WHUFC.com
Yet another clean sheet and yet another West Ham United win, Robert Green is
still the undisputed No1
04.05.2009
Robert Green has summed up the determination at West Ham United to try and
secure a place in the UEFA Europa League.
The England goalkeeper was an unused substitute behind Roy Carroll when the
club lost 1-0 at home and 3-0 away against Palermo in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup
first round. Having missed out on that occasion, he is eager to help the
Hammers return to continental competition next season. "There are still
three games to go. It is a target we have got and it is a target we are
certainly going for and trying to achieve."
The No1, who is on a run of 85 consecutive league starts since 10 February
2007, is all about the team but admitted that the chance to pit himself
against Europe's top forwards could also help his individual claims with
England. "I'll take anything that can help me, really. If playing in Europe
next season aids my international cause then great. I'm doing all I can, and
that's just a bonus."
Green, who could be in with a chance of retaining his Hammer of the Year
status, did those chances no harm at the weekend when he claimed his 12th
clean sheet of the season in the 1-0 win at Stoke City. He dealt admirably
with the home side's direct approach and claimed long throw after long throw
into his penalty area from Rory Delap - a tactic Stoke have used with plenty
of success this season.
"The management and the coaching staff decided it would be to our advantage
to keep it less cluttered in the box. A lot of the goals Stoke have scored
from the long throws and set-pieces have been from the second balls. It's
better to have a clearer area and someone to head the ball.
"When we watched the videos, a lot of the time it was two or three of the
opposition with one Stoke player which didn't really make sense. We went man
to man and said 'we'll win the ball', and everyone did that.
"It's just part of being a goalkeeper to try and help the lads as much as I
can. The advantage of facing a long throw is they can't throw it straight
into the net, whereas at at a free-kick they can hit it right at you. So you
can afford to come off your line a little bit more and help the guys out."
Having done just that, Green marvelled at the contribution of those in front
of him - not least match-winner Diego Tristan who fired in an unstoppable
33rd-minute free-kick to break home hearts and will go up against several
compatriots including Fernando Torres when the Hammers welcome Liverpool
next Saturday evening.
"It was a wonderful goal I don't know if he had done that in training or not
last week as I wasn't up against the lads taking the free-kicks. Diego is
one of the European greats in his time and as he gets fitter we are seeing
little glimpses more and more of that as the weeks go on."
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Three games to go and everything to play for has left Gianfranco Zola in an
upbeat mood this week
04.05.2009
Gianfranco Zola said West Ham United are "ready to face the challenge" of
next season whether the team has European football to contend with or not.
The manager has helped guide the club to seventh place with just three games
to go, a position that would mean UEFA Europa League qualification were
things to stay as they are. The manager suggested such a continental
campaign would only be a positive for the club although was keeping precise
details of his squad plans close to his chest.
"That is another question that I would love to answer you," he said. "I am
sure that the club is going to be ready to face the challenge and trust me
we don't need much investment in what we have. We have a good base over
here. Of course if we qualify we have to play Europe it will be more
important to have a bigger squad so that might be a possibility.
"Don't forget the most difficult job was to be done this year to make the
basis now. In my opinion it is going to be easier to do something in the
future. I believe that it won't be necessary to have big spending but some
players I am sure the club will consider buying."
From back to front at the weekend, Zola's men displayed the determination to
see the club over the finishing line and he paid tribute to the character
shown. "The desire to get to our position is very important. It is vital. We
are going to be fighting very hard to get it. We will see in the end.
"They showed a lot of steel as we did when we played Wigan away. We mixed
the two styles and also we did it at Blackburn. We just decide what we have
to do [on the day]. We know that when we play football we are better but if
we are necessary we are willing also to fight and get points that way."
That ability to switch styles would be necessary in Europe and the manager
thinks his young players particularly would benefit from coming up against
new players and ideas. "Football is about knowledge. The more you see, the
more you compete with different players - the better you get. It happened to
me when I started playing international football, my level went up so much.
I believe it would be the same for my players."
Zola is relishing the prospect of his first full season to come at the
Boleyn Ground and as well as already putting the early markers down in
discussions with Steve Clarke and his coaching staff, he is firmly engaged
in transfer talk with technical director Gianluca Nani and CEO Scott
Duxbury. Already the trio are working on the manager's identified targets
for the coming campaign.
"For me it is huge. It is normal like this season. Next season I will have
to start from the beginning. I will have to establish more things straight
from the beginning. I will have to make some choices, buy some players. It
is a different job and it is very important for me. My mentality is I like
the challenges so I am ready to take it and don't worry I am always
positive. I believe I can do it."
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Hammers Target Cardiff's Ledley
Jones hints at Ledley departure
Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has given the clearest hint yet the club will
sell Joe Ledley for the right price. The Bluebirds missed out on the
play-offs as defeat at Sheffield Wednesday meant they lost a top-six place
to Preston North End on goal difference. Cardiff could now lose Ledley, who
has been linked to Stoke City, Wigan Athletic and West Ham. "If the price is
right the club will have to take a calculated view," said Cardiff manager
Jones. Wales international Ledley, whose Ninian Park contract expires in 12
months' time, is one of the hottest properties outside the Premier League
and has been the subject of two failed bids from top-flight clubs this
season. Stoke had a £6m offer turned down by the Welsh club for their prized
asset on transfer deadline day last summer, and Cardiff chairman Peter
Ridsdale also rejected a bid from another Premier League club on January
transfer deadline day. The 22-year-old midfielder, key centre-back Roger
Johnson, top scorer Ross McCormack and full-back Kevin McNaughton will
attract attention from big clubs after Cardiff failed in their promotion
quest despite being in the top six virtually every week since October.
And manager Jones insisted he must sell - especially players whose contracts
are running down - to improve his squad. "When the money came in for Joe
last time, it came in an hour before the transfer deadline," recalled Jones.
"It was too late for us to find somebody else, so it wasn't the right time
to sell him. They thought they could pinch Joe but the club were in a strong
position and we didn't have to sell him. "Now the decision might be taken -
if a player has one year left on their contract and the money is right then
the decision might be taken out of our hands. "You can't let players run
down their contracts and go for free when their contract expires because
that is bad business. "So there will be decisions that are made that doesn't
fare well with everybody and that is the hard facts of football. That is
what we did with Aaron Ramsey and Glenn Loovens in the past. "We might have
to sell one player and use the money to buy two or three players to help us
get to the next stage."
Cardiff captain Ledley is highly regarded and was named alongside team-mate
Johnson in the Professional Footballers Association's Championship team of
the year. Ledley was "flattered" to be linked with a Premier League move and
said a few months ago that any potential switch would be "down to the club
and not down to me".
Ridsdale has previously warned that Cardiff "needs to sell a player a year
to survive", and the 25-times capped Wales international may have played his
final game for his home-town club. Jones insisted Cardiff no longer have to
sell to survive, but admitted: "There are players who might think getting
promotion hasn't worked for me so a Premier League club will come in for me,
but they still have to grow up mentally. "If they leave this football club,
they won't all of a sudden become a better player as they have to get over
the mental problem they've had this year by not seeing the job through."
Jones conceded his squad lacked the necessary mental strength as they lost
out on a Championship play-off place to Preston by the narrowest of margins.
Preston thrashed Cardiff 6-0 at Deepdale three weeks ago and ultimately
pipped the Welsh side for a top-six place on goal difference, by just one
goal. "There will always be disappointments throughout your life but you
must come back fighting," said Jones. "I am a fighter and I have told the
players that if they are not prepared to fight, then they will leave this
club. "Perhaps some people thought they'd done it and qualified for the
play-offs and mentally switched off. It is gut-wrenching for everybody as
everybody thought we had got there. "I don't think it is anything to do with
ability so you have to look at the mental side of it. What cost us is that
little bit of mental strength and the ones that stay will have to learn
quickly. "I missed out in the play-offs during my time as Wolves manager and
we became stronger for it as we went up the next year."
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FA to investigate Stoke brawl
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 4th May 2009
By: Staff Writer
The FA have revealed that they are to look into the crowd disturbances that
occurred at Stoke last weekend. A number of Hammers fans clashed with their
Stoke counterparts and stewards both during and after the game and the FA
have confirmed that they are to investigate the incidents - the second
outbreak of crowd trouble at Stoke this year (following crowd disturbances
during the home game with Middlesbrough in March).
An FA spokesman told the Daily Mail: "We will investigate the incidents."
Meanwhile the FA have posted a note on their website for the attention of
all league clubs insisting that they continue to do thier best to eradicate
outbreaks of crowd violence.
FA Director of Governance Darren Bailey said: "We are currently awaiting
club responses on a number of crowd control issues from last weekend, and we
can only reiterate to clubs and supporters alike that these matters are
taken seriously and we do not want to see an escalation.
"While we would accept that the end of the season can encompass the extremes
of emotion for supporters as teams reach the finalities of relegation and
promotion, the same rules apply at all times and they are there for the
safety and welfare of everyone within the stadium and also the integrity of
the game.
"We remain vigilant and will be monitoring the forthcoming matches closely."
The Hammers won Saturday's encounter 1-0 thanks to Diego Tristan's 33rd
minute free kick.
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Zola wants a bigger squad
by Laurent Picard , 04 May 2009
setanta.co.uk
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola would be pleased to sign some players, but
he has no idea whether his employers will allow him to or not. The Italian
brought fresh air, belief and a positive mentality to The Hammers' squad,
and he cannot wait to continue his role next season. The former Chelsea star
understands that he will need a few more players in case his side qualifies
for the first ever Europa League, and he would be pleased to capture some in
the summer. But Zola, who claims that West Ham do not need to spend much
money in the transfer market, is yet to know if his employers plan to give
him some cash to spend. Spanish veteran Diego Tristan is on course to earn
another contract for next season and he could put pen-to-paper on a one-year
deal shortly. "If we have to play in Europe it will be more suitable to have
a bigger squad," Zola said. "Trust me, we don't need much investment in what
we have. "We have a good base. Football is like other things. It's about
knowledge. The more you see, the more you compete with different players,
the better you get. "It happened to me and I think it is going to be the
same for my players. It is not necessary for big spending. I am sure the
club will consider buying some players. "Would I get the funding? That's
another question. I would love to answer that. But I am sure the club is
ready to face the challenge."
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Season Analysis: Herita Ilunga
West Ham Till I Die
Over the next three weeks, each day I will be reviewing the performance this
season of a single player and encouraging you to add in your two pennyworth
in the comments. We'll kick off with Herita Ilunga.
Performance Analysis
When Ilunga's loan signing was announced most of us thought it was a panic
buy after the surprise departure of George McCartney. But since his debut in
the away defeat against West Brom in mid September he has been one of our
best players and is undoubtedly a strong contender for Hammer of the Year.
The fact that Liverpool tried to hijack his permanent signing from Toulouse
(now completed) highlights that many people consider him to be the best left
back in the Premiership. Few Hammers fans would dissent from that judgement.
His performances have been consistently excellent. In fact I think he has
had only two dodgy games this season. His rampaging gait is reminiscent of
Stuart Pearce and if only he had a consistent partner on the left wing, I
think he would be even better going forward. He needs to develop an
understanding with an Etherington style winger. It's just a shame we don't
have one.
Strengths: Tackling, strength, stature, speed.
Weaknesses: Gets out of position easily, too many handballs
Marks
Consistency 9
Workrate 9
Skill 8
Speed 9
Value to team 9
Leadership 8
Teamwork 8
Ever presence 10
Discipline 8
Season overall 9
TOTAL 87
Stay Or Go
He's just signed on a contract until 2013 so it is ridiculous to speculate
on his departure.
Transfer Value: £8 million
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FA to investigate Stoke-West Ham trouble
The Football Association is to investigate crowd trouble involving West Ham
and Stoke supporters at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
Telegraph
By William Gray
Last Updated: 10:52PM BST 04 May 2009
Police officers had to intervene to prevent clashes between rival sets of
supporters and there were a number of scuffles inside the stadium. There
were also incidents outside the ground after the match. An FA spokesman
said: "We will investigate the incidents." It is not the first time this
season that there has been crowd trouble at Stoke. In March a steward was
taken to hospital after violence before the Premier League match against
Middlesbrough.
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Hammers striker and AC Milan defender in the dock over illegal betting
scandal
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 1:22 AM on 05th May 2009
Daily Mail
West Ham striker David Di Michele and AC Milan defender Marek Jankulovski
have been ordered to stand trial for allegedly taking part in an illegal
betting scandal while playing for Udinese between 1998 and 2005. A report in
La repubblica claims the first hearing will be held on October 2. David Di
Michele and Marek Jankulovski will stand trial for alleged involvement in
illegal betting between 1998 and 2005
The players are alleged to have been part of an illegal betting syndicate
involving several other Udinese players. Those involved in the alleged
scandal are said to have placed bets on matches in Serie A as well as other
leagues.
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West Ham striker Di Michelle implicated in Italian betting scandal
05.05.09 | Ian Ferris
A judge has ruled that AC Milan defender AC Milan defender Marek Jankulovski
and West Ham striker Davide Di Michele will stand trial for taking part in
an illegal betting scandal.A report in Larepubblica claims the judge
handling the case at the Tribunal of Udine ruled that both players will face
trial for their part in the scandal, and the first hearing will be held on
October 2. The players are alleged to have been part of an illegal betting
syndicate involving several other Udinese players between 1998 and 2005.
Those involved in the case are alleged to have place bets on Serie A matches
as well as other games from different leagues.
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West Ham boss Zola hoping to build squad
05.05.09 | Andrew Slevison
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is hoping the club's hierarchy will allow
him the luxury of strengthening his squad next season. The Hammers have
improved under the former Chelsea star but will need to build on their
playing list to make further inroads next season. With qualification for
next season's inaugural Europa league imminent, Zola knows he must act over
summer if given the go ahead by the top men at Upton Park. "If we have to
play in Europe it will be more suitable to have a bigger squad," Zola said.
"Trust me, we don't need much investment in what we have. "We have a good
base. Football is like other things. It's about knowledge. The more you see,
the more you compete with different players, the better you get. "It
happened to me and I think it is going to be the same for my players. It is
not necessary for big spending. I am sure the club will consider buying some
players. "Would I get the funding? That's another question. I would love to
answer that. But I am sure the club is ready to face the challenge."
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Green full of praise for West Ham pal Tristan: A European great
05.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
Robert Green believes West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola has uncovered a
gem in Spanish striker Diego Tristan. Trsitan proved the matchwinner at
Stoke City and goalkeeper Green told whufc.com: "It was a wonderful goal I
don't know if he had done that in training or not last week as I wasn't up
against the lads taking the free-kicks. "Diego is one of the European greats
in his time and as he gets fitter we are seeing little glimpses more and
more of that as the weeks go on."
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West Ham striker Di Michele facing Italy hearing
05.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United striker Davide di Michele is in hot water back home in
Italy. The Daily Mail says Di Michele and AC Milan defender Marek
Jankulovski have been ordered to stand trial for allegedly taking part in an
illegal betting scandal while playing for Udinese between 1998 and 2005. A
report in La Repubblica claims the first hearing will be held on October 2.
The players are alleged to have been part of an illegal betting syndicate
involving several other Udinese players. Those involved in the alleged
scandal are said to have placed bets on matches in Serie A as well as other
leagues.
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Cardiff yet to discuss terms with Stoke, West Ham target Ledley
05.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
Stoke City boss Dave Jones admits they're yet to discuss new terms with
winger Joe Ledley. "We have not even sat down with Ledley and talked about
his contract yet," said Jones in the South Wales Echo. "But the days when we
had to sell players to survive have gone. That situation has been corrected
over the last 18 months. "We will only sell players if it's right for the
football club. We may have to sell to take the club forward to the next
stage, perhaps sell one to bring in two or three. "There may be decisions
made which will not sit well with everybody, but that's the situation we are
in. That's the facts of football and we have to make sure we are stronger
for this experience." Stoke City tried to sign Ledley during the summer
transfer window, while West Ham United and Wigan Athletic were both linked
with bids in January.
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