WHUFC.com
Birthday boy Jonathan Spector believes the only way is up for West Ham
United
02.03.2010
Jonathan Spector believes West Ham United have 'turned the corner' and are
well on the way to securing their Barclays Premier League safety. The
Hammers full-back believes the arrival of new chairmen David Sullivan and
David Gold has given the club the stability required to get what had been a
difficult season back on track. Spector also has words of praise for manager
Gianfranco Zola in an interview with world-renowned American magazine Sports
Illustrated's website ahead of Wednesday night's friendly between the United
States and the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Speaking to sportswriter Grant Wahl
- the man who wrote the 2009 New York Times bestseller 'The Beckham
Experiment' - Spector, who turned 24 on Monday, revealed he cannot wait to
return to league action against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. "[The season
has] had its ups and downs. It's been good with the new owners coming in and
providing a sense of stability. They brought in some strikers, which we were
desperate for with the injuries that we had to Carlton Cole and [Guillermo]
Franco, who are both back now. "You can see with our goal-difference it
hasn't been as if we've been out of many games. We're obviously in the
minus, which is fair because we haven't had a great season. But if you look
at the teams around us, we're at minus eight and they're at minus 20, minus
25. We've been in every game but just haven't had results go our way. "I
think we've turned a corner now. We lost to Manchester United last game, but
the two before that [Hull City and Birmingham City] were a couple of wins.
We're looking forward to the Bolton game [on Saturday]. It's a massive game
for us, because after that we've got Chelsea and Arsenal away, which will be
difficult to get anything from."
Aside from the arrival of Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold, Spector puts West Ham's
recent improvement down to the positivity of manager Zola. "With Zola, some
of his strengths are that he was a fantastic player, everyone knows that.
One of the things about him is that he's such a positive person, maybe
overly positive at times. But I'd say that's a strength, because you don't
get that very often, especially in England, where some of the managers can
be very critical. So it's refreshing and nice to have someone like that
around."
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Holmar holds Germans
WHUFC.com
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson's Iceland U21s have secured an impressive Euro 2011
qualifying draw in Germany
02.03.2010
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson's Iceland snatched an important 2-2 UEFA European
Under-21 Championship qualifying draw in Germany on Tuesday. The Icelanders
went into the match at the Magdeburg Stadium in the east of Germany knowing
victory would take them level on points with Group 5 leaders Czech Republic,
while also putting the home side virtually out of the running for
qualification. With a point. Iceland remain in contention to qualify for the
U21 finals - to be held in summer 2011 - for the first time in the island
nation's football history. The Germans took a tenth-minute lead through VfB
Stuttgart midfielder Timo Gebhart, only for AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kolbeinn
Sigthorsson to equalise for the visitors three minutes later. Unfortunately
for Iceland, who are coached by Eyjolfsson's father and former international
player Eyjolfur Sverisson, they were unable to keep the Germans at bay. Five
minutes after half-time, Gebhart's Stuttgart team-mate Julian Scheiber put
the hosts back in front, and Germany looked on course on to clinch a vital
victory. However, Iceland were not done and maintained their impressive
recent form when captain Bjarni Vidarsson - Eyjolfsson's team-mate at
Belgian club KSV Roeselare, where the 19-year-old is currently on loan -
pounced with just 13 minutes remaining after Sigthorsson's shot had come
back off the post. Second-placed Iceland have two fixtures remaining - at
home to Germany on 11 August ahead of a potential group decider in Czech
Republic on 7 September. Sverisson's men have collected 13 points and scored
24 goals in six matches, while the Czechs have amassed 15 from a game fewer.
The Germans, in third place, have eight points from five matches played.
With such an impressive record, Iceland have a realistic chance of
qualifying for the play-offs for next year's finals in Denmark even if they
finish second in the group. The ten group winners and four best runners-up
will play-off for seven places alongside the host nation.
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Upson leads England trio
WHUFC.com
Rio Ferdinand's absence could see Mathew Upson earn his 19th cap at Wembley
stadium on Wednesday
02.03.2010
Matthew Upson, Robert Green and Carlton Cole were all hard at work on
Tuesday as Fabio Capello put his England squad through their places before
the Wembley friendly against Egypt. The West Ham United contingent were able
to enjoy some early spring sunshine at London Colney in the Hertfordshire
countryside but there was no chance to relax during an intense training
session. Green, Upson and Cole are all pushing for starting berths - let
alone cementing their places in the squad for South Africa - after some good
form of late for the club. Speaking in his pre-match press conference,
Capello did not give too much away. He said Green would have to wait until
Wednesday to find out whether he, Joe Hart or David James would get the No1
spot while Upson can take confidence from Rio Ferdinand's absence. With
Wayne Rooney a certain starter, Cole is vying with Emile Heskey, Peter
Crouch and Jermain Defoe for a starting berth. "They have to recreate the
spirit of the group and the team," said Capello when reflecting on a very
productive session. "They trained today with a lot of focus and I was
pleased because I saw the same thing as I did in November [for the game
against Brazil]." Regarding tomorrow's opponents, Egypt, he added: "Its not
easy to win the Africa Cup of Nations three times [in a row] if you are not
a good team. Egypt have good organisation on the pitch, their players know
what they have to do at every moment and tomorrow will be a test for us."
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Fabio pushing forward
WHUFC.com
A promising young defender, Fabio Daprela is looking to take the next step
sooner rather than later
02.03.2010
Fabio Daprela is eager to make his Barclays Premier League bow with eleven
matches of the season remaining and plenty of expectation on his young
shoulders. The 19-year-old left-back has made great strides in his first
season at the Boleyn Ground. An established Switzerland Under-19
international, Daprela caught the eye in the FA Cup defeat by Arsenal back
in January and has since risen to captain the reserve team. He was also an
unused substitute in last week's Barclays Premier League reverse at
Manchester United.
Daprela's hopes have been furthered by the likely absence of Herita Ilunga
for much of this month with a tendon injury, although he knows he will have
to get past the in-form Jonathan Spector to stake his claim. He did his
chances no harm in front of the senior coaching staff with a star turn in
last week's 2-1 win against Chelsea reserves. "I want to play in the Premier
League, that is my goal. We will see what the manager decides. I can only
show myself on the pitch and in training and then it is up to him. It is
very different to go from the first team at Old Trafford to the reserves,
but that is what makes football. Daprela, currently with his national team
ahead of a Wednesday friendly against Poland, added: ""You have to take your
opportunities when they come. I hope to get more games and show what I can
do. I really want to play in the Premier League and will do my best."
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Tuesday test for Nouble
WHUFC.com
England U19 coach Noel Blake is looking for the likes of Frank Nouble to
impress this evening
02.03.2010
Frank Nouble will hope to lead the line for England tonight when they play
an Under-19 friendly away to the Netherlands in Waalwijk. The striker, on
loan at West Bromwich Albion, is looking to impress to ensure his place in
coach Noel Blake's plans for the Elite round qualification mini-tournament
in Ukraine this May. There, England will be bidding to win a four-nation
section to book their place at the summer finals of the UEFA European U19
Championship. "It's always nice to get together with the squad," Blake told
TheFA.com about tonight's match. "We'll be looking to keep improving again.
It's a great opportunity for the players involved to put in a performance to
say to me, and all the staff, that they want to be involved in the Elite
Round squad in a few months. "The only way to make an impression is with
their performances. Some of them have come in and done well in the past, and
the opportunity is there for more of them to do that this time. "We often
play games against the Dutch right from the U16s upwards and they're always
technically good and it will be a very good test for us, no question. That's
why we play these games, we all want a challenge and we all want testing."
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Collison wants Swede success
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United midfielder is relishing the chance to show his stuff on
the international stage
02.03.2010
Jack Collison is fired up for a major international meeting with Sweden on
Wednesday calling it a "great opportunity" to prepare for UEFA Euro 2012
qualification. The Welsh may not have qualified for this summer's FIFA World
Cup but they know there is the incentive of the European Championship to
look forward to - and the small matter of a qualifying group featuring
England. Collison revealed he has already been looking forward to that
prospect with his Three Lions rivals back at Chadwell Heath. "There is a lot
of banter flying about," the 21-year-old midfielder said as he faced the
media before the Swansea showdown with Sweden. "It is nice. England have got
a World Cup to worry about but I am sure after the summer I am sure it is
going to start again. It is a great opportunity on Wednesday. "It was
brilliant to draw England and we're all excited, it is a mouth-watering
game. But we are not there to make up the numbers, we are to there to start
showing we are good players and we can compete."
Collison, whose compatriot Danny Gabbidon has stayed behind at the club to
work on his fitness, said a positive performance against the Swedes, who
have won the last four meetings between the nations and never lost in five,
would be a good step forward. The team has been shorn of Aaron Ramsey's
services for at least six months but the Hammers youngster is not focusing
on the negatives. "We've a lot of a good young players who have come through
together and there has been a lot of talk about this good group. It's about
time to start showing it."
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Limited tickets for Bolton
WHUFC.com
Around 1,000 seats are all that is left for the crunch match with Bolton
Wanderers this weekend
02.03.2010
Tickets for Bolton Wanderers continue to sell well with little more than
1,000 seats left for fans wanting to see the Hammers go for a third straight
home win. After 3-0 and 2-0 successes against Birmingham City and Hull City,
West Ham United can take a major step towards survival with another winning
performance. Gianfranco Zola's men have not conceded a league goal at the
Boleyn Ground for four matches and not lost in five - an unbeaten run
stretching back to 5 December. Saturday's contest also marks the start of
the special six-match mini-season tickets available at reduced prices.
Demand is high for these one-off tickets for those not wanting to miss out
on a thrilling run-in with the club's England contingent looking to head
into a World Cup summer on a high and new recruits eager to show their
worth.
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Gold warns on administration risk
By Simon Atkinson
Business reporter, BBC News
West Ham co-owner David Gold has said he is "concerned" that heavy debt
levels will push more Premier League clubs into administration. Mr Gold was
speaking in Manchester during a BBC debate on the finances of football
clubs. His comments follow Portsmouth becoming the first top-flight British
club to go into administration last week. Mr Gold added that he considered
clubs borrowing money beyond their means was "a form of cheating". "The
Premier League's a great league, but we're seeing a chink in the armour,"
said Mr Gold, who with his fellow ex-Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan
bought a 50% stake in West Ham earlier this year, valuing the club at £105m.
"It's possible that more will go. Portsmouth have gone, imagine if next year
one or two more go. I'm concerned. I fear for the league if we do not act."
'Tragedy'
The Premier League accounts for 56% of the total debt of European football.
Liverpool owe £237m and Manchester United £716m. And while these clubs are
still seen as very strong finnacially, Mr Gold warned that a top-flight team
may eventually go bankrupt and be forced out of business completely. "Going
into administration I could almost live with but what I fear is that a club
could eventually go bust. That's a great possibility and that would be a
tragedy... for the fans," he said. "If one club is borrowing money beyond
its means it's a form of cheating and that's why debt has to be addressed.
"Premier League clubs, in the main, say we run our clubs and don't
interfere. But what about the fans? You can't take that attitude then find a
club like Portsmouth going into administration. Dan Johnson, chief spokesman
for the Premier League told the debate - held at the Soccerex event - that
"the important thing is preventing things from going wrong". He said the
league was "ownership neutral" in terms of who it allowed to control clubs.
Portsmouth entered voluntary administration with debts of about £60m. The
club will be docked nine points as a result and face almost certain
relegation to the Championship.
Pompey, who have had four owners this season, were due to face a winding-up
order on 1 March but decided to go into administration in a bid to survive.
BBC chief economic correspondent Hugh Pym suggested that it was too easy for
clubs to go into administration.
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West Ham's spending ill-judged, says finance director
BBC.co.uk
West Ham have wasted money and certain players have not performed, according
to the club's financial director. Writing in the latest accounts, Nick Igoe
said renewing Dean Ashton's contract and signing Freddie Ljungberg and
Kieron Dyer were major mistakes. Figures show wages totalled around 80% of
their annual turnover in 2006-2007, 20% above the Premier League average.
Igoe said: "Many of the group's investment decisions in the last two to
three seasons have been ill-judged." The financial chief added: "No football
club can sustain this level of expenditure on underperforming members of its
squad. "It must be concluded that the investment in the playing squad has
not generated an appropriate return, either financially or in terms of
performance. "It follows that an eighth and 10th place league finish, one
Carling Cup last eight and one FA Cup last 16 represent an unsatisfactory
return on this expenditure. "Clubs with fewer resources and lower levels of
expenditure on their squad have achieved a greater level of league and cup
success."
Former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan took control of
West Ham in January, but it is the Icelandic regime, led by Eggert Magnusson
between 2006 and the end of 2007, that came under fire in the accounts
published on Monday. Taking on former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg,
who left in 2008 just one year into a four-year deal, and former England
midfielder Kieron Dyer were highlighted as two bad deals. The pair started a
combined total of 32 matches for West Ham since the summer of 2007, and
according to Igoe will cost the group £34m over the term of their contracts.
"It is a truism to observe that a club's playing success (and almost
certainly long-term financial success) is largely dependent on how wisely it
invests its available resources," he added. The accounts also revealed the
extent the club went to last season in trying to avoid a financial meltdown.
Team wages were reduced and £10.8m was made from selling players - but that
accounted for less than a quarter of the transfer expenditure from the
previous two seasons. The club's turnover was down to £76.1m, due mainly to
the collapse of title sponsor XL, while "exceptional expenses" such as the
Ashton pay-out certainly did not help to alleviate the club's losses which
were £16.2m before tax. Ashton broke his ankle in an England training
session in 2006, recovered to play again for the Hammers in the 2007-08
season, and then signed a lucrative five-year deal just 18 months before he
was forced to retire. The bank debt of £45m was considered "not excessive"
for a club of West Ham's size but the club claimed the debt remained
"challenging".
The accounts added: "The debt is relatively short term in nature, expiring
as it does in August 2011, and has to be viewed alongside other liabilities
such as the Sheffield United settlement and net transfer fee creditors of
£14.4m." The Hammers and the Blades reached an out-of-court compensation
deal over the 'ineligible' striker Carlos Tevez, who played for West Ham for
a year from August 2006, helping to seal Sheffield United's relegation in
2006/2007.
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Hammers criticised for spending
Ljungberg and Dyer will have cost £34million in contracts
Last updated: 1st March 2010
SSN
West Ham's investment in players has not generated an 'appropriate return',
according to the club's finance director after the publication of a latest
set of accounts. The Hammers have been criticised for the deals offered to
Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer, who will have cost £34million over the
terms of their contracts, having only started a combined total of 32
matches. The decision to award Dean Ashton a new contract in December 2008
can also be viewed as a mistake as the striker's retirement left the club
owing a £5.81million payment and investment has been described as
'ill-judged'. For two years under the Icelandic regime, West Ham's wages
totalled around 80 per cent of their annual turnover, nearly 20% higher than
the Premier League average. The club's finance director Nick Igoe wrote in
the accounts: "It is a truism to observe that a club's playing success (and
almost certainly long-term financial success) is largely dependent on how
wisely it invests its available resources. "It has to be concluded that many
of the group's investment decisions in the last two to three seasons have
been ill-judged. "Two players who signed in the summer 2007 transfer window,
one of whom has since left the club, have started a combined total of 32
games and will have cost the group £34m over the term of their contracts.
"No football club can sustain this level of expenditure on underperforming
members of its squad. "It must be concluded that the investment in the
playing squad has not generated an appropriate return, either financially or
in terms of performance. "It follows that an eighth and 10th place league
finish, one Carling Cup last eight and one FA Cup last 16 represent an
unsatisfactory return on this expenditure. "Clubs with fewer resources and
lower levels of expenditure on their squad have achieved a greater level of
league and cup success."
The figures also reveal the major belt-tightening programme which West Ham
undertook last season in the hope of staving off financial meltdown.
"2008/09 saw the group take steps to generate essential cash flow by a
programme of player sales and wage savings," wrote Igoe. "This comprised a
reduction in the size of the playing squad and the trading of certain
players for less costly replacements."
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Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer cost West Ham £1m a game
Dyer and Ljungberg cost club £34m for 32 games
Dean Ashton left West Ham with £6m bill
Jon Brodkin
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 2 March 2010 02.13 GMT
Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer will have cost West Ham effectively £1m a
match, it was revealed in the club's latest accounts. Ljungberg, who has
left Upton Park, and Dyer will have cost £34m over the terms of their
contracts, having started a combined total of only 32 matches for West Ham
since the summer of 2007. The club's ill-judged spending over recent seasons
also included their decision to give Dean Ashton a new contract, which left
them liable for a £5.81m payment when he was forced to retire because of
injury.
For two years under the ill-fated Icelandic regime, West Ham's wages
totalled around 80% of their annual turnover, nearly 20% higher than the
Barclays Premier League average. Nick Igoe, the club's finance director,
said West Ham's performance on the pitch was poor following their huge
outlay. "It is a truism to observe that a club's playing success (and almost
certainly long term financial success) is largely dependent on how wisely it
invests its available resources," Igoe wrote in the accounts. "It has to be
concluded that many of the group's investment decisions in the last two to
three seasons have been ill-judged. "Two players who signed in the summer
2007 transfer window, one of whom has since left the club, have started a
combined total of 32 games and will have cost the group £34m over the term
of their contracts. "No football club can sustain this level of expenditure
on underperforming members of its squad."
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Q&A with U.S.' Jonathan Spector
Jonathan Spector has played all over the back line in his international/club
career
The versatile Spector, 24, doesn't worry about position -- he just wants to
play
Sports Illustrated
AMSTERDAM -- On a U.S. soccer team that has several versatile players,
Jonathan Spector might be the most extreme example. The 24-year-old
Chicago-area native is a natural right back, but he has played on the left
side for England's West Ham United this season, while for the Yanks he has
split time between the right side and (in the team's last two European
friendlies) the center.
When the U.S. meets the Netherlands in their A-squad exhibition here on
Wednesday (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavisión), Spector will probably be the
U.S.' starting right back, which means he'll face a tough challenge to slow
down either Arjen Robben or Dirk Kuyt.
Spector's grandfather Art was the first player ever signed by the Boston
Celtics, but Jonathan has become a pro in an entirely different pursuit. On
Tuesday, he and I sat down at the U.S. team hotel and spoke about his
versatility, the Dutch team, the U.S.-England World Cup game and what it's
like to play for his West Ham manager, former Italian star Gianfranco Zola.
Here is an edited version of the interview:
SI.com: You've played left back of late for West Ham. Last year you played
right back for the U.S. mostly. How do you manage the transition?
Spector: I've played all along the back four. I've always been comfortable
in any position, but there are some differences. At West Ham, I'm
comfortable at left back. I'm actually right-footed but comfortable on my
left side as well. Defensively, playing the two outside-back positions is
the same. There's no difference positionally, and the 1-v-1 defending is the
same. But going forward is a little bit different. I like to cut inside a
little more on my right foot when I'm playing left back.
SI.com: One thing Bob Bradley mentioned last week is that from the right
side you're able to send an early cross in sometimes, like you did to Clint
Dempsey at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, that maybe isn't quite as
readily there from the left side.
Spector: Probably not. I'll maybe cut in on my right and I can still send
that ball in [from the left], but I'm not as likely to send that in on my
left foot from there. As opposed to being an outswinger, it'll be an
inswinger from the left side. That can be good or bad depending on if the
striker is ready for it and where the defender is.
SI.com: Do you have a position preference?
Spector. Not entirely. My preference is to play. I'm happy to do that, and
if the manager asks, my versatility has been well-known for a number of
years now.
SI.com: There's a good chance you'll be going up against Arjen Robben or
Dirk Kuyt on Wednesday. Could you take each guy and describe the dangers he
represents?
Spector: I've played against both of them previously. Robben is in really
good form for Bayern Munich right now, so it's a tough time to come up
against him. He's obviously very quick, and he cuts inside quite a bit
depending on where he's playing. From the right I've seen him cut inside a
lot onto his left foot. He's got a really good strike on him. He's a quick
and crafty player, so he likes to go at you 1-v-1.
I think Kuyt is a little different. He's got a really good work rate, so
he's more of a nuisance than anything else. He's a tough person to play
against because of how hard he works, both when they have the ball and when
he's defending.
SI.com: I'm trying to rack my brain. Have you ever played left back for the
U.S. senior team?
Spector: Yes. I played left back early in the Gold Cup [in 2007]. That may
be the only time I've played left back for the senior team.
SI.com: So it hasn't been often?
Spector: No, it hasn't. It's been mostly at right back. The only reason I'm
playing left back for my club team now is that there's been an injury [to
Herita Ilunga]. The manager [Zola] has been happy with me, so he's been
keeping me there.
SI.com: The U.S. meets England in the first game of the World Cup on June
12. You play in the Premiership. How excited are you for that game?
Jonathan Spector will face many familiar faces when the U.S. opens World Cup
play against England on June 12 in South Africa.
Mike Hewitt/FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Spector: There's that side of it, that we'll be coming up against some guys
who are on my club team: possibly Carlton Cole, Matt Upson, Robert Green,
and then the guys I see week in, week out in England. But it's a much bigger
game than just that, obviously. We kind of have somewhat of a history with
England, and we'd love to win that group and to beat them in the process.
But we know it'll be a tough game. They're a great side with world-class
players. We're all looking forward to it. It's a really good test for us.
SI.com: When you've been on the left at West Ham, you've gone up against
England right midfielder Aaron Lennon, right?
Spector: Yeah, twice this season. He's a good player. He's been injured for
a while, so we'll see how he comes back. But he's a key for them. He's a
great outlet and extremely quick, so he's a tough player to play against.
SI.com: If he is healthy, how do you try to defend a guy like that?
Spector: You try to close him down early and not give him a lot of time on
the ball. They've got some good passers on the ball who can switch the play
pretty quickly, so that makes it tough. You just want to try to not let him
get a run on you, because there's not many guys who will be able to keep up
with him.
SI.com: West Ham is in 13th place right now in the Premiership. How do you
feel like your club season is going?
Spector: It's had its ups and downs. It's been good with the new owners
coming in and providing a sense of stability. They brought in some strikers,
which we were desperate for with the injuries that we had to Carlton Cole
and [Guillermo] Franco, who are both back now. You can see with our
goal-difference it hasn't been as if we've been out of many games. We're
obviously in the minus, which is fair because we haven't had a great season.
But if you look at the teams around us, we're at minus-8 and they're at
minus-20, minus-25. We've been in every game but just haven't had results go
our way.
I think we've turned a corner now. We lost to Man United last game, but the
two before that [Hull City and Birmingham] were a couple wins. We're looking
forward to the Bolton game [on Saturday]. It's a massive game for us,
because after that we've got Chelsea and Arsenal away, which will be
difficult to get anything from.
SI.com: You're still just 24, but you've been playing for the U.S. senior
team since 2004. Do you feel like you're becoming a veteran on this U.S.
team?
Spector: To an extent, I suppose. I come in and try to make the new players
feel welcome, which the older players did for me when I came in. There's a
great sense of team camaraderie here. That's probably one of our strengths.
I can't say for sure what other national sides are like, but being in a
number of different teams, I know the camaraderie within this group is a lot
better than within most teams.
SI.com: What's it like playing for Gianfranco Zola, and how does it compare
to playing for Bob Bradley?
Spector: They're slightly contrasting styles. Every manager is going to have
that. With Zola, some of his strengths are that he was a fantastic player,
everyone knows that. One of the things about him is that he's such a
positive person, maybe overly positive at times. But I'd say that's a
strength, because you don't get that very often, especially in England,
where some of the managers can be very critical. So it's refreshing and nice
to have someone like that around.
With Bob, one of his strengths is his attention to detail, and always
getting the players on the same page as soon as we come in. Especially at
times like this when there's one game and we're in camp for only a few days
together. He does a really good job of that.
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Give Cole a go Capello
The Sun
TERRY VENABLES - Columnist
Published: Today
WITH Ashley and Joe's places in doubt, tonight seems the perfect opportunity
for Fabio Capello to see if another Cole is worthy of a seat on the plane to
the World Cup this summer. All eyes will be on Wembley as England play Egypt
in the final friendly before coach Capello names his provisional squad for
South Africa. With just 100 days until the tournament begins, now is not the
time for the Italian to make wholesale changes in personnel. Nor is it the
time for him to abandon the tactics, guidelines and principles that have
stood him, his men and the nation in good stead thus far. But it is time to
have a closer look at a few of the players on the periphery of the squad.
Players who may not have had a starring role in qualification. Players who
may not have been considered 'first choice'. Players who may not have
grabbed the headlines. Players who are likely to be on the bench in South
Africa. Players who could be asked to save England's bacon if things go
wrong. Players like Carlton Cole. With no goals from his first six
appearances, the West Ham striker may seem an unlikely candidate to be
England's saviour this summer. But you can never tell. If you had said 12
months ago that Carlton would be the only Cole in the England squad for
tonight's friendly, you would have been laughed out of town. But that is the
case. Football is fickle and you never know which way the hand of fate is
going to point. Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe are, of course, in the box
seats for the striking positions at the moment. But what happens if they get
injured? Capello knows his first XI and what they are capable of. We all do.
But football is rarely that cut and dried. Managers going to a major
tournament need to prepare for the worst-case scenario and then keep their
fingers crossed it does not happen. That is why I would like to see Cole
given a starting berth against Egypt. Having been highly rated as a
youngster at Chelsea, he is now starting to fulfil that promise at West Ham
under Gianfranco Zola. He has overcome some difficult times at Upton Park
and won over the fans to become the Hammers' talisman. Despite missing two
months of the season with injury, he has still managed to hit nine goals
which is no mean feat in a team that has battled relegation and financial
uncertainty for most of the campaign. Having returned to fitness, it is now
time to see whether the forward who has performed so well for one Italian in
the Premier League can do the same for another at international level. It is
a big step up. But if Capello does not give him a try, he will never know.
There is no point waiting until the last few minutes of England's final
World Cup group game against Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on June 23 to find
out. We know what Rooney, Defoe, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey can do.
It's time to see what Cole can do, starting against Egypt tonight. The same
applies to Stephen Warnock and Leighton Baines. Both are in the reckoning to
start at left-back after Ashley Cole's injury and Wayne Bridge's decision to
rule himself out. I would go for Warnock, purely because he is next in the
pecking order. It is time to get him used to playing for England in case
Ashley is ruled out. Behind him, I would put David James in goal. The
Portsmouth stopper has not featured for England for a while. Fit again, Jamo
needs to get back in the international groove. In midfield, I would play
James Milner on the right. The Aston Villa player was outstanding in a
central role for his club in their 2-1 Carling Cup final defeat to
Manchester United on Sunday. But Aaron Lennon's injury opens the door for
him on the right, doing the same job for England that Steven Gerrard does on
the left. In the centre, I would stick with Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry.
Neither are natural holding midfielders, though both do the job very well.
Milner's presence and his ability to track back would toughen up the
midfield defensively. That is something we may not need so much against
Egypt at Wembley. But I believe it could stabilise the midfield if we come
up against the likes of Brazil and Spain this summer. Milner could also
switch to right-back but there is no doubt that it is in midfield where he
is most effective. I would give Wes Brown the nod on the right of defence,
with John Terry and Matthew Upson in the centre. Much has been made of the
reception JT will get from the Wembley crowd.
I am sure Capello and his players will be relieved to get back to football
matters. With the World Cup in sight, now is the time to look forward, not
backward. That means giving a run-out to those who could become unlikely
heroes this summer.
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Sulli: We won't Up deal
The Sun
Published: Today
DAVID SULLIVAN has told Matthew Upson: It's payback time. West Ham's new
co-owner wants the England defender to extend his present £65,000-a-week
deal with no increase. Sullivan allowed Upson, 30, to move to Upton Park in
2007 when he was in charge at Birmingham. And he said: "We all really want
Matthew to stay. "I did him a favour letting him leave Birmingham and I hope
he can return it."
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Sullivan : Poor trio in bailout
The Sun
By MARK IRWIN
Published: 02 Mar 2010
WEST HAM co-owner David Sullivan claims at least three Premier League clubs
are being bailed out by a secret benefactor. And he says the trio of
top-flight teams are cashing in on future TV money for a quick fix to pay
their mounting debts. Sullivan and David Gold paid £55million for a 50 per
cent stake in West Ham in January. And he believes it is only a matter of
time before other top teams follow Portsmouth into administration and
possibly out of business. Sullivan said: "A very rich private individual has
loaned tens of millions of pounds to three Premier League clubs. I am not
going to identify him or say exactly how much he has loaned but it is a
considerable amount. "He makes these loans based on the club's agreed
payments from TV income. "I am also aware that financial institutions are
buying up football debts at big discounts. "One bought some of Portsmouth's
debt but they have to wait for their money now, if they get it back at all."
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Teddy : Fab must go for Cole
The Sun
Published: 02 Mar 2010
TEDDY SHERINGHAM is urging Fabio Capello to pair Carlton Cole with Wayne
Rooney in England's attack. Capello has tried Cole, Peter Crouch, Emile
Heskey and Jermain Defoe with the Manchester United striker in the World Cup
qualifiers. Sheringham - who once partnered Cole at Upton Park - said: "I
had a little while with Coley and there was a lot of promise at the time.
"He has sorted himself out as a person and made sacrifices in his life. He
realises he wants to be a professional footballer. "He's done himself no
harm in the games he's played. He just has to maintain his performances for
West Ham and get on the scoresheet."
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Fred & Dyer 1m per game
The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
Published: 02 Mar 2010
FREDDIE LJUNGBERG and Kieron Dyer cost West Ham more than £1MILLION PER
GAME. The revelation came as the Hammers laid bare the full extent of the
crazy trading that pushed the club close to bankruptcy. In accounts
published yesterday, West Ham's financial director Nick Igoe revealed: "Two
players, one of whom has since left, started a combined total of 32 games
and will have cost the group over £34m over the terms of their contracts."
Former chairman Eggert Magnusson pushed for Ljungberg to sign from Arsenal
in July 2007, despite injury concerns, in a £3m deal. And fellow crock Dyer
arrived from Newcastle in August the same year for £6m. Nigel Quashie and
Calum Davenport played 15 games between them in three years and will have
cost the club £12m in all. Igoe added: "No club can sustain this level of
expenditure on under-performing squad members. "Many of the decisions in the
last two-three seasons have been ill-judged."
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David Sullivan says West Ham are not yet out of financial danger
The Times
Gary Jacob
David Sullivan boasted that he had saved West Ham United from bankruptcy,
but according to figures released yesterday the club remain ill. The
joint-chairman confirmed that several players will have to be sold this
summer if the team are relegated, but the £16 million loss posted in the
annual accounts yesterday was a third lower than Sullivan had predicted in
January. Saving money is paramount to Sullivan, with the club undergoing
drastic cost-cutting and staff redundancies, but it is the picture on the
pitch that will concern supporters. The club are three points above the
relegation zone in the Barclays Premier League. Much of the financial
problems arose from poor signings in 2007 and the club have have aired their
criticism for the first time of four "underperforming" transfers at the
time, namely Calum Davenport, Nigel Quashie, Kieron Dyer and Fredrik
Ljungberg. Dean Ashton's retirement because of injury cost £5.8 million,
including a £2.2 million severance payment. A significant concern is that
turnover, of which players wages' account for more than 72 per cent, fell by
£5 million. The club admitted their bank debt of £44.9 million was
"challenging" when considered alongside other money owed to Sheffield United
and in transfer fees.
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Hammers' horror accounts exposed
Published 09:01 02/03/10 By Pa Sports
The Mirror
West Ham's financial woes were laid bare on Monday night when the club
published their latest accounts. The club's decision to award injury-plagued
striker Dean Ashton a new contract in December 2008 backfired, leaving them
liable for a £5.81million payment when he was forced to retire in December.
Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer will have cost the club £34million over
the terms of their contracts, having only started a combined total of 32
matches for West Ham since the summer of 2007. For two years under the
ill-fated Icelandic regime, West Ham's wages totalled around 80% of their
annual turnover, nearly 20% higher than the Barclays Premier League average.
The club's finance director, Nick Igoe, wrote in the accounts that the
club's subsequent on-field performances were unsatisfactory following such
major investment. "It is a truism to observe that a club's playing success
(and almost certainly long-term financial success) is largely dependent on
how wisely it invests its available resources," Igoe wrote. "It has to be
concluded that many of the group's investment decisions in the last two to
three seasons have been ill-judged. "Two players who signed in the summer
2007 transfer window, one of whom has since left the club, have started a
combined total of 32 games and will have cost the group £34million over the
term of their contracts. No football club can sustain this level of
expenditure on underperforming members of its squad. "It must be concluded
that the investment in the playing squad has not generated an appropriate
return, either financially or in terms of performance. It follows that an
eighth and 10th-place league finish, one Carling Cup last eight and one FA
Cup last 16 represent an unsatisfactory return on this expenditure. "Clubs
with fewer resources and lower levels of expenditure on their squad have
achieved a greater level of league and cup success." The figures also reveal
the major belt-tightening programme West Ham undertook last season in the
hope of staving off financial meltdown. The wage bill was reduced and West
Ham made £10.8million from player sales - but that accounted for less than a
quarter of the transfer expenditure from the previous two seasons.
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Carlos Tevez affair could cost West Ham a further £4million
Ken Dyer
02.03.10
Evening Standard
West Ham still face potential claims of £4million from the Carlos Tevez
affair despite having paid out £21m to Sheffield United. Tevez helped West
Ham avoid relegation in the 2006-07 season but it was later ruled that his
signing broke rules on third-party ownership. Although reaching an
out-court-settlement with Sheffield United, who were relegated that term,
the players want a total of £3.5m for loss of earnings. Fulham are
considering a claim of £500,000 for loss of merit money having finished two
places below West Ham. The details were revealed today in the club's
financial review, which refers to the unprecedented' level of costs in
recent seasons. West Ham paid striker Dean Ashton £5.8m to terminate his
contract following the serious injury which ended his career. The report
paints a grim picture of the club's finances before David Sullivan and David
Gold took effective control last month. In the last two seasons, wages were
almost 80 per cent of turnover, nearly 20 per cent higher than the
top-flight average. The report says: "Many of the group's investment
decisions in the last two to three seasons have been ill judged."
It says two players, thought to be Calum Davenport and Nigel Quashie, have
started 15 games between them since joining in 2007 and "will have cost the
group £12m over the term of their contracts". Another two, believed to be
Kieron Dyer and Freddie Ljungberg, also signed in 2007 and have started a
combined total of 32 games but will cost the club £34m.
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Hammered by millions: The costly signings that have crippled West Ham
By Matt Barlow
Last updated at 12:54 AM on 02nd March 2010
Daily Mail
West Ham's dangerous levels of spending have been revealed, including a
reckless transfer policy that left them risking a financial meltdown on the
scale of Portsmouth.
Calum Davenport and Nigel Quashie, signed in January 2007, started a
combined total of 15 games in three years at a cost of £12million over the
term of their contracts. Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer, signed in summer
2007, have started 32 games between them and will have cost the club £34m
over the term of their contracts.
The club are saddled with debts of more than £100m and are paying a heavy
price for the excesses of Eggert Magnusson and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. West
Ham's accounts for the year ending May 2009 recorded a £16million loss but,
more staggeringly, reveal how the club had borrowed themselves to the brink
with a timebomb of debt. But co-owner David Ssullivan has stressed: 'Our
board will work ceaselessly to put the club back on a stable financial
footing and I believe that we have the expertise to achieve this.'
The purchase of 50 per cent of the club by millionaires and David Gold in
January this year has eased the pressure. The club amassed an annual wage
bill close to £68m on turn-over of £76m with the help of £45m of bank loans,
most of which were repayable on demand.
Those bank loans plus interest, £14m of outstanding transfer fees, £21m owed
to Sheffield United for the Carlos Ttevez settlement, tax bills,
compensation to former manager Alan Curbishley and various other debts meant
the club faced the prospect of finding more than £95m by May this year or
going bust. The realisation dawned in the summer of 2008, when West Ham
scrambled to renegotiate the debt repayments and hastily started to sell
players like Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil, Anton Ferdinand and George
McCartney. It was the board's decision to sell Ferdinand and McCartney to
Sunderland on the August deadline which led directly to Curbishley's
departure and his claim for constructive dismissal, which has cost West Ham
another £2m. The retirement of Dean Ashton will cost them £5.8m if they lose
an insurance claim against the FA.
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