WHUFC.com
George Moncur has summed up the good spirit in the Academy as the season
gets going in earnest
03.09.2010
Tony Carr's Under-18s travel to Birmingham City on Saturday lunchtime on the
back of a comprehensive first home win of the season in FA Premier Academy
League action. The young Hammers side were 5-1 winners against Middlesbrough
a week ago, with Robert Hall nabbing the headlines with a superb hat-trick.
It was very much a team performance though, underlined by the superb
midfield play of young George Moncur, who has only just turned 17. Moncur
has caught the eye already at reserve-team level this summer, making great
strides from his most regular role with the U16s last year. Like his father
John, who served the club to distinction between 1994 and 2003, he is a
whole-hearted performer with an eye for a pass as well as a tackle.
"I have enjoyed [the summer]," Moncur told WHUTV about his fast-track
progress. "It has been really good. I have liked stepping up and trying to
cement my place in the reserves. "I believe in my ability and if I carry on
doing the good things I should step up but we will see how it goes. My dad
tells all the time to keep working hard, keep doing the good things, and
keeping the ball."
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Israel win with Ben Haim
WHUFC.com
The first of the week's internationals has already taken place with a
welcome run-out for Tal Ben Haim
02.09.2010
Tal Ben Haim got a full 90 minutes under his belt as Israel got their UEFA
Euro 2012 campaign off to a solid start with a 3-1 home win against Malta.
The defender, who made his West Ham United debut a week ago against Oxford
United in the Carling Cup, was not the only Premier League performer on view
and it was former Hammers midfielder Yossi Benayoun who stole the show with
a hat-trick. Ben Haim and Benayoun could come face to face on Saturday week
when Chelsea arrive at the Boleyn Ground.
Israel are the early Group F pace-setters as a result of their success at
the Ramat-Gan Stadium. They are back in qualifying action on Tuesday night
when they go to Tbilisi to take on Georgia. Croatia, Greece and Latvia round
out a competitive section where Israel will hope to progress to their first
ever finals when they are played in two summers' time in Ukraine and Poland.
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Wilson quick to to join Stoke
New boy eager to make an impact with Potters
Last updated: 2nd September 2010
SSN
Marc Wilson has revealed it did not take long to decide to join Stoke City
and says he did not hold talks with West Ham United. The versatile
23-year-old completed a move to Stoke on transfer deadline day in a deal
that also saw Dave Kitson and Liam Lawrence head to Portsmouth in
part-exchange. West Ham were also understood to have made a bid for Wilson,
who is happy to be back in the Premier League with Tony Pulis' Potters side.
"I was impressed with what Tony had to say from the start," said Wilson. "He
was very positive and it didn't take me long to make my mind up. "I'd heard
West Ham were interested, but I didn't speak to anyone there. "This is a
great club and I couldn't wait to come back to the Premier League because it
is every player's ambition to be in the top flight. "I had a taste of the
Premier League last season and I wanted to get back there as soon as
possible. "Leaving Portsmouth was difficult because I've been there for so
long, but I wish them well and my aim now is to do my best for Stoke."
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Val: I'm a Behr with a sore head
The Sun
Published: Today
VALON BEHRAMI admits he is gutted to still be at West Ham. The Swiss star
held talks with Roma - but the Italian club were unable to sell players to
raise the funds. Behrami, 25, said: "I am disappointed the deal failed to go
through - that is for certain. "Avram Grant gave me his permission to speak
with Roma. "But he also said he needs me, with West Ham bottom of the table.
"I'm sure I'll still get to play for them."
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Green for go against Blues
The Sun
Published: Today
ROBERT GREEN is expected to recover from hip surgery in time to face Chelsea
next weekend. The West Ham keeper, 30, had an operation this week to clear
up a problem that has dogged him since the start of the season. And he is
expected back in training in the next few days.
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Marc Wilson: Tony Pulis convinced me to join Stoke over West Ham
Published 10:47 02/09/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
New signing Marc Wilson admits it did not take much persuasion from manager
Tony Pulis to join Stoke on transfer deadline day as he was desperate for a
Barclays Premier League return. Having been relegated with Portsmouth last
season the 23-year-old utility player was forced to consider his future and
when the Potters expressed an interest he leapt at the chance. "I was
impressed with what Tony had to say from the start," said Wilson. "He was
very positive and it didn't take me long to make my mind up. "I'd heard West
Ham were interested, but I didn't speak to anyone there. "This is a great
club and I couldn't wait to come back to the Premier League because it is
every player's ambition to be in the top flight. "I had a taste of the
Premier League last season and I wanted to get back there as soon as
possible. "Leaving Portsmouth was difficult because I've been there for so
long, but I wish them well and my aim now is to do my best for Stoke."
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Dyer gets driving ban for speeding
Published 13:12 02/09/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer has been banned from driving for six months
after he was caught speeding. The former England player already had three
points on his licence when his Mercedes was clocked travelling at 95mph on a
dual carriageway. Dyer, 31, did not attend court for the hearing but was
found guilty in his absence of speeding, failing to provide information on
the identity of a driver and failing to produce a driving licence. The
player was driving along the A12 at Great Wenham, near Capel St Mary, on the
morning of April 3 when he broke the national speed limit, Lowestoft
Magistrates' Court, in Suffolk, heard. He then failed to name the driver of
his vehicle, court documents revealed. Dyer, of West Bergholt in Colchester,
Essex, was fined £1,050 and ordered to pay £1,015 in costs and a £15 victim
surcharge yesterday. Eleven points were added to his licence, meaning he
passed the 12-point threshold that leads to disqualification.
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Roma's late bid for West Ham winger Valon Behrami was knocked back by
Hammers
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 12:47 PM on 2nd September 2010
Daily Mail
Roma have revealed they made a late bid for West Ham's Valon Behrami but the
offer was rejected by the Hammers. The Switzerland international, who
arrived at Upton Park from Lazion in 2008, has been linked with the Serie A
club all summer. But Lazio left it late to bid for the winger and the two
clubs failed to reach an agreement before the transfer window closed at 6pm
on Tuesday. Roma's legal representative Antonio Conte said: '(Roma's)
President Rosella Sensi and other executives tried to sign Behrami. '(Roma
sporting director Daniele) Prade tried until the end but there were problems
of time as well as some missed assignments that were required for Roma to
conclude the deal.' Cesena, who were promoted from Serie B, were also
chasing targeting Behrami but chairman Igor Campedelli claimed the winger
wanted to move to a bigger club. He said: 'We wanted the player because our
coach (Massimo Ficcadenti) knows him well. He said no because he had already
given his word to bigger clubs.' Sampdoria and Palermo were also linked with
Behrami on deadline day.
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From Gloom to Boom, the difficult truth
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 3rd September 2010
By: James Carruthers
Avram Grant has experienced three defeats in his first three games so far
this season, shipping three goals in each.
It is definitely not the start West Ham United's new manager was hoping for
when he strolled black suited and booted into the capital. The Upton Park
chief would have been aspiring towards a loftier league position with his
new charges having been enveloped in the gloom of Portsmouth's
administration riddled and relegation doomed soap opera last year.
Fans from the East End of London suffered almost as miserable a season last
year and they too will have been hoping the much heralded arrival of
Israel's premier managerial export would yield a swift alteration in recent
fortunes. Last season's 17th place is the Hammers' lowest league finish
since they were promoted back to the big time in 2005.
Instead, the opening exchanges of this year's campaign have left the new
Grant-West Ham union rooted to the bottom of the table. The good times of an
FA Cup final and a highly respectable 9th place finish under Alan Pardew in
2006 seem like a lifetime away.
There is no sign that the dark clouds surrounding the Boleyn Ground will
disperse any time soon and on the early season showings many fans may feel a
repeat of last year's 17th place escape would constitute a mightily
successful season.
The new West Ham gaffer was boldly defiant in his post match press dealings
following Saturday's 3-0 reverse at Old Trafford, professing quite
accurately that we should not draw any conclusions after just three weeks of
the new campaign.
Those of you who read my previous post, What difference does a first day
make? will recall my reluctance to put too much emphasis on a single
performance and this is a philosophy I believe easily extends to three
games. Grant is right to suggest a fairer judgement of his West Ham should
be made after 12-15 games.
That said, the current international break forces Hammers fans into an
extended period of reflection during which they will undoubtedly dwell on a
winless introduction to Grant's tenure. So far, all they have to ponder is
more of the same gloom that encapsulated their previous season.
Lifting the despair is Avram Grant's primary task right now. Depending on
your disposition, Premier League history throws up a worrying statistic for
supporters of the Irons. In the last ten years half of the teams who
finished in 17th position failed to avoid the trap door the proceeding year.
Of course, the alternative perspective suggests West Ham have an even chance
of survival. Bolton, Everton, Wigan, Portsmouth, Wigan and Fulham have all
shown the ability to regenerate following a 17th place finish.
A defining characteristic of such a revival would seem to be the initial
impact generated by a new regime. With the exception of Bolton, the other
surviving teams were all under the stewardship of a new leader or one who
was embarking upon their first full season in charge.
The new motivators were able to instil a rejuvenated spirit and a belief in
their players by gaining some early momentum. David Moyes may have lost his
August 2004 opener to a ravenous Arsenal outfit, but his Everton side went
on to win five of the next six, drawing the other.
Similarly, Harry Redknapp oversaw four victories and a draw as Portsmouth
opened their 2006-07 campaign. Roy Hodgson and Steve Bruce both recorded
early victories for Fulham and Wigan respectively to provide their
previously disbelieving followers with at least a scrap of belief on which
to feed.
Based on this evidence, the decision to place a new man at the helm
following Gianfranco Zola's struggles last term appears to be an astute
tactical move. Grant's appointment is designed to inspire change and forge
belief in the dressing room.
Hammers fans may therefore be anxious to hear their new figurehead admit
that his players are still deliberating over the dark days of last season
rather than focussing ahead. With this statement, the former Chelsea boss is
confirming he is yet to initiate the crucial change in mind-set he was
brought in to generate.
This is something he will need to address as a matter of urgency. In this
frame of mind it is easy to perpetuate a negative cycle and every game seems
like a toughie when wins are few and far between.
The man who once coached the Israeli national side has already bemoaned the
contribution of the fixture computer to his team's faltering start after it
pitted them against four of last season's top six teams in their first half
dozen games.
Whilst visiting Old Trafford and entertaining Chelsea in the opening four
fixtures certainly constitutes a tough start to the season, West Ham fans
can realistically have expected a more encouraging return than zero points
from nine.
David Moyes secured a draw away to Manchester United in the fourth game of
Everton's resurrection season whilst Roy Hodgson savoured an early season
victory over Arsenal in his.
Even discounting an unlikely result against the Red Devils, an away fixture
against an unsettled Aston Villa side who failed to win in 11 of their home
fixtures last term and a first home game versus Owen Coyle's Bolton
represented solid opportunities for West Ham to open their points account
for the season.
However, their performance on the opening day at Villa Park lacked the
fighting spirit required to resuscitate the club's fading optimism and
defensive frailties proved costly as they searched for some welcome relief
against Bolton.
Grant will hope his new signings can inject some life into his stumbling
team and fresh blood can certainly help to lift a club, but ultimately the
only way to breed new life is for his boys to deliver success on the pitch.
Without imminent victories there is a greater likelihood that the new
players will become overwhelmed by the negativity that currently engulfs the
club.
In truth, it is very tough to transform a losing mentality into a winning
mentality but successful completion of this task is crucial to West Ham's
survival hopes. Avram Grant has to urgently cement desire and a strong work
ethic in his troops because the tough start issued by the fixture computer
is only going to get tougher.
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West Ham rejected free agent Clerc
02.09.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United rejected the chance to sign free agent Francois Clerc on
Tuesday. Clerc held talks with the Hammers and had hoped to sign as a free
transfer, but the English club went for Blackburn Rovers fullback Lars
Jacobsen instead. Former Lyon defender Clerc remains available and is
currently training with Nice.
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