
financier has yet to make a final decision about selling up, he has given
permission for non-disclosure agreements to be signed with up to five
potential buyers. The agreements, binding in law, allow the interested
parties to look at confidential financial information about West Ham on the
condition they do not disclose it. However, the agreements fall short of due
diligence, which gives prospective buyers full access to the club's
accounts. Several of those interested have put in opening bids but have
fallen well short of the amount Gudmundsson would want.
According to court documents in Iceland filed by his holding company Hansa,
he values West Ham at £250million. No binding offers have yet been made to
Gudmundsson, who bought the club for £85million only two years ago. Hansa
has gone into voluntary liquidation and Gudmundsson is in talks with the
Icelandic government and banks about how to restructure his assets,
including West Ham. In terms of the playing staff and management, the
Hammers are in an upbeat mood after Sunday's draw at Chelsea, despite the
uncertainty over the future ownership. Asgeir Fridgeirsson, West Ham's
vice-chairman, confirmed recently that Gudmundsson was considering selling.
Fridgeirsson said last month: 'West Ham is one of Hansa's properties and the
owner is looking at all chances regarding a sale.'
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'UP TO FIVE' BUYERS EYE WEST HAM
By Martyn Ziegler, PA Chief Sports Reporter
West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has taken a step towards selling the
club after receiving several provisional offers. Although the Icelandic
financier has yet to make a final decision about selling up, he has given
permission for non-disclosure agreements to be signed with up to five
potential buyers. The agreements, binding in law, allow the interested
parties to look at confidential financial information about West Ham on the
condition they do not disclose it. However, the agreements fall short of due
diligence, which gives prospective buyers full access to the club's
accounts. Several of those interested have put in opening bids but have
fallen well short of the amount Gudmundsson would want. According to court
documents in Iceland filed by his holding company Hansa, he values West Ham
at £250million. No binding offers have yet been made to Gudmundsson, who
bought the club for £85million only two years ago.
Hansa has gone into voluntary liquidation and Gudmundsson is in talks with
the Icelandic government and banks about how to restructure his assets,
including West Ham. In terms of the playing staff and management, the
Hammers are in an upbeat mood after Sunday's draw at Chelsea, despite the
uncertainty over the future ownership. A club source said: "There have been
expressions of interest but everyone at the club remains very focused on the
job in hand and producing results on the field."
Asgeir Fridgeirsson, West Ham's vice-chairman, confirmed recently that
Gudmundsson was considering selling. Fridgeirsson said last month: "West Ham
is one of Hansa's properties and the owner is looking at all chances
regarding a sale."
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Offers flood in for West Ham
TeamTalk
West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has taken a step towards selling the
club after receiving several provisional offers. Although the Icelandic
financier has yet to make a final decision about selling up, he has given
permission for non-disclosure agreements to be signed with up to five
potential buyers. The agreements, binding in law, allow the interested
parties to look at confidential financial information about West Ham on the
condition they do not disclose it. However, the agreements fall short of due
diligence, which gives prospective buyers full access to the club's
accounts. Several of those interested have put in opening bids but have
fallen well short of the amount Gudmundsson would want. According to court
documents in Iceland filed by his holding company Hansa, he values West Ham
at £250million. No binding offers have yet been made to Gudmundsson, who
bought the club for £85million only two years ago. Hansa has gone into
voluntary liquidation and Gudmundsson is in talks with the Icelandic
government and banks about how to restructure his assets, including West
Ham. In terms of the playing staff and management, the Hammers are in an
upbeat mood after Sunday's draw at Chelsea, despite the uncertainty over the
future ownership. A club source said: "There have been expressions of
interest but everyone at the club remains very focused on the job in hand
and producing results on the field." Asgeir Fridgeirsson, West Ham's
vice-chairman, confirmed recently that Gudmundsson was considering selling.
Fridgeirsson said last month: "West Ham is one of Hansa's properties and the
owner is looking at all chances regarding a sale."
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For Sale: West Ham United
Goal.com
West Ham may be forced to offload Craig Bellamy, Rob Green, Matthew Upson
and Dean Ashton in January due to financial pressure, and more gloom comes
with the news that the club is on the market...
West Ham United have been put up for sale by the club's Icelandic owner, who
is looking to claim a quick profit of £150 million. The Hammers have been on
unsure financial ground since the collapse of Icelandic bank Landsbanki, in
which owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has a 41 per cent share. The club's vice
chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson declared that investors have been sought out,
and a price of around £250 million has been set; which is the sum being
demanded by the club's parent company Hansa was revealed this week in an
Icelandic court. Gudmundsson acquired the Hammers in November 2006, through
WH Ltd., for a price of £85 million but is looking to sell-up in the midst
of an economic downturn. Fridgeirsson is quoted as saying by the Sun: "We
are reviewing the asset, looking at what might be the value of the club.
"There is a great interest in the club and many interested parties are
calling to show interest. "It is part of reviewing the assets of Mr
Gudmundsson and what might be the possible value of each asset. "Following
such a review we will take a decision whether to sell or not. We don't have
to sell. "It's a process where we are gathering options and information to
see what is out there in terms of demand."
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
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Hammers chairman 'receives five bids'
Print this page
Last Modified: 17 Dec 2008
Source: ITN
West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has taken a step towards selling the
club after receiving several provisional offers. Although the Icelandic
financier has yet to make a final decision about selling up, he has given
permission for non-disclosure agreements to be signed with up to five
potential buyers. Several of those interested have put in opening bids but
have fallen well short of the amount Gudmundsson would want. According to
court documents in Iceland filed by his holding company Hansa, he values
West Ham at £250 million. No binding offers have yet been made to
Gudmundsson, who bought the club for £85 million only two years ago. Hansa
has gone into voluntary liquidation and Gudmundsson is in talks with the
Icelandic government and banks about how to restructure his assets,
including West Ham.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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'Up to five' buyers eyeing West Ham
Dec 17 2008
Birmingham Mail
West Ham's owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has taken a step towards selling the
club after receiving several provisional offers. Although the Icelandic
financier has yet to make a final decision about selling up, he has given
permission for non-disclosure agreements to be signed with up to five
potential buyers. The agreements, binding in law, allow the interested
parties to look at confidential financial information about West Ham on the
condition they do not disclose it. However, the agreements fall short of due
diligence, which gives prospective buyers full access to the club's
accounts. Several of those interested have put in opening bids but have
fallen well short of the amount Gudmundsson would want. According to court
documents in Iceland filed by his holding company Hansa, he values West Ham
at £250million. No binding offers have yet been made to Gudmundsson, who
bought the club for £85million only two years ago. Hansa has gone into
voluntary liquidation and Gudmundsson is in talks with the Icelandic
government and banks about how to restructure his assets, including West
Ham. In terms of the playing staff and management, the Hammers are in an
upbeat mood after Sunday's draw at Chelsea, despite the uncertainty over the
future ownership. A club source told PA Sport: "There have been expressions
of interest but everyone at the club remains very focused on the job in hand
and producing results on the field."
Asgeir Fridgeirsson, West Ham's vice-chairman, confirmed recently that
Gudmundsson was considering selling. Fridgeirsson said last month: "West Ham
is one of Hansa's properties and the owner is looking at all chances
regarding a sale."
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