Scholars to square-off
WHUFC.com
Matthias Tombides and Dylan Tombides will face one another in international
action on Friday
26.08.2010
Two of West Ham United's promising first-year scholars will come face to
face when England and Australia meet in the FA Men's Under-17 International
Tournament on Friday. England midfielder Matthias Fanimo and Australia
forward Dylan Tombides will both be hoping to spur their nations on to their
first victory of the competition at Grimsby Town's Blundell Park. With
Fanimo being introduced as a half-time substitute with his side trailing 2-0
to Turkey, England roared back to snatch a 2-2 draw at Lincoln City's Sincil
Bank. Tombides entered the fray as a 54th-minute replacement with Australia
drawing 2-2 with Portugal at Scunthorpe United's Glanford Park.
Unfortunately for the 16-year-old striker, the Portuguese went on to win the
game 4-3. Following Friday's clash, England will take on Portugal at
Scunthorpe on Sunday afternoon, while Australia will face Turkey at Grimsby
on the same day. Further afield, second-year scholar Daniel Purdy was unable
to prevent Republic of Ireland U18 falling to a 2-0 defeat by hosts Czech
Republic at the Jezek International Tournament. The Irish, for whom Purdy
played the whole game, will contest their second match against Ukraine on
Thursday afternoon before completing the tournament against Turkey, Hungary
or Slovakia on Sunday.
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Stech all smiles
WHUFC.com
Man of the match Marek Stech was delighted after making his long-awaited
debut for West Ham United
26.08.2010
Marek Stech has long been tipped for great things at West Ham United.
Following an outstanding debut in Tuesday's 1-0 Carling Cup second-round
victory over Oxford United, man of the match Stech is taking aim at making
his second first-team start as soon as possible. The Czech Republic Under-21
goalkeeper has been with the club since the age of 16, making regular
appearances for the reserves in recent seasons. Now 20, Stech made a superb
senior bow to help the Hammers through to the third round. "It was
brilliant. I was always looking forward to this moment. I've been waiting
for four years. I've been working hard and I really enjoyed this game. Both
sets of fans were brilliant and even the game was good for at this age. "It
was good experience for me and I'm grateful to the manager for giving me
this opportunity to play. "I found out on Monday. The manager said 'I'm
going to give you the chance to play' and Greeny said 'Do well, get a clean
sheet and get it done' so I was really pleased with that as well."
Stech's night was highlighted by a spectacular save from Asa Hall's
long-range drive three minutes before half-time. Sure and solid with his
handling and decision-making all night long, the youngster was delighted to
make a flawless start to his first-team career. "It was good. We were told
that on their set-plays they hit the target from distance so I watched it
and made the save. I thought we did well. We had a lot of chances and could
have won five or six-nil, but the Oxford goalie made a lot of good saves and
made it a good game. "To be fair, I was nervous. It was my first game and I
didn't want to mess anything up or do anything bad. I wanted to win and go
through to the next round and once I was in the game, my nerves started to
disappear and I felt better in the second half. When you've made a save and
touched the ball, you feel better."
Having made his debut in front of more than 20,000 supporters at the Boleyn
Ground, Stech will be keeping a close eye on Saturday's third-round draw.
Whoever the Hammers draw, the Prague-born stopper is eager to keep his
place. "Obviously, if the manager would give me another opportunity, I'd be
happy and try to take it and play my best. If he doesn't, then I'll have to
wait and keep trying my best and hopefully I'll get another chance in the FA
Cup."
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Carr ready for Boro test
WHUFC.com
Tony Carr is prepared for a tough 90 minutes when his U18s face
Middlesbrough on Friday afternoon
26.08.2010
Tony Carr is looking forward to locking horns with old pal David Parnaby
when two of English football's most-respected youth systems go head-to-head
on Friday. West Ham United's Academy Director is good friends with
Middlesbrough counterpart Parnaby, with both men having garnered fine
reputations for their ability to unearth promising young talent. While the
Hammers have brought through the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Michael
Carrick, Glen Johnson and Mark Noble in recent years, Middlesbrough have
also done their bit for homegrown players, with Lee Cattermole, Stewart
Downing and Adam Johnson all making their name on Teesside. The two clubs
have not met at Academy level since the mid-1990s, when then-schoolboy Cole
was handed an early chance to impress at Boro's Rockliffe Park training
headquarters. Having been defeated 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion in their
opening FA Premier Academy League fixture last Saturday, Carr is determined
to get one over Parnaby at Little Heath, where kick-off is at 2.30pm. "We're
looking forward to it. Obviously Middlesbrough aren't a team that we play
regularly and we haven't played them for many years. "I remember taking them
on in the play-offs a few years back when we took young Joe Cole with us to
their Rockliffe training ground when he was just a schoolboy. "I know their
Academy manager David Parnaby very well and Middlesbrough have a fine
reputation for bringing through youth players. David's son Stuart is one of
a number of players who have come through their ranks. "I am looking forward
to seeing Dave and also to getting our first win of the season if we can. I
don't know their players individually but I know they will try to play good
football. They like to produce home-grown players and they have done in
abundance over the last ten years. "In terms of how good they are, I don't
know, but I know it'll be a good game of football."
Carr will hope his youngsters can rise to the challenge against
Middlesbrough, who began their own Academy League campaign with a 1-0
victory over Fulham last weekend, despite the absence of England U17
midfielder Matthias Fanimo, Australia U17 forward Dylan Tombides and
Republic of Ireland U18 forward Daniel Purdy through international duty and
Blair Turgott through injury. "We have a few players away so we'll be a bit
depleted, but their absence gives other young players a chance to come in
and do well." Admission and parking at Little Heath for Friday's fixture are
both free.
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Diamanti out. More in?
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th August 2010
By: Staff Writer no.2
Allesandro Diamanti has left the club for newly-promoted Serie A side
Brescia for a fee of approximately £1.8m.
The Italian came from Livorno for £6m, a sum that the club famously raised
by tapping up club sponsors SBOBet for an advance on future shirt
sponsorship money. The transfer therefore represents a loss of over £4m on
the player, who spent only one year at the Boleyn.
The club's official statement said that Diamanti's departure would "release
space in the squad for another player" and suggested that there could be
more new arrivals before next Tuesday's deadline.
One of these could be Internazionale striker Victor Obinna. Reports suggest
that the 23 year-old has been undergoing a medical at the Boleyn and is
likely to complete a season-long loan deal later today, the deal containing
an option to make the move permanent at a later date.
The Nigerian international has been with Inter since 2008 though he spent
last season at Malaga on loan. Everton are understood to have tried to have
signed the player, who has 11 goals in 34 internationals, in 2008. However,
work permit issues prevented his move to Merseyside.
We;ll bring you more as we hear it...
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Avram's keen to bring in a new guy
The Sun
Published: Today
WEST HAM boss Avram Grant is set to swoop for Hamburg right-back Guy Demel.
The Ivorian, 29, wants to return to England after a brief spell at Arsenal
in 2000.
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Parker to pledge his future to West Ham - after transfer window shuts
Published 23:00 26/08/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
Scott Parker will sign a new five year contract at West Ham – if he's still
at Upton Park when the transfer window shuts. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp
has had an £8m offer turned down and is still desperate to strengthen his
midfield. Parker, 29, has stalled on signing the new £75,000-a-week deal for
several weeks as he fears West Ham will struggle this season and wants to
see whether a last ditch move will happen. But time is running out on Parker
and he is now more likely to stay and help West Ham's fight for survival
after being offered a great deal which will see him up until he is 34.
Parker now admits it is going to be a struggle this season, especially as
West Ham must travel to Manchester United this weekend. Parker said: "We've
not got off to the best of starts, with two losses, and I don't there's any
hiding the fact that it's going to be a difficult season. That's the way it
is.
"But it's a difficult season because of how good the league is. Every game's
a battle and every game's going to be hard. Obviously Chelsea and Man United
coming up, it's not an easy task, but we'll give it a good go. "I think Man
United's one of those places you'll got to go and you'll want to play. We're
under no illusions - it is going to be difficult. "We've got to go there,
we've got be organised, we've got to take our chance when it comes and if we
do that we might have a chance."
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Robbie Keane and Alan Hutton emerge as West Ham transfer targets
Metro.co.uk
Hammers boss Grant has seen his new side lose their first two Premier League
games and is looking to bring in a number of experienced players before the
transfer window shuts. Harry Redknapp has consistently stated he has no
desire to sell Keane, but it is believed Spurs are willing to listen to
offers for the Ireland striker, who is behind Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch
and Roman Pavlyuchenko in the first-team reckoning. West Ham's current
selection of forwards does not include the regular goalscorer they need to
avoid a relegation battle, making the prospect of bringing in Keane an
attractive one.
Spurs are also prepared to consider bids for Scotland defender Hutton, who
has struggled to make an impact at White Hart Lane since arriving from
Rangers in January 2008. The 25-year-old attacking full-back, who spent the
second half of last season on loan at Sunderland, would add some steel to
West Ham's fragile defence, but the Hammers are likely to face strong
competition for his signature from Birmingham City. Tottenham will be
looking to recoup as much as possible of the £12 million they paid for Keane
and £9 million they spent on Hutton, which could put the pair out of West
Ham's reach. However, with Redknapp determined to sign West Ham's England
midfielder Scott Parker, a swap deal could suit both clubs.
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DANNY FULLBROOK: WEST HAM MUST SACK AVRAM GRANT NOW
27th August 2010 By Danny Fullbrook
Daily Star
WEST HAM should bite the bullet, act now and sack Avram Grant. The longer
that David Gold and David Sullivan wait around to see how Grant will take
their club towards the gutter, the harder it will be to drag it back. In
two games' time the Hammers will have played four games in the Premier
League and could be sat rock-bottom with no points at all. They face
Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow and then take on Chelsea when the
Premier League returns after the international break. Two more defeats loom
on the back of losses already to Aston Villa away and then Bolton at home.
But why should anybody be surprised at what is happening at Upton Park? In
my opinion, as a top-flight manager Grant is not the real deal. He should be
nowhere near the West Ham hotseat. He originates from a football outpost in
Israel and somehow ended up as manager of Chelsea. Everybody knows the
background to his arrival at Stamford Bridge as a sort of Director of
Football – the post he occupied at Portsmouth. Harry Redknapp did not like
him looking over his shoulder at Fratton Park and when Roman Abramovich
sacked Jose Mourinho, the man from nowhere slipped into his shoes. His CV
included managing the Israeli national team, and his own domestic clubs
Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv among others. Grant had never worked in
a major European League, and here he was in charge of Chelsea. I still
maintain that the club's run to the Champions League Final under his
guidance in 2008 was despite, rather than because of him. I said it at the
time, and I still believe it. A sycophantic spell back at Portsmouth – where
again he walked into somebody else's shoes led to his emotional outbursts on
behalf of the club as they slipped into administration. No doubt he cared
for Pompey, but why is he not still there doing what Steve Cotterill is and
helping the club survive? The Portsmouth fans could not jump ship, but
Grant did and rocked-up at the Hammers. It is no wonder Scott Parker
admitted this week that it is going to be a tough season – and it is only
two weeks old. He can already see the writing on the wall and he must be
wishing he could escape to White Hart Lane. Grant is one of the most
uninspiring managers I have ever met in football. He seems to have little
emotional connection with either the Premier League – or more importantly
West Ham. Yet he has been given the job of keeping them in the Premier
League. The likes of Matthew Upson and Robert Green need a strong manager
to help drag them out of their World Cup doldrums, but they have not got it.
Grant's response to building a new West Ham has been to go back to his old
club for well-worn players like Tal Ben Haim and Frederic Piquionne, while
bringing in unknown names like Pablo Barrera and Winston Reid. If Sullivan
and Gold wait until the Hammers' game against Chelsea to make a change, it
will be too late – the transfer window will be closed and a new manager
would face a huge uphill struggle. Instead of turning to Grant in the
summer they should have broken the bank to land Slaven Bilic. The Croatia
boss is still a hero at Upton Park and would have galvanised the playing
staff and helped bring in some good young talent. Maybe he was asking for
too much money or too big a transfer kitty, but what price relegation this
season? It would cripple the club, like it has done to so many in the past.
Sacking Grant seems an extreme course of action – but it could be the best
one.
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West Ham's Valon Behrami wanted by Roma after failing to settle in London
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 4:35 PM on 26th August 2010
Daily Mail
Roma are stepping up their bid for unsettled West Ham utility man Valon
Behrami. The cash-strapped Italian side have been tracking Behrami all
summer but need to shift players before adding to their squad. Reports in
Italy suggest there could be movement on Behrami before the weekend, with
Roma close to selling winger Alessio Cerci to Fiorentina for just short of
£3million. The Hammers will want more than that for Behrami, but the former
Lazio player is keen to return to the Italian capital because he has
struggled to settle in London. The 25-year-old said recently: 'My daughter
Sofia is now 18 months old, and it is not easy to bring a child up in
London. Besides, my wife Elena does not feel happy. She does not have a big
circle of friends over there.'
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David Trezeguet ready to shun Liverpool and West Ham to move to Hercules
with Spanish wife
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 4:42 PM on 26th August 2010
Daily Mail
David Trezeguet is closing in on a move to La Liga new boys Hercules despite
being linked with a move to Liverpool and West Ham. Lazio have also emerged
as contenders for his signature after struggling to find agreement with
Manchester City over an initial loan for Roque Santa Cruz. But Trezeguet is
keen to move to Spain, with Hercules in the driving seat because his wife
Beatrice is from Alicante, where the club are based. Zaragoza are also in
talks, while West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa have also been linked with
a player who has had a glorious career. However, Juventus are so keen to
offload the 32-year-old that they are offering him on a free transfer and
will pay him a £1.6million severance package. His agent Antonio Caliendo
said: 'I spoke with Real Zaragoza and Hercules on Wednesday. Talks are
continuing. Hercules have the advantage because David's wife is from
Alicante, which is very important. 'David is excited by a new challenge and
Hercules' chairman has money to spend. He will talk to his family.'
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West Ham's interest grows in Hamburg right back Guy Demel
By JEREMY BUTLER Last updated at 10:27 PM on 26th August 2010
DailY Mail
West Ham have inquired about Hamburg Guy Demel as their search for a right
back grows. Manager Avram Grant has considered Ahmed Fathy, Anthony Vanden
Borre and Tottenham's Kyle Walker, but has checked on former Arsenal
defender Demel, 29, who has a wealth of experience.
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Blackburn join Newcastle, West Brom and West Ham in race for Sweden striker
Denni Avdic
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:39 PM on 26th August 2010
Daily Mail
Blackburn Rovers have followed up their interest in Swedish striker Denni
Avdic with a £2million offer for the 21-year-old. West Brom have already
been in touch with his club Elfsborg, and West Ham and Newcastle are also
monitoring the situation.
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