KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 3rd May 2010
By: Staff Writer
Hull finally became the third club to be relegated from the Premier League
tonight thanks to a last-gasp strike from Wigan's Steve Gohouri. City,
leading 2-1 at the time, were just moments away from taking their fight to
remain in the top-flight to the final day of the season - even if it meant
that a win somewhere in the region of 20-0 would have been required next
Sunday as a result of West Ham's superior goal difference - until their
hopes were finally extinguished by the 29-year-old's goal. Despite having
fallen behind to a Victor Moses goal on the half-hour mark, Iain Dowie's
side struck twice - through Will Atkinson (42 minutes) and Mark Cullen (64)
- to surge ahead and in sight of their first away win of the season. That
was until Wigan's on-loan Ivory Coast defender Gohouri, making only his
fourth appearance for the Latics fired home the equaliser - with an overhead
kick, no less - in the third minute of added time to condemn the Tigers to
the drop, just two years after they reached the top flight for the first
time in their history.
Whether Iain Dowie - who was drafted in by City towards the end of the
campaign in a desperate and ultimately futile attempt to stave off the drop
- will remain in his post next season remains to be seen. Meanwhile - and
despite leading his team to safety with crucial wins against Sunderland and
Wigan during the run-in - Gianfranco Zola's prospects of managing in the
Premier League next season appear to be equally bleak, following his latest
comments with regard to his position. Talking after West Ham's 3-2 defeat at
Fulham yesterday, Zola told the BBC: "I don't want to make any comments any
more; I've already said what I thought and that is enough. I just want to
focus on the last game which is important to me."
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Kovac's Hammers delight
West Ham ace looks for better season
By Vasek Kadlec Last updated: 3rd May 2010
SSN
West Ham ace Radoslav Kovac is delighted with the club's Premier League
survival. The Czech midfielder admits everyone at Upton Park is 'incredibly
relieved' at The Hammers' survival. Kovac says the club are now looking at
turning things around next season. "Everyone is incredibly relieved," he
told Pravo. "I can't even describe it in words.
"First of all for the fans who have been fantastic throughout the season,
even despite us failing at a number of key home fixtures. "Had we not been
dropping so many points at home, we would have avoided relegation much
earlier. "We started the league poorly, it just slipped through our fingers.
That was the biggest problem. From the winter we knew we would be in the
relegation battle."
Kovac admits the season has been harder than expected. "I will be honest -
I did not expect the season to be so tough," he said. "I joined the club
last minute and, basically, with no mid-season fitness preparation. "Still I
have managed to win a regular spot and the coach has put confidence in me.
"But I never thought we would be in the relegation battle, but I have made
over 30 appearances just in the league and the season has been very
demanding both physically and mentally. I feel tired now."
Kovac feels West Ham will perform better next season. "I am sure we will not
be fighting against the drop for the second time in a row," he said. "We
will put in use our experiences and will surely be better.
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Carlton Cole in sorry state over West Ham's season
The Times
Russell Kempson
It takes a big man to apologise and, at 6ft 3in, Carlton Cole is a big man.
It should be no surprise, then, that he has profusely apologised to the West
Ham United supporters for the team's displays this season that have ranged
from mediocre to miserable. West Ham may have narrowly escaped relegation
but, Cole believes, that is no reason for backslaps. Quite the opposite.
"It's been a bad season and we want to just move on from that," the striker
said. "It can't get any worse for us. "For the fans as well. They obviously
love the club so much and they don't deserve to go through what they've been
through this year. For me, personally, I'd like to apologise. We haven't
been good enough and, hopefully, we can put it right next season. "The
players and the manager will tell you that we're all sorry that things
haven't worked out the way it was supposed to be. We need to regroup and
start again next season and, hopefully, we can do better. We are going to do
better, that's the bottom line."
Speculation over the future of Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, has
not helped the players, Cole added. "It does trickle down, it does affect
us, you can't lie about that," he said. "It's in any job really. If your top
man, your boss, doesn't feel secure, then obviously, to the players, it
sends a wrong message out. "Sometimes you can see it on the pitch. But we
are professional footballers and we did the job to stay up. We just need to
push on now and just forget about this season. It's a write-off and, again,
I'd just like to apologise to everybody. "I think the manager has learnt a
lot this season, about his squad and about the Premier League. It's his
first proper big job and to come to West Ham is a massive ask as well
because it's a massive club. "He's handled the pressure quite well because
we came in with a weakened squad at the beginning of the season. We had to
sell a few players that we'd have liked to have kept so he's had to deal
with the cards that he's been given. Sometimes, that's not easy for an
inexperienced manager. Hopefully, next season should be better."
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Cole: 'We're all sorry that we weren't good enough'
Published 22:20 03/05/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
Carlton Cole last night issued an unprecedented apology to West Ham's fans
for their disastrous season. The England striker said that all of the
players fear there could be a mass clear-out at Upton Park because they
"have not been good enough." It is rare for a Premier League star to admit
they have fallen short and avoid lame excuses but Cole was refreshingly
honest in his assessment of the club's roller-coaster campaign. Cole said:
"The fans love the club so much and they don't deserve to go through what
they've been through this year. "And for me personally, I'd like to
apologise. We haven't been good enough and hopefully next season we can put
it right. "I represent West Ham. The players and the manager will tell you,
we're all sorry things haven't worked out the way they were supposed to this
season. "But we need to regroup and start again next season and hopefully we
can. We are going to do better next season, that's the bottom line."
Cole, still hoping to force his way into Fabio Capello's World Cup squad,
also confessed that the whole squad - barring Scott Parker - are now
sweating on their futures. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan admitted last
week that all of the players are now for sale apart from fans' favourite
Parker to ease the club's debts and also after a season of disappointment.
Cole admitted he believes he could be sold and that West Ham will cash in if
they get the right offer. Cole's England team-mates, Rob Green and Matt
Upson, could be the first out of the door. England keeper Green could be
ready for a new challenge abroad while the club have told Upson - who has
one year left on his current deal - that he must sign a new contract or be
sold, as was first revealed in Mirror Sport.
Cole said: "We all know that we haven't been good enough this season. Scott
Parker's been brilliant, and he's my players' Player of the Year. "Obviously
he's the fans' favourite, so there's no way they're going to be looking to
sell him. "But as for the the rest I don't know what's going on. Everyone
knows we're in financial difficulties and if the right offer comes in for
anybody, you can't really turn it down. "That's football. I think at any
club in the Premier League, if someone's offered a good amount for one of
your players and you think it's worth it, you're going to take it."
West Ham have struggled all season and manager Gianfranco Zola seems certain
to leave this summer as co-owners Sullivan and David Gold look to bring in
their own man, with Slaven Bilic and Mark Hughes on their hit-list. Zola's
future is as certain as that of his players and Cole is again honest enough
to admit that the manager may have lacked the top -light experience for a
season-long struggle against the drop. Only the appalling form of fellow
strugglers Hull has saved West Ham from a bitter fight to the end and Cole
says the players should have done better. Cole added: "I think he's (Zola)
learnt a lot this season, about his squad and about the Premier League.
Obviously, it's his first proper, big job. "And to come to West Ham is a
massive ask because it's a massive club. I think he's handled the pressure
quite well because I think we came in with a weakened squad at the beginning
of the season. "We had to sell a few players we'd have liked to have kept,
so he's had to deal with the cards he's been given, and sometimes that's not
easy for an inexperienced manager. "You've got Steve Clarke there to help
him as well, but it's not easy. Hopefully we can make it right next season.
"It does trickle down to the players and it does affect us, you can't lie
about that. It's the same in any job. If your top man, your boss, doesn't
feel secure, then obviously it sends the wrong message out to the players,
and sometimes you can see it on the pitch. "But we are professional
footballers and we did the job, just, to stay up. Now we need to push on and
forget about this season. It's a write-off."
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Sullivan: 'Hammers fans are right behind me' - Exclusive
Published 22:20 03/05/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
David Sullivan insists West Ham fans are fully behind him, despite his
controversial outbursts which have upset Gianfranco Zola. The Hammers'
joint-chairman has angered boss Zola with a series of comments following his
January takeover. The former Birmingham supermo first annoyed the Italian in
February by admitting the squad could be forced into mandatory pay-cuts. And
he publicly slammed the team following their disastrous 3-1 home defeat to
Wolves in March. Now Sullivan has got Zola fuming again by telling
MirrorFootball he will listen to offers for any player this summer except
Scott Parker. He has also put in a bid for West Brom midfielder Graham
Dorrans which Zola admits he had no knowledge of. Zola is set to leave Upton
Park as soon as the Premier League season is over, despite keeping the
struggling club up. But Sullivan insists Hammers fans have not complained to
him at all about his hard-hitting methods after inheriting debts of
£100million at the club. "I have had nothing but compliments from the West
Ham fans," said Sullivan. "Most, if not all of them, support what I have
done. "I have had hundreds of letters. When I meet people outside the ground
they realise things are not right and they are pleased someone is happy to
say it. "I still believe everything I have done is for the benefit of the
team. "Take for example Ilan, who has scored four goals. No-one had ever
heard of him. I brought him in and he has an uncanny knack of scoring
goals."
Sullivan has a short-list including Steve McClaren, Slaven Bilic, Avram
Grant and Martin Jol to replace the doomed Zola. Sources close to McClaren
insist the ex-England boss has made no decision on his future, despite being
heavily linked with a move to Wolfsburg after leading FC Twente to the Dutch
title.
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Carlton Cole apologises to West Ham supporters on behalf of players
'Hopefully next season we can put it right,' says Cole
Striker admits uncertainty over manager did not help
Dominic Fifield guardian.co.uk, Monday 3 May 2010 22.35 BST
Carlton Cole has issued an apology to West Ham United's beleaguered
supporters on behalf of the players for a season of desperate
underachievement at Upton Park. He admitted, though, that the ongoing
uncertainty over the future of the manager, Gianfranco Zola, had been
unsettling.
Defeat at Fulham on Sunday left West Ham without a league victory away from
home since the opening day. Safety had almost been secured the previous week
with a 3-2 win over Wigan Athletic though the east Londoners will be
thankful for Hull City's deficiencies as they stagger across the finish line
dissatisfied with their own campaign.
Zola is expected to leave the club with his relationship with the new
owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, strained and a summer of upheaval
ahead.
"We've tried to get on with it, game by game, but all the speculation over
the manager's future does trickle down to the players and it does affect us,
I can't lie about that," said Cole. "It's the same as in any job, really. If
your top man, your boss, is not … you know, doesn't feel secure, then
obviously it sends the wrong message out to the players. Sometimes you can
see it out on the pitch. We are professional footballers and we did the job
to stay up, but we just need to push on now and forget about this season.
"It's been a write-off, and I'd just like to apologise to everybody. I
represent West Ham. The players and the manager will tell you we're all
sorry things haven't worked out the way it was supposed to be this season.
We haven't been good enough and, hopefully, next season we can put it right.
But we need to regroup and start again. We have to do better next season,
that's the bottom line. It's been a bad season and we want to just progress
from that because it can't get any worse for us."
Sullivan has already stated publicly that the entire first-team squad,
barring the midfielder Scott Parker, is effectively up for sale with major
changes needed to avoid a repeat of this term's toils. That statement
surprised and disappointed Zola who, likewise, had been unaware of a £4m bid
that was rejected by West Bromwich Albion for the midfielder Graeme Dorrans.
The manager is due to discuss his future with the owners after Sunday's
visit of Manchester City.
"I think Gianfranco has learnt a lot this season, both about his squad and
about the Premier League," said Cole. "It's his first proper big job, and to
come to West Ham is a massive ask because it's a massive club. I think he's
handled the pressure quite well because we came in with a weakened squad at
the beginning of the season. We had to sell a few players that we'd have
liked to have kept, so he's had to deal with the cards he's been given.
That's not easy as an inexperienced manager.
"We all know that we haven't been good enough this season. Scott Parker's
been brilliant – he's my players' player of the year, and he's obviously the
fans' favourite, so there's no way they're going to be looking to sell him.
But, with the rest, I don't know what's going on. Everyone knows that we're
in financial difficulty and, if the right offer comes in for anybody, you
can't really turn it down. That's just football.
"But we've been playing poorly all season, really. It's not been good for my
heart. It's been a culmination of stuff, but we're going to go away and
regroup in the summer and try and sort everything out. We just want this
year out of the way now. We'll have one more big push to end the season on a
high, and hopefully we'll beat Manchester City on Sunday. But next season
should be better. Hopefully we can make it right then."
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Mark Noble, Renaissance Man?
West Ham Till I Die
One of the disappointing aspects of the last couple seasons has arguably
been the relatively indifferent form of Mark Noble. Since his heroics of
2006-07, Noble had not appeared to progress in quite the manner in which we
had anticipated. Supporters on this and other Hammers websites have, with
differing degrees of justification, regularly criticised his lack of form
and apparent fitness.
Yet prior to the key Everton away fixture, Noble was one of those that I had
identified as a player that could step up to the plate and make a difference
for us this season. And he did not disappoint! From that match onwards,
Mark Noble has put in some very impressive displays, reminiscent of his
outstanding performances during the famous 'great escape' season. He has
looked assured on the pitch, taken greater responsibility and shown high
levels of industry and commitment. Think of his battling performances at
Everton and against Sunderland at Upton Park; against Liverpool he was one
of only two Hammers players (the other being Da Costa) that emerged with any
credit. While in defeating Wigan, Noble was a decisive influence, alongside
Parker, in midfield; and at Fulham on Sunday, he combined beautifully with
Scott Parker to lay on Franco's late goal.
Moreover, Noble appears to have regained his ability to both make decisive,
biting tackles, and be an important attacking force. Apart from Diamanti,
he is probably the best passer of a ball in the current squad. He possesses
a vision and range of passing that stands out. Interestingly, in Diamanti's
absence from the first XI, it is Noble who has supplied much of craft and
touch, in the final third, that has assisted our belated scramble to safety.
Perhaps working with Diamanti in training has improved his technique/potency
at corners and set peices. As I said at the time, Noble's free kick that
hit the bar, and led to Kovac's headed goal, against Wigan was right out of
Diamanti's locker. I do not believe that this is a coincidence! Diamanti
has fantastic quality and, in my book, should be retained next season. Yes,
there are some defensive cover and decision-making issues, but a good coach
should be able to work on these and harness his outstanding individual
ability within the overarching context of an effective team unit.
In many ways, I think that the ability of Noble and Diamanti, actual and
potential, render them indispensable next season. Certainly with 9 goals
this season, Diamanti deserves another chance. While, Noble needs to build
on this resurgence in form and show that he can perform to that level
consistently again next season and then push on further still.
Will Noble's career rise phoenix like from the ashes of our disappointing
2009-10 season? Can he now realise his early career promise and go on to
become the highly influential player that we have long anticipated?
Can Mark Noble become West Ham's very own Renaissance Man?
SJ. Chandos.
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Chris Coleman: It's unlikely Freddie Sears will be here next season
May 3 2010
Coventry Telegraph
CHRIS COLEMAN today hinted that Freddie Sears won't be back at Coventry City
next season as he plans a major revamp of his Sky Blues squad. The City boss
apologised to disgruntled fans after seeing his side capitulate 4-0 at the
Ricoh Arena yesterday against Watford in the final game of the Championship
season. Coleman admits changes are needed to boost City's first team squad -
but believes West Ham loanee Sears won't be part of next season's plans. He
said: "I could have put Freddie Sears on (during yesterday's game) but it's
looking like he won't be with us next season so I decided to give Jordan
(Clarke) and Shaun (Jeffers) a little bit of experience of the
Championship."
Coleman says he wants to make substantial improvements to his City squad if
the clubs wants to challenge for the top 10 next season. And he admits he's
not sure whether he'll have any cash or wheel-and-deal through the loan
system to get new faces in. He added: "We've got two months to sort things
out. "We need to make changes and while that game hasn't changed my mind
about any players, it has probably cemented it because we were second-best
in every department on the pitch. "Whether we've got money to invest this
summer or whether we've got to look to loans we'll try to strengthen things,
because we can either take a big step forward of stay where we are now, not
really in the relegation battle but not equipped to challenge for the top
10. "Sometimes we struggle with expectations. "We're a big Championship
club with a fantastic stadium, but we haven't lived up to that on the pitch.
"We knew that Watford would be in a buoyant move after their result last
week – but they won the game because they wanted it more than us, and that's
bitterly disappointing."
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