WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole was all smiles after marking his return to action with another
goal
12.02.2010
Carlton Cole has told WHUTV that new strike partner Mido will score his
first West Ham United goal sooner rather than later. The pair have struck up
an encouraging relationship in the Hammers' last two matches, leading Cole
to praise the Egyptian for his impact since joining the club on loan from
Middlesbrough. The England forward netted his eighth goal of the season in
Wednesday's 2-0 Barclays Premier League win over Birmingham, and he believes
it will not be long before Mido follows him on to the scoresheet.
"Everyone knows the quality Mido has got", said Cole of his fellow
26-year-old. "There has never been a question about his ability. He has said
to the press that he feels he has got something to prove and fair play to
him. "He has come here, shown a great attitude, got in and amongst the lads
and wants to be a part of what we're about. I'm so happy for him and I can't
wait to celebrate his first goal because he deserves it."
Cole also spoke of his happiness at scoring a goal that took the spotlight
off manager Gianfranco Zola. The striker insisted everyone was united in
their desire to lift the club up the league table. "I feel so proud of the
lads, proud of the manager and proud of the fans. It's just nice to be back
on the scoresheet myself, so it was a good day all round."
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Be a match sponsor
WHUFC.com
There are two new great packages available for those wanting to back the
club and enjoy the match in style
12.02.2010
West Ham United are pleased to announce two special sponsorship packages are
available for the Hull City match.
The club's Match Sponsor package can accommodate ten to 20 people and offers
guests the very best in hospitality, situated in the prestigious Sponsors
Lounge within the heart of West Stand.
The package includes presenting the man of the match with his award - an
honour that went to Carlton Cole via Beta Distribution at the Birmingham
City match.
Guests spend the day in this exquisite environment, enjoying a fine dining
three-course meal including wine and VIP seating in the Directors Box. For
the visit of Hull City, the lounge will be hosted by 1980 FA Cup winner
Geoff Pike who will be present throughout the day to share tales of his
playing days.
The Match Sponsor package includes:
• Spend the day in the exquisite Sponsors Lounge with a three-course fine
dining meal including wine
• Sponsors of Man of the Match award with PA announcement during the game
• Man of the Match presentation with their chosen player
• Match sponsor presented with a signed and framed shirt
• Company logo on cover of match programme
• Pre-match website feature
• Pre-match and half time LED advertising
• Sponsors feature in weekly e-newsletter with a distribution of 140,000
• Programmes for each guest
• Pre-match tour of tunnel area and pitchside photo
• On-site car parking (two per ten guests)
Match category A B C
Price (per ten) £6,000 £5,000 £4,000
There is also the opportunity to take on the Match Ball Sponsorship which
can accommodate ten to 20 people. This also offers guests the chance to
spend the day in the exclusive Sponsors Lounge with a Hammers great whilst
enjoying a three-course fine dining menu - including wine and VIP seating in
the Directors Box.
The Match Ball Sponsor package includes:
• A signed and cased football presented to ball sponsor
• Company logo on front cover of match programme
• Pre-match website feature
• Sponsors feature in weekly e-newsletter with a distribution of 140,000
• Programmes for each guest
• Pre-match tour of tunnel area and pitchside photo
• On-site car parking (two per 10 guests)
Match category A B C
Price (per ten) £5,000 £4,000 £3,000
To book these exclusive packages for the Hull City match - or any other
fixture of your choice - and to find out more information, please call our
Corporate Sales Department on 0871 221 2700.
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International date for Academy
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to be taking part in a prestigious youth
tournament in Bermuda
12.02.2010
West Ham United's stars of tomorrow have been invited to showcase their
skills on the Atlantic island of Bermuda . Academy Director Tony Carr has
travelled to Bermuda with West Ham's Under-15 and U16 squads for the annual
Clyde Best Invitational Football Tournament this weekend. Despite strong
winds when the squad arrived earlier this week, spirits are high ahead of
the action getting started.
The invitation came about as a result of the positive work done by the West
Ham United International Academy in North America and its relationship with
Bermuda Football Association technical director Derek Broadley.
The trip also provides the starting point of a partnership between the
International Academy, which has been established to develop an Academy
presence across the US, Canada and beyond, and the Bermudan FA.
The event, being led by former Hammers favourite Clyde Best for the fourth
time this year, will see the Hammers take on two local youth teams and
youngsters from French Ligue 1 club AS Saint-Etienne on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday.
Carr said the trip would be a hugely valuable experience for the young
players taking part.
"The tournament has been about six months in the organising," confirmed the
Academy Director. "West Ham fans will know Clyde very well, and we both came
to the club at about the same time and played in the same youth team
together. We have kept in touch over the years and he is now working for the
Bermuda FA.
"This is their inaugural international youth tournament and he thought it
would be fitting that West Ham United represent Great Britain at his
festival of football.
"The whole trip has been sponsored by the Bermuda FA, which is a fantastic
gesture, and it will be a great experience for our U15s and U16s to take
part, and nice for me to bump into Clyde again."
With the U18s having a free weekend from FA Premier Academy League action,
Carr said he was looking forward to leading the club's young schoolboys into
a totally alien environment.
"The U18s have not got a game this Saturday. It freed me up to be able to go
on this trip to Bermuda. The whole trip will be part of their education. We
normally go to Europe because of the proximity, but as the older boys get
invitations to far-flung places and it is a great experience for them.
"We have taken the older ones to Hong Kong for the last few years [for the
HKFC IPL Global International Soccer Sevens] and we took a team to Japan
before.
"We have visited the United States a couple of times and with the Clyde
Best/West Ham connection, it is fitting that we have been asked to be
involved. We are happy to be here.
"Our first game is against Saint-Etienne on Friday, and that will be a tough
batptism. We had a couple of days training on Wednesday and Thursday before
we play with the tournament being held over the weekend."
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Parker's home comforts
WHUFC.com
Main man Scott Parker is targeting a run of victories from forthcoming
'winnable' home games
12.02.2010
Scott Parker is targeting back-to-back victories after another star turn for
West Ham United against Birmingham City. The Hammers star was in typically
energetic form in the 2-0 Barclays Premier League win on Wednesday night,
winning the free-kick that led to Alessandro Diamanti's all-important
opening goal. Diamanti's inch-perfect set piece was celebrated in style,
with many of the West Ham players mobbing manager Gianfranco Zola on the
touchline. Reigning Hammer of the Year Parker said the squad's jubilation
was the result of a spontaneous outpouring of joy and relief at recording
their first success of 2010. He was also pleased to do well against former
team-mate Lee Bowyer. "It was obviously a must-win game for us. At times it
wasn't pretty, but the most important thing was that we won the game. I'm
just really pleased that we did that. "It was good. Obviously I've played
against 'Bow' a few times in my career and he's having a very good season. I
had to be well alert out there and am just pleased we got the three points.
"It was just such a relief. It was definitely going to be one of those games
where the first goal was going to prove crucial, like it did really.
Everyone in the dressing room is pushing for the same stuff and has massive
respect for the manager and that's clear to see. "[For the celebration]
nothing was planned or anything like that. It was just emotion. I don't
think there was any message to anyone. It was just our support for him. We
just wanted him to do well because, ultimately, he's a good man and that's
the most important thing."
Wednesday's victory lifted West Ham to 14th in the standings, and another
three points from the visit of Hull City a week on Saturday - combined with
favourable results elsewhere - could see the Hammers close to within four
points of eleventh-placed Blackburn Rovers. "We've got another home game
coming up and all our home games from now on are winnable. We're realistic
and we know what we need to do and hopefully we can build on our win over
Birmingham. Back-to-back wins are crucial in the Premier League. "If you
pick up results and pick up another one and, all of a sudden, things happen
for you."
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Carr grateful for Awards support
WHUFC.com
The Academy Director has spoken about the importance of this season's end of
season event
12.02.2010
Tony Carr has thrown his support behind the club's second annual End of
Season Awards dinner to be held at the London Hilton on Tuesday 4 May. The
Academy Director is delighted that all proceeds from the gala event will go
towards developing the club's youngsters. After the huge success of last
year's evening, when he was singled out for a special tribute, Carr hoped
this year's dinner would be as equally well attended. "It is nice we get the
share of the spotlight. We have our own awards trophy for most improved
player and young player of the year. They are going to be awarded at the
dinner along with the first team awards which is fantastic. It was a great
dinner last year and it was a great evening and I look forward to it again
this year. It should be a great night."
"The Academy is the lifeblood of our football club. It has set us in good
stead for many years. From our point of view at the football club it is
important we keep producing young players for the first team. In effect,
that stops us having to go into the transfer market so much."
The ceremony will take place in the beautiful surroundings of the Grand
Ballroom at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Guests of honour on the night
will be the 1980 FA Cup-winning squad, who will celebrate the 30th
anniversary of their unforgettable 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley. The
evening will also see the unveiling of the 2009/10 Hammer of the Year -
sponsored by Vantis Business Recovery Services - the Young Hammer of the
Year, and the winners of the Best Goal and Best Team Performance of the
season awards. Tickets for what promises to be a very special, star-studded
evening are available, costing £2,500 a table of ten. Alternatively, a
limited number of individual places are available at £250 per person. For
more information, including a number of exciting sponsorship opportunities,
contact West Ham United on 0871 221 2700.
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Sears eyes Saturday start
WHUFC.com
On-loan forward Freddie Sears wants to his Coventry City career up and
running this weekend
13.02.2010
Freddie Sears is looking forward to making an impact at Coventry City over
the rest of the season and bringing the benefit of that back to West Ham
United. The striker - like 18-year-old Frank Nouble who has gone to West
Bromwich Albion - has been allowed to head out on loan to the Championship
club because of Gianfranco Zola's many attacking options. He is poised to
make his debut at home to Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday, with the goal of
helping Coventry's push for the promotion play-offs. "The aim is to try and
play as many matches as I can," Sears said. "With the new boys coming in,
Benni [McCarthy], Mido and Ilan, it will be a bit difficult for young
players like myself to maybe get a chance. Frank is the same, he has just
gone to West Brom on loan, but it is all to get experience and matches under
our belts."
Sears played 19 times for Coventry's league rivals Crystal Palace earlier in
the season before a couple of matches last month back at West Ham. "My time
at Crystal Palace was worthwhile," he said. "I felt I came back to West Ham
stronger and that is what I want to do again. Palace was local, this is
slightly further away but still not that far from home, as well as the
football. "You get to experience this, so it is all good for me at this
stage of my career. Getting some goals in the bag would be good, I am
looking forward to trying to do that."
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Karren Brady's Football Diary
The Sun
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
THE first lady of football and new vice-chair of West Ham has her say on the
hanky-spanky world of Mr and Mrs Grant, enjoys a nightcap with her former
pals from Birmingham City and bumps into a suave former England boss - just
before he jumps ship.
Saturday, February 6
AVRAM GRANT'S wife Tzofit is the terrace fan's dream girl. Supporting his
club in Israel she used to cheer him or curse him, depending on her
feelings.
On one occasion, she was heard to shout: "Make some substitutions now you
b*****d." So her take today on Avram's visit to a grubby Portsmouth massage
parlour was wonderfully different.
Tzofit said: "He's a great manager stuck in a crappy team. He works so hard,
he needs two massages a day, and from two women, not one." On Israeli TV,
she was once bathed in chocolate and spanked by a sado-masochist so she must
know exactly how her husband feels. Avram, meanwhile, looks world-weary
enough to have been beaten all day with heavy-duty dildos.
Sunday, February 7
THE pundits find Arsene Wenger's substantial chin an irresistible target
after Arsenal lose against Chelsea and say cheerio as the title express
leaves without them.
He should have bought a striker in the transfer window, they say, and I
guess when wee Andrey Arshavin represents your penalty-area powerhouse and
you compare him with Didier Drogba, there's a point as massively obvious as
the Eiffel Tower to be made.
Simply, put Drogba in their side and Arsenal would be runaway Premier League
favourites.
Monday, February 8
TALL footballers are more likely than short ones to be whistled up for a
free-kick, according to research in Rotterdam.
More than 100,000 fouls were studied but most people understand the reason
for this prejudice without watching only Titus Bramble. On the other hand,
the truly original leg-destabilisers are smallish and may conceal fangs.
There aren't so many operating these days but Sunderland's Lee Cattermole
has claims and so does Damien Johnson of Blues - both lovely blokes off the
field, I'm told. Call from BBC World Service asking if I'd talk about
Pompey's plight as I'd just taken over at Crystal Palace. What? Goodnight, I
say.
Tuesday, February 9
AT Upton Park, I'm busy streamlining. Some people think this is just making
cuts but it certainly isn't as simple as that - although for one consultant
it is.
I am shown an e-mail about me from him to a West Ham VIP on takeover day
which said: "It's over. The fat lady's signing." It is for him.
David Sullivan is a smart old bird. Today, he announces that next season
there will be pay cuts of 25 per cent all round, thereby uniting our
dressing room by setting himself up as a stool pigeon.
It's a tactic he used successfully several times at St Andrew's and, sure
enough, the screams are louder but a good deal less tuneful than Bow Bells.
Advertisement
We'll see the first result tomorrow in our crucial Premier League game at
home to our old friends from Birmingham.
Wednesday, February 10
WELL, we won for the first time since the takeover. I tell Alex McLeish I'm
sorry his team lost. He says he doesn't believe me, as if I could throw off
17 years of working for Blues as if it were an old coat.
I'll always want them to do well, Alex as well. They're safe from relegation
this season and that makes me a little bit proud.
I get a real feeling about West Ham tonight, too, about what they mean to
this part of the world and why they are the working man's last London
bastion in the highest realms of the game. It certainly didn't live up to
the grudge match billing in the boardroom, as we welcome old friends and
have a good old drink long after the floodlights are turned off.
Thursday, February 11
I DON'T believe in this "Gianfranco Zola is too nice to be a successful
manager" business.
Why shouldn't a kind and friendly boss achieve more than a conceited bully?
Anyway, he's ours and he's staying.
Our single ambition for this season is to remain in the Premier League but I
have to aim at other targets and, in a short time at West Ham, I've
concluded we must: 1. The painful bit - cut overheads and do so quickly to
enable staff to be comfortable in their jobs. 2. Create energy, motivating
staff and customers. 3. Stabilise the business by putting money in. 4.
Expand our reach as a brand. 5. Secure a move to the Olympic Stadium.
Friday, February 12
THE Portsmouth position is perilous and for the integrity of the game they
mustn't be allowed to go bust - a bit like Greece, when you think of it.
Selfishly, if they did, Hammers would lose four points. The truth is but for
the grace of God, West Ham would be in the same waterlogged boat.
I bumped into Sven. "Why you not buy Notts County?" he asked. "We are mad
but not insane," I replied. Then he revealed two people wanted to buy
County, one with a lot of money but can't get hold of it at the moment, the
other with little money. If the latter won he would leave. He has.
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Lotus chief Fernandes rules out football investment
By Toby Davis
Yahoo.co.uk
LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Lotus Formula One chief Tony Fernandes has ruled
out investing in an English football club in the near future following his
failed attempt to buy West Ham United last month. The team principal of
Lotus Racing has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs,
including cash-stricken Portsmouth, and League One (third division) Norwich
City. The Malaysian businessman and founder of the AirAsia airline was
involved in negotiations to buy West Ham before the London club was sold to
former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan. Asked on Friday
if he was ruling out investing in English football in the near future,
Fernandes told Reuters: "Yes, I think so. "Everything happens for the best
and maybe the best was not for West Ham but to focus on motor racing for the
moment."
Speaking at the launch of Lotus's car in London, Fernandes recognised the
danger in over-extending his commitments beyond motorsport. "There is always
a danger (in spreading your resources too thinly)," he said. "You have to
pick the right time to do the right things. I think there are huge
opportunities in sport. "It is going through a little state of flux and the
easy money is gone so sensible businessmen will come in and give their money
to the right places and monetise those assets."
Fernandes said there were still opportunities for investors to profit from
sport. "People aren't getting tired of watching sport, it is just the
financial way it's been run that has caused the problems," he said. "There
is no lack of appetite for going to watch sport, in fact I think it is
probably the best time."
Lotus are one of four new teams joining Formula One for the 2010 season that
gets underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14. The Lotus brand is
returning to the grid for the first time since 1994 with drivers Jarno
Trulli of Italy and Finn Heikki Kovalainen behind the wheel. The team are
without a principal sponsor after Malaysian oil company Petronas opted to
back Mercedes. Fernandes, though, is confident they can secure sufficient
finance and said the relationship between sponsors and Formula One was
changing.
"Today sponsors will see a real car," he said. "They will see the enormous
expenditure that we put out there. "People have said to me today that ours
was the biggest launch of any car this season. That shows the power we have
and I am sure we will attract the right sort of people to come in and
support us. "It is not just about putting stickers on the cars, there are
many other ways of getting revenue. We don't want to say too much at the
moment but we have other sponsors in the pipeline," added Fernandes.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
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