Scott Parker exclusive
WHUFC.com
The Hammer of the Year has given his thoughts on the latest goings-on at
West Ham United
17.06.2010
Scott Parker may be enjoying a deserved summer break but the launch of the
2010/11 fixtures and new faces at the club has turned thoughts firmly to the
forthcoming campaign. While the FIFA World Cup is dominating the back pages,
it has also been a busy summer at the Boleyn Ground, with new manager Avram
Grant and Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger the first of what is
expected to be a series of high-profile arrivals. With extensive experience
in this country and abroad, Parker believes the presence of both will be of
great benefit to the club. "I have not met the new manager yet, but
obviously he has impressed the Chairmen with the very good jobs he has done
at other clubs," Parker told whufc.com. "I am looking forward to meeting
Avram and talking to him about his ideas and what he wants to bring to the
club. "I remember playing against Thomas when he was with Villa and he has
got a very good shot on him. He is a very good addition to the squad.
Players like Thomas can only improve us and are the type we all want to see
coming in."
Before pre-season training starts on 5 July, Parker is enjoying some time
out with his family. The Hammer of the Year just missed out on the final
England squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup but his omission has a silver
lining. Not only will the 29-year-old have the opportunity to put his feet
up following a draining 2009/10 campaign, but he will also enjoy some
much-valued quality time with his wife and three young sons. "My summers
have changed so much since I was younger! Before I had children, I used to
go away for the whole summer, but now things are different. As anyone who
has children knows, you have to be there to take them to school and pick
them up and your plans have to fit around their school holidays. "Basically,
I'll be trying to recharge my batteries and have some time to relax with my
family before preparing to return for pre-season and get ready for the new
season."
While he is naturally disappointed to have missed out on playing at the
World Cup, Parker has been keeping a close eye on events in South Africa -
including club-mate Robert Green's unfortunate error against the United
States on Saturday. As a fellow professional and a friend, the midfielder is
confident the goalkeeper has all the mental and physical tools needed to put
the incident behind him. "As everybody has said and Rob has said himself, he
has made a mistake and he has fronted up. I heard someone say that, in
football, midfielders or centre-backs make umpteen mistakes in a game, but
they rarely lead to goals for the other team. When you play in goal, one
mistake in a game can be a massive deal. "I have played with Rob for three
years now and I know he will be able to handle it. Everybody knows what a
good goalkeeper he is and I am sure he will be able to come back and he will
be fine. "Rob has got bundles of experience and been around the game at the
top level for a long time. He is a mature character and I am sure he has got
his way of dealing with things."
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Green's Algerian homework
WHUFC.com
Robert Green is preparing hard ahead of England's second FIFA World Cup
fixture on Friday
17.06.2010
Robert Green believes England will have to do their homework to ensure they
are prepared for 2010 FIFA World Cup opponents Algeria on Friday. The north
Africans have undoubted quality after defeating Africa Cup of Nations
winners Egypt in a play-off, but the West Ham United goalkeeper - who has
been training hard this week after an eventful 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw
against the United States last Saturday - admitted many of their players are
not known to Fabio Capello's squad. While Portsmouth midfielder Nadir
Belhadj, Rangers defender Majid Bougherra and Wolverhampton Wanderers
midfielder Adlene Guedioura are familiar to England, many of their
international team-mates ply their trade in either France, Germany or their
home nation. "They are obviously a very good team, having come though the
African qualifiers and beaten Egypt," he told whufc.com. "They have got some
players who play in the Premier League who we know and players who don't
that we need to find out a lot more about. In that respect, we'll have to
sit down and read and watch a lot more about them. "To have qualified for
the World Cup out of the African qualifying stages is no mean feat and is
something that is really quite impressive and not to be taken lightly in any
sense. "I know Belhadj from Portsmouth and Bougherra from Rangers and I'm
sure, by the time we play them, we'll be well-versed in every player and
every detail about their game. "It will be similar to when we played Mexico
in that we didn't know everything about every player, but by the time we
started the game we knew pretty much everything about everybody - that's the
sort of detail you go into."
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Winterburn expecting better
WHUFC.com
Nigel Winterburn believes new manager Avram Grant will boost the club's
future fortunes
16.06.2010
Nigel Winterburn believes Avram Grant is the right man to improve West Ham
United's fortunes. The former Hammers left-back spent three seasons at the
Boleyn Ground between 2000 and 2003, playing 94 times and scoring once.
While the ex-England defender is perhaps more closely associated with his
time at Arsenal, Winterburn still retains a keen interest in the club where
he ended his glittering career. The 46-year-old recently returned to the
Boleyn Ground to take part in a charity match, bringing back fond memories
of his stay in east London when the WHUTV cameras caught up with him. "To be
quite honest, I've only been back a couple of times since I left, so it was
nice to come back. I always keep an eye on how West Ham are doing and
getting on. It was a bit touchy for them for a long time last season, but
they came through that which is the most important thing. "Hopefully now,
with a new manager in charge and new finances at the club, they can start
rebuilding again. I think now, they need to keep the manager in place for
the next four-to-five years to get the momentum going again."
Now working as a media pundit, Winterburn believes new manager Avram Grant
is the right man to improve the club's fortunes. "If you look at what he did
when he took over at Chelsea, he got them through to the Champions League
final. At Portsmouth, as well, he did a good job under really difficult
circumstances. "If he can get that team spirit that he had at Portsmouth,
with all the problems they had, into West Ham, then with the support that he
will get here he will be moving in the right direction. Everyone knows
football is all about winning and being competitive."
Winterburn spent the majority of his career playing under George Graham at
Arsenal, winning three league titles, two FA Cups, one European Cup Winners'
Cup and one League Cup in a team based on a settled and strong defence. "I
think a lot of people, when they talk about goals conceded, they just look
at the goalkeeper and the back four but sometimes, if there's no protection
in front of them, it's very, very difficult. "What you've got to do as a
team is cut out the silly mistakes. If someone produces a bit of world-class
football against you, then there's not a lot you can do about it, but if you
cut out the basic errors, you see the goals against going down rapidly and
you start winning more games."
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Taarabt unsure on future
Moroccan attracts Villarreal interest
By Francisco Acedo Last updated: 16th June 2010
SSN
Tottenham midfielder Adel Taarabt admits he is still in the dark regarding
his future. The 21-year-old has been at White Hart Lane since 2007 after
moving from Lens, but spent last season on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
Morocco international Taarabt made a number of eye-catching performances for
Rangers last term, and has attracted interest from a number of clubs.
Spanish outfit Villarreal are reportedly keenest to secure his signature,
and Taarabt wants to get the situation cleared up. "I still do not have a
clear future," he said. "I need to speak with Spurs to clear up the
situation. I have a deal with Tottenham but it is true that Villarreal have
asked about me. "My last season with QPR was positive and increased my level
as a footballer." Taarabt's former club Lens are also thought to be
interested in him, as are West Ham and Sevilla.
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Riquelme confirms English link
Midfielder set to return to Europe this summer
Last updated: 16th June 2010
SSN
Argentinian midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has confirmed that an English
club is pursuing his signature. The 31-year-old former Boca Juniors star is
a target of Premier League outfit West Ham, as reported by skysports.com on
Tuesday. Riquelme, who has retired from international duty after a fall-out
with coach Diego Maradona, has had two spells with Boca and has previously
played for Barcelona and Villarreal. Both Everton and Tottenham have
enquired about the technically-gifted midfielder in recent years, and
Brazilian club Flamengo have reportedly already put an offer on the table.
Riquelme feels he can still play at the highest level, and confirmed that he
has had offers from Argentina, as well as an interested English party. "I am
a player who can play in any side," he said in the Daily Express. "I want to
be happy and know where I am going to play. I feel I can play at the highest
level for many more years. "I have had several offers from clubs in
Argentina and there is an English club asking about me and my agent is
dealing with it."
West Ham avoided relegation from the Premier League last season and Avram
Grant has since taken control of the club following the departure of
Gianfranco Zola. The East London side have already added German midfielder
Thomas Hitzlsperger to their squad as they look to improve next term.
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Pires open to England return
Frenchman intrigued by options
Last updated: 16th June 2010
SSN
Robert Pires has revealed that he would welcome the opportunity to return to
England for a second spell. The World Cup-winning midfielder is currently
available as a free agent after parting company with Spanish outfit
Villarreal at the end of his contract. The Frenchman is now in the process
of weighing up his options, with numerous clubs reported to be keen to
acquire his considerable talent and experience. Among those to have
expressed an interest are West Ham United, Leicester City and Birmingham
City. Having previously taken in six years with Arsenal between 2000 and
2006, Pires admits he could be tempted to head back to England. He feels he
still has enough in the tank to compete in the Premier League, at 36 years
of age, but has not ruled out the prospect of taking on a challenge at a
second tier outfit like Leicester. "If the right kind of club expresses an
interest, I have no problem going over and doing a pre-season so they can
have a closer look at me," said Pires. "There's obviously a few big English
teams chasing me. I'm told Leicester and Birmingham have made serious
enquiries. "I still think I can play in the Premier League, but the
challenge of getting a team like Leicester promoted is very appealing,
especially with maybe two seasons left in my legs."
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Hammers Av to be patient
Published: Today
NIGEL WINTERBURN has urged West Ham to give Avram Grant time to rebuild the
squad. The left-back spent three seasons at Upton Park from 2000-03 - making
94 appearances and scoring once. And he said: "Look at what Grant did when
he took over at Chelsea, he got them through to the Champions League final.
"At Portsmouth, as well, he did a good job under really difficult
circumstances. "Hopefully now, with new finances at the club, they can start
rebuilding again. "They need to keep the manager in place for the next four
to five years to get the momentum going again."
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Spanish eye a Pet rescue
Published: 16 Jun 2010
MARTIN PETROV is wanted by Everton, West Ham and Spanish club Espanyol.
Manchester City's Bulgarian winger, 31, is available on a free and is
thought to favour a return to La Liga where he previously played for
Atletico Madrid. Petrov, who scored 12 goals in 57 starts, cost £4.7million
two years ago.
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Taylor insists Green can handle the pressure
Published 23:00 16/06/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
Maik Taylor insists pal Rob Green can handle the pressure of his World Cup
howler but says Joe Hart will be a top replacement if Fabio Capello wields
the axe. Birmingham and Northern Ireland keeper Taylor, 38, and England
shot-stopper Green, 30, share the same glove manufacturer. Taylor watched in
horror as Green's blunder gifted USA their equaliser in the 1-1 draw with
England. Now Green's place as England No.1 is in jeopardy for Friday's
second group game against Algeria on Friday. But Taylor insisted: "I know
Rob personally and he has a very strong character. "He will be desperate for
the next game to come around and put it right. "Rob is a top class keeper
and had a fantastic season with West Ham. "We have all made mistakes but
when you are playing at that level, especially at a crucial stage, it is
highlighted. "England didn't go on to win the game but Rob took it on the
chin and will be bang up for the next game. "The manager will look at Rob
during the course of the week and look at his body language but I am sure he
will be ready."
If Green is axed though, Taylor reckons Hart, who impressed on loan at St
Andrews this term, would be an ideal replacement. Hart, 23, who has three
caps, was named PFA Premier League goalkeeper of the year after a superb
stint with Brum. Taylor added: "He has had an exceptional season. "I don't
think there was anyone better through the course of the Premier League
season. "He takes everything in his stride and I think he will be fearless."
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West Ham, Fulham and Blackburn chase Bristol City hot shot
Published 23:00 16/06/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
Bristol City hot-shot Nicky Maynard could be heading to the Premier League
this summer. Former Crewe trainee Maynard, 23, is in demand after banging in
21 goals last term.
City have already rejected a recent £3.75million bid from relegated Burnley.
And now the top-flight trio of Fulham, Blackburn and West Ham are all
keeping tabs on the marksman. Maynard has two years left on his contract at
Ashton Gate after joining from Crewe in July 2008 for a club-record £2.25m.
Maynard scored 35 goals in 57 appearances for the Alex.
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2010-11 PL Fixture List to be Published from 9am and Other Musings!
West Ham Till I Die
Apparently, the 2010-11 PL fixtures are to be published from 9am, later
today. Lets hope that the fixtures are fairly kind to us and the more
'difficult' matches, at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, The Emirates, City of
Manchester Stadium and Anfield, are spread out over the course of the
season. Knowing our luck, we will end up facing all those trips in the
opening two months! Still, optimistically, I suppose it all evens itself
out eventually!
The opening/closing fixtures and the Christmas and New Year matches are
always of interest to fans. In terms of matches against specific clubs, we
always tend to look out for Spurs home and away; as well as the so-called
glamour matches against the four or five top clubs. Then once you have
noted the way that the games have come out of the computer, you have the
extra suspense of waiting to see how many are then moved to the Sunday or
Monday in order to accommodate Sky/ESPN TV coverage?
The contests with PL new boys Blackpool should be interesting! Will I get a
ticket for one of the 105 seats reserved for opposition fans at Bloomfield
Road? Will the away fixture spark media recollections about THAT infamous
1971 FA Cup Tie, the visit by certain players to Brian London's night club
and the 4 goal defeat by Blackpool the following day? Of course it will!
Well done to Switzerland for, surprisingly, putting Spain to the sword! If
it contributes to Spain's exit in the first round, then that will really
open up the competition. Also, I thought the timing of Franz Beckenbauer's
comments, about England's alleged footballing regression, very interesting.
It is obviously some attempt at mind games, because 'The Kaiser' realises
that there is a good chance of Germany and England meeting in the later
rounds. However, is it really a wise strategy to wind up the England
players in advance of any future match? I hope that this is not an attempt
to psychologically affect our players in advance of the the inevitable
penalty shoot-out? No need Franz, old chap, we English are more than
capable of messing it up without your kind assistance!
Finally, I see that the West Ham season ticket renewal deadline has been
extended until Saturday, 3 July 2010. Apparently, it is in response to fans
resquesting that it be extended to accommodate their July pay date. And
there was me, assuming that the renewals might be a bit sluggish?
Obviously not.
SJ. Chandos.
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World Cup 2010: Matthew Upson says pace can boost claim for England spot
Metro.co.uk
Matthew Upson believes his pace could be a major asset in the race to
partner John Terry in the centre of the England defence. With Rio Ferdinand
back home injured and Ledley King sidelined with a groin strain which may
rule him out for three weeks, boss Fabio Capello needs a new central
defender for the crucial Group C encounter with Algeria in Cape Town on
Friday. Jamie Carragher appears to be first in line but he looked
susceptible to pace against the USA following his introduction as a
second-half substitute. As Michael Dawson is not a speed merchant either,
Upson believes he could be the answer to Capello's problems. 'I used to be
the quickest but we haven't had a race, perhaps we should, that might help
me,' joked the West Ham defender. Speaking on a visit to an SOS Village in
Rustenburg to see a group of young children, many of whom are orphans,
Upson continued: 'I am deceptive. 'I might not look as if I am that quick
but I can cover the ground and pace is a big part of modern football.'
Upson, 31, accepts Carragher has all the experience of someone who has
played at the highest level throughout his career but is frustrated to have
moved down the pecking order after the Liverpool man came out of
international retirement for the finals. He said: 'It is disappointing
because I want to play. 'It was an objective for me to be here and I
achieved that. While I am here I want to play as much as I can. 'I do feel
very happy with my international contribution under Fabio Capello but these
are his decisions, which I am willing to accept because we are here to win
something as a group.' He also hit back at claims by German legend Franz
Beckenbauer, who attacked the 'kick and rush' tactics he felt England
employed against the United States last weekend. Upson said: 'I don't care
about our style of football. Whatever wins us something will do for me.'
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Move For Juan Roman Riquelme Shows Hard-up West Ham Mean
Football Fanhouse
16/6/2010 6:27 AM GMT By Mike McGrath
West Ham have bucked the trend of ignoring transfer activity during the
World Cup, as the rebuilding of their squad continues with ambitious targets
being pursued. The Hammers have a new manager, a new midfielder, they are in
the hunt for a player with a world-class reputation and have also released
those surplus to requirements at Upton Park. They have essentially sent a
message out to the rest of the Premier League that they mean business next
season after narrowly escaping relegation last term and being embroiled in
off-field controversies. The biggest change is at the top, where Avram Grant
has been appointed to replace Gianfranco Zola after two seasons in charge.
Grant's stock is high after getting Portsmouth to the FA Cup Final and
inspiring players and fans during a season where they faced almost
inevitable relegation after entering administration. The Israeli has a
decent record in the transfer market and has made his move already, with
Thomas Hitzlsperger arriving from Lazio. The Germany midfielder may not be
at the World Cup but he did help them qualify for South Africa and is
expected to provide a goal threat for Grant. Not content with one signing
to bolster their midfield, Juan Roman Riquelme is their next target. It
shows real ambition from chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to attempt a
deal to bring the Argentinian to the club.
Riquelme, a highly regarded playmaker at Boca Juniors who was one of the
outstanding individuals at the last World Cup, is just the type of player
who would be perfect for West Ham in terms of price and profile. Sullivan
said: "It is only right that we keep supporters informed as much as we can
of what we are working on, especially as there is so much speculation around
this time of year. "With the World Cup taking place, it is not as easy to
conclude deals but I can assure fans we are working 24/7 with the manager to
bring new players to the club. "We have limited resources, with the
£100million debt the club carries, but we are going to make every penny
count and we 100 per cent assure you that there will be more new arrivals
this summer. It is very possible we will have another one in within the next
two to three weeks, if not sooner."
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