WHUFC.com
Winston Reid has told West Ham TV he is ready to play his part in the club's
survival battle
07.02.2011
Winston Reid has vowed that West Ham United will re-energise ahead of
Saturday's vital Barclays Premier League trip to West Bromwich Albion. The
New Zealand defender was left disappointed following Sunday's 1-0 home
defeat by Birmingham City - despite a strong personal performance. With
Matthew Upson and Manuel da Costa returning from injury, Danny Gabbidon
nursing a hamstring problem and James Tomkins suffering a minor calf injury
in the pre-match warm-up, Reid was handed his first league start since the
opening-day defeat at Aston Villa. The No2 responded to the call with an
assured display, only for Serbia striker to ruin all his good work with a
second-half header from Sebastian Larsson's left-wing free-kick. "They
didn't have too many chances in the game, so it was disappointing to lose,
obviously," he told West Ham TV. "Birmingham took their opportunity and won
the game. "It was an important game down at the bottom that we wanted to
win. We'll re-group as a team and get a win next time." "We need to aim to
win every game from now on and try to get some more points. It's football so
strange stuff happens, but as a team we want to win games and keep
progressing forward. Sunday wasn't so good, but hopefully we can win the
next game."
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Obinna up for award
WHUFC.com
Cast your vote today for the FA Cup player of the round with Victor Obinna
among the shortlist
07.02.2011
Victor Obinna has been nominated for the E.ON 'Player of the Round' award
following his performance in the FA Cup fourth round. The Hammers forward
scored a memorable hat-trick in a 3-2 home win against Nottingham Forest
that ensured a fifth-round meeting with Burnley at the Boleyn Ground on
Monday 21 February. Obinna was singled out by a five-strong panel on
TheFA.com, made up of FA Cup great Ricky George, E.ON executive director
Graham Bartlett, Radio 5Live presenter Mark Chapman, Daily Star sports
editor Howard Wheatcroft and TV personality Tim Lovejoy. Obinna is up
against Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Kevin Phillips (Birmingham City),
Neal Bishop (Notts County) and Scott Bevan (Torquay United). The voting
continues until midday on 14 February.
To register your vote, click
http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/2011/P
OTR4RP
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Levy slams Brady 'scaremongering'
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has hit back after Karren Brady called
Tottenham's plans for the Olympic Stadium a 'corporate crime'. Levy,
replying to Brady's comments tonight called her comments 'hugely inaccurate
and highly irresponsible' on the night Spurs revealed the first artistic
impression of their proposed new stadium on the Olympic site. And he also
revealed that his club's plans for the Olympic Stadium would involve
retaining around 60 per cent of the existing structure, thereby refuting
claims that the £500million stadium would be completely torn down after the
2012 Olympic Games. I want to be very clear on this issue," said Levy. "Our
proposal will retain around £420million-worth of the Olympic Stadium, and we
will re-use or recycle the £80 million that will be dismantled with zero
landfill. "It is also important to remember that two thirds of the Olympic
Stadium, under the original legacy plan, was to be dismantled - it was not
designed to be a permanent structure. Recent scaremongering conveniently
forgets this fact."
Brady, speaking to the BBC yesterday morning had once again panned
Tottenham's plans to knock down the existing stadium for the sole purpose of
a cash-rich Premier League football club. "It's a corporate crime to spend
£500million on a stadium and just four weeks after the Games bring the
bulldozers in," she said. "The stadium was built on a promise, made in the
Queen's name, to have a legacy for athletics."
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Faubert in the dock
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Julien Faubert is to face disciplinary action after going AWOL prior to
Sunday's home defeat to Birmingham. The French defender had left the ground
having told he was not in the day's 18-man squad before injury to James
Tomkins in the pre-match warm-up necessitated his recall. However it is said
that Faubert could not be contacted until after the game had kicked off -
leaving Avram Grant's side with only six substitutes on the bench. Now the
27-year-old is to be asked to explain his actions by his employers, who can
fine him up a fortnight's wages for his unprofessional behaviour. The reason
why Faubert left the ground is yet to be confirmed, although it had been
widely documented that one of his children had been ill during the week. The
Frenchman joined West Ham in a £6million switch from Bordeaux
three-and-a-half years ago, since when he has made a total of 84 appearances
(13 of which were as a substitute) - scoring just the one goal.
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Der Hammer returns
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Thomas Hitzlsperger is set to make his much-anticipated return to action
tomorrow for West Ham United's reserves. The German international signed for
the Hammers on a free transfer from Lazio last summer but is still waiting
to make his full debut some eight months on after tearing a thigh muscle
whilst making his international comeback against Denmark last August. And he
is set to take his next major step towards that goal when featuring for the
reserves at West Bromwich Albion's training ground on Wednesday afternoon
(1pm kick off). The news will come as a major boost to Avram Grant who
suffered an injury double-whammy at the weekend when he lost both James
Tomkins and Matthew Upson within 33 minutes of Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to
Birmingham. Both Tomkins and Keane have been withdrawn from their respective
international squads for the midweek fixtures.
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Alas, OLAS
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th February 2011
By: Staff Writer
The long-running Hammers fanzine Over Land and Sea is set to close after
more than 20 years. OLAS - which is still run by founder Gary Firmager -
announced today that production of the fanzine will stop at the end of the
current season. A statement released on OLAS' Facebook page today read:
"After 21 years of publishing, Over Land and Sea Fanzine will cease
publication at the end of this season. "It's been a total blast over those
21 years, and we have seen every other magazine off. But we always wanted to
go out on a high, and as sales are still brilliant, now is the time. Thank
you all so much for all your support. This is Final."
The explosion of the world wide web in the mid '90s was the death knell for
a great many paper-based football publications, although Firmager soldiered
on regardless - with great success. Writing for KUMB.com back in 2004, he
said of the new media: "As with this very website, OLAS has changed beyond
recognition since the early days. Some say that's a bad thing, others, that
it's natural progression. I ride the second train. If we had stayed the
same, we would have died years ago. "The argument that there is no place for
fanzines now, because of internet message boards is a load of old b*llocks.
The subscribers that are currently languishing in various HMPs don't get the
chance to log on to the web, nor do the boys out serving their country
around the world where OLAS gets sent to. There is a place for both."
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Reid - Hammers are united
Defender claims players have complete faith in Grant
By Chris Burton Last updated: 7th February 2011
SSN
Winston Reid insists the West Ham United squad remain fully behind Avram
Grant in the club's survival bid. The Hammers slumped back to the foot of
the Premier League table on Sunday after slipping to 1-0 defeat against
Birmingham City. A midweek victory over Blackpool had seen them clamber
towards safety, but an inability to piece positive results together
continues to cost the club dear. The ongoing troubles at Upton Park have led
to relentless rumours regarding the future of Grant, with the Israeli coach
often reported to be working on borrowed time. None of their murmurings have
come from inside the club, though, with commanding defender Reid adamant
that the Hammers camp continues to pull in the same direction. "Of course
we're behind the manager. Everyone is behind him," said the New Zealand
international. "The loss [to Birmingham] was hard to take because we wanted
to win this game and move out of the bottom three but we will have to work
hard on the training pitch and make sure that we come back next time. "We
have to start winning games and we have to have confidence that we can go to
West Bromand get points."
Positive
Grant is also refusing to dwell on the past, with the West Ham boss keen to
see results improve and his injury nightmare ended over the coming weeks.
The Hammers lost James Tomkins and Matthew Upson to knocks over the weekend,
while Robbie Keane is also struggling with a calf problem and will play no
part for Republic of Ireland in the midweek internationals. Grant said: "We
need to think about the next game now. We need to look at the positive
things that have happened in the last few weeks and look forward. "The
situation is not easy. Also it is not easy to lose players in the warm-up
and after 35 minutes like Upson. But we need to deal with this and take
points. "If you look at what we've done this season you'll know that after
every disappointment we've recovered very well. This is part of the thing we
are working on and I hope it will prove to be the case again."
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It's all looking dicey for Avram
The Sun
Published: Today
AVRAM GRANT was obviously shooting the craps when he said he wasn't going to
celebrate his 56th birthday. The troubled West Ham boss insisted after
Sunday's shattering 1-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Birmingham: "It's
all cancelled. How could I celebrate? It's not a happy birthday." But 12
hours later our photographer snapped Grant leaving a London casino. Judging
by the look of him he'd had his chips — on and off the field.
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Faubert denies bench bust up
The Sun
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
Published: Today
JULIEN FAUBERT has rubbished claims he refused to sit on the bench in West
Ham's defeat by Birmingham on Sunday. The Frenchman had left the ground when
called up after James Tomkins was injured in the warm-up. The Hammers have
launched an inquiry into the incident after Faubert allegedly refused to
return. He now faces a £65,000 fine. But Faubert claims the only reason he
did not return was because his wife had taken his baby son to hospital and
he had to look after his elder son. He said: "It was a misunderstanding.
They asked me to go to the ground just in case there was an injury. "When I
arrived they told me there was no problem and I wasn't in the squad. "I told
the chief physio I was leaving and he said 'OK, see you next week'. "On my
way home my wife Pamela called and told me she'd taken my little son to
hospital because he had a chest infection and I had to take care of my
eldest because there was no one to look after him. I had to go and pick him
up to take him home."
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Thomas Hitzlsperger hopes to make return to West Ham's reserves after
four-month lay-off
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 6:56 PM on 7th February 2011
Daily Mail
West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger is hoping to make his long-awaited
comeback for the reserves when they face West Brom on Wednesday night.
Hitzlsperger, 28, has not featured for the east London club following his
free transfer from Lazio last summer. The former Aston Villa midfielder
suffered a nightmare start to his career at Upton Park when he picked up a
thigh injury playing for Germany in a friendly against Denmark just three
days before the season got underway. The injury proved a lot worse than
first feared and Hitzlsperger needed surgery to clear up a muscle tear. But
the German international has now made a successful return to training and is
set to hand the struggling club a major boost when he plays his first game
in the Midlands.
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West Ham United to fine Julien Faubert £68,000 for storming out before
Birmingham City match
By Jason Burt 11:00PM GMT 07 Feb 2011
Telegraph.co.uk
Julien Faubert will be called before a club disciplinary hearing next week
to explain why he appeared to walk out when he was dropped by West Ham
United for their game against Birmingham City. If he is found to have
behaved inappropriately the 27-year-old Frenchman faces a fine of up to two
weeks' wages — £68,000 — for his actions. West Ham have already launched an
internal investigation over Faubert's behaviour. A senior source said the
club found it "amazing that all the players who are not playing are not
watching first-team games. It doesn't seem right". However, West Ham will
not pre-judge Faubert's actions before he is given the chance to explain
himself. Faubert's departure meant that West Ham went into the game with
just six substitutes, instead of the permitted seven, after James Tomkins
was injured in the warm-up and Matthew Upson had to be drafted into the team
as his replacement.
Faubert was informed he was not in the original 18-man squad only when he
reported to the stadium prior to kick-off. He then left the ground and the
club did not manage to contact him until 10 minutes after the game had
kicked off. West Ham need to ascertain whether Faubert refused to then
return to the stadium and be part of the squad. He has been given time off
recently because one of his children has been sick and this may have
prompted his reaction.
The 1-0 defeat to Birmingham increases the pressure on manager Avram Grant
but it is understood from senior club sources that the Israeli will be given
until the end of the season regardless of results. Grant signed a four-year
contract last summer but came close to losing his job last month with Martin
O'Neill in the frame to replace him. However, O'Neill changed his mind and
West Ham then decided to stick with Grant for the remainder of the campaign
and concentrated on recruiting Robbie Keane, Demba Ba and Gary O'Neil to try
to improve the team. West Ham will reassess at the end of the season
whether to continue with Grant but there are renewed concerns that he does
not appear able to motivate the players — especially at home. The defeat was
all the more alarming for West Ham as the teams around them — Wolverhampton
Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and, of course, Birmingham — all won.
However, West Ham have not been cut adrift as was feared would happen before
Christmas and it is hoped that the general improvement in form and the new
arrivals will help save the club. There will be added interest as to whether
West Bromwich Albion appoint a new head coach this week as they are West
Ham's next opponents. There will be some surprise at Winston Reid's
explanation for the Birmingham defeat with the defender claiming it was due
to a "lack of energy". Asked to explain his comments, he said: "I don't
know, it's hard to say. We just couldn't put it in today. It's hard because
we wanted to win this game and move out of the bottom three."
Meanwhile, West Ham are hoping that both Benni McCarthy and Herita Ilunga —
who failed to make their 25-man squad after the close of the transfer window
— can be loaned out to Championship clubs later this month. There is also
interest in signing McCarthy, who has been fined for failing to hit weight
loss targets, from the Middle East, although he has so far refused West
Ham's offer of a £1 million pay-off to cancel the remainder of his contract.
Striker Robbie Keane has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland's squad for
tonight's Carling Nations Cup game against Wales after injuring a calf
muscle against Birmingham.
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Thomas Hitzlsperger on the comeback trail for West Ham
Germany midfielder plays for reserves at West Brom this week
Full-back Julien Faubert set for fine after going awol
David Hytner
guardian.co.uk, Monday 7 February 2011 23.09 GMT
Thomas Hitzlsperger will give West Ham United a boost in their battle
against relegation by playing his comeback game for the reserves at West
Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night.
The Germany midfielder, who was the club's big-name summer signing, is yet
to play in a competitive fixture for them, having suffered a serious thigh
muscle tear on international duty on the eve of the season. He had enjoyed
an encouraging pre-season at West Ham after his move as a free agent from
Lazio but he was forced off in Germany's 2-2 draw with Denmark on 11 August.
Hitzlsperger spent some time over the winter in Germany on an intensive
rehabilitation programme but he returned to London last month and he has
gradually stepped up his work. He has now resumed full training and the
reserve-team fixture at Albion's training ground will represent another step
in the right direction.
West Ham will cling to any kind of tonic, after the deflation of the 1-0
home defeat by their relegation rivals Birmingham City on Sunday. The result
was compounded by injuries to the central defenders James Tomkins and
Matthew Upson and the striker Robbie Keane, not to mention a bust-up
involving the full-back Julien Faubert.
The Frenchman was furious to be told, on his arrival at Upton Park, that he
was not in the squad and he promptly left the stadium. When Tomkins hurt his
calf in the warm-up and had to withdraw, it was announced that Faubert had
been promoted to the substitutes' bench but he could not be contacted until
after the match had started when he said he would not return to the ground.
The manager, Avram Grant, was forced to make do with six substitutes. The
club have opened an investigation and they seem certain to fine Faubert two
weeks' wages, which equates to around £65,000.
Faubert has denied refusing to sit on the bench. "It was a
misunderstanding.They asked me to go to the ground just in case there was an
injury," he told the Sun. "When I arrived they told me there was no problem
and I wasn't in the squad.
"I told the chief physio I was leaving and he said 'OK, see you next week'.
On my way home my wife Pamela called and told me she'd taken my little son
to hospital because he had a chest infection and I had to take care of my
eldest because there was no one to look after him. I had to go and pick him
up to take him home."
Grant's team had won away at Blackpool last Wednesday but they brought their
supporters back down to earth with a jolt against Birmingham. "There was a
lack of energy," said the defender Winston Reid, "and Birmingham took the
opportunity when they had it. Why was there a lack of energy? I don't know,
it's hard to say. We just couldn't put it in. It's hard because we wanted to
win the game and move out of the bottom three."
West Ham face another relegation six-pointer at West Brom on Saturday.
"Football's a strange game," Reid said. "Birmingham wasn't too good but
hopefully we can win the next one. We have to have confidence we can go
there and get three points. We have to start winning games."
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Levy - Olympic site or nothing
Levy confirms Northumberland Project is dead
By Graeme Bailey - Follow me on Twitter @graemebailey Last updated: 8th
February 2011
SSN
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has confirmed to Sky Sports that they have
abandoned any plans to move to a stadium next to their current home at White
Hart Lane. Spurs are bidding alongside West Ham Unitedto take over the
Olympic stadium in East London. Tottenham had previously sorted out planning
permission for a site next to their current home. But despite getting the
green light from the local council for the Northumberland Development
Project- the costing of the proposals mean Spurs no longer consider them
viable. "That is absolutely dead in the water," Levy told Sky Sports News.
"We have made it clear that the current stadium proposals at Tottenham are
not viable so that is not something we are able to proceed with. "At the
moment we do not have an alternative."
Hitting back
Levy also hit back at claims from West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady, who
has described Spurs' plans to demolish the Olympic Stadium as 'corporate
crime'. West Ham's plans, unlike Spurs, are to totally refurbish the Olympic
Stadium and also include keeping a running track. "I want to deal with facts
and the original stadium was always going to be demolished," he said. Levy
says that the promise from London's bidding team to keep a running track as
part of the games' legacy did not have to be kept and their plans to
refurbish Crystal Palace would more than suffice. "We also promised no white
elephants and that is far more important and we don't want any form of
government subsidies," he said. "We are proposing one of the most advanced,
state-of-the-art stadiums in Europe that will deliver an exceptional
spectator experience. "Fans will be closer to the pitch than at any other
comparable size stadium in the UK, while its acoustic design will ensure
that the noise from spectators remains within the stadium. "Accusations that
we would 'demolish' £500million of stadium are hugely inaccurate and highly
irresponsible and I want to be very clear on this issue. "Our proposal will
retain around £420million worth of the Olympic Stadium, and we will re-use
or recycle the £80million that will be dismantled with zero landfill. "It is
also important to remember that two thirds of the Olympic Stadium, under the
original legacy plan, was to be dismantled - it was not designed to be a
permanent structure. "Recent scaremongering conveniently forgets this fact.
"We would increase the current capacity of Crystal Palace by 9,500 to 25,000
and a new four-lane warm-up track and all weather hockey pitch would also be
built. "With these proposals, Crystal Palace would become a re invigorated
dedicated facility, bringing more activity to the area and be available to
the athletics community every single day of the year."
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