WHUFC.com
Robert Hall's England U17s will go for UEFA European Championship glory on
Sunday
29.05.2010
Lucky charm Robert Hall will go for UEFA European U17 Championship glory
when England tackle Spain in the final on Sunday. The West Ham United
forward has played his part in the Young Lions' march to the final,
appearing in all four of England's matches at the tournament in
Liechtenstein. The 16-year-old appeared as a substitute in the Group B
victories over Czech Republic and Greece before starting and scoring a
penalty winner in a 2-1 success against Turkey. An early injury to
Manchester United's William Keane gave Hall the opportunity to get another
74 minutes under his belt as John Peacock's side beat France 2-1 to set up
Sunday's final. Peacock could be forgiven for thinking Hall only has to step
on to the pitch for England to win, such has been the youngster's record in
an England U17 shirt - he has played 15, won 13, drawn two and lost zero,
scoring eight goals.
England have won all ten matches they have contested in this year's European
Championship campaign, winning all six qualifiers and four games at the
finals. To add to his penalty against Turkey, Hall also netted twice in the
6-2 qualifying round win over Kazakhstan before adding another in the 4-0
Elite Round qualifying success against Sweden.
Sunday's final promises to be a testing affair, however, as opponents Spain
have won nine of their ten matches, scoring 36 goals in the process. In a
repeat of the 2007 final, which Spain won 1-0 thanks to a goal from FC
Barcelona star Bojan, England will have to keep a close eye on captain and
Valencia CF forward Paco, who has netted 12 goals in nine European
Championship matches. Manager Peacock is expecting a close game at the
Rheinpark stadium: "We've never won the U17s finals. It's been an objective
for this group to reach the final. We have done that now and we'll continue
to do the work and we'll prepare properly in the next two or three days and
hope that we can finally take that U17 title that the Spanish have done
before us. I just hope it keeps going."
Sunday's final will be screened live by British Eurosport 2, with kick-off
at 5pm.
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Specs starts in US victory
WHUFC.com
US defender Jonathan Spector played the opening 45 minutes in a 2-1 friendly
win over Turkey on Saturday
29.05.2010
Jonathan Spector is relishing the challenge of winning a starting place in
the United States' starting XI for their FIFA World Cup match with England.
The West Ham United defender has lined up across the back four for Bob
Bradley's side since making his international debut against Jamaica in
November 2004. Although his preferred position is centre-back, the
24-year-old featured at right-back in the Americans' march to the FIFA
Confederations Cup final in South Africa a year ag o, while he was a regular
at left-back for the Hammers this season. Spector is expected to battle
Hannover 96 defender Steve Cherundolo for the starting right-back berth at
the World Cup, although US commentators have speculated that he could also
challenge Chivas USA star Jonathan Bornstein and IK Start player Clarence
Goodson for the left-back position. The Americans completed their World Cup
preparations by taking on Turkey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sunday,
with the West Ham player returning to the starting XI after missing the 4-2
defeat by the Czech Republic in Hartford, Connecticut the previous Tuesday.
Spector played the opening 45 minutes at right-back before being replaced by
Cherundolo as the US battled back from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win
thanks to second-half goals from former Hull City striker Jozy Altidore and
Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey. Wherever he plays against England in
Rustenburg on 12 June, the Illinois-born player insisted everyone in
Bradley's squad will be pulling in the same direction. "Everyone gets along
really well and I think we're all happy to be starting our preparations for
the World Cup," said Spector. "We're all excited about it and there's a
collective belief that we can do something special in South Africa. "Every
time you step out on to the field, you are competing for a place. I think
that's a good thing. It's not just the guys who are here right now, but
we're grateful to all the guys who have been in camp previously for pushing
to make each other better. The competition for places in the team is
certainly a good thing."
Spector missed the 2006 World Cup in Germany after suffering a serious
shoulder injury. He was also sidelined for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
after undergoing surgery for a hip flexor problem. This summer, however, it
now appears certain that Spector will appear in the world's biggest
tournament for the first time in his career.
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Faubert's fine year
WHUFC.com
Julien Faubert's Performance of the Season award against Hull City summed up
his great progress
29.05.2010
A year ago Julien Faubert went into the close-season determined to turn
around his fortunes at West Ham United. The Frenchman signed off the 2008/09
season with a disappointing but enlightening six-month loan spell at Real
Madrid where he played just twice. At a crossroads in his career, Faubert
resolved to return to the Boleyn Ground in better shape and with a better
attitude towards making it at West Ham United. An achilles injury and
related aches and pains had blighted his first 18 months in London but, with
a newfound resolve, Faubert packed himself off to a fitness camp in Italy
and began to work on a personal programme. By the time pre-season came
around in July, Faubert was leaner, meaner and a whole lot keener.
"Personally, it's been a good season for me because I just came back as a
football player," Faubert said of his form that even had some talking about
a potential return to the France squad. "That's what I wanted, so I'm
happy." "I feel like a West Ham player more this season because I played a
lot of games in a hard season. Last season I didn't play too much, but this
time I've played 25-plus games, so I definitely feel like a West Ham player.
His happiness was reflected in his displays at right-back - his preferred
position - as he established himself as Lucas Neill's replacement. He played
36 league and cup games, the most of any outfield player, and opened his
scoring account in claret and blue in the 3-0 home win against Hull City on
20 February. Not only did the France international mark his 50th appearance
for the club with his first goal, but he also provided an inch-perfect pass
for Carlton Cole to score the Hammers' second goal in what proved to be an
absolutely vital success. The 26-year-old dedicated the award to the memory
of his mother Elisabeth, who passed away in January. Faubert said: "I have
to admit I'm a little bit surprised but I feel very happy because it's been
a hard year for me because I lost my Mum and have had too many things to
think about. "I'm very proud of this award and want to say 'Thank you' to
the fans because they have supported me all the time - when I lost my Mum
and had some difficult moments. I just want to say 'Thank you' and I hope
this is not the last award I win.
"Last season was a hard season for me because I didn't play too much and I
was just coming back from my achilles injury. It was a very hard season for
me, so play a lot of games, to stay in the Premier League and to have the
support of all the fans is very important for me. "The award is true because
it was my best game of the season. I gave a great assist for Coley for a
good finish and I scored as well, so it was the best game for me for a long
time. "Sometimes you don't know what the fans are thinking and when you win
an award you know they recognise your work. They see you on the pitch and
are behind you all the time, so it's good for me and for my Mum, because
this is for her as well. "I just want to say 'Thank you' to the fans,
because it's been a hard season for them as well. I want to say 'Sorry' and
we'll do better next season."
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Birdman of the Boleyn
WHUFC.com
Mick Fisher and Flossey the Harris Hawk are keeping pigeons away from the
Boleyn Ground
29.05.2010
While West Ham United's players are away either on holiday or preparing for
the FIFA World Cup, Flossey the Harris Hawk is still putting in hours of
hard work at the Boleyn Ground. Flossey and her handler Mick Fisher from
Essex-based Nature's Way Pest Control visit the stadium twice a week in
order to keep pigeons and other unwanted birds out.
The ten-year-old bird of prey has been visiting the Boleyn Ground for the
past five years and has built up a reputation for defending her territory
akin to Hammer of the Year Scott Parker. "Flossey is really meant as a
deterrent to keep the pigeons out," Fisher told WHUTV. "If she can catch
them, she'll have them, but that's very rare. She is a bit too slow for
catching them, but you don't want her catching them really, because they do
make a mess. "I've been coming here for about five years and doing the job
for ten years. The idea is that where birds are territorial, if they see her
coming in regularly, they think she has moved in here. There is also a wild
kestrel living here, too. "We come in for a couple of hours twice a week and
Flossey will fly around and make her presence felt. "A lot of clubs use us
to keep pigeons out of their stadiums. We also do Arsenal, Reading, Charlton
Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City, so we go up as far as
there."
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Sullivan - Upson could leave
Hammers accept centre-half may want to move on
Last updated: 29th May 2010
SSN
David Sullivan admits West Ham may struggle to retain the services of
Matthew Upson this summer. The Hammers have tabled a new three-year contract
to the England international, but he is yet to put pen to paper. He is keen
to keep his options open until after this summer's World Cup, with Tottenham
Hotspur and Manchester City reported to have expressed an interest. West Ham
co-owner Sullivan accepts that every player must want to better themselves
at all times and is well aware of the mounting interest from afar. He
insists that no deal has been agreed as yet, though, and has called on those
waiting in the wings to make their move so the distracting saga can be laid
to rest. "We keep hearing the agent may have done a deal with a bigger
club," Sullivan said in the Daily Mail. "I can't say who but I wish they'd
get on and make an offer. We've had offers from lesser clubs who he probably
wouldn't go to. "He probably fancies one last throw of the dice at a big
club. I wish Matthew well."
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