WHUFC.com
Blair Turgott has helped England to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA
European U17 Championship
09.05.2011
Blair Turgott played his part as England reached the semi-finals of the UEFA
European U17 Championship finals on Monday. The West Ham United scholar laid
on England's final goal in a 3-0 win over host nation Serbia in Indija in
their final Group A fixture. Liverpool defender Bradley Smith put the Young
Lions ahead after just seven minutes before Everton teenager Hallam Hope
netted a quickfire brace to all but make the game safe within the opening 18
minutes. Turgott, who does not turn 17 until 22 May, laid on Hope's second
goal and England's third with a pinpoint cross, helping England to continue
the defence of the title they won 12 months ago in Liechtenstein - when
Hammers club-mate Robert Hall was part of the triumphant squad. England will
face Netherlands in the semi-finals in Novi Sad on Thursday, while Group A
winners Denmark will take on Germany at the same venue on the same day.
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Academy still doing the business
WHUFC.com
The future is looking good as the Under-18s signed off their season in style
with a fine win
09.05.2011
Tony Carr was delighted when reflecting on the Under-18s successful end to
the 2010/11 FA Premier Academy League season. The Academy Director saw his
side win the last three games in some style, finishing up with an emphatic
4-1 win on Saturday at Chelsea that was most notable for Elliott Lee's
hat-trick. Carr was particularly pleased with the way his youngsters held
their nerve in a tense opening period before moving through the gears. "It
was a very good game," he told whufc.com. "For 20 minutes we couldn't get
the ball. They were passing and moving very well and we couldn't deal with
it. We slowly got a foothold in the game and then took the lead thanks to
good work by Dominic Vose down the left. He crossed and Elliott was able to
score."
After breaking the deadlock the Hammers dominated with Robert Hall winning
and converting a penalty before half-time. Lee completed his hat-trick in
the second half and only a "gift from us", according to Carr, gave Chelsea a
late consolation. Carr was pleased with what he had seen but also left to
rue what might of been from the campaign as a whole. "It was a good win. It
was our last game and it meant we did the double this season over Chelsea
and Arsenal for the first time in a long time. We finished strongly in the
league but if anything we perhaps underachieved overall in some respects.
"We could have done a bit better with the talent we have in the side but the
experience will benefit the players, who will all be able to play next
season aside from Sergio Sanchez. We also have our two England players to
come back. Blair Turgott is away with the Under-17s while Matthias Fanimo is
injured. "On the day, it was a youthful side, but in fairness Chelsea were
young as well. I felt we carried the greater threat around the goal. Elliott
is still an Under-16 but he is a natural goalscorer and we took our chances.
That was the difference."
Carr took the opportunity to blood some other U16s on Saturday, although
England schoolboy Leo Chambers was unable to figure. Josh Siafa and Taylor
Miles both appeared off the bench at Chelsea, along with Irish youth
international Kieran Sadlier.
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Jack pleased to be back
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison is targeting two wins after making an encouraging comeback
after 14 months out
09.05.2011
While Saturday's 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers has left West Ham United's
Barclays Premier League status hanging by a thread, it was not all doom and
gloom at the Boleyn Ground. Jack Collison was afforded a hero's welcome on
his return to first-team action after more than 13 months out recovering
from a serious knee injury. The No10 made a positive impact on his comeback,
helping the Hammers to secure a draw that keeps their slim hopes of survival
alive. Collison told West Ham TV that the club's struggles had overshadowed
the joy he felt at making his long-awaited return. "I had mixed emotions.
Obviously it was great to get out on the pitch after such a long lay-off. It
would have been nice had we got the three points. We created a lot of
chances, we showed great fighting spirit after going 1-0 down to get back
into the game. We are still in with a fighting chance - two games, two wins
and hopefully we can do it. "I had been training with them all week and
thought that I had half a chance of being involved. It was great for me on a
personal level. It is just a shame that we could not get the three points.
"I wasn't nervous. I had been waiting long enough to get another go at it
and I had been working hard for in the past 14 months. There have been long
days and it was great to be out there."
"It was a great feeling afterr all the hard work and the physios did well in
not rushing me. They worked hard and it was not just one or two, it is a
group of five or six. There have been some long day and it was good to get
out there. "The first three months after the operation I was on a CPM
(Continuous Passive Motion) machine for eight hours a day which meant I was
laid in bed with a machine that worked on bending my leg, so once that was
out of the way it was about just getting back. I owe a lot of people a lot
of things. I got there eventually, but that is enough about me and it is
about the team and staying in the Premier League."
While his injury prevented him from playing his part on the pitch, Collison
has been an ever-present figure at Chadwell Heath, where his ready smile and
banter have helped keep spirits high during what has been a difficult
campaign. On matchdays, the 22-year-old has been taking his seat in the
Boleyn Ground stands and going through the same agonies and ecstasies
experienced by every West Ham supporter. "It has been very hard to watch and
I felt like a fan to be honest. I can see how much hard work it is. At times
we played some great stuff and the results don't go for us but we are where
we are. It is a matter of two games and two wins to stay in the Premier
League. "It is a massive task, we know that, we are not going to lie. We are
where we are. We go to Wigan next week and it is a must-win game. We have to
take three points. They will be thinking the same, so it is set up to be a
cup final. I am looking forward to it."
A successful return to the DW Stadium will also help Collison to bury the
memory of West Ham's 1-0 win over the Latics in May 2009 - a game during
which he initially injured his knee after landing awkwardly near the
touchline. "Cheers for reminding me! Obviously it will be a massive game. I
did my knee there before so I've got to go back there and get the three
points. I hope to be involved. But it is about the team, not an individual,
and at the moment we need to pull together in the same direction."
"The boys are working hard, the staff have put the hours in, but it is a
matter of going out there now and doing it. We have talked all season about
how we are good enough to get out of it but the league table does not lie
and we have a cup final next week and the following week. We need two wins
and hopefully that is enough."
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Sullivan: the price of failure
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
David Sullivan has claimed relegation will personally cost him around
£20million. West Ham United's co-chairman, who is currently facing an
enormous backlash from supporters angry at the club's failures both on and
off the field this season told the Evening Standard that dropping into the
Championship will cost the club - plus himself and partner David Gold -
millions of pounds. "Should the worst happen, we will have to inject loans
of £20-£40million, depending on circumstances, which will robably never be
repaid," he said. "I don't believe the supporters realise the potential real
cost to us. "The fans should know though this club is in a worse financial
position than any other in the country. All the debts are football or bank
debts secured on the stadium and training ground, so there is no route via
administration.
"Nobody out there wants to take on the burden of West Ham United. We do, as
we are supporters - but our resources don't match foreign-based oligarchs
who pay no UK tax."
Despite the financial burdens relegation will bring, Sullivan remains
confident that West Ham will bounce back straight away, should the worst
happen. "I have been relegated three times before, on every occasion gaining
automatic promotion the following season," he continued, "but this one will
hurt me the most if it happens.
"David and I have taken criticism and, should we be relegated, will accept
the responsibility."
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Zola linked with PL return
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola is being linked with a return to former
club Chelsea. The ex-Hammers boss has been out of work since being fired by
club owners David Sullivan and David Gold (via Karren Brady) a year ago this
month, despite having led West Ham to Premier League survival in 2009/10 - a
task seemingly too big for the board's chosen replacement, Avram Grant.
Fresh reports today suggest that the Italian could now be heading back to
Chelsea - a club where he remains revered for his time the re as a player-
in a coaching capacity - a role some have suggested may be a better position
for a man who has always felt happier being away from the spotlight. Zola
was hired by Scott Duxbury in Spetember 2008, just weeks after Alan
Curbishley had resigned citing constructive dismissal. Initially he proved
to be a huge success as he led United to a ninth-place finish during his
first season in the managerial hot seat. However the following season - his
second and last - saw Zola struggle to deal with the pressure of being a
Premier League boss. Although he managed to secure Premier League football
for the club for another season, the writing was on the wall for the former
midfielder the day Gold and Sullivan, keen to work with their own managerial
appointment, purchased a half-share in West Ham United.
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Deja vu, Dave?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's impending relegation will be the fourth time David
Sullivan and David Gold have witnessed a club under their ownership drop a
division.
Hammers co-chairman Sullivan purchased a majority share of Birmingham City
(84 per cent from former owners, the Kumars) in March 1993, before bringing
business partner Gold on board. Despite having given manager Terry Cooper
funds with which to improve the squad - and having installed a certain
Karren Brady as Managing Director - the Blues were relegated to the third
tier of English football in Sullivan's first full season in command
(1993/94).
Disappointment soon turned to celebration however when City were promoted
back to the Championship as Division Two champions the following season.
Having established themselves as a force in the division, Sullivan and Gold
saw their club reach the Premier League for the very first time at the end
of the 2001/02 when they beat Norwich 4-2 in the play-off final at Cardiff
(having beaten Millwall 2-1 in aggregate in the semi final).
Following three reasonably successful seasons in which Birmingham finished
13th, 10th and 12th in the Premier League the spectre of relegation came
back to haunt the owners as City returned to the Championship having
finished 18th, some four points behind 17th-placed Portsmouth (whose own
survival had been something of a miracle).
This was the beginning of an extraordinary sequence of events that
subsequently saw City promoted twice from the Championship (both times in
second place) in the next three years, having been relegated - again - in
2007/08 when they finished one from the bottom in 2007/08.
With West Ham now facing relegation - bar a minor miracle - the Daves, for
whom the current season is only their sixth full campaign as owners of a
Premier League outfit, can now looking forward to their fourth relegation
since entering football in the early nineties - a statistic that equates to
roughly one relegation every four seasons.
Oops, we did it again: S&G's record in football
Birmingham City
1993/94 Division One - finished 22nd, relegated to Division Two
1994/95 Division Two - promoted as champions
1995/96 Division One - finished 15th
1996/97 Division One - finished 10th
1997/98 Division One - finished 7th
1998/99 Division One - finished 4th (lost in play-off semi-final to Watford
on pens)
1999/00 Division One - finished 5th (lost in play-off semi-final to
Barnsley)
2000/01 Division One - finished 5th (lost in play-off semi-final to Preston)
2001/02 Division One - finished 5th (promoted via play-offs beating Norwich
in final)
2002/03 Premier League - finished 13th
2003/04 Premier League - finished 10th
2004/05 Premier League - finished 12th
2005/06 Premier League - finished 18th, relegated to the Championship
2006/07 Championship - finished 2nd, promoted to Premier League
2007/08 Premier League - finished 19th, relegated to the Championship
2008/09 Championship - finished 2nd, promoted to Premier League
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League - finished 17th (having arrived at the club in
January)
2010/11 Premier League - currently 20th with two games of the season
remaining
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KUMB.com nominated
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
KUMB.com have been nominated by EPL Talk for the website's 'Best EPL Forum'
category. For the second time this year, Knees up Mother Brown is up for an
industry award having received the nomination from EPL Talk, one of the
web's most popular Premier League resources. In order to vote for KUMB,
simply visit the voting page at http://www.epltalk.com/2011-best-epl-forum
and select Knees up Mother Brown from the list of nominees. Voting closes on
on Sunday, 22nd May. The KUMB.com forum -
http://www.kumb.com/forum/index.php - has in excess of 16,000 members
providing hundreds of new posts every day. KUMB.com was also nominated by
Soccerlens earlier this season for their 2010 Best Club Fansite category.
See http://soccerlensawards.com/best-club-fansite/ for more information.
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Sullivan admits financial fear
Hammers' co-owner claims he would have to provide cash injection
Last Updated: May 9, 2011 5:12pm
SSN
David Sullivan has claimed it will cost he and co-owner David Gold up to
£40million to keep West Ham afloat if they are relegated. The Hammers had to
settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn on Saturday so Wolves' win over
West Brom on Sunday left them four points from safety with just two games
left. Sullivan and Gold are both lifelong supporters of West Ham and
acquired a controlling interested in the club in January 2010. That staved
off a cash crisis in the short term but with ongoing debt issues in excess
of £80million, the board have already warned that top-earners like England
trio Scott Parker, Robert Green and Matthew Upson would have to be sold if
they go down. Failure to win at relegation rivals Wigan this weekend would
seal West Ham's fate and Sullivan admits it would leave a huge financial
black hole that he and Gold would have to fill. "The fans should know,
though, this club is in a worse financial position than any other in the
country," he told the London Evening Standard.
Bank debts
"All the debts are football or bank debts secured on the stadium and
training ground, so there is no route via administration. "West Ham really
is a club where the football and bank debts exceed the value of the club.
"It's a pretty thankless task and the criticism hurts. Should the worst
happen, we will have to inject loans of £20-£40million, depending on
circumstances, which will probably never be repaid. "I don't believe the
supporters realise the potential real cost to us. "Nobody out there wants to
take on the burden of West Ham United. We do, as we are supporters, but our
resources don't match foreign-based oligarchs who pay no UK tax." Sullivan
and Gold spent 16 years in charge of Birmingham, during which they
experienced many ups and downs.
Emotional
But given their personal ties to West Ham, they are currently enduring an
emotional rollercoaster too. "We are not down yet, but I admit it is not
looking good," Sullivan added. "I have been relegated three times before, on
every occasion gaining automatic promotion the following season, but this
one will hurt me the most if it happens. "David and I have taken criticism
and, should we be relegated, will accept the responsibility."
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Keen - Hammers are fighting
Hammers first-team boss quietly confident ahead of crucial run in
Last Updated: May 9, 2011 1:41pm
SSN
West Ham first-team coach Kevin Keen insists the club are still fighting for
their Premier League lives despite disappointing weekend results. The
Hammers were held at home by fellow strugglers Blackburn Rovers with central
defender Christopher Samba in superb form for the visitors. Thomas
Hitzlsperger's leveller secured West Ham a late draw against Rovers and Keen
still feels the point could be pivotal come the end of the season. The
result, coupled with Wolves' 3-1 win over West Brom 24 hours later, means
the Hammers are four points adrift of Mick McCarthy's fourth-from-bottom
side with two games remaining. West Ham have a six-pointer against Wigan at
the DW Stadium on Saturday and Keen sees no reason why they cannot follow up
success in Lancashire with a home victory over Sunderland.
"There's no way we're conceding that," he replied on Sky Sports News when
asked if West Ham were resigned to Championship football next season. "We
threw everything at Blackburn on Saturday. Unfortunately we came up against
a brick wall called Samba and he was fantastic for Blackburn and earned them
a vital point.
"Perhaps that's going to be a vital point for us. If we can get our win at
Wigan next Saturday I'm pretty sure the last game against Sunderland it'll
be a full house and we can get three points there. "It's been a topsy-turvy
season in terms of how many points are needed. Wolves' result on Sunday
makes it a little more difficult. "We'll do our job. We'll get our six
points and hopefully that'll be enough to keep us in the Premier League."
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A Way to Try to Restore the Heart and Soul of West Ham Utd FC!
May 10th, 2011 - 2:00 am by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The necessity of Scott Parker remaining fit has been a reoccurring concern
for me all season. It was blatantly clear that Parker was crucial to our PL
survival. The managent should have recognised that and rested him in the
numerous cup matches this season. But no, he was played continually,
placing an incredible strain upon Parker's body. It might have been ok for
many footballers, playing at normal pace and intensity, but the 'Trojan'
Parker has played at 110% effort week in and week out, all season, and
something had to give. And it did, his achilles tendon!
I believe that Parker picked up the injury, whilst playing for England,
against Wales in the European Championship qualifier, but arguably it could
just as well have occurred in a West Ham fixture. It condemned us to losing
our best player at the most crucial point of the season. It has been
obvious in the last couple of seasons that we were heavily reliant upon
Parker's drive and skill. He is the inspiration and heart beat of the
current side and we just cannot compensate for his absence.
Another typically fustrating performance resulted in us dropping two vital
points last Saturday. Blackburn Rovers are a solid, organised outfit, but
we should have beaten them comfortably at Upton Park. However, another poor
opening phase put us on the back foot. In the opening exchanges, it was
Blackburn that were first to every ball and who exhibited the crucial will
to win. One of the things that disappoints me most about the current team
is the lack of passion. In previous relegation battles, over past decades,
West Ham teams have overpowered better teams, at Upton Park, with commitment
and the outstanding pace and tempo of their attacking play. Not this
present crew, you watch some of the players and you really have to question
whether they are just going through the motions?
And of course there is the management team, Avram Grant's appointment has
proven a failure. Whatever happens Grant, and his coaching staff, will
undoubtedly exit in the summer. Who should replace them? Having
considered all the options, if we are relegated, Chris Houghton could be the
right choice. He has shown that he is a capable manager and that he knows
the formula for achieving promotion from the Championship. Houghton is a
local lad, born and bred in Forest Gate, and he actually played for the club
in the early 1990s. Moreover he is available and would probably jump at the
chance of managing his local team.
In the aftermath of our probable relegation, the club and its supporters
will need a lift. The appointment of Paulo Di Canio, as Assistant
Manager/Chief Coach would certainly galvanize and excite the supporters.
They should be supported by a revamped coaching staff where Hammers men
predominate. Obviously, Kevin Keen, Steve Lomas and (unquestionably) Tony
Carr should be retained and, to them, we could add the likes of Shaka Hislop
(goal keeping coach) and Julian Dicks or Alvin Martin (defensive coach). We
could even consider rescuing Alan Devonshire from non-league management and
get him involved in an appropriate capacity. Tony Cottee has recently
criticised the lack of football knowledge at board room level, how about
rectifying that by appointing an Hammers legend as a Non-Executive Director
(NED)? Perhaps Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters or even Alan Devonshire could
play a similiar NED role as Sir Bobby Charlton does at Old Trafford. Some
may disagree with these choices, but most fans would surely agree we need
people in the management/coaching set up who care about the club and can
communicate their passion to the playing staff.
The club's owners must ultimately be held account for this disappointing
season. And, although they wish to remind us of the alleged personal cost
to them, they have publicly accepted their responsibility for our possible
relegation. That it is the way that it has to be. They called the shots
and made the key decisions to appoint Avram Grant and not make the necessary
investments in the squad during the key summer transfer window. Now the
'chickens have come home to roost' and they have little option but to hold
their hands up. If they are wise, they will try to get the supporters back
on side, by making good, but also crowd pleasing appointments. Least ways,
I hope so, because otherwise we are likely to end up with a managerial
appointment that, at best, does not inspire confidence or, at worst,
generates outright hostility. I mean, Neil Warnock, as the Hammers Manager,
are they serious!!!
Regardless of what fans may think of the board, they are undoubtedly here to
stay. So, it would be a good move for them to now give the fans what they
want, West Ham men managing and coaching the club. Moreover, they should
seek to develop and promote future managers from within the coaching set up.
If Houghton and Di Canio were appointed, for instance, then the latter would
be the heir apparent. It is the type of system that Liverpool used for
decades and that they ill-advisedly discarded. It makes good sense and is
a way to try to restore the heart and soul of West Ham Utd FC.
I am so sick of the current managerial/coaching set up, I think I might have
been tempted to dispose with their services after the Man City match and put
Tony Carr in charge for the final three matches. Could he have done any
worse? Hardly. and he might even have instilled a bit of pride and passion
into the playing squad.
Regardless, the reality is that Grant will now see the season out. The
chances of survival have decreased significantly with the lose of two points
on Saturday and Wolves 3-1 victory over WBA the following day. The maximum
number of points that we can amass now is 39. We must win our final two
matches and hope that the other teams in the bottom six drop enough points
to facilitate our unlikely escape. It calls for two back-to-back wins and
the other results all going our way. We could even see a number of teams
finishing on 39 points, with goal difference deciding the relegation issue.
With that in mind, we not only have to win our matches, but we must try to
improve our GD as well!
Can we beat Wigan? Undoubtedly, if we apply ourselves, but will we? It's
frequently been the same story this season, we have the better players, but
they fail to deliver the result? It makes me sick to see clubs with
inferior squads, like Fulham and Stoke City, safe in mid-table. The
difference with those teams is that they have strong management and a good
team spirit and work ethic. This ensures that the whole (the team) is
greater than the sum of their parts (the individual players)! You can
legitimately blame the Hammers players for their part in this debacle, but
it still keeps coming right back to the shortcomings of managerial
leadership and tactical nous at the club.
Regardless, here's to a 0-3 Hammers win and defeats for Wolves, Blackpool,
Blackburn and Brum! Unlikely, I know, but then far stranger things have
happened. That would, however, set things up very nicely for the final day
of the season, a resounding defeat of Sunderland, and a very improbable
escape on goal difference!
Well, I can dream can't I, even in the face of the odds staked against such
a near miraclous escape!
SJ. Chandos.
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Hammers will fall without a whimper
IAN WRIGHT - Columnist
Published: Today
The Sun
DESPITE being a Millwall fan as a boy, my first-ever football kit was a West
Ham one. I was seven years old and it was a present from my mum as my older
brother, Maurice, was a real Hammers nut. Maurice rarely came to watch me
play for Crystal Palace or Arsenal but in my short stint at Upton Park -
between 1998 and 1999 - he was always in the stands. I therefore have a
genuine soft spot for West Ham and it really saddens me that they will be
playing in the Championship next season.
They are four points adrift of Wolves in 17th place, with an inferior goal
difference. And even if Avram Grant's side win their last two games, they
could still go down.
West Ham have a massive match at Wigan on Sunday and are at home to
Sunderland on the final day - but I don't think they will win either of
those games. Frustratingly, the Hammers should not be in this position but
the same was being said when they last went down in 2003. It was clearly a
mistake keeping faith with Grant but, unfortunately, his personality is
reflected in his team. It's a side with little passion or fight. Worst of
all, West Ham are set to go out of the Premier League with a whimper and the
club's terrific fans deserve more than that.
Some of the comments made by the club's owners over these last couple of
weeks have been bizarre. For starters, it was strange to hear David Gold
saying the club would allow their internationals to leave should they suffer
relegation. That may be the case but why on earth would you say that with
games still to play? Also, the directors' decision to all miss the away game
at Manchester City was a massive own goal.
Just above rock-bottom West Ham are WIGAN and I think they will scrape
survival. The Latics have been here before and I can just see enough spirit
that, helped by a win over West Ham, will see them safe. I can also see
Roberto Martinez's team securing a point on the final day at Stoke.
BLACKPOOL remain in danger and I feel we will be waving goodbye to Ian
Holloway's men, even though they have been a breath of fresh air. It was a
terrific weekend for WOLVES with their win over West Brom and Mick
McCarthy's side have convinced me they will escape the drop.
BIRMINGHAM, meanwhile, have gone downhill since their Carling Cup final win
but draws against Fulham and Spurs will put them on 41 points and probable
safety.
So that brings us to the final club in danger - sixth-from-bottom BLACKBURN.
I would love to see them stay up but reckon we are going to lose them as
they have two nasty games to come, at home to Manchester United and away to
Wolves. Of the three clubs relegated last season - Hull, Burnley and
Portsmouth - the highest-placed finisher this term was my old team Burnley
and they still finished seven points of the play-offs.
As West Ham, Blackpool and Blackburn may find out, it is tough to stay in
the top flight but even tougher to get back.
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£40m – cost of drop, says Sulli
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
The Sun
DAVID SULLIVAN reckons relegation will cost him and business partner David
Gold £40MILLION. zullivan, joint-chairman of debt-ridden West Ham, said:
"This club is in a worse financial position than any other in the country."
The Premier League's bottom club are four points from safety and could go
down at Wigan on Sunday after just six years back in the top flight. The one
positive is Scott Parker could be back. Sullivan added: "All the debts are
football or bank debts secured on the stadium and training ground, so there
is no route via administration. "West Ham really is a club where the
football and bank debts exceed the value of the club. "Should the worst
happen, we will have to inject loans of between £20m and £40m, depending on
circumstances, which will probably never be repaid. "I don't believe the
supporters realise the potential real cost to us."
Sullivan and Gold shelled out £25m each to buy a controlling interest last
January. They have poured in another £30m in the past 18 months and the club
has a £60m annual wage bill.
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Hammers expect Parker to face Wigan
Published 23:00 09/05/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Scott Parker is winning his battle to face Wigan at the DW Stadium on
Sunday. West Ham's standout midfielder has been sidelined for a month after
picking up an Achilles injury, and has been badly missed as the Hammers have
struggled to move away from the foot of the table. Avram Grant's side have
lost five of their last six games and have to beat Wigan if they are to
stand any chance of retaining their top-flight status. Parker was hoping to
be back for the game against Blackburn last Saturday, but failed to recover
in time and was receiving more treatment over the weekend. Now he is
expected to resume training this week and declare his fitness for a game
which has been described as a cup final for the east London club. Grant
could also be boosted by the shock return of Parker's fellow midfielder Mark
Noble, who has also made a speedy recovery from surgery to clear up a hernia
problem. Noble was expected to miss the rest of the season, but resumed
light training last week. He is expected to build up his fitness over the
next few days and take his place alongside Parker at the heart of the West
Ham midfield.
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Di Canio set for comeback with… Swindon
Published 23:00 09/05/11 By Football Spy
The Mirror
Paolo di Canio is lining up a shock return to England – as manager of League
Two Swindon. Di Canio will fly in for talks with Robins chairman Jeremy Wray
this week after applying for the vacant post at the County Ground. Former
boss Paul Hart decided to leave the club after they were relegated.
Firebrand Di Canio, who played for West Ham, Sheffield Wednesday, Celtic and
Charlton, has no managerial experience but has his UEFA coaching badges. The
Italian, famed for pushing over referee Paul Alcock during a game in 1998,
has touted himself to replace Avram Grant at Upton Park – but knows he needs
to prove himself in the lower divisions first. Speaking last year, Di
Canio's agent Phil Spencer said: "Paolo is serious about management."
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Great Scott! Parker steps up recovery ahead of West Ham's relegation
showdown with Wigan
By SAMI MOKBEL
Last updated at 1:26 AM on 10th May 2011
Daily Mail
Scott Parker will complete an intense recovery regime this week to ensure he
is fit for West Ham's do-or-die relegation clash away to Wigan on Sunday.
He will report to the club's training ground every day to undergo a
specifically devised fitness programme to ensure he can at least play some
part in the Hammers' survival battle. The midfielder has missed the last
four games with an achilles injury, during which the team have picked up
just one point.
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Tottenham launch second legal bid in bitter battle for Olympic Stadium
Tuesday 10th May 2011, 2:45am GMT
CityAM
TOTTENHAM last night confirmed they have launched a second legal challenge
against the controversial decision to hand West Ham the Olympic Stadium
after the London 2012 Games, as City A.M. reported first last month. Spurs
chiefs have applied to the High Court for permission to bring a claim for
judicial review of a series of decisions made by legacy chiefs the OPLC, the
Mayor of London and national and local government. It follows a similar move
on 13 March, in which they asked for a judicial review of Newham council's
decision to underwrite a £40m loan from the Treasury towards West Ham's £90m
relocation costs. City A.M. reported then that Tottenham were actively
pursuing the possibility of a second claim (below), and that was formally
submitted yesterday in time to meet tomorrow's deadline of three months
since the OPLC's decision. West Ham were anointed as preferred tenants in
part because of their pledge to retain the stadium's running track
post-Olympics, thereby helping London keep its promise to deliver an
athletics legacy for Stratford. Tottenham were told their bid did not meet
all the OPLC's criteria but have demonstrated they have not given up on
having the decision overturned.
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Winston Reid denies Italian club connection
Last updated 13:18 10/05/2011
Stuff.co.nz
All Whites defender Winston Reid says his focus is on West Ham's relegation
battle, not his playing future next season. Football Maxi Rodriguez treble
helps Liverpool to five Wayne Rooney in the clear over swearing Fifa fire
salvo in the war on match-fixing United all but champions after downing
Chelsea AC Milan win 18th Serie A football crown Junior All Whites go down
1-0 South Korea Zinedine Zidane defends Blanc in quota row Carlo Ancelotti
to learn his fate at Chelsea City still on course after Blackpool hold Spurs
New NZ Football CEO unveils plan for future All Whites defender Winston Reid
says he has no knowledge of interest from an Italian Serie A football club
and is focused solely on helping West Ham United's fight to remain in the
English Premier League (EPL). Reid has been linked in the British media to a
move to Chievo Verona, who are currently 12th in the Italian top flight
club. But he said today he had not had any contact with the club and his
only concern was West Ham's plight, with the London club staring relegation
to the Championship in the face. They are bottom of the EPL, at least four
points from safety, and will probably need to win their last two matches to
avoid the drop. "I haven't heard anything," Reid told Radio Live when asked
about potential interest from Chievo. "I haven't thought about moving or
anything. I just need to finish this season off and hopefully we can stay in
the league. "I'm just concentrating on our last few games and finishing the
season off."
This is Reid's first season at West Ham and while he has not featured
prominently -- he has made seven starts and five appearances off the bench
in all competitions -- he said he was happy at Upton Park and had no current
plans to leave at season's end, even if they are relegated. "I haven't
thought about that, stuff like that I'm not too fussed about right now," he
said. "I'm happy here and it's a good club, we just need to get us out of
this situation. I've only been here for one year - I obviously haven't
played as much as possible but I believe in my qualities and eventually my
time will come."
Reid, who is contracted to West Ham until June 2013, believed they had to
win their final two matches -- away to Wigan and at home against Sunderland
-- to stay on the main stage. "It's not impossible, but it will be
difficult."
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West Ham will need £40m of bail-out loans if relegated, says Sullivan
By Jack Pitt-Brooke
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
The Independent
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has admitted that the club is in "a worse
financial position than any other in the country". Speaking yesterday with
the club close to relegation from the Premier League, he predicted that he
would have to inject loans of up to £40m should they go down.
The club are already in about £80m of debt and Sullivan revealed the scale
of the crisis that relegation would bring. "The fans should know that this
club is in a worse financial position than any other in the country," he
said. "All the debts are football or bank debts secured on the stadium and
training ground so there is no route via administration. West Ham really is
a club where the football and bank debts exceed the value of the club."
Sullivan and his co-owner David Gold would have to invest more into the club
if they go down. "Should the worst happen, we will have to inject loans of
£20m-£40m, depending on circumstances, which will probably never be repaid.
I don't believe the supporters realise the potential real cost to us."
West Ham are among the diminishing set of Premier League clubs with British
owners, and Sullivan bemoaned that they do not have the available resources
of their rivals. "Nobody out there wants to take on the burden of West Ham
United," he said. "We do, as we are supporters but our resources don't match
foreign-based oligarchs who pay no UK tax."
The Upton Park club are bottom, four points adrift of safety. They need to
win their remaining games, away at Wigan Athletic and at home to Sunderland,
to stay up. Even then they would not be assured of safety.
"We're not down yet but I admit it's not looking good," Sullivan continued.
"I've been relegated three times before, on every occasion gaining automatic
promotion the following season but this one will hurt me the most if it
happens. David and I have taken criticism and, should we be relegated, will
accept the responsibility."
Sullivan and Gold will be travelling to Wigan on Saturday, and Sullivan
praised the home supporters from last weekend's home draw with Blackburn.
"The support for the team on Saturday was magnificent," he said, "the best
we've seen since we've been at the club."
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