WHUFC.com
Pick up a copy of Sunday's official matchday programme to read an exclusive
interview with striker Dean Ashton
24.05.2009
Dean Ashton is determined to repay the faith of his West Ham United manager,
team-mates and supporters by returning stronger than ever in pre-season.
The 25-year-old striker has been out of action since suffering an ankle
injury in training last September.
However, following surgery and an intensive rehabilitation programme, the
England striker is aiming to be ready to return to the training pitch when
the Hammers report back from their summer break in early July.
In an exclusive interview to be published in Sunday's official matchday
programme, Ashton revealed how he is desperate to make up for lost time. "Of
course no one blames you for getting injured, but I haven't played as much
football as I perhaps should have done in the three-and-a-half years since I
came here," he admitted.
"The club paid a lot of money for me and wanted me here and I want to give
them and the supporters something back.
"You do feel guilty even though as people say, being injured is not
something you ask for, but I am determined to come back for them better than
before and do a job that they brought me here for and much more."
To read from Ashton, as well as an exclusive message from CEO Scott Duxbury
and interviews with former Hammer of the Year Trevor Morley, Carlton Cole
and West Ham-supporting darts referee Russ Bray, pick up a copy of Sunday's
official matchday programme.
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Zola praises Hammers turnaround
BBC.co.uk
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is happy with his first season in club
management after guiding them to a top-half finish in the Premier League.
The Hammers were just one point outside the relegation zone on Christmas
Day. Former Chelsea and Italy striker Zola told BBC London 94.9: "I had to
establish my ideas and it wasn't easy as things weren't going very well.
"It's a process that takes time but I'm very happy because the players liked
what I proposed and gave everything." Zola admits that one of the hardest
parts of making the transition from player to manager has been the need to
set himself apart from his squad. He said: "In my position, sometimes, you
have to be strong, you have to tell a player he's not playing or tell a
player maybe you have to go and they are the most difficult things for
somebody in my position especially new at the job. "But it's been OK. I
found very intelligent people over here so they understood that whatever I
was saying or doing was for the sake of the team. As far as I'm concerned, I
get on with that part of the job as well and next year is going to be even
better."
West Ham's good form since the turn of the year saw them competing for a
place in next season's newly-formed Europa League, until last week's defeat
at Everton ended their hopes. But Zola admits that the bad run before
Christmas, that saw the Hammers pick up just one win in 13 games, left him
asking questions of his own management and football philosophy. "It's normal
because you're proposing a new thing and the results are not going your way
and you start doubting them but never for a second did I want to change it,"
he said. "That's because I like it, I believe that is the right way and
nothing changes for me. I would rather change my job than change my ideas."
Meanwhile, Hammers striker Carlton Cole admits he has been taking advice
from former Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba and Aston Villa's John Carew on
how to add more aggression to his game. The 25-year-old is keen to catch the
eye again of England boss Fabio Capello, who has told the forward to develop
more of a nasty streak.
He said: "I talk to Didier a lot. He feels that I can progress even further
than I am at the moment and I'm just happy that he thinks of me highly.
There's a lot of forwards that I watch. Obviously there's Didier Drogba. I
also watch [Bolton's] Kevin Davies because I think he's one of the greatest
in the Premier League at the moment at holding up the ball "I talk to John
Carew a lot as well. He scores goals everywhere he goes and hopefully I can
do that one day."
Cole also likes to watch DVDs of top strikers in an effort to improve his
own game. "There's a lot of forwards that I watch. Obviously there's Didier
Drogba. I also watch [Bolton's] Kevin Davies because I think he's one of the
greatest in the Premier League at the moment at holding up the ball," he
said. "You've got [Inter star Zlatan] Ibrahimovic as well, just similar
players to me that are big and powerful and cause defenders a lot of
problems. These are the kind of players I like to watch."
Cole has been out for two months with a groin injury suffered on England
duty in the 4-0 win over Slovakia in March, but will be hoping he is
included in Capello's squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against
Kazakhstan and Andorra.
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Cole wants nasty streak
Sport.co.uk
Author: Andrew Allen
Posted on: 23 May 2009 - 3:57 PM
West Ham striker Carlton Cole has revealed that England head coach Fabio
Capello wants him to add a nasty streak to his game. Capello, who handed the
25-year old striker his England debut this season, passed on the advice to
Cole's club manager Gianfranco Zola in a recent phone conversation. "I have
been told I am too nice," said Cole. "I would say as a person I am too nice
a guy, I am not a selfish guy. That is the way I was seen on the pitch as
well.
"But now I have got to be more selfish on the pitch and more of a nutter. To
do that, you just train yourself to be aggressive at the right times and
channel your aggression in the right places.
"Fabio has given a phone call to the manager and if you ask him, he knows
what I need to do. I was chuffed that he had called as it shows that he has
an interest in me and thinks that I can improve."
Cole admitted he has high hopes of being named in Capello's England squad
for June's 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra.
"Those games are a massive opportunity for me," he said. "I need to get back
on the right track and I know what I need to do to improve."
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Ex-West Ham hero Taylor named Grenada coach
24.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
Former West Ham United FA Cup winner Tommy Taylor has been named as the new
manager of Caribbean side Grenada. The 57-year-old played for Leyton Orient
and West Ham, with whom he won the FA Cup in 1975. He managed the Os for
five years from 1996 to 2001 and has also had spells in charge of Cambridge,
Darlington and, most recently, Boston United.
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West Ham boss Zola insists he's counting on Ashton
24.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola has again declared he expects Dean
Ashton to stay next season. Ashton was linked with a move away last week,
but Zola told whufc.com: "Dean Ashton is also doing well. "He will be a big
asset for us next season and we will have others coming back."
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West Ham No2 Clarke: Cole turnaround due to Zola
24.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United No2 Steve Clarke says management are delighted with the
success of Carlton Cole this season. On Cole's improvement, Clarke told
whufc.com: "I think it's a combination of the change of manager and fresh
impetus from the player. I think he is maturing as a player and as a person.
Some people mature early and some people a little bit later and I think
Carlton is a late maturer. "His performances this season have been excellent
and certainly, when he went out of the side, we missed his presence in the
team. "He has always had the potential. When he was at Chelsea I was his
coach in the youth team. I knew his potential but unfortunately for Carlton,
it's taken him a little bit longer for him to realise his potential than
maybe it should have done, but hopefully he's started the road towards that
this season and he'll continue down it next season."
Cole won his first two full England caps earlier this year and Clarke put
the striker's case forward to add to that tally when Fabio Capello's side
take on Kazakhstan and Andorra in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in early
June. "He's fully fit. He was out for six weeks with an injury he sustained
on international duty. I don't pick the England squad, it's up to Mister
Capello to do that. But if he's concerned about his fitness then there is no
reason to be concerned because he's fully fit."
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West Ham's Cole getting tips from Chelsea star Drogba
24.05.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has revealed how Chelsea's Didier
Drogba is helping him with his game. Cole said: "I watch Didier Drogba and
Bolton's Kevin Davies, he's one of the greatest in the Premier League at
holding up the ball. I watch Zlatan Ibrahimovic, too. They are similar to
me, big players who cause defenders a lot of problems. "I talk to Didier a
lot and he feels I can progress even further. I talk to Carew, too, because
he is a striker who has scored a lot of goals everywhere. "I've scored a few
more goals than in previous seasons. I've worked on my game by looking at
those DVDs at how other players play. It has been a lot of hard work away
from the field as well as on it."
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