WHUFC.com
The 21-year-old James Tomkins got a longer than expected run-out for Stuart
Pearce's Young Lions
24.03.2011
James Tomkins was tremendous for England as they cruised to an impressive
4-0 victory away to UEFA European Under-21 Championship hosts Denmark. The
homegrown Hammer had to enter the fray as a fifth-minute substitute for
rMicah Richards, who picked up a hamstring problem, and went on to forge a
solid partnership with Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling. The
Young Lions scored their first in the 23rd minute through Danny Welbeck and
never looked back after the interval through Scott Sinclair (58), Daniel
Sturridge (62) and Jordan Henderson (72). Tomkins particularly came to the
fore in the first half on Thursday, when the Danes threatened on a number of
occasions only to find him in resolute form. He was also involved in the
build-up to Welbeck's crucial opener with a long ball forward that put the
home side under pressure. Similar passes out of defence from the West Ham
man led to Sinclair and Sturridge's goals after the interval.
The 21-year-old will hope to figure again on Monday night when England
welcome fellow finalists Iceland - boasting Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson - to
Preston. Those two nations - along with Marek Stech's Czech Republic - will
all hope to impress when the UEFA finals take place in 87 days' time at the
end of the 2010/11 club season.
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Keane to get involved
WHUFC.com
Robbie Keane is confident that West Ham United have more than enough to beat
the drop
24.03.2011
Robbie Keane believes West Ham United have the strength at both ends of the
pitch required to safeguard their Barclays Premier League status. The No34
was forced to sit out Saturday's goalless draw at Tottenham Hotspur due to
the terms of his loan agreement with parent club Spurs. The absence halted
Keane's comeback from a calf injury, but the Republic of Ireland captain is
hoping to step up his return to full match-fitness during his country's
forthcoming EURO 2012 qualifier against FYR Macedonia and friendly
international meeting with Uruguay in Dublin. While he is naturally eager to
earn his 105th and 106th caps for his country, the 30-year-old is equally
keen to return to league action for the Hammers when champions Manchester
United visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 2 April.
With just one defeat in their previous seven league matches, Keane believes
West Ham have every chance of upsetting the Red Devils and taking another
big step towards safety. "If you look at the last few games - obviously at
Stoke in the FA Cup wasn't the result we wanted - in the Premier League we
are starting to hit form at the right time, so we're certainly in good
shape. Thomas Hitzlsperger coming back in during the last few games has been
a massive bonus for the team. "In the last few games we've played, we have
got the ball down and played. We've certainly got players who can keep the
ball - Scott Parker, Mark Noble and Thomas - and we have a massive threat
going forward in Demba Ba, who is in magnificent form. "Since he has come
in, he has done a tremendous job. He had a couple of niggles when he came to
us but he's back in the side now and has scored some important goals for the
team."
While Keane, Ba and Hitzlsperger have added to the attacking options
available to Avram Grant, another January arrival, Wayne Bridge, was in
outstanding form at White Hart Lane. Bridge, as well as captain Matthew
Upson and midfield talisman Parker, also earned glowing praise from Keane.
"Defensively, we were absolutely solid on Saturday and Wayne Bridge
certainly deserved to get the man of the match award. When you think he was
playing against Aaron Lennon and Wayne Bridge, it just goes to show how well
he did play because they two of them kept chopping and changing sides
because they weren't getting much joy out of him. Full credit to him. "We've
got people like Matty Upson here who demand a lot from the players and you
saw that on Saturday. "Scotty has been tremendous. When you look at a player
from afar when you're at another club, you appreciate players like Scott
Parker. When you see them first-hand, you realise just how good they are."
Although he has been here only a relatively short period, Keane has already
become an influential figure in the dressing room, while his driving skills
helped a team that also included Bridge, Noble and Jonathan Spector to take
the go-karting honours on a recent team-bonding day. "I think, as a group of
players, we certainly believe we won't get relegated. I think we have to
believe that after a defensive performance like that and that we certainly
have the players in the team who can score goals. "The table is so close, so
if we get a couple of back-to-back wins we're right back up there again.
"I'm looking forward to my future at West Ham. It's obviously been a little
bit frustrating. I came back and unfortunately I got injured in my second
game which was disappointing, but luckily enough I'm back fit now and I
played 20 minutes against Stoke and 65 minutes in the reserves. "The
international games have come at a nice time for me. I'm looking forward to
playing two games and hopefully getting myself back in the mix again.
"Manchester United is another tough game. Our next few games are very tough
and it was crucial that we got something out of Saturday's game. "Our home
record is decent and we always do well against the so-called bigger teams so
it's a game I'm certainly looking forward to and I'm sure the lads are too."
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'We outgunned them'
WHUFC.com
Steve Lomas was delighted with the way his reserve team dealt with a
swashbuckling Blackpool side
23.03.2011
Steve Lomas has praised his West Ham United reserve team for beating
Blackpool at their own game. The Tangerines threw the proverbial kitchen
sink at the Hammers at Bloomfield Road, regularly attacking with eight
outfield players, only for Lomas' young side to hit them repeatedly on the
counterattack to secure a fine 4-2 victory. Blackpool included
internationals Andy Reid and Sergei Kornilenko in their starting lineup, but
goals from scholars Dylan Tombides and George Moncur and young professionals
Freddie Sears and Cristian Montano proved too much for the home side. The
success put West Ham into second in the Barclays Premier Reserve League
Southern Group and within striking distance of leaders Arsenal, pleasing
manager Lomas. "The lads were very good against a decent Blackpool team who
had a few first-team squad members in their side. Everybody acquitted
themselves very well, they scored four goals and it could really have been
ten, to be fair.
"The way Blackpool play, they open the game out and we exploited them on the
counter-attack. In the second half, we were a lot better and more secure as
a team. Apart from a few little spells, I thought we were in total control
of the game. "It was important that George scored just before half-time. We
were 1-0 up and cruising and then they got back with a fine strike and
scored again to make it 2-1. If we'd come in 2-1 down at half-time, I'd have
felt it was very unjust because they had three shots and scored two. "We had
five great chances so we'd have been down on our luck, so it was a great
goal from George that capped a fantastic performance from him. "I think in
the first ten minutes we were trying to come to terms with the way they
played with two very wide players and two strikers up through the middle - a
bit like what Ian Holloway has done with the first team. "Like the first
team, though, they were susceptible to the counter-attack and conceding
goals, so it was pleasing that we outgunned them at their own game and it
could really have been a final score of 10-5. "We stuck to our principles,
tried to pass the ball and worked really hard on and off the ball."
Lomas has been delighted with the response of his squad to making early
starts for the away matches at Sunderland and Blackpool - both of which saw
them spend more than ten hours on the road. "At the end of the day, it's not
ideal preparation, but on the other hand it's good for the young boys. They
realise that if they work hard they can earn the first-team preparation of
going away the night before. "This is good for them. It's good experience
getting up early in the morning and going away to different clubs and doing
the long distances. "I see it as all part of their education. Sometimes,
they get too much, too young but all credit to them because they have been
fantastic in the away games since I took over."
With the Football League loan deadline on Thursday, Lomas knows a number of
his young players will be on the radars of clubs looking for a late-season
boost.
Although the Southern Group title is within West Ham's grasp, the former
Hammers midfielder said the player's development was more important than any
silverware. "The main thing is for the lads to develop. Of course you want
to win because it breeds good habits and that's what it's all about when you
get into the first team. "It's about players developing and we might have a
few who go out on loan, which I'm very keen on. It does them good to see
what League Two and League One are all about - Matt Fry has done that with
Charlton - and if it's not this season, then next season they've got to go
out and play first-team football.
"It's not easy down there because it's physically demanding. They have been
coached to play open football but sometimes they'll have to learn the other
side of the game by roughing it out for 60 or 70 minutes and then their
technical ability comes to the fore. "First and foremost it's about the
player's development."
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Paolo back at the Boleyn
WHUFC.com
The legendary No10 is returning home again for the visit of Manchester
United
24.03.2011
Paolo Di Canio will join a sell-out crowd for the big Manchester United
match on Saturday 2 April. The Hammers great is hosting the club's Penthouse
Suite, the ultimate corporate hospitality facility that accommodates up to
20 people and offers unrivalled views of the pitch. Guests can watch the
pre-match build-up including the warm-up while they dine in luxury and style
- and then have direct access to VIP padded Directors Box seating.
Other benefits of the Penthouse package at £499 per person including VAT
are:
• Open three hours before kick-off and for 90 minutes after the final
whistle
• Serviced to highest standard
• Match programme and team sheets
• Plasma television screen
• Pre-match betting facility
Di Canio, who will also be paying a visit to the Paolo Di Canio Lounge named
in his honour, will be hoping the team can emulate the 4-0 defeat of the
title favourites in the Carling Cup earlier this season. The legendary No10
enjoyed many memorable matches against Sir Alex Ferguson's men during his
own playing days, including one special afternoon at Old Trafford - as he
recalled in an exclusive interview earlier this season with the matchday
programme.
"Every footballer should want to play in the top-level matches," he said.
"To play against Man United was always a special occasion for everyone at
West Ham when I was playing - for the team, for the individual players.
Certainly for me, too. Every time in these games you have to show your
quality, your character and your professionalism."
Di Canio relished the chance to shine, to prove he deserved his place on the
pitch with his peers. "When you play against the top players in the world,
you can show how good you are. Always I played my best matches against the
top clubs and one of these was Man United."
He is not wrong, either - with four goals in six matches against Ferguson's
men. Most memorable was the winner at Old Trafford in an FA Cup tie back on
back on 28 January 2001. The fourth-round contest looked bound for a Boleyn
Ground replay before Di Canio went through on goal with 14 minutes to play.
Quick as a flash, France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez shot out an arm as if to
say the goal was offside - a tactic designed purely to distract. The striker
was not about to shirk his duty, though. "I knew to carry on, absolutely,"
he said. "It comes from when I was young. I grew up in a very tough area in
Rome where when you want to get something you have to try to do everything,
even if someone stops you, to get it. "In football, it was the same. At Old
Trafford that day, there was the linesman and there was the referee who can
both stop the move. But I didn't hear anything. I would not stop. I had to
finish what I started and then look to see. "There is a time to stop but it
is not down to the goalkeeper to decide. That upbringing as a child helped
me. Barthez was very clever because when you run the ball one v one without
opponents around you, you are concentrated only on the goal and the
goalkeeper. "He tried to distract me but I was cleverer than him. I finished
with the ball in the net and then the referee can say 'sorry Paolo offside'
if he wants. I scored and then waited to see."
Di Canio's stream of consciousness as he recalled the goal that secured a
1-0 victory is rivalled only by his memories of the celebrations that
followed - with 9,000 away fans delirious in the away end. "The celebration
was amazing. 9,000 people, 9,000 people! The celebration was incredible. The
emotion as I ran to the corner flag was I felt in my body that a million
West Ham fans were there on the pitch. In this moment, I felt like people
all around the world were with me. I felt like a warrior that had no fear of
dying. "This is the perfect moment to die. Nothing can be better than this.
The adrenalin rush through my veins, around my body was something else. This
was the defining moment of my life. It was incredible, I didn't feel
anything bad. No pain, no bad thoughts. It was like I was invincible. You
know what I mean?"
To meet the man himself at the Manchester United match, call the corporate
hospitality department right now on 0871 222 2700 or click here.
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Kids for a Quid at Blackburn
WHUFC.com
A limited number of cut-price seats have been made available for the
Blackburn match on 7 May
23.03.2011
Fans are already snapping up their tickets for the last 3pm Saturday
kick-off of the 2010/11 season - when Blackburn Rovers visit the Boleyn
Ground on 7 May.
The match has been designated as Kids for a Quid for the first 3,000 to
book, with fewer than 1,500 places left for this strictly limited first
come, first-served offer.
With Manchester United's arrival on 2 April sold out and high demand already
for the Aston Villa visit on 16 April, the club are expecting bumper Boleyn
crowds for the remainder of the season. However, the club wanted to continue
with the hugely popular Football For All strategy to make football more
accessible for all.
Fans yet to book should move quickly or face disappointment. The match
promises to be pivotal to the club's survival hopes with the likes of Demba
Ba, Carlton Cole and Robbie Keane all looking to lead the line against
Rovers.
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Globe-trotting Hammers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United players are far and wide for the latest round of
international fixtures
24.03.2011
A significant of West Ham United players have been called-up for
international duty by their respective nations. Ten players - Demba Ba,
Pablo Barrera, Danny Gabbidon, Robert Green, Herita Ilunga, Lars Jacobsen,
Robbie Keane, Victor Obinna, Scott Parker and Jonathan Spector - are away
with senior sides, while James Tomkins, Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson and Marek
Stech are on Under-21 duty. Five scholars - Matthias Fanimo, Blair Turgott,
Sebastian Lletget, Danny Purdy, Eoin Wearen - will turn out for their
nations at age-group level, while schoolboy Leo Chambers has been included
by England at U16 level.
On Saturday, Gabbidon's Wales host England - for whom Green and Parker could
both feature - in an eagerly-anticipated Group G tie at Cardiff's Millennium
Stadium.
England sit second in the standings with seven points from three matches,
while Wales are pointless and bottom of the group. However, the Welsh will
be hopeful of pulling off an upset under the guidance of new manager Gary
Speed.
Republic of Ireland captain Keane will be hoping to lead his country to a
Group B victory over FYR Macedonia on the same day at the Aviva Stadium in
Dublin. The Irish sit second in the Group B table, two points behind leaders
Russia. The Irish then play Uruguay in a Tuesday friendly.
Jacobsen's Denmark face a vital trip to Oslo to face Norway on Saturday. The
Danes sit third in Group H, three points behind leaders Norway, with both
teams having contested three matches.
Spector has been included in the United States squad for their home friendly
matches against Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday and
Paraguay in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday.
Further afield, Ba will be part of the Senegal squad that receives Cameroon
in Dakar for a CAF 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group E qualifier on Saturday.
In the same group, Ilunga's DR Congo host Mauritius in Kinshasa on Sunday.
In Group B, Obinna's Nigeria will be hoping to overhaul leaders Guinea when
they entertain Ethiopia in Abuja on Saturday.
Barrera will turn out for Mexico in two friendly matches being held in the
American state of California. Mexico will face Paraguay in Oakland on
Saturday before taking on Venezuela in San Diego on Tuesday.
At U21 level, Eyjolfsson and Stech will continue their preparations for this
summer's UEFA European U21 Championship finals.
Eyjolfsson's Iceland travel to Preston take on James Tomkins' England for a
friendly on Monday, while Stech's Czech Republic host Belarus and France on
Friday and Tuesday respectively. Tomkins helped the Young Lions to a 4-0
triumph in Denmark on Thursday night, playing 85 minutes after coming off
the bench early in the contest.
Lletget is in the United States squad for the 2011 CONCACAF U20 Championship
in Guatemala. The Americans will face Surinam and Panama in the group stage,
with the four semi-finalists qualifying for the 2011 FIFA U20 World Cup in
Colombia in July.
Second-year scholars Wearen and Purdy in Republic of Ireland's U19 squad for
a trip to Cyprus, where they will take on the Cyrpiot U19s and a Paralimni
U21 side on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.
At U17 level, Fanimo and Turgott will travel to Belgium as England continues
their defence of the UEFA European U17 Championship title. The first-year
scholars face Elite Round qualifying matches against Northern Ireland,
Belgium and Spain between Saturday and Thursday.
Finally, schoolboy Chambers will hope to be involved when England U16s take
on Scotland in a re-arranged Victory Shield tie at Morecambe FC's Globe
Arena on Wednesday.
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Lee loaned to Daggers
WHUFC.com
Hammers youngster Oliver Lee is joining League One side Dagenham and
Redbridge on a temporary basis
24.03.2011
West Ham United midfielder Oliver Lee is set for his senior bow after being
loaned to Dagenham and Redbridge. The 19-year-old will join the League One
side for a month of their survival fight, with the Daggers sitting just a
point and a place above the relegation zone. Lee has established himself
again in the Hammers reserve team this season, including Wednesday's 4-2 win
at Blackpool, having suffered a bout of glandular fever and a leg injury in
2009/10. A promising player, Lee recovered enough to earn a new contract
last June and will be keen to impress in his stay at Victoria Road. Lee has
already played there this season, getting 45 minutes as the Hammers won 3-2
in a friendly last October. The Academy product could make his Daggers debut
in Saturday's crunch visit of Sheffield Wednesday.
Lee, son of former Hammers midfielder Rob, becomes the fourth player out on
loan - with Kieron Dyer and Jordan Spence at Championship sides Ipswich Town
and Bristol City respectively, while Frank Nouble is with League One team
Charlton Athletic.
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Daggers add West Ham youngster Oliver Lee
Page last updated at 17:44 GMT, Thursday, 24 March 2011
BBC.co.uk
Dagenham & Redbridge have signed West Ham youngster Oliver Lee on loan until
the end of the season. The 19-year-old midfielder, son of former England
midfielder Rob Lee, has yet to make his senior Hammers bow. He will be
available to Daggers boss John Still for Saturday's visit of Sheffield
Wednesday. "Just as we come to this stage of the season we wanted to make
sure we had enough depth in our squad," Still told the club website. Lee is
the current West Ham Under-18s captain and is a regular in their reserve
side.
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Keane oozing confidence
On-loan frontman backing Hammers to beat the drop
By Chris Burton Last updated: 24th March 2011
SSN
Robbie Keane remains supremely confident when it comes to West Ham's Premier
League survival bid. The striker will see out the season at Upton Park,
having joined on loan from Tottenham during the January transfer window. He
has not seen as much action as he would like since arriving in the East End,
with injury having limited his availability. Keane has, however, been
impressed by what he has seen during his sort time with the Hammers and
believes a 0-0 draw with his parent club last time out underlines just how
capable they are. He told West Ham's official website: "I think, as a group
of players, we certainly believe we won't get relegated.
Tight
"I think we have to believe that after a defensive performance like that
[against Spurs] and that we certainly have the players in the team who can
score goals.
"The table is so close, so if we get a couple of back-to-back wins, we're
right back up there again." Keane admits his time with the Hammers has been
frustrating, with a calf problem sidelining him for more than a month and
the conditions of his loan preventing him from turning out against
Tottenham. He is enjoying his time with Avram Grant'sside, though, and is
hoping to make a telling contribution as the 2010/11 campaign draws to a
close. He said: "I'm looking forward to my future at West Ham.
Unfortunate
"It's obviously been a little bit frustrating. "I came back and
unfortunately I got injured in my second game, which was disappointing, but
luckily enough I'm back fit now and I played 20 minutes against Stoke and 65
minutes in the reserves." Keane will get a further opportunity to work on
his fitness while away on international duty, with Republic of Ireland set
to take in fixtures against Macedonia and Uruguay before domestic
competition resumes. He added: "The international games have come at a nice
time for me. "I'm looking forward to playing two games and hopefully getting
myself back in the mix again."
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Parker should have more England caps - Barry
Published 15:31 24/03/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Gareth Barry admits he could be vying for one England midfield slot against
Wales this weekend after conceding that Jack Wilshere's form means the
19-year-old is likely to start the Euro 2012 qualifier. Barry was a first
choice under Fabio Capello up to and including the 2010 World Cup which he
played in after battling to overcome an ankle injury. But the rise of
Wilshere and the re-emergence of Scott Parker means Barry's place - and that
of Frank Lampard - are under increasing threat for the Cardiff clash.
Capello hinted strongly last weekend that Arsenal starlet Wilshere was now
one of his first-choice players and Barry agrees his form is worthy of a
major role at the Millennium Stadium. There is a good chance Jack will be
involved. with the way he is playing," he said. "The more he has played this
year, the more his performances have grown and his confidence has grown.
"I've seen a lot of Arsenal's games and Jack has been putting in some great
performances. There is a very good chance he will play in the game. "You
always want to play alongside the best players and, at the moment, Jack is
playing well.
"It is great for England that he has come through so early and hopefully he
can just keep improving. It will be great for the country."
Barry is reluctant to talk up his own chances of starting against Gary
Speed's side. "As with any other game, I'll be going into it not knowing the
team etc, not expecting to play but sort of hoping," he said. "We've got
four central midfielders vying for two places, if it's 4-4-2. I am hopeful I
can be involved but I'm aware there are some very good players vying for
places as well. "All four of us are slightly different players and the
manager has got options. If he wants to change it, the players are there to
do it."
Parker impressed during the second half of last month's 2-1 win in Denmark
in what was his fourth cap under four different England managers. "I'm
surprised Scott has not played more for England," said Barry. "A player like
that should have picked up more caps over the years. But, for whatever
reason, he has not managed to do so."
Barry came in for criticism for his performances in South Africa last summer
and has tried to respond in a positive manner: "You take criticism as a
learning curve. Every player is going to get it throughout a career. At a
World Cup, it is going to be more high profile because of the stage you are
on. "I've come back this season, trying to learn from what happened in the
summer. Sometimes that can make you a better player. "That's in the past
now. I've learned from it and I'm looking forward to the future."
Barry is adamant the captaincy issue has been put to rest with the
reappointment of John Terry in place of injury-prone Rio Ferdinand. Capello
admits the way the armband was passed from one player to another in
Copenhagen last month after stand-in skipper Lampard was substituted helped
make up his mind to reinstate Terry. "It was the manager's initial decision
to take it away from John," said Barry. "In the players' minds, they
probably didn't feel it was down to them to give it back to John (on the
pitch in Denmark). "So the only way it should have been done was for the
manager to reinstate John and that's what's happened and now we are ready to
move on."
Barry added: "The players were asked if they were comfortable with it and
everybody has been. No one has spoken to the manager to say they weren't
happy.
"We feel for Rio, how unlucky he has been since being given the captain's
armband with the injuries he has picked up. "The general sense of the
players is we are really comfortable and we know that John Terry is a great
leader. He did a good job before and I'm sure he can continue that. "Now the
decision has been made, the lads are really comfortable with it and respect
the decision."
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Keane convinced Hammers will stay up
Published 12:40 24/03/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirro
Robbie Keane has revealed how West Ham's goalless draw at Tottenham has
convinced the squad they are good enough to stay in the Barclays Premier
League.
The Hammers extended their unbeaten run in the league to four matches on
Saturday, with a point at White Hart Lane crucial in ensuring they stayed
out of the bottom three. It was also the first time they had kept
back-to-back clean sheets for more than a year, something which has boosted
the belief of Avram Grant's men ahead of their clash with Manchester United
on Saturday week. On-loan Tottenham striker Keane told his club's official
website, www.whufc.com: "I think, as a group of players, we certainly
believe we won't get relegated. "I think we have to believe that after a
defensive performance like that and that we certainly have the players in
the team who can score goals. "The table is so close, so if we get a couple
of back-to-back wins, we're right back up there again."
Keane's hopes of helping West Ham's survival battle were hit by a calf
injury that kept him out for more than a month. The 30-year-old, who scored
on his debut in February, returned for the recent FA Cup defeat at Stoke but
was prevented from featuring on Saturday due to the terms of his loan
agreement from Spurs. He said: "I'm looking forward to my future at West
Ham. "It's obviously been a little bit frustrating. "I came back and
unfortunately I got injured in my second game, which was disappointing, but
luckily enough I'm back fit now and I played 20 minutes against Stoke and 65
minutes in the reserves."
Keane, who should further boost his match fitness in two games for the
Republic of Ireland in the coming week, added: "The international games have
come at a nice time for me. "I'm looking forward to playing two games and
hopefully getting myself back in the mix again." Those matches are
immediately followed by the United match and Keane said: "Manchester United
is another tough game. "Our home record is decent and we always do well
against the so-called bigger teams so it's a game I'm certainly looking
forward to and I'm sure the lads are too."
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Robbie Keane can take out his West Ham frustrations on Macedonia - Ireland
assistant manager Marco Tardelli
On-loan Tottenham man has impressed in training
By Adithya Ananth
24 Mar 2011 15:07:00
Goal.com
Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli is happy with what he has seen from
skipper Robbie Keane after the striker returned from injury and expects him
to use his domestic frustration as a motivation to perform on the
international stage. The West Ham United forward had sustained a thigh
injury that has held back his contributions to the Hammers' survival battle,
but the 30-year-old has since overcome the problem to impress the Tardelli
during training sessions with the national team. Now Ireland are set to take
on Macedonia in a European Championship qualifier that could have a big
impact on the fortunes of both sides and Tardelli believes that Keane can
take his club frustrations out on the international stage. "I think Robbie
Keane has caught the eye because he has been out of action for many days
with his injury," he said, according to the Daily Mail. "I have found him
fit and there has been a smile on his face which everyone around the squad
can see. And he is in good form. "It will be a good motivation for him to
take out the frustrations of this season on Macedonia, but there is still a
long way to go in the Premier League.
"I do think this is a good chance for him to play well. Because of his
experience, Robbie Keane is very important for us. "We have many options but
I think it is possible for Robbie to play. He is fit to play a full match
but for now and the future we have good options in Jon Walters and Shane
Long, who has already played in a very important match in Slovakia. "This
match is very important. Maybe we dropped a point at home but against
Slovakia, who are a very tough team, we played very well. Now it is very
important for us to play well again."
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Keep Your Fingers Crossed!
March 25th, 2011 - 12:06 am by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
It is undoubtedly an honour for the club that ten members of the Hammers
first team squad have been called up for their respective nations during the
current international break. Amongst those selected are Green & Parker
(England), Keane (Republic of Ireland), Obinna (Nigeria), Jacobsen
(Denmark), Spector (USA) and Demba Ba (Senegal).
However, with the justifiable pride at their selection must also come a
certain trepidation at the prospect of them picking up injuries. In our
current position it must be a fear that every Hammers fan secretly harbours.
Especially considering our prior experience of Hammers players getting
injured on international duty. This season we have lost both Hitzlsperger
(Germany) and Obinna (Nigeria), for differing periods of time, as a result
of getting injured on international duty. Prior to that there was the
long-term absence, and eventual retirement, of Dean Ashton as a result of a
poor tackle in a England training session; whilst who can forget the injury
picked up for the newly signed David James, playing for England, before he
had even made his first appearance for the Hammers! All memories sure to
make us wince at the recollection.
To lose a key player like Green, Parker or Ba to injury would be a
potentially devastating blow to the club's PL survival chances. Nothing
can be done about it, players must respond if their country calls. So, we
just have to sit tight, keep our fingers crossed and pray that they all come
through this week unscathed.
There were reports earlier this week that West Ham are considering bringing
Anton Ferdinand back to the club in the summer. He is being touted as a
replacement for Matty Upson if he leaves on a Bosman. Ferdinand is a player
that has ability, but too often it has been undermined by a disturbing loss
of concentration and/or poor defensive positioning. In all honesty, can we
really say, hand on heart, that he has improved those aspects of his game
whilst at Sunderland? On the plus side, he loves the club and would
probably jump at the chance of a return. He might be decent signing if the
fee is right? Although, is there not also a compelling case for arguing
that it is better policy for the likes of Spence and Fry to step up to the
first team?
Talking of stepping up, a number of our promising youngsters have now spent
quite a bit of time, this season, on loan to championship and Division one
sides. Jordan Spence is gaining valuable championship experience at Bristol
City, Matty Fry has performed well on loan at Charlton and Frank Nouble has
been loaned to Barnsley. Hopefully, these loans are an essential part of
the transitory process of becoming first team regulars? Certainly, the
aforementioned players need to return to the club and make a positive impact
next season.
They will need to step up or risk being superseded by the quality in our
U-18 squad. Who will be the first player from that crop of players to make
a break through? How about the impressive young Aussie striker, Dylan
Tombides? Tombides was taken on the recent warm weather training break in
Portugal, a clear indication of his potential. Avram Grant certainly seems
to rate him, he has recently been quoted as stating that he is player that
can make the grade. He also hinted that Tombides might have figured already
at first team level, but for the season long struggle against relegation.
There may be great expectations of Tombides, but the the same could be said
of a number of his U-18 team mates such as Hall, Moncur, McNaughton and Lee.
Indeed, the potential of the players coming through the famous West Ham
Academy really is one of the major sources of optimism regarding the long
term future of the club.
SJ. Chandos.
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