WHUFC.com
Avram Grant has spoken to the media ahead of Monday's FA Cup fifth-round
visit of Burnley
18.02.2011
Avram Grant has revealed that Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his West Ham
United debut in Monday's FA Cup Sponsored by EON fifth-round tie with
Burnley. The Hammers manager also discussed the need to take the threat of
the Clarets seriously, the club's outstanding form in the knockout
competitions and the positive impact made the by the four January signings.
Avram on the FA Cup…
"The FA Cup is always exciting. After a few games you can be in the
quarter-finals and semi-finals. I like the FA Cup, but of course our first
priority is the league like every other team in the league. "It's a good
competition. I like this competition. It gives you a break from the league
which is also good.
"It's always good to play at home but I know this won't be an easy game.
This team [Burnley], for them the FA Cup is everything. This is an
opportunity for them to get everyone to love them and I know from the past
that teams can come from the Championship and give it their all. We will
prepare ourselves for a very difficult game."
Avram on the difference between the club's league form and cup form…
"I think we were a little bit more efficient in the cup competitions. I
don't think we played differently apart from in the game against Manchester
United, when we were exceptional. "I think also in the league we had some
good games but we were not so efficient and didn't pick up points. It
doesn't always happen in the cups - we lost the semi-final of the Carling
Cup when we wanted to be in the final. "We don't prepare any different. We
prepare the same and want to win games like we do in the league."
Avram on half-time team talks…
"My way is that I always give the players three or four minutes and they and
the staff can say whatever they like and speak between themselves. Then I
come and say whatever I need to say tactically and mentally. "It was no
change at West Bromwich Albion. Scott Parker spoke with emotion and it was
nice to hear him. He spoke and then of course it was down to tactical things
and other things. "We have many leaders in our team. We have a captain
[Matthew Upson] and Scott is one of the leaders. He's doing well and I'm
happy with him and the others."
Avram on the team-bonding day…
"We are playing on Monday and our last game was on Saturday so we decided to
take the day in the middle to be with the team together away for one day. It
was good for the team spirit and was very successful. "We did go-karting and
many other things. It was nice. It doesn't matter who won, but it was nice
to watch them enjoy themselves in the middle of everything."
Avram on Thomas Hitzlsperger…
"I think he is almost there. He played 70 minutes against Chelsea in a
reserve game and he did well. It's not easy after so long out - he was
injured since August - but it's nice to see him almost there. "He will play
on Monday - I don't know how long but he will play on Monday."
Avram on January signings…
"I am pleased with all the signings. We were playing good football before
but we were not so efficient. All the four new signings have started and we
feel like they've been with us a long time. "Unfortunately Robbie Keane got
injured because he is very important for us and we bought him to be an
important part of our team. "Our other signings are doing well - Wayne
Bridge, apart from his first game, is playing very, very well, Gary O'Neil
is playing his part and Demba Ba scored two goals and played very well after
a long break."
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Eagles down U18s
WHUFC.com
The youth team were beaten 3-1 at Crystal Palace in the FA Premier Academy
League on Friday
18.02.2011
West Ham United U18s lost for just the second time in eight FA Premier
Academy League matches on Friday, going down to a 3-1 defeat at Crystal
Palace.
Despite dominating much of the first half and creating numerous chances,
Academy Director Tony Carr's side were undone by two second-half goals from
the Eagles. Second-year scholar Sergio Sanchez (pictured) scored West Ham's
goal, but the Hammers missed out on the chance to take over top spot in
Group A by falling to a disappointing defeat in south London. "We lost 3-1,
but the biggest disappointment for us was that we should have been four
goals ahead at half-time," said Carr. "We dominated the first half to such
an extent that it was literally a matter of how many goals we were going to
score. "We were right on top but then they broke away and somehow managed to
score the opening goal of the game. Sergio equalised when the ball dropped
to him from a corner so we went in level at 1-1 at half-time. "After the
break, we literally gave two goals away as the bad habits that we displayed
earlier in the season came back to haunt us. Sergio and Paco Craig, our two
centre-backs, lost their shape and their discipline and it let Crystal
Palace back into the game. "For their second goal, their player looked as if
he was a mile offside, but Paco had lost concentration and was playing him
on and he ran through to score. For their third, Blair Turgott had done so
well to track his full-back into our penalty area, but then he tried to pass
the ball across the face of his own goal and their player intercepted and
shot into the net. "We threw everything at them in the closing stages and
had what I thought was a perfectly good goal from Paul McCallum ruled out.
The ball looked as if it had crossed the line by miles and their goalkeeper
literally clawed it out from the netting, but the referee deemed it had not
gone in. "We hit the post and missed a couple of other open goals and ended
up losing a game 3-1 that we should have had sewn up by half-time."
West Ham's youth team are without a fixture next weekend and return to
action at Ipswich Town on Saturday 5 March.
West Ham United U18s: Wootton, Modelski, Driver, Craig, Sanchez, Turgott,
Wearen (Moncur), Vose (Lletget), Tombides, Hall, Purdy (McCallum)
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Sears wants cup chance
WHUFC.com
Young attacker Freddie Sears is hoping to be involved in the Monday match
with Burnley
18.02.2011
Freddie Sears is biding his time for a recall but is ready and willing
should that come in Monday night's FA Cup visit of Burnley. The homegrown
Hammer showed his form with an assist and goal in the midweek reserves match
at Chelsea, but it was a match in which Pablo Barrera and Zavon Hines also
sparkled. That duo are also keen to catch the manager's eye, and Sears knows
that a strong squad means you must take your chance when it comes.
"It makes you work even harder when you look at the squad and you see
top-quality players everywhere - even on the bench," Sears told West Ham TV.
"You have to work hard every day in training and in reserve games just to
get yourself on the bench, let alone on the pitch. "It's good to play the
reserve games because sometimes when you're not in the first team you need a
run out and to come down and have a game. That's no disrespect to the
reserves because it is a good standard of football."
The 21-year-old has impressed since his return from a loan at Scunthorpe
United, and notably scored in the New Year's Day home win against
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He would love to play a part in keeping the team up
this season but also build on his FA Cup run, having played in the last
round against Nottingham Forest. "It's up to the manager. Obviously I'm
desperate to get back in there. I want to play every game and I want to help
West Ham in any way I can. At the moment, I've got to be patient and wait
for my chance and when it comes, I need to take it and get another run in
the team. "It would be nice. I obviously played in the last FA Cup game and
I thought I did all right. Let's hope I can get another run out on Monday
night and we'll see what happens. If I get in the team, I get in the team
and if I get on the bench, I'll be ready to come on and do my bit. "Burnley
are a good side. They've had a new manager come in in Eddie Howe and he
looks as if he knows what he is doing. He's gone in there and they've
started picking up points.
"Every team in the Championship can cause you problems on their day as we've
seen with Barnsley and Forest and it's going to be a good game."
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West Ham v Burnley
BBC.co.uk
FA Cup fifth round
Venue: Upton Park Date: Monday, 21 February Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport website and BBC
local radio; also live on ESPN
TEAM NEWS
West Ham will give a debut to Thomas Hitzlsperger in their FA Cup fifth
round clash with Burnley on Monday. The fitness of James Tomkins (calf) and
Matthew Upson (Achilles) will be assessed over the weekend.
Burnley will be without January signings Charlie Austin and Marvin Bartley
as both are cup-tied. Ex-Newcastle defender David Edgar could come into
contention after his loan move to Swansea City broke down because of a
problem with the paperwork.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
The tie in context
• Burnley are one of two representatives from the Championship in the fifth
round.
Gulf in class
• The Clarets are nine places lower than West Ham in the pecking order,
going into the weekend.
Head-to-head
• Both these clubs have won 30 of the 76 previous competitive meetings.
• Burnley won the most recent clash, 2-1 in the Premier League, on 6
February last year. It was their first triumph in 11 meetings.
FA Cup records and best performances
• West Ham hold a 100% FA Cup record against Burnley.
• They scored three goals in both of the previous occasions they were drawn
to meet each other; in the 1964 quarter-finals, and in the third round in
January 1968.
The clubs
WEST HAM UNITED
Current form
• Shared six goals, away to West Brom, in their last game last weekend.
• Won two of the last seven in league and cup.
• Scored three goals in three of their last four outings.
FA Cup form
• Not been beyond the fifth round stage since losing to Liverpool in the
2006 final at the Millennium Stadium.
• Already knocked out two Championship clubs in Barnsley and Nottingham
Forest in this cup run.
• It is 31 years since Trevor Brooking's famous header that won the cup for
West Ham for the third time in their history.
• Sheffield United were the last second tier club to oust them. West Ham
were in the same division at the time of the fourth round replay in February
2005 which was resolved by a penalty shoot-out.
• Not been dismissed by a club in a division lower than themselves since
Tranmere (second tier) in the third round in December 1999.
BURNLEY
Current form
• Avoided defeat in eight of the last nine league and cup matches, winning
five of them.
• This is their sixth away match in eight games, and their third in a row.
• Conceded one goal in each of the last six in all competitions.
FA Cup form
• The 1914 winners last qualified for the quarter-finals in 2003.
• Their last tie against a Premier League club was in the fifth round in
March 2009, when Arsenal won 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium. They had knocked
out top-flight West Brom in the previous round.
Replay date
Wednesday, 2 March 2011 (Kick off: 1945 GMT)
Match officials
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Assistant referees: Mike Mullarkey and Mike Cairns
Fourth official: Phil Dowd
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Hitzlsperger set for debut
Grant thinks midfielder can be one of the best in Premier League
Last updated: 18th February 2011
SSN
West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his long-awaited
competitive debut for the club on Monday. The former Aston Villa player
returned to England last summer after leaving Lazio in a free transfer to
Upton Park. But, after impressive performances in pre-season, Hitzlsperger
sustained a gruesome calf injury and was ruled out for four months. The
German has since made two starts for West Ham's reserve team and Grant is
now ready to include him in next week's FA Cup fifth-round match against
Burnley and he thinks the 28-year-old can be a star. "He will play on
Monday. I don't know how long but he will play," said the West Ham manager.
"If he is like he was in the [pre-season] training camps and preparation he
will be one of the best midfield players in the league because of his
vision, touch and ability to score goals and provide assists. "He knows how
to defend, he's clever, he was very good in every game - he scored or gave
an assist. "This is one of the reasons why they made him captain of German
team."
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I know Howe you feel Avram
The Sun
Published: Today
EDDIE HOWE has plenty of sympathy for under-fire West Ham boss Avram Grant -
but says he has not faced REAL pressure. The Burnley chief believes the task
of trying to prevent former club Bournemouth going bust - and keeping them
in the league after a 17-point deduction - has prepared him for anything.
Howe, 33, not only kept the Cherries afloat two years ago, he also got them
promoted to League One last season. That is why Burnley came calling last
month. Burnley have lost just one of seven games under Howe, and he is
looking forward to Monday's FA Cup fifth round tie at Upton Park.
He said: "When I took the job at Bournemouth, we were aware if we went out
of the league the club would probably have gone under. "That is probably the
biggest pressure I'll ever work under. "We've all heard the stories about
Avram Grant being in danger of the sack. It doesn't give me any satisfaction
to see any manager struggling."
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Andy's ready to roll at the Boleyn
The Sun
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Published: Today
ANDY CARROLL has targeted the trip to West Ham a week tomorrow for his
Liverpool debut. The England star had been pencilled in to make his bow in
the clash against Manchester United on March 6. The £35million striker, 22,
has been sidelined with a torn thigh muscle since December. He has been
working hard on his rehabilitation, desperate to defy gloomy suggestions
that he might not play again this season. A friend told SunSport: "Andy is
really pleased with how it's going. "It is not impossible that he could play
at Upton Park and he is now focusing on that game." Reds manager Kenny
Dalglish added: "He's a good lad, down to earth. "You say the punters cannot
relate to players and vice versa, but that's not a problem for him."
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Karren Brady's Football Diary
The Sun
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
Published: Today
Saturday, February 12
BREAKFAST in our household is as happy-looking as a cornflakes packet.
Paul's team Burton came out of hibernation last night - eight postponements
this term - to win. And West Ham have been awarded preferred bidder status
in the Olympic Stadium fight. So it's off to West Brom but a third of the
way through, we're 0-3 down. Optimistic club solicitor Henri Brandman tells
us directors: "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings."
I feel my waistline and try to explain I can't sing. At 3-3, it's West
Brom's directors looking for an overweight soprano...
Sunday, February 13
IN professional football today, loyalty by and large comes wrapped in pound
notes. Not with the Nevilles, it doesn't. Gary spent 20 outspoken but
uncomplaining years at Man U. Phil says today he owes Everton too much to
have given great thought to Spurs' recent transfer approach. So he'll have
been in despair about his team's show at Bolton where a 2-0 defeat is a
relegation warning. It looks like they are snoozing. Every season features a
club in freefall. My pal chairman Bill Kenwright must have real fears,
although he's lucky to have David Moyes.
Monday, February 14
MY Valentine card from Lord Sugar is sweet and a tiny bit sour. On a West
Ham background there is a pair of claret-coloured binoculars, making the
point that they'll be needed to be able to watch the football when we move
to the Olympic Stadium rather than his club, Spurs. That's OK, Lord Sugar,
you'll still be invited to our first match in a stadium that will be the
envy of our neighbours - and the world. Our plan to send the players on a
warm-weather break collapsed because the management couldn't find anywhere
warm. But I don't see a great problem in players staying at home, like
millions of other working Brits. With their draw at Fulham, Chelsea all but
surrender the Premier League title. Now they have a fight on to qualify for
the Champions League. Close to an unbelievable scenario.
Tuesday, February 15
LOVE of playing football is at the heart of every great player. And I go
along with Gerard Houllier who made that point today, aimed at Gareth Barry
and James Milner - two ex-Villa men now paid huge sums to be in and out of
the Man City side. I leave the tactics and motivation to Roberto Mancini but
I'm sure both would like to be in the team every match. It would amaze me if
they haven't asked themselves the Houllier question: Would I do the same
again? I am given a brief on Robbie Keane's injury. It's typical of our luck
that we persuaded Spurs to let us have Keane and now he could be out for six
weeks.
Wednesday, February 16
IF I were Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, I'd lock Harry Redknapp up and tell
him he can come out only if he promises to stay beyond 2012. The clamour to
make him England boss will be so great, it will take cloth ears to ignore
it. Last night the Redknapp eye twitched in disbelief as he talked of
Gennaro Gattuso's Glasgow kiss on his No 2 Joe Jordan. Today UEFA promise
action; a few rounds with Jordan would be appropriate. Spurs' stunning win
is followed tonight by Arsenal's equally meritorious victory against
Barcelona. Both have played with verve and style to compare with the world's
best.
Thursday, February 17
LEYTON ORIENT chairman Barry Hearn threatens legal action to delay West
Ham's projected move to the Olympic Stadium on the grounds that we will be
selling cheap tickets. This smacks of TK Maxx suing John Lewis for holding a
sale. I can understand why he fears the competition from a big neighbour
moving in next door. But does he really believe the stadium should be empty
for eight months of the year just because his average crowd of 3,000 might
be affected? He's also asking if O's could occupy the 15,000-seat hockey
stadium. Yes, with one proviso. We plan to put the proceeds of the Upton
Park sale into the stadium conversion. Shareholders will not make a penny
profit. I look forward to Hearn, who owns Brisbane Road, making a similar
gesture.
Friday, February 18
THIS is where I clamber on to a hobby horse of mine. A half-empty stadium on
match day is among the most hateful sights I know, along with an expanding
rump and a balance sheet in the red. Sadly these days, the FA and League
Cups are in steep decline and the single way to arrest it seems to me to be
cheap seats, particularly for families. Good idea? Pity is away clubs often
stand in the way as their receipts - these are shared - may be hit.
In effect, this means the away club can decide the home club's pricing
structure. For tomorrow's game at Upton Park, I wanted season-ticket holders
of both clubs to pay £10 but Burnley wouldn't go lower than £15, so that's
how it stands
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Hitz is on Target
The Sun
By CARL LONG
Published: Today
AVRAM GRANT reckons potentially he has the best central midfielder in the
Premier League. And he's not talking about Scott Parker. It's ex-Germany
captain Thomas Hitzlsperger, who will make his long-awaited debut for
second-bottom West Ham on Monday - eight months after arriving from Lazio.
The 28-year-old, nicknamed 'The Hammer', has been out since picking up a
thigh injury three days before the season kicked off. Now after two reserve
games, Grant, whose side host Burnley on Monday, is sending for the Hitzman.
Grant said: "He will play on Monday. If he plays like he did in pre-season,
then he is one of the best midfielders in the league. "He has touch, vision,
scores, assists and he defends clever. He was very good in every pre-season
game, he scored or provided an assist."
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Grant warns against major meddling with FA Cup format
Published 23:00 18/02/11 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
Avram Grant has warned the magic of the FA Cup will disappear with big
changes to the format. The Israeli, who led Portsmouth to the FA Cup final
last year, insisted the oldest club knockout competition has special appeal
around the world. And although the West Ham boss is open to minor
adjustments, he insisted the 139-year history must by protected. "I like the
tradition of the FA Cup, I like it very much," Grant said. "If there is
something that would make it more exciting then I say: 'yes'. "But I don't
think it will change much. I don't feel it needs to because it is unique.
"We have a problem because games are becoming more and more demanding but we
must always think about the people who are coming to watch the game. "They
like the tradition of the game, they like the tradition of the past. "I
always say to be open to change but I don't like changes if they are only
for people to say they have changed something."
Grant will finally be able to unleash Thomas Hitzlsperger for his West Ham
debut on Monday – eight months after joining the club. The former Aston
Villa midfielder signed from Lazio on a free transfer last June but tore his
thigh muscle in pre-season. Grant said: "He played 70 minutes in a reserve
game against Chelsea and did well. He will play on Monday. I don't know for
how long but he will play."
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Hitzlsperger will be smash hit - West Ham's Grant
Published 18:15 18/02/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Avram Grant believes Thomas Hitzlsperger is capable of becoming one of the
best midfielders in the Premier League after revealing the German will make
his long-awaited West Ham competitive debut on Monday. Hitzlsperger was the
Hammers' marquee summer last summer, leaving Italian giants Lazio to join
the Londoners on a free transfer. The former Aston Villa midfielder starred
in the club's pre-season campaign and looked set to be a fixture in the side
before he pulled his calf while playing for Germany against Denmark in
August. He returned to training eight weeks later but suffered the agony of
having the muscle come off the bone completely, ruling him out for four
months. After two starts in the reserve team, Grant is ready to throw
Hitzlsperger into action in the Hammers' FA Cup fifth-round clash with
Burnley and predicts the Germany captain's quality and experience mean he
will become a vital asset in the club's bid to avoid relegation. "He will
play on Monday. I don't know how long but he will play," Grant said. "If he
is like he was in the [pre-season] training camps and preparation he will be
one of the best midfield players in the league because of his vision, touch
and ability to score goals and provide assists. "He knows how to defend,
he's clever, he was very good in every game - he scored or gave an assist.
"This is one of the reasons why they made him captain of German team."
How exactly Grant intends to fit Hitzlsperger into the team for the rest of
the season is unclear. The former Aston Villa man has limited experience of
playing down either flank and his favoured position is in central midfield,
where Scott Parker and Mark Noble have developed a good partnership for the
club this season. That does not worry manager Grant though, who is happy to
have another experienced head available for what has so far been a
disappointing campaign for the Upton Park club. "He can play in a 4-4-2 or a
4-3-3 as holding midfielder or as an attacking midfielder," the Israeli
said.
"I have had a headache for most of the games this season because of the
number of injuries. "Against Blackpool we were missing five or six players.
This is another kind of headache. It is not easy but I like it more."
Grant plans to name a strong side for Monday's match against the npower
Championship team and is hoping a cup win will take the focus off his side's
season-long fight against relegation. Grant has fond memories of the FA Cup
having overcome the odds to take Portsmouth to the final last year when they
lost 1-0 to Chelsea. A leaked memo this week suggested that organisers are
planning to change the competition's format to scrap replays and move the
final kick-off to the evening. Grant is a big fan of how the competition is
now though. He said: "I like the tradition of the FA Cup, I like it very
much. "I don't feel it needs to change because it is unique. We have a
problem because games are becoming more and more demanding but we must
always think about the people who are coming to watch the game. "They like
the tradition of the game, they like the tradition of the past."
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