WHUFC.com
Still only 19, Junior Stanislas is determined to show he can be a regular for West Ham United this season
19.08.2009
Junior Stanislas is well aware that 2009/10 promises to be a major campaign in his bid to establish himself with West Ham United. The 19-year-old winger capped a start to the season last weekend with a substitute's appearance in the 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers having earned his first Under-21 cap with England the previous Tuesday. He is working hard in training to be involved again when Tottenham Hotspur turn up on Sunday. "I want to keep improving and hopefully I will be involved, whether that is starting a match or coming on [as substitute]," he said. "I had a good start last year and have now been training and playing in the first team for a while and from that, I feel my game is improving every day and getting better. "It is good for me, you know, the more I play with players like Carlton Cole in a team which has other experienced players like Scotty Parker who I learn a lot from and Mark Noble. Even though Nobes is still young, he has done a lot in the game already. "I want to keep improving my game and impressing the manager and I am learning all the time."
His confidence will have been done no harm by that positive performance for his country last week, as the England U21's drew 0-0 in the Netherlands. He was alongside West Ham team-mates James Tomkins and Freddie Sears, on loan at Crystal Palace, and was unlucky not to have scored, testing the opposition keeper twice in the second half with powerful shots. "It was good. In the first half we didn't have too many chances, they kept the ball well, but the second half, we played a lot better and got into the game and we could have won it. I had chances to score which the keeper saved, but I felt it went alright for me."
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Chamakh resigned to Bordeaux stay
BBC.co.uk
Marouane Chamakh is resigned to staying at Bordeaux despite claiming he was recently approached by West Ham. But Bordeaux are believed to have stood in the way of the Moroccan striker's wish to move to the Premier League sides such as Sunderland and Arsenal. And Chamakh, 25, does not now envisage leaving Bordeaux before the transfer window closes on 1 September. "It's not shut but I'm pessimistic about my chances," he is quoted as telling French newspaper L'Equipe. "West Ham are the latest to come in. It's only in the past week that they have shown an interest. But I am seeing what happened with Arsenal all over again - the problem is Bordeaux. So it is very tricky."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not willing to meet Bordeaux's valuation of Chamakh, whose contract will expire next year. Sunderland, meanwhile, had no chance of signing the striker with Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc insisting he would only enter talks with a club he estimates are bigger than the French outfit. "As much as I managed to understand the attitude of the club about refusing Sunderland, I was surprised there hadn't been an arrangement with Arsenal, even if it was a small offer. It is Arsenal after all," Chamakh added. "So, there I was disappointed. I am still, but I have moved on. I had to rediscover my smile and the pleasure of playing." Chamakh claims he will commit himself to Bordeaux for the rest of the season if he has not found a new club by Monday. "I am going to wait until Monday to announce that I will stay," he said.
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€8m and he's yours
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th August 2009
By: Staff Writer
Bordeaux are understood to have slapped an €8million price tag on striker Marouane Chamakh. According to this morning's edition of L'Equipe, the Moroccan striker's current club have handed West Ham a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum - with United given until Monday to make a decision. Chamakh, who remains keen on a move to England - albeit not necessarily to West Ham - told L'Equipe that whilst the door remains open he is hopeful of securing a move to the Premier League - although he feels that may be unlikely. "I am pessimistic as my departure is looking less and less likely," he said. "The door is closed but I'll wait until Monday to announce that I will stay [at Bordeaux]. "I do not want to stay. I want to leave, not play here for another season. I fear getting stuck if I continue. At the moment the ball is in my court and I like that. I want everything done on my terms."
West Ham are widely reported to have offered around £4.5million plus a percentage of any future transfer fee for the Moroccan international, who had looked likely to join Arsenal. Bordeaux, who will lose the player for nothing next summer once his contract expires are asking for the equivalent of £6.9million plus a 25% sell-on fee. Hammers CEO Scott Duxbury was reported to be in France last night attemptiong to thrash out a deal with the French outift.
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Villa move for Upson
Hammers defender in O'Neill's sights
Last updated: 19th August 2009
SSN
Skysports.com understands Aston Villa have launched a bid for West Ham defender Matt Upson. Villa are in the market for defensive reinforcements having lost Martin Laursen and Zat Knight this summer and they are believed to have identified Upson as their top target. Upson's future has been the subject of constant speculation amid reports he could be sold to ease West Ham's financial concerns. The 30-year-old admitted last weekend he was unsure of his long-term future at Upton Park as the Hammers look to raise funds for their own signings. Manchester City have also been credited with an interest in Upson, but it appears Villa have firmed up their interest with a £12million bid for the former Arsenal man. Villa boss Martin O'Neill is thought to be a long-term admirer of Upson and will be hoping to land the central defender before the transfer window closes.
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Chamakh expects Bordeaux stay
Moroccan ace sees no move on the horizon
By Patrick Haond Last updated: 19th August 2009
SSN
Marouane Chamakh is pessimistic regarding his chances of securing a move away from Bordeaux this summer. The Moroccan striker had been hoping to make a switch to England during the transfer window, with Sunderland, Arsenal and West Ham leading the race for his signature. A switch to the Black Cats was quickly ruled out, with Bordeaux unwilling to do business with the North East outfit, but a move to a London giant appeared to be on the cards. However, Arsenal have yet to make an offer deemed acceptable by their French counterparts and West Ham's interest remains little more than speculation at present. The ongoing saga has left Chamakh frustrated, but he insists he will have no problem remaining in Ligue 1 for another season should he be forced to do so. "I hear the chairman has said that nothing will be settled before 31st August, and he was 99 per cent sure about that," the 25-year-old frontman told L'Equipe. "Maybe he is right. I appear to have less chance of leaving every day. "I understood the club's behaviour when they turned down Sunderland, but I have been surprised that no agreement has been reached with Arsenal - even though they made a small offer.
"I was disappointed then and I am still disappointed now. However, I have turned the page and I am enjoying playing again. "Of course the transfer window is not closed, but I am not optimistic about my chances of making a move. "West Ham are the latest candidates, but they appear to have drifted away. Bordeaux remain the problem. It is very complex. "That is why I don't want to have direct contact with clubs anymore. Bordeaux must reach an agreement with them first. Then I will talk."
Chamakh has refused to rule out the possibility of penning a new deal at Stade Chaban Delmas should the issue remain unresolved, but insists he is happy to let that issue lie for now. "Will I prolong my stay here? It is too early to say," he added. "I don't want to sign at the moment because I would still like to leave this summer. If I sign I will feel like I am imprisoned. "At the moment, with one year left on my contract, I hold all the cards and I like that. I want everything to be done under my terms."
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Zola looks beyond Tottenham game to Millwall challenge
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th August 2009
By: Thomas Rooney
West Ham United have their first home game of the season to look forward to on Sunday when they take on Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Bear in mind before placing any Premier League bets that this is a huge game for both sides as they each look to get one over their London rivals as well as build on their opening day victories. However, this isn't the game that everyone is talking about. Instead, focus seems to have diverted to the Carling Cup tie with Millwall next week. As we all know, there is a rather 'special' relationship between West Ham and Millwall fans and the two teams meeting is very rare these days. It was the stand-out fixture of the second round draw and everyone seems to be excited about it – including Gianfranco Zola. The Hammers boss admits that there is a 'very strong connection' with Millwall, something that was proved when he met one of their fans last year. When things weren't going so well for West Ham last season and they were in serious danger of getting dragged into the relegation zone, a Millwall fan came up to Zola and claimed that the Italian was his 'hero for taking West Ham down'. Zola would have been pleased to prove this fan wrong in the end and is clearly excited about putting one over Millwall fans again next week. The Carling Cup is something that Zola takes very seriously, after all. He says that it is a competition that West Ham plan to stay in 'until the very end' because it presents an opportunity to play European football next season. Overall, Zola feels that the players and fans are 'going to be up for it' come Tuesday next week.
Before then though, West Ham take on Tottenham at Upton Park. It is the lunchtime kick-off on Sunday and is a game that Zola would love to win. Not only would it start the home season well, it would also mean six points out of six and a victory over some London rivals. After a summer filled with speculation about transfers and financial issues, this would be a very welcome start to the campaign.
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Aston Villa set to offer £12million for West Ham star
Last modified 07:34 20/08/09 By James Nursey
The Mirror
Aston Villa have told West Ham they want Matthew Upson if the cash-strapped Hammers decide to sell. West Ham boss, Gianfranco Zola, is desperate to keep hold of the England international stopper. But money worries at Upton Park may see Upson, 30, sold to balance the books. Villa boss, Martin O'Neill, who is desperate to strengthen his defence is willing to table a £12 million offer for the former Birmingham City player.
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Sir Trevor backs Zola's Hammers
The Sun
By JIM MUNRO
Published: 19 Aug 2009
TREVOR BROOKING has called on West Ham's owners to back Gianfranco Zola in the transfer market. The Hammers legend, who recently had a stand named after him at Upton Park, can see a bright future for his old club if boss Zola is given the chance to build on last season's ninth-place finish. Brooking said: "It's important to see what happens over the next couple of weeks with all the speculation about which players may come and go. "But I'd like to think the club will try to support Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke who have done really, really well. The way they've got the side passing is the West Ham way. "There's a lot of talk about the financial issue. If you are the owners and you're looking to try to get some money back over a period of time, you'd like to think they'll take the long term view. "If West Ham stay in a reasonable position in the Premier League for the next three or four years then the owners have got much more chance of getting a decent figure back than trying to do it in a short period. "If you sell people now, you might struggle, could even go down and you've lost everything. "It's trying to encourage those decision makers to see the potential. It's easy to say if you don't know all the financial issues behind the club but you'd like to feel that's the case and they can see that potential. "If Gianfranco can get a couple of players in then we should be looking at a top half of the table finish again. If he doesn't you risk being dragged into that whirlpool of clubs that really just want to keep out of trouble. "Both Matthew Upson and James Collins have been mentioned as players who may go. It may be that you have to sell a player to get a couple more players in. "But what you wouldn't want to see is players go then nothing happens in terms of players coming in and then we're suddenly thin on the ground. "West Ham fans would probably say right now the club is short of a couple of attackers, but if we can get those in then it's a strong squad with a good chance of doing well."
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West Ham fail in Chamakh bid
Last modified 11:49 19/08/09 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
Marouane Chamakh has said he is resigned to staying at Bordeaux for another year after the French champions rejected West Ham's latest offer. "Of course the transfer window isn't shut but I am pessimistic about my chances of going," he told L'Equipe. "West Ham are the latest to come in. It's only in the past week that they have shown an interest. But I am seeing what happened with Arsenal all over again - the problem is Bordeaux. So it is very tricky."
Arsenal, Sunderland and Fulham have also tried to sign the Morocco international who will be out of contract next year. But no-one has matched Bordeaux's £12million valuation, with Arsenal offering only half that. "As much as I managed to understand the attitude of the club about refusing Sunderland, I was surprised there hadn't been an arrangement with Arsenal, even if it was a small offer," he added. "It is Arsenal after all. "So, there I was disappointed. I am still, but I have moved on. I had to rediscover my smile and the pleasure of playing."
Bordeaux want Chamakh, who has scored three goals in the first two games of the league season, to sign a new deal with a buyout clause. "I am going to wait until Monday to announce that I will stay," he said.
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How Gianfranco Zola is transforming West Ham's fortunes
By West Ham United Fans Blog
Last modified 11:19 19/08/09
The Mirror
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Pretty football, the sort to earn cooing admiration, has its value, but the currency of hard graft can be insurmountable. Managers will always collect shares in elbow grease, and even the greatest sides have been ready to get down and dirty. Application has too often been lacking in West Ham sides of the past.
With that in mind, Wolves might well have been licking their chops at the prospect of entertaining West Ham on the opening day of the season. A Mick McCarthy side is unlikely to want for effort, but the visitors' 2-0 victory was testament to the team spirit instilled at Upton Park by Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke. A promoted team cannot ask for a better first fixture than a home game against mid-table opposition, but West Ham were not about to become lambs to the slaughter.
They are making a habit of standing up in difficult away games. Whilst Upton Park has always played host to entertainers, the problem has tended to be an alarming ability to wilt at the merest sign of pressure. Various supporters claim never to have seen a West Ham team successfully defend a 1-0 lead from their own box. This is a team who have twice lost 4-3 at home in the last 11 years after leading 3-0.
Brittleness has remained even in successful seasons. In 1997-98, West Ham finished eighth under Harry Redknapp but won a meagre three games away from home. The next season even saw them qualify for Europe in fifth place; amazing considering four goals or more were conceded on seven occasions, leading to a goal difference of minus seven. Glenn Roeder finished seventh in 2001-02, his first season, but won just three times on the road, losing 5-1 to Chelsea, 5-0 to Everton and 7-1 to Blackburn.
Zola is yet to experience similar collapses. Last season West Ham went unbeaten away from home from the start of November to the end of February, a run which included draws at Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. Also impressive was a 1-0 victory at Stoke, a ground most teams left with battered and bruised egos rather than three points.
The shift in formation under Zola from 4-4-2 to a diamond or 4-3-3 has inspired this solidity, providing greater cover for the defence while still maintaining an attacking philosophy. As the holding midfielder, Scott Parker is vital and his janitorial role in front of the defence provides the basis for the team to play. With Matthew Upson behind him and Robert Green in goal, West Ham are difficult to pierce.
Ahead of Parker, the two young midfielders - Jack Collison and Mark Noble. Both posses skill and energy, and are equally adept with the ball at their feet. It was the latter's moment of class which summed up the quality gap on Saturday, when he opened the scoring midway through the first-half with a sumptuous curling shot from 25 yards.
There followed a spell after that goal when West Ham might have run away with it, but poor finishing, luck and last-ditch defending kept Wolves in it. In that period, one of the hallmarks of Zola's team shone through, the ability to pass and move, the product of hard work on the training ground. Players whose second touch was often a tackle are now comfortable accepting the ball in the tightest of situations, and that sets West Ham apart from half of the teams in the division.
Having earned a reprieve, Wolves began the second-half with renewed vigour, and Green was called into action more than once. The best chance fell to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, but his finish was tame when baring down on goal. In bygone years, an equaliser would have been a mere matter of time, but on 69 minutes, Upson's header from Noble's corner killed the contest. It was all very professional.
Two unknowns in the side were Carlton Cole's attacking support acts, Kieron Dyer and Luis Jimenez. Under Curbishley, West Ham operated with a lone striker in every sense, but Zola's system is far more fluid. One up front quickly became two or three, sometimes even more, as Dyer demonstrated that he still possesses his pace and Jimenez showed encouraging signs of vision, touch and awareness. With a little more luck, both might have notched their first West Ham goals too.
Molineux might have buzzed with expectation before kick-off, but perhaps confidence, though understandable, was misplaced. West Ham are no longer the soft touch.
Jacob Steinberg
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Marouane Chamakh resigned to staying at Bordeaux despite West Ham offer
Moves to Sunderland, Arsenal and West Ham all blocked
Moroccan striker has one year left on Bordeaux contract
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 19 August 2009 10.54 BST
Marouane Chamakh is resigned to staying at Bordeaux for the coming season, despite claiming he has recently been approached by West Ham. The striker has wanted to leave Les Girondins since the end of last season, with the Premier League his preferred destination, but the French club are believed to have blocked moves to Sunderland and Arsenal.
West Ham are the latest team to be linked with the Morocco international, who has confirmed their interest, but he does not envisage leaving Bordeaux before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
"Of course the transfer window isn't shut but I am pessimistic about my chances of going," he is quoted as saying in L'Equipe. "West Ham are the latest to come in. It's only in the past week that they have shown an interest. But I am seeing what happened with Arsenal all over again – the problem is Bordeaux. So it is very tricky."
Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, is not willing to meet Bordeaux's valuation of Chamakh, whose contract will expire next summer. Sunderland, meanwhile, had no chance of signing the striker with the Bordeaux coach, Laurent Blanc ,insisting he would only enter talks with a club he estimates are bigger than Les Girondins.
"As much as I managed to understand the attitude of the club about refusing Sunderland, I was surprised there hadn't been an arrangement with Arsenal, even if it was a small offer. It is Arsenal after all," Chamakh added in L'Equipe. "So, there I was disappointed. I am still, but I have moved on. I had to rediscover my smile and the pleasure of playing."
Chamakh has started the new Ligue 1 campaign in impressive style, scoring three goals in Bordeaux's opening two matches. He is continuing to put himself in the shop window with his performances, but he knows sealing his dream move to England depends entirely on the attitude of Les Girondins.
"It's for that reason that I no longer want to see clubs directly – Bordeaux have to first come to an agreement with them. Then I will begin talks after," he said.
Chamakh claims he will commit himself to Bordeaux for the rest of the season if he has not found a new club by Monday. "I am going to wait until Monday to announce that I will stay," he said.
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West Ham given deadline to meet Bordeaux's £7m Marouanne Chamakh valuation
Bordeaux have set West Ham United a deadline of next Monday to meet their valuation of the highly-rated striker Marouanne Chamakh.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt
Published: 11:05AM BST 19 Aug 2009
The French club are demanding £7 million - plus 25 per cent of any sell-on fee for the 25-year-old Moroccan international. West Ham are hoping to meet the fee being asked for the striker but do not want to negotiate any extra clauses for Chamakh who has been of interest to Arsenal and who has just one year left on his contract. West Ham look to Chamakh West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury will continue negotiations today. Club sources claim that despite Bordeaux's demands, West Ham remain hopeful. The striker is keen to join West Ham but said that Bordeaux, who originally wanted £15, for him, may be pricing him out of a move. A blow to West Ham would be if, as it appears possible, James Collins' £5m - £3.5m plus £1.5m in incentives – move to Stoke City collapses. The fee has been agreed between the two clubs but, after talks, it's understood that Collins has so far failed to agree personal terms. Stoke want him to take a pay cut but the 25-year-old is resisting even though he is not central to the plans of West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola.
Zola is desperate to sign at least one striker before the transfer window closes at the end of this month and now Bordeaux appear to have set their own, unofficial, deadline a week earlier. Chamakh said of the prospect of leaving: "My chances are reducing more and more. I am pessimistic. I will wait until Monday before there is an announcement and I expect to stay."
However West Ham, who face Tottenham Hotspur at home on Sunday and would like to parade a new signing before that game, will continue to hold talks and, last night, sources indicated that they were close to reaching an agreement.
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Millwall fears over police stance on West Ham tickets
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
By Toby Porter
SouthLondonToday.co.uk
NEW chief executive Andy Ambler fears the 2,300-seat quota at West Ham for Millwall fans is still not enough. The Lions are worried their supporters may already have bought hundreds of tickets for the home end at Upton Park.
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Bordeaux block West Ham's Chamakh bid
By Gordon Tynan
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Independent.co.uk
Marouane Chamakh is resigned to staying at Bordeaux for the coming season, despite claiming he has recently been approached by West Ham United. The striker has wanted to leave Les Girondins since the end of last term, with the Premier League his preferred destination, but the French club are believed to have stood in the way of potential moves to Sunderland and Arsenal.
West Ham are the latest team to be linked with the Morocco international, who has confirmed their interest, but he does not envisage leaving Bordeaux before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. "Of course the transfer window isn't shut but I am pessimistic about my chances of going," he said. "West Ham are the latest to come in. It's only in the past week that they have shown an interest. But I am seeing what happened with Arsenal all over again – the problem is Bordeaux. So it is very tricky."
The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, is not willing to meet Bordeaux's valuation of Chamakh, whose contract will expire next summer. Sunderland, meanwhile, had no chance of signing the striker with Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc insisting he would only enter talks with a club he estimates are bigger than Les Girondins. "As much as I managed to understand the attitude of the club about refusing Sunderland, I was surprised there hadn't been an arrangement with Arsenal, even if it was a small offer. It is Arsenal after all," Chamakh added. "So, there I was disappointed. I am still, but I have moved on. I had to rediscover my smile and the pleasure of playing."
Chamakh has started the new Ligue 1 campaign in impressive style, scoring three goals in Bordeaux's opening two matches. He is continuing to put himself in the shop window with his performances, but he knows sealing a move to England depends entirely on the attitude of the French club. "It's for that reason that I no longer want to see clubs directly – Bordeaux have to firstly come to an agreement with them. Then I will begin talks after," he said. Chamakh claims he will commit himself to Bordeaux for the rest of the season if he has not found a new club by Monday. "I am going to wait until Monday to announce that I will stay," he said.
The Lyons captain, Sidney Govou, has been ruled out for a month with a thigh injury. The France winger sustained the problem in the first half of Les Gones' Ligue 1 match against Valenciennes on Saturday night. Govou is not expected to return until mid-September. He will therefore miss both legs of Lyons' Champions League play-off round showdown with Anderlecht, as well as the next two Ligue 1 fixtures. 13 The number of goals Chamakh scored in 34 league games last term for Bordeaux.
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