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Ex-Hammer Glen Johnson has spoken positively about fellow Academy graduate
Zavon Hines
20.09.2009
Liverpool and England right-back Glen Johnson was back on familiar territory
during the Reds' 3-2 Barclays Premier League victory at West Ham United on
Saturday. The 25-year-old spent the formative years at the Academy of
Football, signing his first professional contract at the age of 16 before
going on to make 16 first-team appearances and then making a £6m switch
across London to Chelsea. After a three-year stay at Portsmouth, Johnson
joined Liverpool in July. Since then, he has impressed for both club and
country with his buccaneering full-back play. On Saturday, however, he was
given a thorough examination in the shape of another Academy graduate,
Jamaican forward Zavon Hines. While Johnson is too old to have come across
the 20-year-old during his time at Little Heath, he will certainly never
forget the difficult afternoon Hines gave him at the Boleyn Ground. The
Greenwich-born player praised the impact made by Hines on what was his full
home debut, revealing that the striker had asked him for his shirt at the
end of what was a rip-roaring game. "It was nice to be back," he said. "I
always enjoy playing here as I obviously spent the majority of my life here.
Things are going well for me at the moment, so I can't complain. We're
playing well and picking up results. "I didn't know Zavon while I was here,
but he has a bit of pace and looks like a decent player. Thankfully, we did
the job and won the game and that was the most important thing. "At the end
of the game, he asked if he could have my shirt, so I was more than happy to
give it to him."
While Johnson is one of a host of Academy products impressing for Fabio
Capello's England, the defender said he had been struck by the next
generation of claret and blue youngsters, including James Tomkins, Jack
Collison, Junior Stanislas and Hines, who have blossomed under the expert
eye of Academy Director Tony Carr. "It doesn't surprise me to see all the
youngsters that the club continues to produce. About 90 per cent of the
coaching staff were here when I was here so it comes as no shock to me at
all."
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FA to reveal Upton Park findings
BBC.co.uk
The Football Association will announce in the coming week the findings of
its probe into the violence which marred West Ham's game with Millwall. One
man was stabbed as fans clashed outside Upton Park and pitch invasions
followed each of West Ham's goals in their 3-1 Carling Cup win on 25 August.
West Ham's Carlton Cole and Millwall's Jason Price also alleged that they
were racially abused by supporters. Newspaper reports have claimed both
clubs will be charged. The FA has said it will impose lifetime stadium bans
on fans identified as trouble-makers. "The FA's extensive investigations
into the events at the recent West Ham versus Millwall fixture are drawing
to a close," said an FA statement.
"CCTV footage from approximately 47 cameras inside Upton Park is still being
examined along with other lines of enquiry. "Both clubs have cooperated and
provided assistance in relation to the enquiry and the FA expects to be in a
position to confirm the outcome of the investigation in the coming week."
It was the first time east London rivals West Ham and Millwall had played
each other since April 2005 and hundreds of fans were involved in violent
scenes reminiscent of the 1980s, when English football was dogged by
hooliganism. Eyewitness reports suggested opposing fans threw bottles and
bricks at each other and started small fires as police moved in to try and
quell the disturbances. Inside the stadium, police and stewards battled to
remove fans from the pitch throughout the match, which West Ham won in extra
time. After the match, riot police lined the streets outside the ground,
roads were closed and a helicopter flew overhead in preparation for further
possible clashes as thousands of fans tried to leave the stadium at full
time. Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola said he was "shocked" by the scenes,
adding that he had not seen anything like it in seven years as a player in
England.
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FA near violence decision
West Ham and Millwall set for FA charge after ugly scenes
By Jamie Casey Last updated: 20th September 2009
SSN
The FA have confirmed that they expect to announce their findings regarding
the violent scenes at Upton Park last month. The League Cup clash between
West Ham and Millwall on 25th August was not without controversy as opposing
fans clashed both inside and outside the ground. Sections of the home
support also invaded the pitch as West Ham grabbed a late equaliser before
winning the game 3-1 after extra-time and a man was reported to have been
stabbed outside the ground. Both clubs are expect to be charged for the ugly
scenes, which sparked fears of a return of football hooliganism in the
English game. The FA have since claimed they would push for football stadium
life bans to be imposed on fans who could be identified as trouble-causers
and have been working in conjunction with both clubs in dealing with the
issue. A statement from the FA said: "The FA's extensive investigations into
the events at the recent West Ham versus Millwall fixture are drawing to a
close. "CCTV footage from approximately 47 cameras inside Upton Park is
still being examined along with other lines of enquiry. "Both clubs have
co-operated and provided assistance in relation to the enquiry and the FA
expects to be in a position to confirm the outcome of the investigation in
the coming week. "The FA has also been liaising closely with the
Metropolitan Police in connection with the disorder outside the ground,
whilst West Ham published photographs in Saturday's match-day programme to
assist in the identification process."
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Rafael Benítez brushes off defensive worries to praise Fernando TorresBuzz
up!
West Ham United 2 Diamanti (pen) 29, Cole 45
Liverpool 3 Torres 20, Kuyt 41, Torres 75
Paul Doyle at Upton Park The Guardian, Monday 21 September 2009
It takes someone special to make a control freak giddy. Fernando Torres's
performance here confirmed that he is someone special and Rafael Benítez was
so enraptured that he praised his striker for being, among other things, "a
good husband".
"He is a good professional with a great mentality," said Benítez before
adding, with a chuckle: "He is also a good husband – so sorry, women." The
two Spaniards' tiff on the opening day of the season seems to have been
resolved.
Then, Benítez had criticised Torres for brooding through a defeat at
Tottenham Hotspur, and ordered him to stop complaining about rugged
opponents and to concentrate on beating them instead. Evidently, the striker
listened. He opened the scoring here by dodging and dashing past James
Tomkins and Matthew Upson before jabbing the ball past Robert Green at the
near post. Then, in the 75th minute, he leapt above two defenders to meet
Ryan Babel's cross and send a downward header into the net. The two goals
brought his tally since joining Liverpool for a club-record £26.5m in July
2007 to 55 in 91 matches. Benítez had staked his reputation on that
purchase.
"When you look at what some managers pay for just anybody, Torres was very
cheap," said the Spaniard, happily overlooking some of his own less
successful purchases. "We were looking for someone with the qualities you
need to play in England. Torres was the perfect answer. He is always trying
to be in good positions and has very good movement. He has pace and mobility
and even though he has scored a lot of goals he always wants to score more
and remain an important player for us."
Remaining an important player obviously means remaining fit and Benítez
admitted that the striker's hectic schedule with Spain over the last year
means the club has to maintain constant vigilance to ensure he does not fall
prey to exhaustion, something the manager now admits may have hampered him
earlier in the season.
"The rest of the players had been training for 19 days [by the time
Liverpool's Spanish contingent returned from the Confederations Cup] so we
needed to protect them. We pushed Torres a little bit because he was top
scorer but we are now working very hard on prevention. We are taking good
care of him."
Liverpool will certainly need Torres to prolong his prolific form if their
defence continues to creak. West Ham exposed frailties that, having been
apparent in the defeats by Tottenham and Aston Villa and even in the 3-2
victory at Bolton, are beginning to look chronic.
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Towering Torres makes up for Liverpool's flaws
West Ham United 2 Liverpool 3
By Steve Tongue
Monday, 21 September 2009
Independent.co.uk
In early May, after Liverpool had cruised to a 3-0 victory at Upton Park,
Rafa Benitez stood in a cramped corridor and expressed the hope that his
club's rivals would slip up in the remaining games of the season. Then his
opposite number Gianfranco Zola said how pleased he was with his boys and
how they just needed some goalscoring help for Carlton Cole.
On Saturday evening both managers huddled in the same spot and expressed
much the same opinions. The difference, of course, was that there are more
than 30 matches left rather than a mere handful.
The evidence of the previous 90 minutes was nevertheless that each team will
do well to finish as high as at the end of last season.
Liverpool managed 77 goals, 86 points and only two defeats, yet still could
not overhaul Manchester United. Written off this time once they lost two of
their three opening games, they are now on a roll and Benitez believes the
championship chase will be a more open one. "We will see more teams losing
points," he said.
The rest of his debriefing was all about Fernando Torres, head and shoulders
above any other player on the pitch, which he proved by taking up just that
position to power in the winning goal from Ryan Babel's perfect cross. At
other times Torres kept his feet on the ground, literally and
metaphorically. He did so to bamboozle James Tomkins and Robert Green in
giving Liverpool the lead and later was heard to utter the phrase "working
hard" three times in one interview. The Spanish intonation exactly echoed
that of his manager, who earlier said of him, as if counselling a young
apprentice: "If he is keen to learn, he will improve."
The prospect of further improvement is a terrifying one for defenders all
over the world, including Tomkins, who said: "When he is on his game, he is
unstoppable. He is clever with the runs that he makes. He is not just good
technically, he is good in the air and strong. He has got all the
attributes."
All this talk of the Torre-ador did, however, obscure the deficiencies in
Liverpool's defence that had former occupants Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson
frowning grimly on Match of the Day. Jamie Carragher, one of the most
self-critical of players, will have had an uncomfortable Sunday analysing
his performance alongside Martin Skrtel, who was not much better. Both
received yellow cards before half-time for the fouls that led to West Ham
twice pegging back Liverpool's lead.
The Italian Alessandro Diamanti scored from a miscued penalty and Cole
soared for an excellent header to equalise again after Dirk Kuyt had got a
big toe to Steven Gerrard's equally good header.
Unusually for a striker, Kuyt would like that one to be given to his
captain. "I just touched it but if we can give it to Steve, I will be glad,"
he said, which will make an interesting case for the dubious goals
committee.
West Ham, making their worst start since relegation six years ago, could not
care who scores, for there is still insufficient back-up to Cole. Zavon
Hines was lively on the left, but missed when Carragher let him through in
the second minute. Diamanti briefly sparkled, as his name suggests, but
faded through lack of fitness. Next up, probably in the Carling Cup this
week, will be Guillermo Franco, a 32 year-old Argentine-Mexican who scored
only 14 goals in 81 games for Villarreal. With no sign of a return for the
desperately unfortunate Dean Ashton, Eastenders must hope for something
better than last season's imports, David di Michele and Diego Tristan.
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Green; Faubert, Upson (Gabbidon, 25), Tomkins, Ilunga;
Behrami (Kovac, 27), Parker; Diamanti (Dyer, 65), Noble, Hines; Cole.
Substitutes not used: Kurucz (gk), Spector, Nouble, Payne.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Carragher, Insua; Mascherano,
Lucas; Kuyt (Babel, 59), Gerrard, Benayoun (Aurelio ,85); Torres (Riera,
89). Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Kyrgiakos, Degen, Dossena.
Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands).
Booked: West Ham United Parker, Ilunga, Cole; Liverpool Carragher, Skrtel,
Mascherano.
Man of match: Torres.
Attendance: 34,658.
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Diamanti delighted with debut goal for West Ham
Published 22:28 20/09/09 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
Dead aim Alessandro Diamanti claimed he had always been shooting down the
middle after his trick-shot penalty opened his goalscoring account at West
Ham. His manager Gianfranco Zola has admitted he liked the "craziness" in
the eyes of his new £6m signing from Livorno. And there was definitely a
touch of madness about his 29-minute equaliser which TV replays appeared to
show he illegally struck the ball twice as he slipped taking the kick. The
penalty looped into the roof of Pepe Reina's goal and Liverpool players
protested the Italian had accidentally kicked the ball against his left foot
with his right. But the 26-year-old then showed the same nerve he had needed
to step up to take a spot kick on his home debut. When told about the
controversy, Diamanti said: "Really? I don't care. It deserved a goal. I
slipped but I don't believe I touched it twice. I was trying to hit it down
the middle and that is what happened. "I am just sorry that we lost because
we played well as a team."
Gianfranco Zola celebrated his first anniversary at Upton Park by donning a
neat blue suit on the touchline but he could not fashion a first win since
the opening day of the season despite a sharper display. "With a tracksuit
it looks like I want to go on the pitch with the fans a little bit!" he
said. James Tomkins added: "If we play like that, I don't think we will have
any trouble climbing up the table."
Matthew Upson (a "tight muscle") and Valeri Behrami ("a problem with the
sciatic nerve") both came off in the first half and will miss tomorrow's
(tues) Carling Cup tie at Bolton.
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Blood Relations
Posted by Billy Blagg 16 hours, 1 minute ago
ESPN
Gianfranco Zola's admission that he is concerned over the future of Dean
Ashton is at least a recognition of something that most fans have been
discussing for some time. Even someone with a bit part on 'Casualty' knows
only too well that an ankle injury that has taken the best part of two years
to heal does not sound right and it can only be guessed at the problems that
have really taken their toll on the Hammer's striker.
It's hard not to feel sorry for both parties in this matter; Dean Ashton
would surely have been contemplating South Africa next summer had he
remained fit and West Ham would either have benefited from the 15+ goals a
season Ashton would have supplied or, perhaps, the £30m+ that Dean would
surely have recouped in the transfer market as his Premiership goal tally
mounted. The fact that the infamous Hammers injury blight originally occured
at an England training session is an ironic fact not lost on anyone
The West Ham manager confirmed his fears about Ashton in a press conference
last week: "I can't say 'I'll give you three months', I can't force his
progress along. But I do respect his willingness to come back and I am going
to be supportive to him, not the one who is pushing him" Zola was quoted as
saying. The Italian, however, refused to discuss unsubstantiated rumours
that retirement has been considered: "We have not discussed that at all and
anyway he knows I trust him and whatever he does I have been trying to help
and will keep trying to help him."
As I write this I can see my Hammers 2009 calendar open for September and,
on it, is the sight of Ashton's number 9 shirt from the back as he wheels
away, arm raised in the air in celebration of the goal he has just scored.
As a possible farewell it could not be more poignant. One wonders if Zola
isn't looking at the same picture this month.
Elsewhere, Calum Davenport, the defender who was stabbed in the legs and
remains in hospital, also commented on his progress." ...I have quite a long
way to go on the road to recovery, but I am feeling positive," he said,
going on to praise."..the club, my team-mates and fans, the club doctors and
the amazing staff at Bedford Hospital who have looked after me so well..."
Davenport also praised the Soccernet West Ham correspondent personally when
adding "I would also like to thank anyone who has ever donated blood,
because you probably saved my life. I would like to encourage everyone to
give blood.".
Blagg, a Gold Card holder with many years of selfless blood-letting, was
quoted as saying "I'm pleased to hear my blood was held back to help the
players of the club I support". Before going on: "If anyone else wants any
of my A+ RH positive then feel free to help themselves". He later amended
his comments though when asked if this offer extended to all Premiership
players "Of course, none of it is allowed into North London or, indeed,
anywhere beyond the boundary of the Canning Town flyover where, in any case,
it will curdle and have a negative effect". Mr Blagg is 89.
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Newcastle turn to Aston Villa £4m misfit Marlon Harewood in three-month loan
deal to boost strike force
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 3:03 AM on 21st September 2009
Daily Mail
Newcastle are set to sign Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood on a
three-month loan. Harewood has started just one Premier League game for
Villa since his £4million move from West Ham in 2007, and Newcastle need a
replacement for Shola Ameobi who is sidelined by a broken foot.
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DICKS BLASTS HIS GRAYS 'CHEATS'
Daily Star
FORMER West Ham legend Julian Dicks launched his non-League career with a
bang. Dicks marked his debut as Grays' 14th manager in three years by
branding his players "cheats" after a seventh straight defeat in losing 3-0
to Altrincham. "They cheated me, the club and the paying public," raged
Dicks, whose strugglers were sunk by an own-goal from Anwar Uddin and
efforts from Chris Denham and Chris Senior. Leaders Oxford continued their
unbeaten run with a 4-0 romp over Eastbourne Borough with goals from Matt
Green, James Constable, Jamie Cook and Jack Midson. Stevenage Borough
maintained their challenge with a 1-0 win at Chester through Michael
Bostwick's early strike. Forest Green eased their worries with a 1-1 draw at
Barrow. Sean Rigg's goal gave them the lead, but Jon Shaw quickly equalised.
Kidderminster left it late to sentence Gateshead to their fourth straight
away defeat thanks to Mathew Barnes-Homer's goal in a 3-2 win. Tamworth went
third with goals from Michael Blackwood and Michael Briscoe in a 2-0 win
over Salisbury.
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West Ham's Diamanti insists penalty was spot on
21.09.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United midfielder Alessandro Diamanti insists his penalty against
Liverpool was spot on. Television replays appeared to show Diamanti first
touched the ball with his right foot as he slipped on his approach before
slamming the ball into the roof of the net with his left. But he insisted:
"I don't care what TV shows. It deserved a goal. I don't believe I touched
it twice. I was trying to hit it down the middle and that is what happened."
It was Diamanti's first start following his arrival from Livorno. He added:
"It was a really hard match. We knew what to expect. "It has been a month
that I haven't started a match. I am so sorry for the fans that we lost
because we played well as a team. I am sorry they managed to score in the
end."
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