WHUFC.com
The FA Youth Cup returns this evening at the Boleyn Ground with the visit of
Manchester United
19.01.2011
Tony Carr is up for the challenge of taking on Manchester United in
tonight's mouth-watering FA Youth Cup tie at the Boleyn Ground. The
Under-18s warmed up for the fourth-round fixture with a training session on
the Upton Park pitch on Tuesday, and Carr said his players could not wait
for the game to start. The Hammers, who last won this competition in 1999
with the likes of Joe Cole and Michael Carrick, won through to this stage
with a 5-0 defeat of Aldershot Town while the Red Devils were 3-2 winners
against Portsmouth. Carr is expecting a stiffer test this time around.
"Manchester United go through reputation," he told WHUTV. "They are one of
the biggest clubs in the country and they have a proud tradition of
producing youth players like ourselves.
"You must give them the utmost respect. It will be an open attacking game I
am sure and we are looking forward to it. We have great respect for them and
their reputation."
With the pitches at Little Heath waterlogged, Carr and his team were given
permission to train at the stadium on Tuesday. It was a useful exercise, not
just in getting a chance to swap Astroturf for grass but also to get more
precious practice time on the big stage of the Boleyn. "The weather has made
it difficult, with all the water laying around making the pitches heavy and
waterlogged. Training at Upton Park has been a boost to the boys and allowed
us to get used to the pitch which we don't use that often. It is maybe a
little bit of an advantage to have trained on it the day before the game and
it was a fantastic boost.
"Our needs have to be measured against the needs of the first team but they
are away this weekend. It made it easier for us. If we couldn't have trained
there, we would have had to train on Astroturf again. We did that on Monday
so to do it for two days running would not have been ideal."
Carr's youngsters spent last week in Abu Dhabi on an all-expenses paid trip
courtesy of their hosts. The Hammers were 3-1 winners against Hamburger SV
in their first match before losing to local club Baniyas FC in the final.
"It came after our two week winter break and it was great to get this
opportunity. It got us back to into the swing of playing again with warm
weather. The temperatures were in the 70s. It was nice to have sunshine,
blue skies and grass to play on. "It was a great experience and a great
opportunity to get some training in before the FA Youth Cup. We have players
in form and hopefully we can take that into the Man United game."
The Hammers have lifted the FA Youth Cup on three previous occasions - 1963,
1981 and 1999. United have won the competition a record nine times, with
their most recent success coming in 2003.
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Specs eyes Everton repeat
WHUFC.com
Jonathan Spector is aiming for a repeat of last season's battling
performance at Goodison Park
19.01.2011
Jonathan Spector is hoping lightning can strike twice and a trip to Everton
will serve as the catalyst to West Ham United achieving Barclays Premier
League survival. On Easter Sunday 2010, the Hammers travelled to Goodison
Park on a run of six consecutive league defeats. When Yakubu put Everton
ahead with five minutes remaining, West Ham looked on course for a seventh
straight loss, only for Ilan to dive to head home Julien Faubert's cross
with just three minutes to go. Having escaped defeat at Everton, West Ham
would pick up seven points from their final five matches to stay up. Spector
was playing at left-back that afternoon in April last year and, although he
is now lining up in a different position in central midfield, the American
is eyeing a repeat performance. "The aim is to go there and get a result.
Obviously a point is OK but we go there looking for a win. That's what our
focus will be on. "We've had some pretty good results and are aiming to turn
our season around. Hopefully, this game will act as a boost and do the same
as happened last season and will serve as the catalyst to help us climb the
table. "The reverse fixture in December is a game we felt we should have won
but we ended up with a draw. Hopefully we can go up there and get a win."
While Spector is naturally looking forward rather than into the past, the
United States international admitted the Hammers had been second-best
against Arsenal on Saturday. However, the American refused to blame the
club's absent midfielders - Scott Parker, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jack Collison
and Valon Behrami were all out injured, while Mark Noble was forced off with
a calf injury early in the first half. Spector lined up alongside Radoslav
Kovac and Luis Boa Morte in the centre of midfield, and the 24-year-old
backed his experienced colleagues to rise to the challenge between now and
the season's end.
"Certainly it was a disappointing result as we wanted to build on the recent
results we've had at home. We had a couple of great nights over the previous
week and would have liked to have pushed on but it didn't happen. "It was a
tough game. You know they're going to have a lot of the ball because they're
very good at keeping it, passing it and moving it around. We made it
difficult for ourselves by not keeping it. They [Kovac and Boa Morte] are
international players, so it's not a case of us not having experience in
there. They've played for their countries and certainly have the ability."
While Kovac and Boa Morte have spent the majority of their professional
careers in central midfield, Spector himself has recently moved forward from
his previous position in defence to patrol the middle of the park. The
switch has led to important goals against Manchester United and Barnsley and
some buccaneering runs in support of the attack, but the Chicago native
admitted he still has a lot to learn about his new role. "I'm still getting
used to it, but I'm getting more and more comfortable in that role with
every game. I'm delighted to be playing and hopefully I'll be able to
continue in there and learn the position more and more."
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Bendtner move talk dismissed
Dane not interested in speculation
By Richard Torgerson Last updated: 19th January 2011
SSN
Nicolas Bendtner is not interested in speculation that Arsenal have put a
price on his head, amid speculation West Ham are looking to sign him.
Reports have suggested that Arsenal are ready to do business on the
23-year-old Danish international with a price tag of £15million being
reported. But the player's father Thomas, who is also his agent, insists
that his son is not interested in such reports. "That's not interesting," he
told Ekstrabladet. "If Arsenal want to sell and have set a price, then
that's up to them. "That's nothing that we have been involved in. "I can
only say that this is nothing of interest to us."
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Ba still hopeful
Want-away Hoffenheim star still hopes for English switch
By Graeme Bailey - Follow me on Twitter @graemebailey Last updated: 19th
January 2011
SSN
Demba Ba has told Sky Sports that he is still confident he can secure a move
to the Premier League. The Senegalese international saw a move to Stoke City
collapse after he failed a medical last week. Stoke remain keen on a
potential loan deal, whilst West Ham are also still believed to be
interested. Ba was surprised he failed his medical at The Britannia Stadium.
"Unfortunately they didn't want to take a risk, it wasn't that much but they
were a little afraid and they just said it wasn't going to happen," Ba told
Sky Sports News. "I was really surprised and I thought I would pass the
medical easily as I played all the games in the first half of the season,
but this is football."
Ba says there are other clubs looking to sign him. "I know my club
Hoffenheim are dealing with clubs in the Premier League and I am just
waiting to see now but I know I can play for the rest of my career without
much of a problem," he said.
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Monaco eyeing Ilunga
Hammers full-back desperate for first-team football
Last updated: 19th January 2011
West Ham full back Herita Ilunga is reportedly attracting interest from
Monaco in a potential loan deal. The Congolese international joined the
Hammers from Toulouse in 2008 on loan and established himself as an
important player in Gianfranco Zola's first team before completing a full
transfer in 2009.
However, coupled with injury and falling out of favour under Avram Grant,
the 28-year-old has seen first-team opportunities become more limited, and
now wants to find regular football again. 2004 Champions League finalists
Monaco are struggling in Ligue 1 this season, as well as suffering from a
short supply of left-backs after losing Vincent Muratori and Djimi Traore to
injury.
Fighting
Ilunga has now insisted that he is desperate to find regular football again,
with the arrival of former England international Wayne Bridge at Upton Park
likely to hinder his chances even more, and is fully aware of the interest
in him. "I heard the news about Monaco in the papers," he said. "My job is
to play every day and I am fighting for that, every player wants to play."
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Bendtner brushes off transfer talk as Arsenal striker has no interest in
West Ham move
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 11:17 AM on 19th January 2011
Daily Mail
Nicklas Bendtner is not interested in speculation linking the Arsenal
striker to Premier League strugglers West Ham. Bendtner has found his
opportunities limited this season and reports suggested the Gunners were
ready to business for around £15million. Upton Park has been touted as a
possible destination for the 23-year-old Dane but Bendtner's father Thomas,
who acts as his son's agent, said: 'That's not interesting. If Arsenal want
to sell and have set a price, then that's up to them. 'That's nothing that
we have been involved in. I can only say that this is nothing of interest to
us.' Bendtner, who arrived in north London in 2005 and had a loan spell with
Birmingham, has started just one Premier League game this season.
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Take a chance on me! Stoke target Demba Ba insists he can cut it in the
Premier League despite failed medical
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 11:24 AM on 19th January 2011
Daily Mail
Stoke target Demba Ba remains confident he can still clinch a move to the
Britannia Stadium despite a deal collapsing last week over a failed medical.
Tony Pulis is still interested in Ba and revealed earlier this week he
would still push to sign the Hoffenheim striker if medical reports were more
promising.
An initial loan deal has also been mooted as a way of getting the Senegal
international to the Potters. And Ba insists his medical issue is just a
small one, meaning he could yet sign for Stoke, but also warned that other
Premier League clubs are interested in his services. West Ham have also
expressed interest in the front-man. Ba said: 'Unfortunately they didn't
want to take a risk, it wasn't that much but they were a little afraid and
they just said it wasn't going to happen,' Ba told Sky Sports News. 'I was
really surprised and I thought I would pass the medical easily as I played
all the games in the first half of the season, but this is football.' He
added: 'I know my club Hoffenheim are dealing with clubs in the Premier
League and I am just waiting to see now but I know I can play for the rest
of my career without much of a problem.'
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Homesick Behrami set to leave
January 19, 2011
ESPN
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has told the club that he is homesick and
feels he needs to move away from the club in January. Behrami joined West
Ham from Lazio in July 2008, but his family have failed to settle in London
and he has often found himself on the sidelines due to injury. Fiorentina
have been linked with a move for the Swiss international, but have only
offered around 2 million euros and the Hammers are holding out for more. A
West Ham source told ESPNsoccernet: "The player says he is homesick. We have
a real problem as the player really does miss his wife and child who
couldn't settle in London and have returned home to Italy. He has also been
injured. We have only 25 players to name in our squad and, if he continues
to be injured then it's not worth keeping him, so he might now be sold.
However, we are looking for a bigger offer. "The offer so far is only 2
million euros. It's been reported at £10 million but that is not the case."
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Transformed Hammer Spector is holding it all together
Newham Recorder
Dave Evans, West Ham correspondent
Wednesday, 19 January, 2011
11:45 AM
With Scott Parker and Mark Noble struggling with injuries, United States
international Jonathan Spector has stepped up to the plate for West Ham.
WITH recent knocks for Scott Parker and Mark Noble and the long-term
injuries of Thomas Hitzlsperger and Jack Collison, West Ham have certainly
been struggling to cope in midfield. But one of the few plus points to
emerge has been the transformation of United States international defender
Jonathan Spector from a back-up defender, to a very useful dribbling,
goalscoring midfield man. Spector was certainly up against it on Saturday.
With Parker missing and Noble limping off he proved to be the sole attacking
midfielder, but the 24-year-old felt he gained some important experience
from the game. "I'm still getting used to it and learning the midfield role,
but I'm growing more and more into it with each and every game," admitted
Spector. "It's an honour to be playing in there and hopefully I'll be able
to continue there and learn the position more and more."
From looking at him, it would seem that he is learning from the likes of
Parker. He won the ball in midfield when he managed to get near it and he
even got in another shot as he looked to add to his three cup goals this
term, but he admitted that it was a difficult afternoon. "It was a tough
game," he said. "We knew that they were going to have a lot of the ball.
They're very good at keeping it, passing it and moving it around and they
made it very difficult for us."
The emergence of Spector, Freddie Sears and Zavon Hines into the starting
line-up have given West Ham a real boost in recent weeks and they have
slowly begun to turn round the team's fortunes, but Arsenal simply proved to
be too strong for them on the day. "It was a disappointing result," said the
United States international. "We wanted to kick on from the results we've
had here recently. We've had some great nights over the last week or so and
we would have liked to have pushed on, but it didn't happen today."
It didn't, but perhaps it was to be expected against a team vying for the
Premier League title and with no injury problems to talk about. Next
weekend's game against Everton gives the Hammers a better chance of a
positive result and Spector is confident that they can do just that. "We
played them at home recently and it's a game we felt we should have won, so
hopefully we'll be able to go there and get a win," said Spector. "We've had
some good results and moments where it looked like it was going to turn our
season around. Hopefully this game can be the same as last season and be the
catalyst we need to push on and climb the table."
This season has been far from easy, but if we are looking for positives, and
surely we must be, then the emergence of Spector as a capable midfielder has
got to be one of them. He may get plenty more chances this season to show
exactly how good he can be.
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Monaco make £1.5million move for West Ham defender
TalksPort
By Declan Taylor
Wednesday, January 19
Monaco are to bid £1.5m for West Ham defender Herita Ilunga, according to
French newspaper L'Equipe. Left-back Ilunga has missed much of the season
through injury and will face a fight to get his first-team place back
following the arrival of Wayne Bridge. Now Ligue Un strugglers Monaco want
to take the former Toulouse defender back to France and have already been in
touch with West Ham about doing a deal. According to reports, the clubs will
meet before the weekend to discuss the price with Monaco ready to stump up
£1.5m for his services.
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Behrami waits on Viola
West Ham midfielder unsure of future
By Simone Bargellini Last updated: 19th January 2011
SSN
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has admitted he remains in the dark over a
proposed switch to Fiorentina. The Italian club are interested in signing
Behrami before the transfer window shuts, with sporting director Pantaleo
Corvino admitting earlier this week that he 'fitted their requirements'.
Behrami is also keen for a deal to be pushed through and cannot understand
why negotiations appear to have stalled. While he is frustrated with the
lack of developments, the Switzerland international maintains that he has no
problem with Hammers manager Avram Grant and is still hopeful that something
might be agreed.
Far from certain
"Will I come to Florence? Good question," Behrami told Corriere Fiorentina.
"At the moment my arrival in Florence is far from certain. "I am a little
bitter, because I understand very little of this situation. It seemed all
done and then... "Avram Grant? I have a good relationship with him, the
brake on my move to Florence is not down to him because he understood my
feelings." Behrami added: "I confess that I did everything to come to
Florence. Tomorrow is another day, let's see what happens."
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'Bitter' Behrami wants Viola move
Wednesday 19th January 2011 14:17
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami admits he does not know whether his move
from the Hammers to Fiorentina will materialise. The 25-year-old midfielder
has not played for the Irons since the 5-0 defeat at Newcastle on January 5,
having been in and out of the side because of injury. It appeared the Swiss
international, who arrived at Upton Park from Lazio in a £5million deal
during July 2008, was all set for a transfer back to Italy as Fiorentina
sporting director Pantaleo Corvino admitted he "fitted their requirements".
However, the deal appears to have stalled and Behrami feels he has been left
in limbo.
"Will I come to Florence? Good question. At the moment my arrival in
Florence is far from certain," Behrami told Italian newspaper Corriere
Fiorentina.
"I am a little bitter, because I understand very little of this situation.
It seemed all done and then... "I did everything to come to Florence.
Tomorrow is another day, let's see what happens."
Behrami maintains the proposed move does not mean there is any rift with
Hammers boss Avram Grant, who earlier this week finally received the public
backing of the Upton Park board after intense speculation about his future.
The midfielder said: "I have a good relationship with Avram Grant. "The
brake on my move to Florence is not down to him because he understood my
feelings."
Meanwhile, the Hammers have also been linked with a move for Arsenal striker
Nicklas Bendtner, but the player's father and agent Thomas maintains the
Denmark striker would have "no interest" in joining the Premier League
strugglers. The Irons remain rooted to the foot of the table following
their 3-0 home defeat by Arsenal, and head to Everton on Saturday looking to
reduce the two-point gap to safety.
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London 2012 Olympics: we must not let slip another opportunity to provide a
lasting legacy
Telegraph.co.uk
By Sir Craig Reedie, IOC board member 7:30AM GMT 19 Jan 2011
Over the next few days sport in the UK faces a moment of truth. The Olympic
Stadium will know its future and the decision goes well beyond which
football club become tenants. Promises were made in the winning of the 2012
Olympic Games and it is important that these promises are honoured.
The history of Olympic bids is full of unfulfilled promises, an indication
of the importance of commitments made. In future, if British sport wishes to
host major events, it is vital that proper facilities exist and equally
that, as bidders, we are liked and above all trusted. One could argue that
problems started in the early 1990s, when the Government's declared
intention to create a national stadium for football, athletics and rugby
league was hi-jacked by football into a national football stadium at
Wembley. At that time the Olympic world, led by Juan Antonio Samaranch,
could not quite believe that the opportunity to copy the new flexible Stade
de France had been ignored. The Wembley saga, with associated delays and
financial issues, proved to be a blessing in disguise as it made the British
Olympic Association's choice between east and west London for an Olympic bid
an easy one.
With the enthusiastic support of the new Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone,
the major Olympic developments would be in the deprived wastelands of east
London. The original plan provided for a suitable sized stadium post-Games
in the Olympic Park, allowing London to re-develop Crystal Palace. Olympic
bids involve much more than facilities. The embarrassment of the abandoned
World Athletics Championships bid at Picketts Lock in 2001 and the
unacceptable excuses made to the International Association of Athletics
Federations had further reduced Britain's credibility. That the London
Olympic bid could recover from a history of uncertainty and unreliability
reflects well on its strategy and personnel. Commitments had to be made to
convince the International Olympic Committee that there would be a
comprehensive sporting legacy in addition to the physical legacies in the
proposed new Olympic Park. That London was very badly off for sports
facilities led to a proper venue strategy, providing post-Games uses for the
main aquatics centre (very badly needed), the velodrome (an addition to an
existing cycling centre), a flexible community and events use for the
handball arena, a hockey centre, a regional tennis centre and, perhaps most
important in Olympic eyes, a reduced main stadium with an athletics track.
Let there be no doubt — a track in the stadium was promised. Those who gave
the undertakings, Tessa Jowell in the official presentation, Seb Coe and
myself, over many months of lobbying, worked hard to overcome the indecision
and confusion of the past. The original stadium legacy plan of a 25,000
capacity venue for community and event use, with a track, now appears to
have additional options. The Olympic Park Legacy Company has the possibility
of conversion to a larger 60,000 stadium as the home of a major football
club. The costs of conversion appear to vary but retention of the track is
now at the heart of the debate.
Needless confusion has re-emerged. West Ham are committed to retaining the
track along with an adjacent warm-up track for community use. There is the
additional commitment of Newham Council, which will invest to ensure that
there is constant community use. That football and an athletics track can
co-exist can be seen in stadia all around the world. The Olympic Stadium in
Rome — home to the 1960 Olympic Games and the centre of a possible bid for
the 2020 Games — is used by Roma and Lazio on alternate Sundays as an
example of sensible facility use.
London, the most celebrated of Olympic cities, must surely have an interest
in a stadium that can cater for one of its football clubs and for Diamond
League or other major athletics events? London should aspire to host
European or World Championships as a new generation of young British
athletes mature and come to the fore. The option exists of occasional use
for concerts or other sports events. Since winning in Singapore in 2005, the
2012 project has seen the transformation by the Olympic Delivery Authority
of a depressing part of London into a potentially vibrant and attractive
place to stay — and all on time and within the original cost estimate. The
Organising Committee has enjoyed constant high levels of public support as
it raises the funds to run the Games. Some two million ticket registrations
and 250,000 volunteer applications indicate an enthusiasm for the Games that
is greatly encouraging.
The catalyst for all of this is sport. It was sport which provided the
vision for the Olympic Park whose development will continue for the next 50
years or more as a wonderful asset to the city. It is sport and the prospect
of hosting the Olympic Games that enthuses London and millions of people all
round the country. It would be shameful if, yet again, we lost the
opportunity to leave a proper sports legacy. This sports legacy will place
at the centre of a "new London" a stadium with modern design providing a
home for football, athletics and the communities it serves and will hold out
the prospect of hosting other major events. This opportunity will not recur.
Members of the International Olympic Committee will watch our decisions with
interest. After all, they know what we promised. Sir Craig Reedie is a
member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board and was
chairman of the British Olympic Association when it instituted the London
2012 Olympic bid.
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