KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th August 2010
By: Kit Robinson
Six days into the Premier League season and you could be forgiven for
thinking that it was the end of the season as far as the top four standings
were concerned.
In fact you could be mistaken for thinking that bar the the occasional swap
around within that top four, that is how they will remain throughout the
season. The Premier League might be attracting the top players but is this
the beginning of the demise of the Premier League as a competitive league
for most of the clubs and could it be the start of a downturn in appeal for
fans of the majority of the other teams that seem to merely make up the
numbers outside of that top four?
The current league standings are Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United,
Manchester City. Three teams who have regularly raked in the money from the
Champions League and one club with Multi-millionaire investors. So that's
this seasons Champions League placings sorted. The usual suspects will be
placed outside of the top four battling for entry to the Europa League,
namely Liverpool (out of the top 4 because of financial difficulties),
Tottenham, and maybe Everton and Aston Villa.
So what is there left for the other 12 teams to fight for? Mid-table
obscurity or simply a yearly battle against relegation and possible
financial oblivion? Add to this the cost of tickets, somewhere between
£35-£80+ , then the cost of transport and fuel and the uselessness of public
transport and on top of that you can add the increasing cost of television
subscriptions for both Sky and ESPN.
It's seriously looking like that most unappealing of leagues, the Scottish
Premier League but doubled in size and just as predictable and it doesn't
look like ever changing.
Of course you can then add to that the negative effect of England's dismal
display in the World Cup,
and what an effect that will have. The simple reality that because of the
massive influx of foreign players, English players have been proven to be
less skilled and less passionate. A further by-product of this is the lack
of identity both to a clubs' players with the clubs locality and fans, but
also on a national level, the England players were shown up for what they
are. Overpaid and under-skilled, which is why so few play abroad and there
is no great demand for them.
Given these negative factors, could fans who have followed the bottom 12 (as
I will now call them) for years on end, be forgiven for taking less of an
interest in their team? What is there to look forward to? The results from
the top 4 have already suggested that anything other than 6 points against
the bottom 12 is highly unlikely, what with the 6-0 drubbings Chelsea and
Arsenal have already dished out. So that's 24 points a season each of the
bottom 12 can write off. The likelihood of a European place is minimal.
All West Ham fans have been through the ups and downs of relegation and
promotion, good seasons and bad seasons and we take it on the chin and as
part of the appeal of supporting the club. But once it gets to the point
that if you are not in the Premier League there is the possibility of the
club no longer existing and the best we can achieve will be mid-table
obscurity, we could be forgiven for no longer wanting to invest the money we
have done in the past. Particularly during the current hard times of the
recession.
In the future the club could be moving into the Olympic Stadium. More out of
necessity in order to survive rather than any actual progress as a club. We
are currently seeing every player brought into the club be a foreign
national and along with the current squad, whether foreign or English, being
paid monthly or even weekly salaries that most of us will be lucky to earn
in a year. And for what? To try and stay in the league. What is there for
fans to identify with?
Speaking of lower leagues. They are beginning to look a lot more appealing.
They are far more competitive, as Blackpool showed last season, they are a
reasonable cost to support, there is terraces, singing, more likelihood of
being able to see both English players and local players who you can
identify with. The only things lacking are a drop in skill (although
sometimes that is questionable) and less likelihood of being able to watch
your game live on TV. But pick a local club and you can watch them live
regularly and almost be assured to get a ticket without having to pay for a
membership scheme.
There is a reason beyond the size of a teams' location in Scotland as to why
the attendance figures for the likes of Motherwell, St Mirren, Dundee United
and Kilmarnock range between 5-7,000. It is because there is so little to
look forward to and there hasn't been for a couple of decades at least and
once again it is largely to do with the grip of the top two over the
Champions League money. The SPL is such an obvious example to the Premier
League chiefs of how a league becomes unappealing.
Unless action is taken fast in order to make the Premier League a level
playing field for all of the teams financially and for its cost to come down
for the fans, then many fans may well walk away from it or at least take
much less of a genuine interest. The number of teams which have already
narrowly avoided going out of existence by dropping out of the Premier
League is already large. Leeds, Portsmouth, Southampton to name a few. Those
are the warning signs and how long will it be before we see 3 teams
relegated because all 3 have had points deducted because of being forced
into administration?
Is the appeal of football to watch a competitive game being played and the
possibility of success at something during a season or is it to be concerned
with clubs finances, players wages, fear of your club going out of business
and dodgy deals being done in the transfer market and the petulance and
image of players? Players appearing on television seems to be more important
to them than what they do on the pitch.
There is a small but increasing possibility that the league may implode from
its own inability to support itself because of its increasing lack of
appeal.
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Obinna has Hammers medical
Nigerian striker set to seal West Ham move
Last updated: 25th August 2010
SSN
Sky Sports News understands that Inter Milan striker Victor Obinna is having
a medical at West Ham. It was reported earlier this week that the Hammers
were in talks with Obinna over personal terms. And an agreement has now been
reached with the 23-year-old undergoing a medical on Wednesday at Upton
Park. Hammers boss Avram Grant is desperate to bolster his attacking options
after seeing his side score just once in their first two Premier League
games and then scrape past Oxford in the Carling Cup. Grant turned to Obinna
after being forced to put his efforts to sign Manchester City's Felipe
Caicedo on hold and Inter were willing to loan out the Nigeria
international. The former Chievo frontman went close to a move to Everton
two years ago only for work permit problems to scupper the deal. He has
scored 11 goals in 34 internationals for Nigeria and played two games at
this summer's World Cup before scoring once in Inter's 3-0 friendly win over
Manchester City in the USA in pre-season.
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Grant hopeful of Parker deal
Hammers boss confident that skipper will sign a new contract
By Razwan Mirza Last updated: 25th August 2010
SSN
West Ham manager Avram Grant is hopeful that Scott Parker will pen a new
deal at Upton Park. Grant is confident that the midfield general will commit
his future to the club despite the Hammers' poor start to the new Premier
League season. The Irons' skipper has been continuously linked to a number
of clubs, including London rivals Tottenham, where manager Harry Redknappis
a known admirer of the 29-year-old. However, the former Portsmouth and
Chelsea boss is confident that Parker will sign a new deal at Upton Park.
"Scott Parker is very important," said Grant. "He is a very good player who
is always fighting and giving everything, He is clever. "I am confident that
I want him in the team. He is going to sign a new contract but normally I do
not want to be involved in the money situation."
Parker secured the Hammers' first win of the season in a 1-0 victory against
Oxford in the second round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday. And, according to
Grant, keeping the midfield stalwart is crucial to a side which is currently
struggling for confidence. "As far as I know Scott is happy here. We want to
develop young players but we need experienced players who are very
positive," he said. "Scott is very important for us because he is one of the
experienced players who have a good influence on the others."
Grant also admitted that although he speaks to Spurs boss Harry Redknapp on
a regular basis, the two men have never discussed Parker. "Harry didn't tell
me anything and I spoke with him today and he is my friend and I am sure he
would have told me," said Grant. "We just spoke about wine and things."
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Scott will Park up at West Ham
The Sun
Published: 25 Aug 2010
AVRAM GRANT is certain Scott Parker will sign a new contract at West Ham.
The Hammers ace has been linked with a move across London to rivals
Tottenham. But Grant is confident he can hold on to the former Chelsea man,
who scored the only goal as West Ham beat Oxford in the Carling Cup last
night. The Israeli said: "Parker is very important. He is a very good player
who is always fighting and giving everything, he is clever. "I am confident
that I want him in the team. He is going to sign a new contract but normally
I do not want to be involved in the money situation. "As far as I know Scott
is happy here. We want to develop young players but we need experienced
players who are very positive. "Parker is very important for us because he
is one of the experienced players who have a good influence on the others."
Grant wants to sign a right-back before the transfer window closes but
admits money remains tight at Upton Park. He added: "We need more players.
We have a long-term programme and part of it is to try to change players and
bring in others. "We are searching through hundreds of offers but we have to
find the right one. "We have financial problems and have to return the debts
we have. We all know that we have a long way to go until we put our club in
the position that we want."
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Av bags a bin man
The Sun
By DAVID FACEY
Published: Today
WEST HAM are expected to complete the signing of Inter Milan winger Victor
Obinna today. The 23-year-old was spotted at Upton Park yesterday as he
underwent a medical. Obinna was hailed by former Inter boss Jose Mourinho as
one of the club's brightest prospects when he scored on his Serie A debut
two years ago. But the Nigerian international failed to build on that start
and spent last season on loan to Malaga, where he made 26 appearances in La
Liga. Everton tried to take the player on loan last season. But Obinna is
now a free agent and Avram Grant has snapped him up in a bid to add more
firepower to a lacklustre Hammers attack.
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Park Strife for Noble
The Sun
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
Published: Today
MARK NOBLE has urged West Ham to do everything in their power to keep Scott
Parker. Midfield maestro Parker, 29, has agreed a new five-year deal but has
yet to put pen to paper - with fears growing he may be sold before the
transfer window closes. Parker bagged a last-minute Carling Cup winner
against Oxford United on Tuesday to lift the gloom over Upton Park.
Team-mate Noble said: "We need to keep him for the sake of everything.
"Scott and I have played in central midfield in the last couple of games and
I've really enjoyed it. "We bounce off each other. It's like being
telepathic and it's great to have that understanding. "Now we need to
strengthen the squad, there's no doubt about it."
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Vinny's Oxford United Report
Vinny - Wed Aug 25 2010
West Ham Online
League Cup 2nd Round
West Ham United 1 Oxford United 0
It took an injury time winner from Scott Parker to save West Ham from being
further embarrassed by fourth division outfit Oxford United. In a game
which was meant to build confidence as well as progressing to the next round
it has really only served as another concern as the 2010/11 season continues
to have a bleak outlook.
Of course getting through to the next round of a winnable competition was
the main goal but to have struggled for so long and look void of ideas
against a team such as Oxford cannot be viewed in favourable light, victory
or not.
I was disappointed at the number of changes Avram Grant made to the side as
I thought this would have been a good opportunity to get the team together
and build confidence. Instead a younger inexperienced and unfamiliar side
was picked and they looked as though they had just met each other.
My biggest disappointment was simply the lack of quality we have all over
the side. Mark Noble aside I thought most of our side looked very poor with
basic skills such as ball control and simple sideways passing becoming
almost an ordeal.
Lack of concentration and casual passing was a problem throughout and it
would appear that playing a lower division team saw a few senior pro's
struggle to find the motivation to play at the best of their ability.
With the prices at just £10.00 for adults anywhere in the ground and tickets
being sold on the door it was a little disappointing that there wasn't more
than 20,092 in the ground. Oxford made sure they were going to savour the
tie by turning out in impressive numbers. They filled the entire Trevor
Brooking Lower and a fair bit of the upper and they really made some noise.
Our fans, even the younger ones who many were visiting Upton Park for the
first time already have the booing technique drilled into them as certain
players names did not sit well with many such as Jonathan Spector. This is
before the game has even started - I mean give him a chance to do something
wrong at least.
As mentioned Grant made quite a number of changes to the side who started
against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
The first change was in goal as Robert Green was rested and in his place for
his West Ham debut was Marek Stech.
In defence, Herita Ilunga was rested (and on the bench) and replaced by
Jonathan Spector at left back. Fabio Daprela was no where to be seen and the
rumours that he will be leaving the club soon may be true with this
exclusion.
At centre half James Tomkins was back in the side replacing Danny Gabbidon
and with Matthew Upson out with injury replacing him and also making his
West Ham debut was summer signing Tel Ben Haim.
In midfield Kieron Dyer was not included in the squad and he was replaced by
Junior Stanislas who started on the left wing with Pablo Barrera on the
right and Mark Noble alongside the Captain for the evening Scott Parker in
the middle.
Up front Fredrique Piquionne kept his place and alongside him was Freddie
Sears who was in for Carlton Cole who had dropped to the bench.
Before the game the news had come through that Alessandro Diamanti had left
the club to sign for Italian side Brescia. I cannot say I am sad to see the
Italian leave the club as I felt he never really got going, he didn't have a
position we could play him in, he didn't score enough goals from open play
and could not get used to the pace of the English game.
I know many think he was the type of flair player we have seen at West Ham
over the years but people's eagerness for a new Paolo Di Canio blinded them
when talking about Diamanti. He wasn't even in the game league as Hugo
Porfirio never mind Di Canio.
We began the brighter of the two sides with Piquionne having a half chance
which forced the keeper into a low save which went away for a corner.
Sustained pressure though would be something we could not do and Oxford
would find it a lot more comfortable at the back than they may have been
expecting.
The first chance for Oxford came after a good move which saw Mitchell Cole
cross for Constable to sidefoot straight at Stech.
It seemed that the visitors were not to be over awed by the task of taking
on Premiership opposition although there were times where we seemed to have
a little bit more invention but the final ball was often poor.
Stanislas came close to giving us the lead when he cut in from the left and
hit a right foot shot which took a slight deflection which saved Oxford and
it went out for a corner. We had many corners during the game and rarely did
any cause problems for the opposition.
Not long after we had the best chance of the first half when Faubert showed
some nice skill on the right hand side and crossed for Piquionne to head
wide when it seemed certain he was going to score. It was a poor miss but at
least we had created a clear cut chance.
At the other end a good counter attacking move saw the ball pulled back for
Asa Hall who hit a 25 yard drive which was superbly tipped over the bar by
Stech. This chance was a reminder that Oxford were not going to simply try
to soak up pressure.
Most of our play was focussed down the right hand side with Barrera and
Faubert but it was on rare occasion that they actually found a West Ham
player in the area.
The fans were beginning to get a little restless with the lack of a goal
which would have made things a lot more comfortable. It is always difficult
in games like to get that first goal given the resistance of the opposition
who will not try anything over fancy and have their main goal of not
conceding.
The second half wasn't much better. In fact it was quite a depressing 45
minutes in which the worst of the team came out. We couldn't pass with any
quality, our finishing was very concerning and despite eventually getting
the victory any celebration was of relief.
We kicked the half off a man down as Julien Faubert seemed to have forgotten
that he was part of the starting line up. He strolled on a couple of minutes
after the re-start.
Oxford were limited to long range efforts which they had a few of and our
first chance of the half fell to Piquionne who hit a low shot straight at
the Oxford keeper Clarke.
We then went through a period where chances were created only for the fans
to despair at some of the erratic finishing from Piquionne in particular.
A ball through to the French striker saw him take one touch too many and the
keeper managed to smother the ball when he just needed to lift it over him.
A few moments later another golden opportunity came our way as we countered
and the ball was pulled back by Piquionne for Noble to slice horribly wide
when it seemed as though he was about to give us the lead.
Frustration was sweeping around Upton Park as the players began to get
nervous and some of the passing from the back (Ben Haim and Faubert the main
culprits) was very erratic.
The introduction of Carlton Cole gave us a little more up front and a great
chance came our way soon after when Scott Parker looked poised to score but
a great save from Clarke sent frustration levels rising even further.
Freddie Sears was removed in favour of Benni McCarthy. This saw Piquionne
move out to the right hand side as we looked to pile forward but too many
wasteful final balls and lack of conviction in the area seemed to indicate
we were in for an even longer night.
Three minutes of injury time were awarded as the Oxford fans were in full
voice as they were clearly delighted at keeping Premiership opposition at
bay.
But the success of taking us to extra time was to be taken from them in
cruel fashion as with almost the last kick of the game a goal from nowhere
came when Piquionne got down the right hand side and crossed for Scott
Parker to nip in and score.
Despite dominating the game in terms of chances and possession it was still
harsh on Oxford but at the end of the day we just needed to get through to
the next round.
We always seem to struggle in this game every season. Last season it was
Millwall who took us to extra time, the season before Macclesfield also took
us into extra time, the season before that only a last minute goal from Dean
Ashton at home to Plymouth secured victory and one season prior to that we
were getting knocked out by Chesterfield. So that's Pardew, Cubishley, Zola
and now Grant who have struggled.
Hopefully when we are at Wembley in March for the final we will look back on
this and laugh. We will chuckle at how Oxford held us for so long. Things
will look so different….
No really.
Player Reviews
Marek Stech
A debut for the 20 year old Czech keeper as he replaced Robert Green. It was
a decent performance and he made a few good saves. There were a few moments
of indecision but in fairness I think it was the defenders in front of him
who were the indecisive ones and not Stech.
Julien Faubert
Did not seem to have much interest in this game and some of his passing in
the second half was simply lazy. He didn't seem to want to move down the
line in the second period when in the first half he had done reasonably
well. I still don't think he is a right back and that does ask the question
what can you actually do with him.
James Tomkins
Despite his odd way of kicking the ball which seems that he is almost doing
so with the back of his foot Tomkins put in a very assured performance and
easily dealt with the Oxford attackers. His reading of the game and tackling
was spot on.
Tal Ben Haim
An odd performance from another debutante. Had a few moments of madness with
some poor decision making and some terrible distribution of the ball. As our
defence wasn't significantly troubled he didn't really have to get stuck in.
I'm hoping he is just feeling his way back to fitness.
Jonathan Spector
We have pointed out so many times before that he is not a left back and even
at right back he is questionable. He was our weak link and Oxford did try to
get at him in the second half. If Ilunga gets injured (and lets be honest
his form is poor also) I dread the thought of having to play Spector.
Pablo Barrera
He wants the ball, he wants to run with it but three games down the line he
hasn't really been able to provide a final ball. He saw lots of the ball
during this game and likes to try and get down the line and run at players
but his crossing was poor.
Scott Parker
A lethargic performance from Parker who didn't really do much to excel
himself. The midfield two of him and Noble were the ones driving us forward
and Oxford couldn't really compete with him. Parker though gave the ball
away a number of times and lost possession when holding onto the ball for
too long. But of course when you are struggling you need your best players
to come up with the goods and Parker delivered a last gasp goal.
Mark Noble
In my opinion Noble ran the game. Everything we did usually started with
him. His passing was better than anyone elses and he always was available
for a pass. He got things going and should have scored himself in the second
half.
Junior Stanislas
Apart from one run and shot in the first half he was very poor and just not
in the game. He failed to stick to the wing and kept coming inside which
left us only having Spector to pass it out to on the left hand side. He was
correctly taken off.
Freddie Sears
Way out of his depth and not for the first time.
Fredrique Piquionne
So many chances and yet no goals for the striker who if we do not bring in
another striker we will be relying on to get the goals along with Carlton
Cole. He had at least three golden chances which he should have finished. He
was the danger man but you can't help but be disappointed that he failed to
convert.
Subs Used
Carlton Cole (on for Stanislas 62 mins)
We looked more dangerous when he was on the pitch although he didn't
actually have much impact directly when on the ball. He had one half chance
when he controlled the ball, turned but his swipe mostly hit air instead of
the ball.
Benni McCarthy (on for Sears 78 mins)
Some nice touches here and there but didn't have a significant impact.
Subs Not Used: Green, Da Costa, Boa Morte, Ilunga, Kovac
Bookings: None
Man Of The Match: Mark Noble
Oxford United: Clarke, Purkiss, Wright, Worley, Tomkins, Bulman (Baker 71),
Heslop, Potter (Green 86), Hall, Cole (Clist 46), Constable
Subs: Eastwood, Creighton, Deering, Midson
Attendance: 20, 902
Overall
As usual when Premiership teams play lower division opposition, you are
damned if you do and damned if you don't. Of course many will argue that
they would have expected just a little bit against a side who were playing
the likes of Histon and Crawley Town last season. The lack of quality is a
big worry and add our first two results this season into he mix and I could
understand why anyone would be very concerned about our prospects. Judging
from comments made by Avram Grant he too is concerned at the fragile state
of the squad and we need more quality in certain areas. A striker is a must.
I don't dislike Piquionne and have a lot of time for Carlton Cole but we
need another quality striker who will bring in another 10-15 goals. A right
back is a position we need a player. We haven't replaced Lucas Neill yet and
it's been a while. I can't see us signing another centre half as we have
Gabbidon, Ben Haim, Reid, Da Costa, Tomkins and Upson. How good these
actually thought is debatable.
Next Game – Manchester United (a)
I try to always be optimistic going into every game but if anyone can help
me out here I'd appreciate it. I cannot see how we are going to beat them
and I'm not sure if there is anything in our team that can hurt them. I hope
I am wrong.
The View From Grant
When you play at home against a team that are not from your league, it is
obvious that they will defend and we needed to score an early goal," the
manager said. "They defended very well and worked like a team. They helped
each other. It was not easy to find a way through. I was very impressed and
tactically they played very well. "I liked it that my players continued to
pass the ball and waited for the opportunity. They didn't go crazy to score.
At the end of the day, we found it. We are in the next round and this is
what is important." "Mentally it is not just about the first win, it is that
we did it in the last moment. The players were fighting against relegation
last year so there is some psychology problems and we need to adapt also to
the way we play football. We are developing. Of course it will take time and
be step by step but the main thing is to progress." "Marek is a good talent,
But is not just him, we played today with five players from the Academy. I
think that is unusual but we will continue to do this." The players kept
pushing, we kept our shape and we moved the ball. We tried to find the
opportunity until the last minute and I was very pleased we did."
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Noble: I fear the worst for West Ham if we don't keep Parker
Published 23:00 25/08/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble has admitted he fears the worst unless the
club can keep hold of Scott Parker. Noble has also urged West Ham to bring
in new players before the transfer window shuts to help them through their
nightmare start. West Ham boss Avram Grant has lost his opening two Premier
League games and now faces a daunting trip to Manchester United followed by
Chelsea and Tottenham. But Grant's task will be made even harder unless they
can keep hold of Parker who is stalling on the offer of a new five year
contract. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is keen after having an £8m bid
turned down and Grant has admitted he cannot be sure Parker will still be at
the club after the transfer window shuts. But Parker's midfield partner
Noble says it is vital they keep hold of the England international to help
the club steer clear away from relegation danger. Noble said: "We need to
keep hold of him for the sake of everything. "Me and Scott have played
together in the centre of midfield together in the last couple of games,
I've really enjoyed it as a two and we bounce off each other. "I know if he
goes forward then I will sit and the other way round. It's like being
telepathic and it's great to have that sort of understanding. "I think we
need to strengthen the squad. It's such a long season with so many games, we
need to bring quality to the squad. There's no doubt we need to do that. "If
we can bring in a little bit of quality, a bit of steel then I've got no
qualms about that."
Noble admits it has been a tough start to the campaign after back to back
defeats to Aston Villa and Bolton. That left Grant nervous of another defeat
in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night against League Two minnows Oxford.
Parker rescued them with a last gasp winner but Noble admits they now face a
daunting test at Old Trafford this weekend. But it does leave West Ham in
danger of being cut adrift after such a tough start unless they can improve
quickly. Noble said: "To be honest, it doesn't worry me. I think we've got a
good enough squad, good enough players to be doing well. "We played the best
we've played for a long time against Bolton on Saturday in the first half,
but scrappy goals killed us off. "That's what we've got to guard against and
it will be a little bit different against Man United on Saturday. But we've
still got to look at it in the same way. "If you keep plugging away then you
will get a goal eventually, we needed a bit of confidence. Sometimes when a
team puts 11 behind the ball it's hard to break them down no matter who they
are. The most important thing was to get the win (against Oxford). "We had a
few boos. But I've been here a few years now and you know with West Ham fans
if you're not 3-0 up at half time! "They know how we can play, seen so much
football over the years and that's what they expect. We've got to try and
give that to them. We scored a goal at the right time and now we've got
Manchester United on Saturday to look forward to. "I love playing those sort
of teams. It's such a test. Personally, you know you are playing against one
of the best teams in the world. "I'm looking forward to that, going to try
and rest for the next three games because playing two games back to back at
this stage of the season is tough at this stage of the season is quite tough
on the players' bodies. "In this league now it doesn't matter who you play,
all the teams you play are tough. To play Spurs, Aston Villa, Man United and
Chelsea so early on in the season is tough and the draw has not been kind to
us. "But you have to play who is in front of you. That's how you have to
look at it."
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West Ham lead Liverpool, West Brom and Aston Villa in chase for Juventus
striker
Published 23:00 25/08/10 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
West Ham are thrown their hat into the ring to sign Juventus striker David
Trezeguet. The 32-year-old Frenchman has is considering several offers after
being made surplus to requirements by the Italian giants. Liverpool, West
Brom and Aston Villa, as well as La Liga rivals Real Zaragoza, have all
expressed an interest along with Primera Liga side Hercules. Trezeguet is
expected to make his decision by the end of the week.
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West Ham target Tottenham defender
Published 23:00 25/08/10 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham boss Avram Grant wants Tottenham's England under-21 right back Kyle
Walker on loan for the season - but he will not be able to make a decision
until the last minute. Grant is keen to recruit Walker who is still on the
fringes at Spurs a year after joining from Sheffield United. He thinks the
youngster would be ideal for his problem position. However Hammers are only
allowed one more domestic loan signing and Grant may have to fill that slot
with a striker if he sells Carlton Cole to one of his admirers. Walker is
also fancied by Blackpool, but Ian Holloway faces the same dilemma because
of the new rules. If he misses out he will be sent to the Championship
instead when their window re-opens next month.
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Liverpool and Sunderland prepare Cole bids
ESPN Soccernet staff
August 25, 2010
ESPN
Liverpool and Sunderland have indicated that they are ready to launch bids
for West Ham United striker Carlton Cole. Soccernet has been informed that
neither side have, as yet, made an official bid, but the Hammers are well
aware of the interest mounting from the two clubs. Soccernet first revealed
that the Hammers were asking £15 million for Cole and that the player's
preference was a move to Anfield. Now Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is ready
to make the long awaited swoop after failing with a succession of moves for
other strikers. Sunderland are the latest club to be linked with the
centre-forward this week, while Stoke and Birmingham have been in hot
pursuit without success in turning Cole's head. Cole made it clear he would
only quit Upton Park for a big club and West Ham have been anticipating a
move from Liverpool. With the expected sale of Javier Mascherano to
Barcelona for more than £20 million, Hodgson has lined up a move for Cole.
Once Liverpool have sold Mascherano, who was rescued from the Hammers bench
by his £18 million move to Anfield, the Reds can offer West Ham the
inducement of paying a large chunk of the fee up front, which in turn can
aid the Hammers' transfer business in the final days of the window. Co-owner
David Sullivan has been busy lining up a replacement for Cole and, once the
England international departs, two more strikers are earmarked for Upton
Park.
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Scott Parker likely to stay at West Ham despite Tottenham interest
Redknapp still keen on midfielder, but admits deal unlikely
Spurs manager also keen on Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 25 August 2010 16.17 BST
Harry Redknapp has said he retains an interest in signing Scott Parker from
West Ham, though the Tottenham manager is aware any deal may be difficult
because the east London club does not want to sell the 29-year-old
midfielder. Redknapp has already had one offer — thought to be in the region
of £8m – rejected by West Ham this summer. Asked if Parker's failure to sign
the improved contract on offer from West Ham meant he was still a player
under consideration, Redknapp said: "I am saying nothing. I don't think
anything is going to happen with Scott Parker. They don't want to sell him
so ..." Avram Grant, the West Ham manager, is also confident Parker will
remain at Upton Park. He said: "I spoke to Harry [yesterday] and he didn't
say anything [about Parker]. He is my friend and I am sure he would have
told me. We want to develop young players but we want experienced players as
well and Scott is very important to us."
Redknapp wants to sign a central midfielder and also has Lassana Diarra, who
he signed at Portsmouth, in his sights. But the Real Madrid midfielder's
wage demands could thwart any deal, with Redknapp's options dependent on
whether Spurs overturn their 3-2 deficit to Young Boys in the Champions
League play-off in the return leg tonight at White Hart Lane.
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Scott Parker dreading West Ham's league trip to Manchester United
'We're under no illusions, it's going to be difficult'
Club trying to regain initiative after losing first two games
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 25 August 2010 16.54 BST
West Ham will need to be organised and take their chances against Manchester
United, says Scott Parker. Scott Parker has said that he is "dreading" West
Ham's visit to Manchester United on Saturday as Avram Grant's team tries to
recover from losing their first two Premier League games this season.
Parker, who has been a transfer target for Tottenham throughout the summer,
was asked if he was worried about the trip to Old Trafford. "Yeah obviously.
Man United is one of those places you love to go and you love to play and
there are times you walk off the field dreading it," he said, after scoring
West Ham's late Carling Cup winner against Oxford United last night.
"We're under no illusions, it is going to be difficult we've got to go there
and do something similar to what Oxford done to us tonight really. We've got
to be organised and we've got to try and take our chance when it comes and
if we do that we might have a chance."
Following United, Chelsea visit Upton Park which raises the prospect of West
Ham potentially being pointless after four games. Parker said the next two
games would be very tough.
"We've not got off to the best of starts with two losses [against Aston
Villa and Bolton]. I don't think there's any hiding the fact it's going to
be a difficult season and that's the way it is. But it's a difficult season
because that's how good the league is, there's a lot of quality teams. Every
game's a battle and every game's going to be hard. With Chelsea and Man
United coming up, it's not an easy task, but we'll give it a go."
While Parker would not discuss his future – he has yet to sign an improved
deal – his midfield partner Mark Noble said he wants the 29-year-old to
stay.
"We need to keep hold of him for the sake of everything," he said. "Me and
Scott have played in the centre of midfield together in the last couple of
games, I've really enjoyed it and we bounce off each other. I know if he
goes forward then I will sit and the other way round. It's like being
telepathic and it's great to have that sort of understanding."
Grant has made a right-back and striker a priority. "I think we need to
strengthen the squad," Noble added. "It's such a long season with so many
games, we need to bring quality to the squad. There's no doubt we need to do
that. If we can bring in a little bit of quality, a bit of steel then I've
got no qualms about that."
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Three New Signings Targeted, But is a Specialist Defensive Coach Needed?
West Ham Till I Die
According to The Telegraph, Avram Grant has targeted three more signings
before the closure of the transfer window. The prioritized positions are
allegedly a goal keeper, a right-back and a striker. No surprises there!
As always, the issue is the identity of the new signings? The goal keeper
does not particularly bother me, as long as they manage to get in an
experienced professional to provide good quality cover, that should suffice.
The right-back and striker are of keener interest. In the past we have been
linked with Villa's Luke Young and Chelski's Paulo Ferreira. Both of whom
are players that can do a good job for us. However, strong rumours emerged
yesterday that we may, instead, be looking to sign Egyptian international
right-back, Fathy.
In terms of a striker, the SSN website has reported that Victor Obinna has
agreed terms and undergone a medical. If so, then news of his loan signing
from Inter Milan should be announced by Friday. The other major rumour
relates to an abortive £8m bid for Lorient's young striker, Kevin Gameiro.
Gameiro scored 17 goals in the French League last season and is seen, in
some quarters, as a better prospect than the much coveted Loic Remy. Will
the club make an improved offer?
We definitely need new recruits in all three positions, but central defence
still concerns me. We have added quantity in the summer, but have we added
quality? Tal Ben Haim provides solid cover, while Winston Reid needs more
time to adapt to the demands of the PL. Matt Upson's indifferent form seems
to have carried over from last season; while James Tomkins is suffering a
crisis of confidence and there will be a reluctance to throw Jordan Spence
in at the deep end. Da Costa did well at the end of last season and
deserves another chance, when fit. At the same time, it has to be asked
whether Gabbidon and Spector will play major roles this season? While
Illunga and Daprela should, theoretically at least, take care of left-back.
Can a decent rearguard be forged out of these players, plus Faubert and any
new right-back? For me, the crucial missing factor is strong on-pitch
leadership. We need a vocal defender that can rally and organise the back
four during matches. Lucas Neill did that job well and we need a player
with similar capabilities.
Perhaps the club might also take the extra step of engaging a specialist
defensive coach. Someone like George Graham could be engaged with the brief
to get our defenders playing as a single, cohesive unit. He certainly did
the trick with Adams, Dixon, Winterburn and co at Arsenal! If not Graham,
then get Alvin Martin in to do the job! He was formerly coached by Don
Howe, while on England duty, and he must have learnt an extra thing or two
from him about the art of advanced defending!
Prior commitments prevented me from attending the match with Oxford Utd.
Thank goodness for Scott Parker, that's all I will say. I bet that it will
not be the last time that it is said this season either (assuming that he
stays, of course!).
SJ. Chandos.
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Genoa willing to make swap offer for West Ham midfielder Behrami
25.08.10 | tribalfootball.com
Genoa are chasing West Ham United midfielder Valon Behrami. After being
frustrated in their bids for Liverpool fullback Emiliano Insua and Tottenham
winger Giovani dos Santos, Genoa president Enrico Preziosi still wants to
add a wide player to his squad before the summer market closes. TMW says a
cash-plus-player swap deal is on the cards, with Preziosi willing to include
Anthony vanden Borre in their bid for Behrami. The Switzerland international
is also wanted by Palermo and AS Roma.
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Grant desperate to add to West Ham squad
26.08.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Avram Grant admits he wants to buy more players. With
the club wanting to keep Scott Parker, attention has turned on to striker
Carlton Cole, who came on as a substitute against Oxford and missed a
penalty in last weekend's defeat against Bolton. There has been interest
from such as Stoke and Sunderland but clubs are reluctant to match West
Ham's £15million valuation. Grant said: "We need more players. We have a
long-term programme and part of it is to try to change players and bring in
others. "We are searching through hundreds of offers but we have to find the
right one. We have financial problems and have to return the debts we have.
We all know that we have a long way to go until we put our club in the
position that we want."
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Wigan still pushing through Franco deal
26.08.10 | tribalfootball.com
Wigan Athletic remain on course to sign Mexico international striker
Guillermo Franco. The Wigan Observer says Latics boss Roberto Martinez is
'still hoping to bring in a couple more players' before the window closes
next Tuesday, with the capture of free agent Franco taking slightly longer
than was originally anticipated. Franco is available after being released by
West Ham United at the end of last season.
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