Midfielder suffers slight knock in training
By Chris Burton Last updated: 3rd September 2009
SSN
Jack Collison's hopes of representing Wales at U21 and senior level this
week have hit a snag. The West Ham midfielder was planning on turning out
for Brian Flynn's youngsters in a European Championship qualifier against
Italy on Saturday and John Toshack's troops in a 2010 World Cup qualifier
against Russia on Wednesday. However, he has tweaked a calf muscle in
training and is now a doubt for both of the upcoming contests. Wales U21
coach Flynn admits he is wary of risking Collison against the Italians, but
will make a late assessment on his fitness on Friday afternoon. "Jack has
been fantastic in training this week, considering the pressure he is under
and the emotions surrounding his dad's death," said Flynn, following the
passing of Collison's father in a motorcycle accident last month. "But he
wanted to play in both matches and we were happy for him to do that. Then he
manages to pick up a calf injury in training and must be doubtful for the
game against the Italians. "We are mindful that if he plays in the U21 game,
he may damage his chances of playing against Russia next week."
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West Ham striker Carlton Cole aiming to take game to 'higher level' with
England
Carlton Cole admits he has to take his game to "a higher level" to have a
realistic chance of making Fabio Capello's World Cup squad next summer.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 4:56PM BST 03 Sep 2009
The West Ham striker has featured in five successive squads and is included
in Capello's plans for Saturday's home friendly with Slovenia and
Wednesday's World Cup qualifier with Croatia at Wembley. A positive result
against the Croats will guarantee England's spot in South Africa for the
finals in June. Sport on television But Cole is aware he has to continue to
make the kind of improvement that has been a feature of his game since the
arrival at Upton Park of Gianfranco Zola last season. The former Chelsea
player said: "I feel I need to take my game to the next level to have a
realistic chance of making the World Cup. "I feel I've got to take my game
to a higher level than I am playing now.
"I'm trying my best. Every day in training I'm trying to improve on
different aspects of my game and I know I'm far from the finished article.
"But hopefully this season will be another stepping stone for me to get up
the ladder."
Cole added: "It's World Cup year and all the strikers here are top-quality
strikers and they know what to expect. They have been in this position
before. "This is the first time I've been involved in something like this. I
am happy to be involved and it is a great experience for me." Cole is also
aware he must be more prolific in terms of his goal ratio if he is to
challenge the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and target man Emile
Heskey for a regular starting role with England. He said: "I want to take
every chance when it comes and take it with both hands really. I base my
game on my physical presence in and around the box, my presence in the
attacking third, unsettling defenders. "But I know I've got to score more
goals to become an England regular. "I am a striker and, although I know I
bring something different to the play, I think if I can chip in with a few
more goals, I can get up there and make myself a serious contender."
Cole is full of praise for the contribution his former Chelsea playing
colleague Zola has made to his development. He said: "Gianfranco Zola has
been brilliant for me. My game has come on leaps and bounds. He has helped
me in every aspect of my game and given me the confidence to go out there
and do well. "Mr Capello tells me what he wants me to do and what to improve
on and I go back to West Ham and every day I train with Gianfranco and he
helps to get the best out of me. "Hopefully I can get better and better. I'm
improving in every game I play with West Ham and my confidence is growing
higher every game and I am up for it at the moment."
Cole impressed as a substitute in England's 2-2 draw with Holland in
Amsterdam last month. He said: "I came on and set my stall out early.
Everyone was asking me if I was nervous but that wasn't the case really. I
took everything in my stride. "I'm playing with some good players with
England. I've played with a few of them beforehand so I know what they can
do, and they know what I can do, so it was easy settling into training and
playing the game as well."
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Hammers striker Carlton Cole is now timing his moves perfectly
By Matt Barlow Last updated at 11:55 PM on 03rd September 2009
Daily Mail
Carlton Cole was early for his date with the media yesterday. It is only a
small point but a significant one for a player who once turned up at
half-time to play in a reserve game.
He also incurred the wrath of Fabio Capello when late on England duty
following his first call-up to the squad. Timekeeping is still not his
greatest strength but the West Ham striker is working on it, just as he has
worked on a lot of things during the last 12 months. 'When you come to
England, you've got to be punctual,' said Cole. 'It's your neck, you know.
Fabio doesn't stand for it and he'll embarrass you in front of your
team-mates. 'It is true I once turned up for a game at half-time and I'm not
proud of it. That's all behind me now. I wasn't professional enough back
then and I didn't take my football seriously enough.' West Ham manager
Gianfranco Zola has worked hard to refine Cole's game and help him redefine
his life off the field. 'It's a new dawn for me,' said the 25-year-old.
'I've come to terms with how to conduct myself. It was just about growing up
really. Everyone comes to a point in their life where they have to knuckle
down. I became a father last year and that had a significant role, too. I
have a big chance here to better myself and make everyone who has faith in
me proud.'
Cole was earmarked for greatness when he came through Chelsea's youth ranks.
Claudio Ranieri threw him into the first team and dubbed him his lion, but
Roman Abramovich's arrival halted the progress. 'Abramovich came in and
signed all these multimillion pound players and it pushed me out,' said
Cole. 'I had to go out on loan and I was peed off about it. 'Being young I
didn't see the bigger picture. I didn't take it seriously. I'd go on loan
saying it doesn't matter because I'll go back to Chelsea and make a go of
it. 'Then I went on loan again in the season after and it was hard to
stomach.'
Ironically, one of Chelsea's big signings, Didier Drogba, has become a
mentor for Cole. There are similarities in their play and the fact that
Drogba was in his mid-20s before he played at his best. 'I talk to Didier a
lot about his game,' said Cole. 'How he holds the ball, attacks players and
the way he runs. He is brilliant, world-class. Every time he goes on the
field he knows he's going to cause havoc for defenders. 'He's my
inspiration. I've seen the pattern of his life, the way it changed, and I
want to get up there to where he is one day.'
With improved application and preparation has come better form. Cole scored
12 goals last season and opened his account for this campaign with a
screamer against Tottenham, in front of Capello. Cole was ready to play for
Nigeria last season, only for FIFA to block the move. With Emile Heskey
struggling for an Aston Villa place, Cole has the chance to become England's
centre forward in a World Cup season. His timing could not be better.
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Carlton Cole ticked off by Fabio Capello
Published 22:30 03/09/09 By Mirror Football
The Mirror
Carlton Cole last night promised he is a changed man - but that did not stop
him from getting a rollicking from Fabio Capello on his first call-up. West
Ham striker Cole, 25, admits his time-keeping is so bad that he once turned
up for a Chelsea reserve game at half-time. And, incredibly, he got a
dressing-down from Capello for turning up late for a team meeting the first
time he was called up by England. Cole (below), who won his first cap
against Spain in February, said: "My timekeeping is still not good. I
realised that was a big part of it. I realised I wasn't punctual enough.
"But when I came to the England set-up you've got to be punctual. It's your
neck, you know. "The manager doesn't stand for it and he will embarrass you
in front of your team-mates if you're not early for something. "On my first
trip I got a bit of a taste of it. I'm not telling the full story, I'll keep
it between me and the team. "It's true I once turned up for a game at
half-time. I'm not proud of it. All that's behind me now. I wasn't
professional enough back then and didn't take my football seriously enough.
"That Carlton Cole was young and immature but now I've matured. and I know
what I want in life and I'm going to go for it."
The Hammers hitman began his career at Chelsea where he met Didier Drogba
and still calls on his former team-mate for help and advice. Cole, who was
called up by Nigeria just 12 months ago, saw his career slump after leaving
Chelsea, developed a bad-boy reputation and yet is firmly back on track at
Upton Park. He added: "Didier has talked to me. He had a lot of injuries
early in his career that hampered his progress but he knows what I can do
and told me I can do great things. "He's my inspiration right now. I've seen
the pattern of his life, the way it changed as well and I want to get up
there to where he is one day. That's my main prerogative right now."
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Viduka linked with West Ham
From: AAP September 04, 2009 9:22AM
DailyTelegraph.com.au
SOCCEROOS striker Mark Viduka has been linked to yet another English Premier
League club with reports in the British media that he is on the verge of a
move to West Ham.
Viduka, who is a free agent after his contract with Newcastle expired at the
end of last season, had been the subject of recent interest from Fulham and
Portsmouth.
However, Fulham boss Roy Hodgson revealed last month the 33-year-old was
ready to quit England after a nine-year stint which has included spells with
Leeds and Middlesbrough, to play in Croatia. But according to the Daily
Mail, Viduka is now in talks with West Ham, and a club statement said
Hammers coach Gianfranco Zola is 'discussing the possibility of an
out-of-contract striker joining the club'. Former West Ham captain Lucas
Neill, who is still looking for a club after rejecting a new contract from
the east Londoners, is close to putting pen to paper on a two-year deal with
Spanish side Atletico Madrid. The Socceroos defender is believed to have
turned his back on England due to new tax laws which will see high earners
taxed 50 per cent of their earnings. The La Liga side have reportedly
earmarked Neill as a replacement for Dutch defender John Heitinga, who
joined Everton earlier this week.
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West Ham's Cole leaning on Chelsea ace Drogba as mentor
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole admits Chelsea ace Didier Drogba is now
a mentor. "I talk to Didier a lot about his game," said Cole. "How he holds
the ball, attacks players and the way he runs. He is brilliant, world-class.
Every time he goes on the field he knows he's going to cause havoc for
defenders. "He's my inspiration. I've seen the pattern of his life, the way
it changed, and I want to get up there to where he is one day."
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West Ham lured Eoin Wearen away from Gaelic football
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
Eoin Wearen was a Gaelic football prospect before signing with West Ham
United. Wearen was a child-star in his native Republic of Ireland and was
offered the chance to join Dublin's Gaelic football team before opting to
pursue a career in English soccer a year ago. The midfielder, who turns 17
in October, made his reserve-team debut this week and told WHUTV: "I come
from north-central Dublin, not far from the centre of the city. I've been
here just for a few months now and am enjoying every minute of it,
particularly this season, I'm getting the chance to push on and show my
worth to the people above me. "It was a great experience for someone my age
to play at Villa Park. It's the type of thing you want, to be pushing on and
making your name for yourself."
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West Ham striker Cole confident he can offer something different to England
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole says he can offer something different
to England. He told whufc.com: "I base my game on my physical presence in
and around the penalty area and I like to think I've got something to offer
the team, but I know that I've got to start to score more goals if I am to
start in the England team. "I aim to start also doing that with West Ham and
I am up for the challenge. I just want to put on that England shirt. "I was
in the squad at the end of the season for the games with Kazakhstan and
Andorra but I was only just coming back from injury then. There were also
five strikers selected and I did not get a chance. But I'm hoping I can get
a run out in the coming games."
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West Ham keeper Green backs Upson, Cole for World Cup squad
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United goalkeeper Robert Green is backing himself and teammates
Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole to all make England's World Cup squad. "I
would rate their chances pretty highly," said Green. "Matt's been a mainstay
for quite a while and Carlton was a shining light in the last game against
Holland."
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West Ham striker Cole: Treatment by Chelsea peed me off
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole admits his treatment by former club
Chelsea upset him. "(Roman) Abramovich came in and signed all these
multimillion pound players and it pushed me out," said Cole. "I had to go
out on loan and I was peed off about it. "Being young I didn't see the
bigger picture. I didn't take it seriously. I'd go on loan saying it doesn't
matter because I'll go back to Chelsea and make a go of it. "Then I went on
loan again in the season after and it was hard to stomach."
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Viduka on verge of joining West Ham
04.09.09 | Andrew Slevison
Mark Viduka is reportedly on the verge of signing with Premier League club
West Ham. Despite suggestions the 33-year old was finished in England, he is
apparently in talks with Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola in regards to a deal
according to the Daily Mail. Viduka is a currently a free agent so the
closed transfer window will not apply to his case.
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West Ham's Cole finally growing up
04.09.09 | Andrew Slevison
West Ham striker Carlton Cole believes he is finally growing up when it
comes to football. The 25-year old England international admits he thought
life and football were going to be easy when he was running around in a
Chelsea shirt just a few years ago. But things didn't go as planned and Cole
was loaned out despite being labelled by then Blues coach Claudio Ranieri as
the future of the club. Now, Cole has made a niche for himself at Upton Park
and puts it down to maturity and becoming more professional. "I had a big
dip in my career and put that down to not concentrating, thinking life was
going to be easy and not being professional," Cole said. "Ranieri used to
call me his lion but then Roman Abramovich came to Chelsea and signed all
these multi-million pound players. That pushed me out. "I had to go on loan
and I was a bit peed off by that and didn't see the bigger picture. I didn't
take my game seriously after that. "But this is a new dawn for me and a
chance to progress in my life and make my family proud."
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Tottenham sign released West Ham keeper Walker
04.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
Tottenham have signed released West Ham United goalkeeper Jimmy Walker.
Walker left West Ham at the end of last season and the 36-year-old was a
free agent. He joins Tottenham to provide back-up for Heurelho Gomes and
Carlo Cudicini.
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