WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is ready to help Frank Nouble to establish himself in West Ham
United's first-team squad
23.01.2010
At the grand old age of 22, Mark Noble has already done his fair share of
mentoring of West Ham United's promising youngsters. The midfielder, who
made his own debut in a League Cup tie win over Southend United in August
2004 at the age of 17, has watched as the likes of Jack Collison, James
Tomkins, Freddie Sears, Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines, Bondz N'Gala, Josh
Payne, Anthony Edgar and Zavon Hines have followed him into the first-team
squad.
The former England Under-21 captain has acted as a big brother figure to the
young Academy graduates, offering them much-needed advice and guidance as
they prepared for life in the Barclays Premier League.
Last Sunday at Aston Villa, Noble saw another teenager - 18-year-old Frank
Nouble - mark his full league debut with an all-action display in the
goalless draw at Aston Villa and is backing him to make a similar
contribution at Portsmouth on Tuesday should he be selected.
"Frank did well at Villa. He could have scored in the first five minutes and
he did really well. Hopefully he will keep it up and keep working hard on
the training ground, because we're going to need him.
"He's only young, still, and he's got to work on a lot, but if the manager
nurtures him well and we keep getting on his back and don't let his feet
lift off the floor, he'll be OK."
"Frank's a quiet boy but sometimes he's got a bit too much to say in
training! That will get knocked out of him soon and hopefully he'll keep
improving."
With nearly 150 first-team appearances for the club under his belt, Noble is
acutely aware of the approach needed to establish yourself at the highest
level, and is eager to pass on his experience to the striker.
"In this league, if you get big for your boots as a young player, you're
going to get found out, so you've got to keep working hard every day, keep
playing well and keep impressing the manager. Hopefully he'll get his
chances.
Normally deployed as a creative midfielder, at Villa Park Noble moved
further back following the withdrawals of Scott Parker and Radoslav Kovac,
taking on a shielding role in front of the defence. The Canning Town-born
player admitted to enjoying the responsibility.
"I played the holding role and I quite like that position. I used to play
there a while ago and I've probably played my best football there. I
actually preferred that to what I did in the first half. Coming back after
nearly a month out injured, I felt a bit rusty in the first half, but in the
second I felt my usual self again."
Nouble was not the only West Ham player to impress at Villa Park. Goalkeeper
Robert Green was unbeatable, while the back-four of Julien Faubert,
man-of-the-match James Tomkins, Matthew Upson and Jonathan Spector defended
manfully.
"They had a lot of possession but we could have nicked it at the end. When
you're in the position we are, to come to Villa and get a point was nice.
"We defended really well. Matty and Tonks were brilliant, as were both
full-backs, and I thought Specs got forward really well. We managed the way
they played and could have won it."
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Perfect start for Payne
WHUFC.com
A crucial goal helped Josh Payne get off to a flier with loan club Wycombe
Wanderers
23.01.2010
Josh Payne earned Wycombe Wanderers a point with a debut goal as they drew
1-1 at Southend United on Saturday. The 19-year-old midfielder struck from
the edge of the penalty area in the 64th minute to cancel out Alan
McCormack's opener on the hour. Payne played for 82 minutes for the
relegation-threatened side and also earned a caution in the 57th minute for
unsporting behaviour.
Wycombe had failed to win in their previous seven league matches, a run
stretching back to a 2-1 victory over Stockport County on 5 December. The
teenager, who started West Ham United's 3-1 Carling Cup win over Millwall in
August, enjoyed a loan spell with League One outfit Colchester United
earlier this season. Last term, he also spent three months with Cheltenham
Town, making 13 appearances for the Robins.
Elsewhere, Andrea Zola was an unused substitute for Grays Athletic as they
lost 4-0 at home to Blue Square Premier high-fliers Oxford United. The
18-year-old left-back was recruited by Grays manager Julian Dicks earlier
this week after three reserve appearances for West Ham.
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Wolves postponed again
WHUFC.com
Wolverhampton Wanderers will be in FA Cup action on 2 February meaning their
league trip to east London is postponed
23.01.2010
West Ham United can confirm the rearranged Barclays Premier League meeting
with Wolverhampton Wanderers has been postponed for a second time because of
their continued involvement in the FA Cup.
The match had been provisionally due to take place at the Boleyn Ground on
Tuesday 2 February at 7.45pm but instead Wolves will travel to Queen's Park
Rangers to replay after their 2-2 fourth-round draw at Molineux on Saturday.
Football Association rules stipulate that cup ties take precedence.
whufc.com will have information on the rearranged match as soon as
confirmed. Tickets first issued for the original date - Sunday 10 January -
remain valid but anyone wanting a refund can do so by contacting the ticket
office.
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Benni McCarthy to boost West Ham attack
Duncan Castles
Times Online
BENNI McCARTHY has agreed personal terms with West Ham United's new owners
and could join the club in time for Tuesday's Premier League game at
Portsmouth. Blackburn Rovers expect to receive about £2.5m for the South
Africa international and are currently looking for a replacement.
McCarthy, 32, who also attracted interest from Everton and Celtic, has been
offered a two-and-a-half-year contract at Upton Park. West Ham have proposed
structuring the initial six months as a loan deal to hurry through the
striker's registration. There are no work permit issues because McCarthy's
wife is Spanish.
Blackburn's top scorer in two of his three full seasons at the club,
McCarthy has been their most productive striker this campaign despite
starting only seven League games. His manager, Sam Allardyce, has often
criticised McCarthy's fitness, preferring mobile but ineffective Chelsea
loan signing Franco di Santo in attack. Blackburn rejected offers of more
than £6m for McCarthy from Chelsea and Sunderland after his first two
seasons at the club.
West Ham are able to hire limited reinforcements in the transfer window
after their takeover last week by David Gold and David Sullivan. The former
Birmingham City owners bought a controlling interest in the heavily indebted
club from Icelandic-controlled parent company CB Holding.
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Gudjohnsen to snub Liverpool for West Ham - Exclusive
Published 23:00 23/01/10 By Paul Smith
The Mirror
West Ham were poised to solve their striker crisis last night by signing
Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan from Monaco. The 31-year-old Icelandic marksman
has snubbed an 11th hour move by Liverpool and is expected to fly into
England tonight to seal the four month loan deal. The Merseyside giants
tried to hijack Gudjohnsen's move by matching his personal terms that were
thrashed out with the Hammers late on Friday. But the ex- Barcelona and
Chelsea star was keen to link up with Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke, his
old friends at Stamford Bridge. The Hammer's had made a £2million bid for
Blackburn's Benni McCarthy, but pulled out of the deal on Thursday when
Rovers said they would not entertain a bid until they had found a
replacement. They also made a bid for for ex-Manchester striker, Ruud van
Nistelrooy, from Real Madrid. Despite offering him £100,000 a week and a £15
cut of any shirt sold bearing his name, Van Nistelrooy instead decided to
join German title chasers Hamburg.
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Tomkins: Hammers must keep hold of Upson
Published 23:00 23/01/10 By James Masters
The Mirror
James Tomkins has urged the new West Ham board to do everything in their
power to keep captain Matthew Upson. The 30-year-old has just over a year
on his deal to go and has yet to open talks with the club over extending his
stay in east London. Manchester City and Liverpool are monitoring the
situation, while new Hammers owners David Gold and David Sullivan are set to
hold talks with the England defender. Tomkins, who plays alongside Upson at
the heart of the West Ham backline, said: "Matty is a great captain and a
great player. "For me he's been brilliant because I've learnt so much off
him. He has had trust in me and we work very well together. "It's massive
that we keep him but that's out of my hands. He is a good player and a good
man." The Hammers go to Portsmouth on Tuesday with both struggling at the
wrong end of the table.
But Tomkins added: "We don't think of relegation. We're only thinking about
winning the next game."
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Gudjohnsen rejects Liverpool for Zola reunion at West Ham
24.01.10 | tribalfootball.com
Eidur Gudjohnsen will snub a move to Liverpool to join West Ham United, it
has been revealed. The Sunday Mirror says the 31-year-old Icelandic marksman
has snubbed an 11th hour move by Liverpool and is expected to fly into
England tonight to seal the four month loan deal. The Merseyside giants
tried to hijack Gudjohnsen's move by matching his personal terms that were
thrashed out with the Hammers late on Friday. But the ex- Barcelona and
Chelsea star was keen to link up with Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke, his
old friends at Stamford Bridge.
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