WHUFC.com
Guille Franco admitted West Ham United had found the going tough against
Spurs but would come back strong
30.12.2009
Guille Franco admitted West Ham United found the going difficult in Monday's
2-0 Barclays Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. The Mexico striker
ran himself into the ground at White Hart Lane, only to see goals from Luka
Modric and Jermain Defoe secure all three points for Spurs. Having lost
team-mates Scott Parker and Herita Ilunga to injury within the opening 20
minutes, the Hammers had a tough job to find a way through Tottenham's
rearguard. The forward revealed playing twice in three days for the first
time in his career had been a real eye-opener. "It was a very difficult
game," said Franco. "Tottenham are a strong team and have fantastic players.
We tried hard and did some good things, but Tottenham were the better team.
"We lost Scott and Herita inside the first 20 minutes and it made it hard
for us because they are important players for us. "We have had two games in
48 hours and it is crazy - only in England do you twice in such a short
space of time. I have never done it before in my career, not in Argentina,
Mexico or Spain. It's very difficult for everyone and for us to play a very
important match and lose those two players. "I feel very tired and I feel
down because we lost, but it's important that we retain a positive feeling
for the future."
Franco will miss next Sunday's FA Cup third-round visit of Arsenal to the
Boleyn Ground through suspension after being shown his fifth yellow card of
the season against Tottenham. With that in mind, the forward is targeting a
successful comeback to first-team action against Wolverhampton Wanderers on
Sunday 10 January. "We don't have too many players are we have some
injuries, so I will take care of myself over the New Year and will be back
to help the team in 2010."
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Franco baffled by fixture list
Forward brands English football calendar 'crazy'
Last updated: 29th December 2009
SSN
West Ham United striker Guillermo Franco admits he is struggling to cope
with the gruelling festive schedule in England, but is determined to remain
positive. The Hammers' victory over Premier League relegation rivals
Portsmouth was spoilt by a defeat to Tottenham in their last outing. To make
matters worse, Scott Parker and Herita Illunga both suffered hamstring
injuries in the loss to Spurs, and Franco, who played at White Hart Lane and
against Pompey, confesses he is baffled by the demands of the fixture list.
"We have had two games in 48 hours and it is crazy, only in England do you
twice in such a short space of time," said the Mexican. "I have never done
it before in my career, not in Argentina, Mexico or Spain. It's very
difficult for everyone and for us to play a very important match and lose
those two players. "I feel very tired and I feel down because we lost, but
it's important that we retain a positive feeling for the future."
During the defeat at White Hart Lane, Franco picked up his fifth booking of
the season, meaning he will miss the FA Cup clash against Arsenal on Sunday.
"We don't have too many players," he added. "We have some injuries, so I
will take care of myself over the New Year and will be back to help the team
in 2010."
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Hammers rule out Mutu bid
West Ham rule out January moves for both Mutu and Rubinho
By Simone Bargellini Last updated: 29th December 2009
SSN
West Ham sporting director Gianluca Nani has dismissed speculation linking
the Hammers with a move for Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu as 'rubbish'.
Reports have tipped the former Chelsea player for a switch to Upton Park as
Gianfranco Zola looks to guide his relegation-threatened side to safety.
While Mutu's agent has previously claimed that a January switch is not out
of question, Nani has dismissed such a move. He told Violanews.com: "I would
like to talk about serious things. I prefer not to say anything about Mutu.
"It's all rubbish. I'm saddened by all these voices which insist there's a
deal. "There's little respect and that's not right." The sporting director
has also scotched speculation linking the London club with Palermo
goalkeeper Rubinho. Nani told mediterraneonline.it: "We are not interested
in Rubinho - we have one of the England national team goalkeepers, why would
we start to deal for another one?" Instead, Palermo president Maurizio
Zamparini has told Gazzetta dello Sport that the Serie A side are working on
the keeper's transfer to Livorno.
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Guillermo Franco blames fixture congestion for West Ham injury worries
Scott Parker and Hérita Ilunga likely to miss FA Cup tie
'We have had two games in 48 hours and it is crazy'
Sachin Nakrani guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 December 2009 00.10 GMT
West Ham United's Scott Parker is likely to miss the FA Cup game against
Arsenal after injuring a hamstring. West Ham United's Mexican striker
Guillermo Franco has criticised the English tradition of playing matches in
quick succession over the Christmas and new year period after two of his
team-mates suffered hamstring injuries during the defeat to Tottenham
Hotspur. Scott Parker and Hérita Ilunga both had to leave the pitch before
half-time and while their strains are not thought to be too serious they are
both likely to miss Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie with Arsenal. The pair
are scheduled to be fully assessed at West Ham's Chadwell Heath training
ground today. "We lost Scott and Herita inside the first 20 minutes and it
made it hard for us because they are important players," said Franco. "We
have had two games in 48 hours and it is crazy – only in England do you play
twice in such a short space of time. I have never done it before in my
career, not in Argentina, Mexico or Spain. It's very difficult for everyone.
"I also feel very tired but we don't have too many players and we have some
injuries, so I will take care of myself and will be back to help the team in
2010."
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Why Harry Redknapp was right to brand West Ham chants at Tottenham as
'filth'
By Oliver Holt
Published 22:28 29/12/09
The Mirror
I was at White Hart Lane on Monday afternoon for Spurs game against West Ham
and I heard the chants the visiting supporters aimed at their former
manager, Harry Redknapp. They went beyond acceptable banter. Way beyond it.
They were tawdry and unpleasant. Redknapp referred to the chants as 'filth'
afterwards. If he had been referring to the fans doing the singing, he would
have been right as well.
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West Ham recall Freddie Sears from Crystal Palace
Upton Park striker could return before the weekend
Palace happy for season-long loan to be cut short
Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 29 December 2009 21.02 GMT
Academy graduate Freddie Sears is needed back at West Ham. West Ham United
hope to release Freddie Sears from his season-long loan at Crystal Palace
before the weekend. The 20-year-old striker is required at Upton Park
following the premature retirement of Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole's knee
injury. Palace, the Premier and Football Leagues are thought to be amenable
to the recall, with the move now depending on the player registration forms
being completed.
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West Ham bid 'being prepared' by London financiers Intermarket
Intermarket to submit bid for Hammers on Monday
CB Holding to consider offer on behalf of Straumur
Alan Gardner guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 December 2009 02.33 GMT
Financial company Intermarket could take control of West Ham United. A
London-based financial services company has said that it is preparing to
make a takeover bid for West Ham. Intermarket are believed to have signed a
non-disclosure agreement with Rothschild, the bank which is acting on behalf
of West Ham's parent company, CB Holding, to secure investment in the club.
David Byrne, Intermarket's company secretary and joint founding director,
told the Telegraph: "We'll be making a bid on Monday". He added that
Intermarket expected to hear back soon whether the offer is viewed
favourably by CB Holding, the company formed by creditors and headed by the
Icelandic bank Straumur which runs West Ham.
Intermarket is thought to value the club at close to £100m, taking into
account debts said to be in the region of £49m and payments owed to
Sheffield United over the Carlos Tevez affair, as well as other outstanding
transfer-related instalments.
Straumur has already turned down an approach from the former Birmingham City
co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold, and the bank is said to be in no
hurry to complete a deal having been granted a moratorium on its debts until
September 2010.
The continuing uncertainty may however force the manager, Gianfranco Zola,
to offload some of his star names in the January transfer window, in order
to generate funds for new players.
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London company to bid for West Ham
A London-based financial company has said that it would submit a bid to take
control of West Ham United.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt
Published: 7:30AM GMT 30 Dec 2009
David Byrne, Intermarket's company secretary and one of its two founding
directors, said an offer would be lodged at the beginning of next week. "We
will be making a bid on Monday," Byrne told The Daily Telegraph. He added
that he could not reveal any details of the offer – or his backers – as
Intermarket had signed a non-disclosure agreement with Rothschild Bank,
which has been engaged by West Ham's owners, CB Holding, to canvas potential
investors. Byrne said that he expected to find out quickly whether
Intermarket's bid was acceptable to CB Holding, whose main shareholder is
the Icelandic bank, Straumur.
It is understood that Intermarket values the club at around £100million.
However, that includes estimating the debts at £48million — West Ham are
adamant they are closer to £38million — and factoring in the costs of
outstanding settlements to Sheffield United because of the Carlos Tévez
affair and to former manager Alan Curbishley. In essence this means that
only around £30million would go to Straumur and the other creditors.
A bid for West Ham was submitted before Christmas by former Birmingham City
co-owner David Sullivan which amounted to £46million for a 50 per cent
controlling stake. Under the Sullivan plan money would be committed to debt
repayment and to sign new players in return for shares, but no cash would go
to CB Holding, which had been hoping for an eventual return of around
£50million.
Straumur insists that it is under no pressure to sell. However, it has not
ruled out doing a deal with either party, or other potential bidders, though
it has been annoyed by the tactics used, by the Sullivan bid in particular,
to portray the club as being in meltdown and needing to sell all its star
players in January.
West Ham will have to sell one of their big-name players to provide the
funds for manager Gianfranco Zola to strengthen the squad in the transfer
window. The most likely candidate is Matthew Upson who is 30, has 18 months
left on his contract and is refusing to sign a new deal.
Upson is also keen to leave to strengthen his hopes of making England's
World Cup squad and is believed to be available for around £12million.
CB Holding has pledged that any funds raised in January through transfers
will be made available to Zola in full.
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