WHUFC.com
Manuel da Costa is fit and ready for action having signed off last season as the main man
17.08.2010
Manuel da Costa is fit and ready to return to action for the West Ham United who touched his heart at the end of last season. The 24-year-old capped a memorable closing month of the 2010/11 campaign by scoring a vitally important goal in the 2-2 Easter Monday draw at Everton. Da Costa produced strong performances at the heart of the back four against Fulham and Manchester City in the final two fixtures of the season. Those displays were recognised by the club's fans, who celebrated survival by voting the defender as SBOBET Player of the Month for May. The man nicknamed 'The Beast' by some at the Boleyn Ground, who returned to full training on Monday following a minor leg injury, was naturally grateful for their support. "I am very happy when the supporters give you their blessing," he told whufc.com. "It was not the trainer or the staff, it was the supporters, and this is very important. It goes directly to my heart. I want to say 'Thank you'. "At that time, everybody was in a difficult position. I like West Ham and I like everybody here at the club - the supporters especially - and I want to stay here. "When you are in a difficult position, you must give more than what you have for everybody - there is no choice. We had some bad moments, but we also had some very good moments. "My last five or six games of last season were a very good moment. Having not played so many games before, it was important that, that when I did play I played well."
Da Costa will answer supporters' questions in the Fans' Mailbag feature in Saturday's official matchday programme for the Barclays Premier League visit of
Bolton Wanderers to the Boleyn Ground.
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Kids for a Quid this Saturday
WHUFC.com
Kids can see the first Barclays Premier League home match of 2010/11 against Bolton for a pound
14.08.2010
West Ham United will kick-off the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season at home in perfect fashion with the visit of Bolton Wanderers designated Kids for a Quid. The spectacular summer offer will see all under-16s offered the chance to watch the Hammers take on the Trotters at the Boleyn Ground for just £1 on Saturday 21 August. With manager Avram Grant and new signings like Tal Ben Haim, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne and Winston Reid set to make their competitive debuts at the famous home of the Hammers, there is sure to be plenty of demand for seats. Ticket prices for Academy members start from just £36, while Over-65 members and Young Adult members can purchase their seat from just £15. Disabled Academy members can secure their place for just £18 for Adults, £9 for Over-65s and Young Adults and £1 for Under-16s. Adult non-members can purchase their seat from just £36, while Over-65 non-members can secure their place from just £21. Disabled non-members can secure their place for just £18 for Adults, £10.50 for Over-65s and Young Adults and £1 for Under-16s.
Tickets are on sale now online or by telephone, or alternatively by calling at the West Stand Ticket Office at the Boleyn Ground between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Online and telephone bookings can be made up until 11.30am on the day of the game, with kick-off at the Boleyn Ground on 21 August at 3pm.
Supporters should note that all telephone bookings are subject to a £1.80 booking fee per ticket for Academy members and £2 per ticket for non-members. Online bookings will be charged at £1 for Academy members and £2 for non-members. Should any tickets remain, the West Stand Ticket Office will be open from 9am until kick-off on the day of the game, while the Priory Road Ticket Office will be open from 12.30pm until kick-off on the day of the game. For more information, call 0871 222 2700 and select Option 1 or Option 3, visit the West Stand ticket office in person or click the above link.
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Reserves to tackle Eagles
WHUFC.com
Alex Dyer's side will host Crystal Palace in a friendly at Thurrock FC on Tuesday afternoon
16.08.2010
A host of first-team squad members look set to be on show when Alex Dyer's reserves take on Crystal Palace on Tuesday afternoon. Loan signing Tal Ben Haim, Fabio Daprela, Kieron Dyer, Junior Stanislas, Freddie Sears, Frank Nouble and Jordan Spence could all figure in Dyer's squad for the fixture, which will kick-off at Thurrock FC at 2pm. Appearing alongside that experienced group should be a number of the club's promising youngsters, including Czech Republic Under-21 goalkeeper Marek Stech, first-year professional Cristian Montano and England U17 forward Robert Hall. The reserves have enjoyed a busy pre-season schedule, losing out away to the Thurrock and Burton Albion first teams before defeating Bishop's Stortford 4-0, with Sears (pictured) scoring all four goals. A goalless draw at League One new boys Dagenham & Redbridge was followed by a 1-1 home draw with Ipswich Town. Dyer's side will begin their Barclays Premier Reserve League South challenge with the visit of Manchester City on Tuesday 7 September. Tickets for Tuesday's match at Ship Lane will be priced at £3 for Adults and £1 for Under-15s.
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Faubert banking on Bolton
WHUFC.com
Despite the weekend loss, Julien Faubert expects the Hammers to show their true potential this Saturday
16.08.2010
Julien Faubert and his West Ham United team-mates will be fired up to get a good result at home to Bolton Wanderers this Saturday and repay the club's "fantastic fans". The France attacker was at a loss to explain the Hammers' 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa - especially as the pre-season preparations had gone so well and morale was high. "I can't pick out why we lost, as we have had a good week training and a good pre-season. We were ready for this game, but we just started bad and we gave them too much space. It was the first match of the season and we wanted to get a good result but it didn't happen and we must look to do this in the next match, which we can do."
Faubert began the Villa Park contest in his new forward role and had a golden chance soon after the interval to pull one back, but the opportunity went begging and Villa capitalised to score a match-clinching third beyond the blameless Robert Green midway through the second half. "We had two or three chances but we did not follow them up. We took on the pressure but could not get back on how we wanted to play. We just have to forget this game now and concentrate on getting it right in the next game."
There will be extra incentive to do well in order to repay the near-3,000 travelling supporters who did not relent in their singing, even when drenched by a torrential downpour. "The fans were fantastic, singing loud even when we were losing by the three goals," Faubert added. "They also gave a good cheer to Greeny and that was good for him. That is why we want to do better, for them, to show we are grateful for their support. "We feel bad about the match. If you can play hard and not win, sometimes you can say well, we did what we could, but we know we can do much better and we will be working hard again this week to change what happened. "We will show the manager we can do that. We will be focusing on that and will be ready for the next match."
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Villa fans attack 73-year-old Hammer
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th August 2010
By: Staff Writer
Hammers co-chairman David Gold is said to be considering offering a £5,000 reward to nail two Aston Villa fans who attacked his Rolls Royce following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Villa Park. Septuagenarian Gold was being driven home in his Rolls Royce after the game when the vehicle was attacked as it waited at a red light outside the King Edward VII pub, said to be a Villa stronghold. The former Birmingham owner - who cited his role at his former club as the most likely reason for the attack - watched aghast as his vehicle was bombarded with beer bottles, one of which smashed his chauffeur's window. "People were outside the pub and there was some good-natured banter when, suddenly, the whole thing turned horribly sinister and even life-threatening," Gold told the Sun.
"Two guys who can only be described as monsters - animals - ran from the pub and threw a bottle of beer at the driver's window, smashing it. They then kicked the car and tried to get in. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity but was probably about a minute, we were able to pull away. "That bottle could have come through the window and killed my driver as it was aimed directly at his temple. Needles of glass could have hit and maybe killed me if they had gone into my head. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. "I'm sure these lunatics attacked the car in part because I was once Birmingham City's chairman. Despite the speed with which it happened, I saw one woman watching the whole thing unfold. I appeal to her and any of the 30 or so people outside the pub to give any information they have to the police."
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Sullivan - Hands off Parker
Sullivan says Spurs will be reported if Parker pursuit continues
Last updated: 16th August 2010
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has issued a stark 'hands-off' warning to Tottenham in their pursuit of Scott Parker. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wants the England midfielder to bolster his ranks for the campaign ahead, which includes a tilt at the UEFA Champions League. The White Hart Lane outfit have already had one bid knocked back for the 29-year-old, with the Hammers making it clear that they had no intention of selling Parker for any price. To see off further interest, the Hammers are keen to tie the midfielder down on an improved five-year contract, which they believe he will sign on Monday. And Sullivan has also issued a stark warning to Spurs, saying they will report them if there is further contact. He said in the Daily Mail: "I have told Spurs again that he's not available and not to bother us any further or we'll report them to the Premier League."
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Last orders called on Yobs
The Sun
By DEAN SCOGGINS
Published: Today
DAVID GOLD'S bid to find the thugs who attacked him has been helped by the landlord of the pub they were drinking in. SunSport revealed how West Ham's co-owner, 73, was subjected to a terrifying ordeal at traffic lights near the King Edward VII pub after his club's 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa. Pub owner Paul McMahon will help cops catch the two men who threw a bottle that smashed the driver's window, kicked Gold's Rolls Royce and tried to get in just one mile from Villa Park. McMahon said: "It must have been a frightening experience. "We have extensive CCTV covering the area and door supervisors were on duty.
"CCTV will be handed to West Midlands Police to ensure those responsible are held accountable." Gold, who took over at West Ham alongside David Sullivan last season, stopped to sign a programme and have his photo taken with a disabled Villa fan in the build-up to the incident. He is considering offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for the hooligans.
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West Ham's Valon Behrami eyes Roma move after revealing he can't settle in London
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 1:39 AM on 17th August 2010
Daily Mail
Valon Behrami wants to quit West Ham for Roma - insisting his family can't settle in London. The £5million Swiss international moved to Upton Park from Roma's city rivals Lazio two years ago. But his Italian partner Elena Bonzanni has failed to adapt to life in the capital, and they are struggling to bring up their baby daughter. The Kosovo-born wing-back, who spent five seasons in Italy with Genoa, Verona and Lazio, is under contract at West Ham until 2013, and hopes the Serie A club will now throw him a lifeline. The 25-year-old said: 'There is interest in me from Roma, but nothing concrete so far, and so I'm still at West Ham. 'I would have no problem playing for Roma despite being ex-Lazio. I am a professional, and I always give my best. 'My daughter Sofia is now 18 months old, and it is not easy to bring a child up in London. Besides, Elena does not feel happy. She does not have a big circle of friends over there.'
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West Ham's Valon Behrami angles for return to Serie A with Roma
Player says his partner has not adapted to London
'There is interest in me from Roma but nothing concrete'
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 August 2010 01.17 BST
West Ham United's Valon Behrami is having difficulty adjusting to life in London. The West Ham United midfielder Valon Behrami is agitating for a move to the Serie A club Roma, claiming that his family cannot settle in London. The 25-year-old Swiss moved from Lazio for £5m two years ago but his Italian partner Elena Bonzanni has not adapted to the move from Rome and the couple are struggling to bring up their baby daughter in the capital. Behrami, who is contracted until 2013 at Upton Park, said: "There is interest in me from Roma but nothing concrete so far and so I am still at West Ham. I would have no problem playing for Roma despite being ex-Lazio. I am a professional. "My daughter Sofia is now 18 months old and it is not easy to bring up a child in London. Besides, Elena does not have a big circle of friends over there."
Meanwhile West Ham's summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger was ruled out for at least a month with a thigh injury sustained while playing for Germany against Denmark last week.
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The Villa Debacle Was All Too Familiar!
West Ham Till I Die
The disorganised and, quite frankly, unprofessional performance at Villa was a huge disappointment. I was expecting to see Grant's team play a tight, controlled and disciplined game. Instead, we got a dysfunctional and totally unacceptable display that was all too familiar from the worst excesses of last season.
Something else far too familiar is the unwelcome report that Thomas Hitzlsperger could be missing for up to a month, as a result of the thigh injury picked up playing for Germany. How many times have we signed players, only to lose them to injury early in the season. Hitzlsperger impressed me greatly in pre-season, he bought both a stability and offensive threat to our midfield. If this report is true then it is disappointing news.
I was not totally convinced by our starting selection, particularly in defence. Arguably, (if he was fit?) we should have started with Da Costa at centre half to counter Cardew's strength and ariel threat. Winston Reid had a shaky debut, but it is still early days for him. It may have been a better policy to have started this match with Faubert at right-back? Once again Kovac continually lost possession in midfield. While, Carlton Cole was left isolated and unsupported at the apex of the forward line. If 4-3-3 is going to work then Cole's strike partners have to give him much closer support and demonstrate pace and clinical finishing in the final third.
On the plus side, it was good to see Illunga back in the side and playing reasonably well. I felt that Noble also had a half decent game and things definitely improved when Piquionne and Barrera came on in the second half. We did actually create three or four decent goal scoring opportunities during the match, but ultimately the finishing of Boa Morte, Faubert and Cole let them down when it mattered.
However, nothing should distract from the sheer awfulness of this team performance. Villa could have scored six on the day and the ease with which they outplayed us was embaressing. Remember, this was a Villa side that had lost their manager a couple of days prior to the match, had two key defenders missing, had suffered the uncertainty about Milner's future and included a couple of rookies in their starting line up (although you would no know it from their assured performances).
The season has started badly, but it is not 'set in stone' that we will struggle. There is a lot of work to be done in preparation for the visit of Bolton this Saturday. Some of it attitudinal, because we cannot afford a recurrence of that type of non-committed display against one of our great bogey teams. Somehow we need to match them physically, both in terms of commitment and work-rate. Then our greater playing ability can be decisive. Easier said than done, I know!
Perhaps Tal Ben Haim will come into the frame for this match? After all, if there is a player that knows Kevin Davies' game, and should be able to counter it, then it is Ben Haim. Offensively, I would quite like to see Junior Stanislas start the match. Stanislas has all the tools to play effectively in a 4-3-3, but he needs to start realising his full potential this season. Failing that, perhaps Diamanti or even Dyer may figure, even if only from the bench?
It is early days, but we need the win against Bolton to prevent an unnecessary build up of pressure on the manager and avert the inevitable media discourse portraying us as a 'crisis club.' Our season may ultimately depend upon who the club manages to sign in the final period of the summer transfer window? Could Santa Cruz arrive from Man City, as rumoured? We shall see?
SJ. Chandos.
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Roque Santa Cruz 'on verge of £8m West Ham United transfer'
Manchester City star Roque Santa Cruz looks set to transfer to West Ham United this week, with the clubs close to agreeing an £8million fee for the striker.
Metro.co.uk
Hammers boss Avram Grant, who has hit a brick wall in his attempts to sign Nice striker Loic Remy this summer, has turned his attention to City, who are attempting to offload at least six players before they are forced to name a 25-man squad for the Premier League season. And despite interest from Fulham, where former City boss Mark Hughes has taken over, Santa Cruz is rumoured to be keen on a move to east London. "A move to West Ham would be the best scenario for everyone," an insider told website Goal. "City get the player off their squadlist and some return on their investment, while West Ham get the goalscorer they are desperate for." Hughes is yet to lodge an official bid for the player but could hold a great deal of sway in negotiations, having worked with the Paraguayan at City, and Blackburn Rovers before that. The forward, 29, could represent something of a gamble for either club, though, as his injury record over the past 18 months has been poor.
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Manchester City Willing To Offload Striker Roque Santa Cruz To West Ham United for €10m
Hammers make approach for ex-Blackburn forward...
Goal.com
By Wayne Veysey
Aug 16, 2010 1:41:00 PM
Manchester City are ready to offload Roque Santa Cruz to West Ham United as they trim their bloated squad ahead of the Premier League's 25-man squad deadline. The Hammers are desperate for a striker and have approached City over an €10 million move for the Paraguayan frontman, who is also the prime target for Fulham boss Mark Hughes. City are eager to cut their squad by six players in order to comply with new Premier League rules that mean clubs can only register a maximum of 25 players. Santa Cruz, who is 29 today, is believed to fear for his place in Roberto Mancini's squad and wants a fresh start following an injury-plagued year at Eastlands. The former Bayern Munich frontman would prefer to re-unite with Fulham boss Mark Hughes, who has signed him twice as manager of Blackburn and City. But Hughes is working under considerable financial constraints at Fulham, with the Cottagers only able to afford a loan deal and reported wages of €110,000-a-week a massive stumbling block. City would rather to cut their losses by agreeing a permanent transfer for the player, who cost €21m when he signed from Blackburn last June. West Ham boss Avram Grant has the money to meet City's demands and has declared his interest, after being thwarted so far in his attempts over the summer to sign a physical forward who can lead the line. "A move to West Ham would be the best scenario for everyone," said an insider. "City get the player off their squadlist and some return on their investment, while West Ham get the goalscorer they are desperate for."
Yakubu remains a target for the Londoners, but the club are refusing to meet Everton's £8m asking price for the 27-year-old. Grant's need for a striker could become even more pressing should England international Carlton Cole – most recently linked with Liverpool – leave Upton Park. West Ham are hoping that Santa Cruz can rediscover the form that made him a revelation at Blackburn following his €4.2m move from Bayern Munich three years ago. Santa Cruz, who played for Paraguay at the World Cup, made just 22 appearances for the Citizens last season and scored only four goals as he struggled to regain his form after battling with a recurring knee injury. He is just one of a number of star names who find themselves on the fringes of Roberto Mancini's squad following this summer's £100m spending spree. Mancini has over 40 players in his squad and the Italian faces a tough task to prevent major disruption in the dressing room if he does not offload a number of players before the 25-man squad deadline on September 1. Goalkeeper Shay Given's future is in doubt after Joe Hart was chosen ahead of him in Saturday's goalless draw at Tottenham, while Stephen Ireland – City's player of the year in the 2008-09 season – is expected to join Aston Villa as part of the deal to sign James Milner. Craig Bellamy could join Cardiff on loan and speculation surrounds Wayne Bridge, who was omitted from the squad to face Spurs. The Citizens also still have Robinho on their books and the Brazilian looks set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce for €23m, a huge loss on the British record €40m the club paid for him in 2008.
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West Ham ready to deal in Aliadiere
17.08.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United are ready to deal in Jeremie Aliadiere. The former Middlesbrough and Arsenal attacker has been doing his preseason with the Hammers. The Mirror says West Ham are set to sign Aliadiere today.
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