Tomkins has one target
WHUFC.com
James Tomkins is already thinking of helping West Ham's promotion push next
season
24.05.2011
James Tomkins is hoping to bounce back next season following a frustrating
season with West Ham United. The centre-back was one of the few bright spots
of the 2010/11 campaign, although was ultimately unable to force his way
into the England squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in
Denmark. The Young Lions' loss is West Ham's gain, with Tomkins able to
recharge his batteries for the forthcoming Championship challenge. The
22-year-old insisted he and his fellow young Academy graduates are
determined to get the Hammers back into the top-flight at the first attempt.
"It is disappointing the way the season ended," he told whufc.com. "We have
got to start afresh next season and rebuilding this club and work hard
together to get this club back to the Premier League where it belongs.
"The last few weeks have been tough for everyone but it has been great to
see Jordan Spence come on and Jack Collison come back. Now if the youngsters
can stay together it will be great for the club. We have got a great chance
of getting up straight away next season. "Whatever has happened, we have got
to draw a line under it and it look to the future. We owe that to the fans."
Tomkins also had positive words for caretaker manager Kevin Keen, who he
knows well from his time within the Academy and during Keen's time as
reserve-team manager, as well as his recent role of first-team coach. While
the club's owners continue their search for a new permanent boss, the No5
said the squad would be more than happy for the former Hammers winger to
take on the role full-time. "Kevin has been excellent for us. He is one
person that you can say has been positive throughout the year. All the lads
respect him and I have worked with him for a long time now. "I personally
think he would be brilliant for the job. Who knows who will get it but he is
a good manager and we all respect him."
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Girls ready for Wembley date
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies U16s will fly the flag at the UEFA Champions League
final
24.05.2011
Eight players from West Ham United Ladies Under-16 squad will enjoy the
evening of a lifetime at next Saturday's UEFA Champions League final. The
girls - Charlotte Stephens, Naomi Hayes, Nicole Learner, Sophie McLean, Jess
Chater, Megan Lewis, Eliz Ibrahim and Claire Huggins - will be on the
Wembley pitch ahead of Manchester United's clash with FC Barcelona after
winning the Ford Champions Youth Football Tournament. The U16s will join
boys from Team Ryan FC in waving the official UEFA Champions League starball
banner in the centre circle after both clubs won their respective
five-a-side competitions at Dagenham & Redbridge FC on 7 May. The tournament
saw West Ham brush off the challenge of a host of local teams and schools
before reaching the final by winning a tense penalty shootout. There, the
Hammers defeated Redbridge 2-1 to secure the trophy and their trip to
Wembley. Victory completed a successful season for the U16s, who are coached
by Carla Dickinson and finished as runners-up to Tottenham Hotspur in the
Essex County League. The two sides also meet in the League Cup final this
afternoon. Mark Simpson, Ford of Britain marketing director, congratulated
the girls on their achievements. He said: "After 19 years, Ford remains
extremely proud to be an official partner of the UEFA Champions League. This
year, Ford is celebrating its centenary year and is delighted to be
providing two youth teams from local Dagenham this amazing opportunity. "We
send our congratulations to Team Ryan FC and West Ham Under-16 girls and
wish them well for their important role in the opening ceremony of European
football's most prestigious match."
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Gold wants right man
Hammers co-owner knows the value of the right appointment
Last Updated: May 24, 2011 2:47pm
SSN
West Ham co-owner David Gold insists it is vital the club make the right
appointment in naming Avram Grant's successor. The Hammers are on the
lookout for a new man at the helm following Grant's sacking after their
relegation was confirmed. West Ham will be playing Championship football
next season and Gold knows the value of getting the best man for the job.
Cardiff boss Dave Jones is reportedly the front-runner, although Gold is
refusing to name names on who they are talking to.
Talks
"What I can tell you is that we're talking with everybody," Gold told Sky
Sports News. "We want to make sure we get this right. This will be the most
important appointment. "We'll be talking to everybody and making sure that
we pick the right man. Asked if Gold could name names, he replied: "I can't
share any of this with you as it wouldn't be fair on the people we are
talking to. "What I can assure our fans is we're leaving no stone unturned
in our pursuit of our best possible man for the job."
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Curbishley: the only EastEnder fit for the part
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th May 2011
By: Patrick Hobbs
For West Ham United, this season has resembled that of a particularly absurd
episode of EastEnders. It appears that the casting directors at the club
wish to continue with this plot as they look to recruit a new resident with
a familiar cockney twang. The Hammers' campaign had been crying out in vain
for decisive decisions to be made, and following Sunday's relegation, likes
buses, several have appeared in quick succession. The bizarrely ruthless
sacking of Avram Grant was quickly followed by the insistence from co-owner
David Sullivan that the next manager must be 'British' and with 'a knowledge
of the East End'.
There are few teams in English football whose demand for having 'one of
their own' in charge is as strong as that of West Ham United. Of the 15
managers in the clubs 115-year history, less than any other major English
club, only two have been from overseas and the majority have played for West
Ham at some point. Even the new ownership of David Gold and David Sullivan
have attempted to presented themselves as true supporters of the club to
curry favour with fans, a PR strategy that found its nadir with the
ill-advised beer guzzling, replica shirt wearing antics of Mike Ashley at
Newcastle.
With the criteria set there is only one real candidate, and it's not Chris
Hughton or Dave Jones, the bookies favourites. Llewellyn Charles 'Alan'
Curbishley is about as East End as they come. Growing up a stones throw from
Upton Park, the son of a London docker, Curbishley signed for West Ham as a
fresh faced 16 year old along with his brother Paul. Although his West Ham
career coincided with that of Brooking and Devonshire in their pomp, Alan
went on to play over 80 games for the club.
His other brother Alf even used to run the legendary Lord Stanley pub in the
heart of Plaistow. The boozers links to West Ham are such that it is now
painted claret and blue so there can be question to natives of where its
loyalties lie.
As a manager Curbishley spent 15 years at Charlton, gaining two promotions
and turning them into the poster boys for Premiership survival. He did such
a good job at Charlton in fact that he became a victim of his own success
and grumbles began amongst fans that he had taken them as far as he could,
although after his departure in 2006 Charlton suffered two relegations in
three years. It was due this this track record that he was the outstanding
candidate to replace Alan Pardew and began his spell as West Ham manager in
December 2006.
Curbishley had a difficult relationship with the West Ham faithful at times,
with many believing his team were too cautious and put substance before
style in their approach. A win ratio of over 40 per cent hints that he knew
what he was doing. This record far out does that of his successor Gianfranco
Zola (28.75 per cent), with his style before substance approach, and even
that of England manager-in-waiting Harry Redknapp (37 per cent). Some of
Curbishley's big money signings prior to the Icelandic owners regime melting
were clearly unwise. The disastrous buys of Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron
Dyer must still haunt him, but it's important to remember he also brought in
the current Football Writer's Player Of The Season, Scott Parker, to the
club.
He also followed in the clubs grand tradition of blooding young, homegrown
players. During the 2007/08 season, West Ham had an average of 6.61 English
players in their starting line up, higher than any other Premier League
club. However, the divorce of West Ham and Curbishley was a mess yone. The
straw that finally broke the camel's back being the sale of Anton Ferdinand
and George McCartney, which Curbishley did not sanction, three games and six
points gained into the 2008 season. A man of clear principals, it would be
interesting to see what he would make of the current owners hands on
approach. As the East End soap opera will no doubt continue next season,
West Ham could go a lot worse than turning to this former resident to
restore some good old fashioned cockney values to the Boleyn. In fact, they
would be incredibly lucky to have him back.
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Why Parker's exit may be a blessing
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th May 2011
By: BBB
I'm aware that this is going to be contentious. The fact of the matter is
that Scott Parker has been head and shoulders above his colleagues during
the last three seasons, and has, quite rightly, been awarded HotY three
times in succession.
Furthermore, he has gone above and beyond reasonable expectations in doing
so - for example, playing the day after the death of his father, and playing
whilst carrying injuries (often still looking the best and most committed
player on the field) - and, it could be argued that he represents a
fantastic role model to the younger players in and around the squad.
The fans, almost to a man, will contend that we should have eleven Scott
Parkers, rather than one Scott Parker and ten also-rans.
I feel, however, that the magnificent effort that Parker has put in over the
last three seasons may also have contributed to our problems. Through no
fault of his own, Parker has set a standard that those around him are either
unable (most) or unwilling (some) to live up to. When Parker played badly,
he was afforded the benefit of the doubt by the supporters; the same could
not be said for, say, Boa Morte or Matt Upson.
For the other players, to see Parker misplace a pass without getting
barracked may have actually caused resentment toward him, simply because
they knew that if they had done the same, they would have been booed.
Of course, it could be argued that Parker had earned the right to the odd
off-game here and there, but human psychology is a complicated beast, and
when one is getting castigated for something that a colleague is given a
free pass for, the natural response is to perceive this as unjust,
regardless of the typical performance of one's colleague.
Jealousy and ill-feeling arise in all professions, and football is no
exception.
Another factor which may come into play is the well-known psychological
effect known as the Imposter Syndrome (IS). It typically affects
high-achievers (I know, bear with me!) who are unable to reconcile their
success (e.g. huge wealth, fame, etc.) with their perception of themselves
as undeserving. As such, individuals with IS will often self-sabotage in
order to make the external perception of self match their internal
perception; that is, individuals who believe that they are not worthy of
acclaim will perform below the level that they are capable of.
Parker's unwitting contribution to this should be self-evident, but, just to
be clear: sometimes a shining example does not inspire one to achieve one's
potential; it can actually inhibit performance, as one is aware that, no
matter how hard one tries, one can never live up to the example set by
another (in this case, Parker).
Furthermore, the knowledge that one has a talismanic figure such as Parker
can breed complacency within the other players, simply because they know
that if they under-perform, their 'Roy of the Rovers' will come to the
rescue.
Speaking of inhibition of performance, we - the supporters - do not get off
Scott-free (ho ho). It is well-established that the presence of a crowd can
have a huge effect - both positive and negative - upon sporting performance.
Typically, this is seen in terms of 'home advantage', whereby playing in
front of one's own supporters conveys a facilitatory effect upon
performance.
In other cases, however, this can be seen as 'home disadvantage', whereby
playing in front of one's own supporters can increase anxiety and inhibit
performance. Knowing that a poor performance will result in one being booed
off at half-time can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, inasmuch as a player
may under-perform due to anxiety caused by the fear of under-performing.
Given that players this season were often going into the match expecting
condemnation and condescension from home spectators, it is little wonder
that they failed to perform. This, however, harks back to my prior point:
Parker was given much less abuse than his colleagues, therefore, it is
reasonable to assume that the players perceived their own treatment as
unfair by comparison.
As a psychology graduate, it seems obvious that many of the players, to use
Terry Brown's unfortunate turn-of-phrase regarding Defoe, were 'not right in
the head' this season. Parker has stated that sports psychologist Mike
Griffiths has been instrumental in his improved performances over the last
year or two, but Griffiths has also been assisting numerous other poor
performers within the team; clearly, Griffiths' style does not benefit
everyone (or, if it does, one can only wonder how badly Matt Upson would
have played without Griffiths' input).
To be fair, it should be noted that the off-field shenanigans of the owners
have almost certainly contributed to the players' psychological well-being.
Aside from all of the financial problems and the undermining of Grant in
January, Sullivan's announcement that everyone (with the exception of Scott
Parker) was up for sale last summer would have sent the resounding message
that Parker is the only one of real value; as Chairman, regardless of his
feelings, he shouldn't have singled Parker out as 'favourite player' in that
manner, just as a parent shouldn't make it known that they have a 'favourite
child' without expecting this to have a negative impact upon the
non-favoured children.
Again, this is not Parker's fault, but it will have impacted upon the desire
and spirit of the team as a whole. In fact, one could argue that this season
has been a year-long 'Screw you!' to Sullivan and colleagues.
As I said when I began, I'm aware that making Parker culpable (albeit
unknowingly) is a contentious point of view. Please don't imagine that I
consider Parker to have deliberately contributed to these problems; it is
obvious to anyone that has seen him that he conducts himself in the manner
of a consummate professional, and his individual performances will be sorely
missed next season.
I suspect, however, that his moving to another club may allow others to
flourish in his place and may take pressure off some of the other players,
simply because they no longer have to live up to the almost-impossibly high
standard that he set. Until, that is, our next 'Super Scotty Parker' comes
along.
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The end - or a new beginning?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th May 2011
By: Paul Walker
The end of the world was supposed to be at the weekend. For West Ham fans it
came a week earlier as Premier League football disappeared as quickly as
Millwall's daft plane stunt. Very funny lads, but we will only take you
seriously when you one day managed to fill your ground with bitter Blues.
The feelings at Wigan were a mixture of pain and anger, it had been coming
for weeks and in fact the following few days were almost a relief such has
been the effect of two seasons of abject tension and disappointments. But 15
wins from 76 league games - and just three on the road in those two seasons
- you surely can't have enjoyed the ride.
I managed to avoid the desire to launch into a furious rant, raging at
anyone and everyone who had contributed to the decline of our great club.
From Terry Brown for sacking 'arry, to Avram Grant for being a complete
wally without a brolly. The deluge of abuse from Fleet Street's finest, and
not so fine (are you watching Des Kelly) filled yards of column inches
without me getting involved. Some was very good, like John Dillon's
outstanding assassination of bit-part agent Barry Silkman, the man many in
the know blame for the dodgy transfer policy since the Davids arrived. Just
what does David Sullivan see in this failed footballer, now a go-between for
the super agents?
And then there was Kelly's snide, sniping, I-told-you-so attack, a week
after everyone else had said the same thing without adding anything to the
debate apart from his own bile. I find him the worst kind of column writer,
all picked up from the cuts library with no real insight. I recall the
hardened Merseyside writers considering Kelly a clown when he was reporting
up there many years ago, little has changed. He's been niggling away at us
all season and he couldn't miss the chance to put the knife in. At least his
Mail colleagues Lee Clayton and Martin Samuel know what they are talking
about. Right, enough said, I've wasted enough words on him.
The pain didn't get much better at the weekend for the final game of a
distressing season against Sunderland. Far too many fans expected us to go
out with a bang. No chance. Having spent a lot of time with footballers over
the years, the one thing they don't do is think like fans. They are more
concerned with not getting injured, not getting booked or sent off to miss
the beginning of next season while thinking only of number one and the new
contract or the move away. And that's what we got. It was limp and
insulting, but totally expected. This team had conceded 22 points from
winning positions, four times thrown away two-goal leads and managed two
points from the final nine matches. Oh, and they conceded 21 in the run and
scored just seven. There was no fight then, so why expect any against
Sunderland.?
So we waited around at the end of the lap of(dis)honour to see just who had
the bottle to face us. A few waves from the centre circle and then the bulk
were off down the tunnel. A few with character and backbone stayed behind
and braved all four sides of the stadium. Young Jordan Spence - who can
hardly be blamed for anything so long has it taken for him to be given a
chance - was excellent.
So to was Danny Gabbidon, Jack Collison, Robert Green and of course Scott
Parker. But where was the captain, yes you Mathew Upson. You should have
been out there leading from the front even if you were in your suit and had
not even made the bench. Just where has Upson been of late? Sullivan made a
remark about out of contract players recently not being prepared to risk
themselves when they are leaving. We all know who he was talking about.
Robbie Keane had returned to Spurs straight after the Wigan defeat,
thankfully. Those three horror misses against Blackburn, Chelsea and
Manchester City will live long in my memory. He was signed and paid
ridiculous money to put away chances, what a terrible waster.
Paul Groves was on the bench alongside Kevin Keen, but he as well as the
rest of Grant's Portsmouth losers will not be retained now. Nor will Wally
Downes. He was there on Sunday but not on the bench (another Silkman gem)
and he too will be gone. Thanks for all that defensive coaching mate, we
conceded 54 in 26 games after you arrived and 27 in 14 beforehand. Made a
real difference did Wally. It was the collapse after the fine draw at Spurs
that confounds many. At that point in March we were out of the bottom three
having taken 12 points from seven games. The fight was there then.
But from then on we picked up that one point against Blackburn from the
final eight games. I believe Grant should have been sacked anyway by then,
but how much was he at fault for that disastrous run.? The loss of Parker
was the key. After that Spurs game when he played out of his skin hours
after his father's death, Scott went off to play for England and picked up
an Achilles injury. He managed two starts and two sub appearances after
that. That knocked the stuffing out of a side lacking leaders at the best of
times and relied on Parker too much. They just crumbled before our eyes to
our worst points total in Premier League history.
Some inside the club felt Grant should have been sacked weeks before the end
of the season, it could not have made things any worse. But our owners knew
that to do that then would cost them vastly more in compensation, and the
Icelandic connection still holding (some)of the purse strings would not have
stood for that. So the Davids waited until we were down and able to sack
Grant under a clause that reduced his pay-out to around £500,000.
So now we are looking for another manager. One that , maybe, can preside
over a public training session without allowing his players to argue and
throw bibs around. Lee Dixon's 'shambles' remark it is believed came from
that incident when the TV pundit was watching an open day session at the
Boleyn. We need discipline, tactical structure and the ability to cope with
a tough division plus being able to react quickly and positively to changes
our opponents make during matches. None of those apply to Grant. The
McLarens, Hoddles and Ancelottis can be consigned to the silly corner, while
Paul Lambert looks like he is going to get his new contract after his name
was floated at just the right moment to prod Norwich into action. Gus Poyet
certainly did not rule himself out, he just said he wouldn't apply as a man
under contract should say.
I still doubt Martin O'Neil and Sam Allardyce are really interested now,
Alex McLeish and Ian Holloway will stay where they are, and West Ham should
not be associated with managers who have the poisonous negativity of
relegation hanging over them. Yes, you Mr.Grant. Which leaves the likes of
Chris Hughton and David Jones. Cardiff fans and the local media in the Welsh
capital just want to see the back of Jones, which must say something, while
Hughton is condemned in some quarters with faint praise because he had by
far the strongest squad in the division when he got Newcastle back up at the
first time of asking.
Such is the management industry at our level that all the candidates have
plus and minus points about them. We can only sit and watch to see which was
the Davids jump, because this appointment is to important to mess up. Let's
hope that Silkman is kept away from the action. Surely no serious contender
would accept an agent dictating all the transfers. Remember, this is the man
who brought us Winstone Reid and Pablo Barrera. Get shot of him Sullivan,
his very presence I understand is putting off some applicants. The good
ones!
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WEST HAM'S NOW A BASKET CASE
Daily Express
Tuesday May 17,2011
By John Dillon
EVEN when West Ham's fans finally got what they wanted and Avram Grant was
sacked, it happened in a crass, cheap and distastefully hurried way in a
stadium backroom, minutes after the defeat by Wigan on Sunday. It was
strikingly apt, however. The supporters thought they had got what they
wanted nearly five years ago too, when, in an extraordinarily surprising
deal, the Argentina internationals Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano were
signed.
Instead of the start of the bold new era some misguidedly proclaimed, it was
the beginning of the calamitous spiral of chaos, mismanagement and decline
which resulted in relegation at the weekend. The arrival of the South
American stars was the symbolic first act of a black morality drama. A
famous and much-cherished people's club has been hollowed out and stripped
of its pride and soul by a combination of all the rapacious forces
plundering modern football.
Owners on the make. Agents on the make. Reckless and profligate foreign
takeover merchants, fuelled by the great global banking con. Duplicitous
directors bending the rules. Mercenary players. Overpaid and overrated
players. They all came together in recent times to make West Ham both a
pathetic basket case and a laughing stock. And a textbook case warning to
followers of other clubs to be careful what they wish for.
Finally, in this season, the appointment of a poor and uninspiring, but
somehow well-connected boss with an attention-seeking, trousers-on-fire
style of crisis management from the boardroom have cost the club their
Premier League status. There is something intrinsically pathetic about West
Ham's slide from the recent high point of the 2006 FA Cup final. But it is
also a serious and hugely demeaning example of the dangers which arrived
with the conversion of football into a speculators' casino. That year, West
Ham made a profit and finished ninth. Last week, the current chairman David
Sullivan warned again of financial armageddon. When the former chairman,
Terry Brown, sanctioned the loan signings of Tevez and Mascherano, some
foolishly saw it as progression. To others it seemed nothing more than a
dubious sweetener from Brown to their agent, Kia Joorabchian, who was
seeking at the time to buy West Ham.
The doubters were correct. This particular piece of moving and shaking
within the new global market of football broke the rules of third-party
ownership. The official report spoke of deliberate deceptions and a
cover-up. It has so far, according to the last four years' accounts, cost
the club £51.1million in "exceptional items" – largely fines, compensation
and lawyers' fees arising from the deal. The sweetener proved pointless,
however. The club were sold to Icelandic bankers seeking to milk the Premier
League boom instead, with Brown picking up £30m for his shares.
Then came lunacy. Funnily enough, of the unsustainable kind practised by the
Icelandic finance industry which had dangerously pumped up the global credit
bubble.
Within two years of the takeover, with the strikingly bald chairman Eggert
Magnusson firing, hiring and then forcing out managers Alan Pardew and Alan
Curbishley, the wage bill, which was £30.9m in 2006, had risen to £63.3m.
There was much talk of advancement to the Champions League. In reality,
there was only a desire to get on football's gravy train via a debt-fuelled
spending spree, with most of the vastly-overpaid signings, such as Freddie
Ljungberg, failing to deliver. West Ham have made a loss every year since
2006. The debt, now they have been relegated, could hit £120m, according to
one City estimate.
Sullivan and his co-chairman, David Gold, have attacked the debt. But they
needlessly put the rescue plan at risk by appointing Grant, who was bound to
fail and whose record was vastly over-inflated. The fact that it happened
due to the influence of an agent, Barry Silkman, who is also heavily
involved in player recruitment is particularly infuriating to the
supporters. Perhaps the board sacked Grant so summarily because they thought
they would look tough in the eyes of the fans. Maybe they thought it would
look decisive after the bungled attempt to sack him in December. But it was
an unnecessarily vicious public act which simply confirmed the last vestiges
of the club's old sense of dignity and style have been wiped out along with
everything else. Now there is nothing left but a broken reputation and a
huge financial black hole, neither of which may ever be repaired. It is both
bleak and soul-destroying.
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Spector offered new deal
American set to remain at West Ham; Dyer and Upson to leave
By James Dall - Follow me on Twitter @James_Dall. Last Updated: May
24, 2011 12:59pm
SSN
Sky Sports News understands Jonathan Spector has been offered a new deal at
West Ham United. The Hammers are currently reviewing their squad following
their relegation from the Premier League. And the club, who have also
offered Danny Gabbidon fresh terms, are keen to keep Spector ahead of the
2011/12 season in the Championship. The 25-year-old Spector joined West Ham
from Manchester United in 2006 and has made 101 league appearances since the
move. Meanwhile, it is understood that Kieron Dyer and Matthew Upson have
not been offered new deals. Dyer has desperately struggled for fitness
during his time at West Ham while Upson is thought to be in line for a stay
in the Premier League.
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Danny Gabbidon set for new deal
Ken Dyer
24 May 2011
Evening Standard
Danny Gabbidon is in talks with West Ham over signing a new contract at the
relegated club. The 31-year-old Wales international was out of contract at
the end of the season but is set to be retained as the Hammers attempt to
come back up from the Championship at the first attempt. American Jonathan
Spector is another player that owners David Gold and David Sullivan want to
keep at Upton Park. He scored twice in the 4-0 Carling Cup win over
Manchester United and his versatility - he was playing in midfield that
night - is seen as vital for the new campaign. West Ham are yet to appoint a
new manager after sacking Avram Grant but the new boss will have to do
without Kieron Dyer and Matthew Upson, who will not be offered new deals.
West Ham are hoping to appoint a new manager by the end of the month with
Cardiff's Dave Jones now a serious contender for the position after Alex
McLeish said he was staying at Birmingham. Another target, Paul Lambert, who
won the LMA Championship manager of the year last night, has indicated that
he will commit his future to Norwich
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Dyer reportedly released by West Ham
East Anglian Times
By Dave Gooderham
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 2:46 PM
KIERON Dyer and Matthew Upson have been released by West Ham United, it has
been reported. Dyer, who spent a month on loan at Ipswich Town in March, and
former Suffolk schoolboy Upson have not been offered new deals by the
newly-relegated Hammers. Blues boss Paul Jewell might now consider offering
Dyer a contract, possibly on a pay-as-you-play deal given the 32-year-old's
much-publicised injury problems. Upson is expected to move to another club
in the Premier League while West Ham, now preparing for life in the
Championship, have reportedly offered new deals to Jonathan Spector and
Danny Gabbidon.
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Season review: Unmitigated disaster for West Ham
Ken Dyer
24 May 2011
Evening Standard
END OF TERM REPORT
Nothing less than an unmitigated disaster. Things started badly when Avram
Grant was appointed manager and they fell away from there. Whatever could go
wrong, went wrong and a total of 33 points from 38 games from this West Ham
squad took under-achievement to a new low.
Grant was unfortunate to lose his main summer signing, Thomas Hitzlsperger,
with a bad injury just before the start of the season and the talismanic
Scott Parker for vital matches but the rest of the squad should still have
had more than enough to survive.
There was hope with the transfer window arrivals of Robbie Keane, Wayne
Bridge, both on loan, plus Demba Ba and Gary O'Neil, and successive wins
over Liverpool and Stoke, followed by a point away at Spurs, provoked some
optimism. One solitary point from the last eight matches, though, speaks for
itself.
VERDICT
Failure? Under-achievement? This capitulation was more than that. With a
better squad than Gianfranco Zola had at his disposal, Grant's team stumbled
their way to a total of 33 points, two fewer than the previous season.
STAR MAN
No contest. If proof was needed that Scott Parker carried this team, just
look at their record when he was injured for the last few games. Footballer
of the Year in a relegated team speaks volumes.
THE FUTURE
The biggest and most pressing hope is that, this time, the club appoint the
right man for the job. A lot of work has to be done but one priority for the
new manager is to sign some leaders, the type who relish the prospect of
mixing it on a wet Tuesday night in Doncaster or Barnsley. The Championship
will be a tough divison to get out of next season.
In the likely event of Parker's departure in order to justifiably stay a
Premier League player, West Ham's loss now could well be Tottenham's gain.
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Football transfer rumours: Scott Parker to Liverpool?
Simon Burnton
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 May 2011 09.37 BST
The transfer merry-go-round is soon to be in full swing at Upton Park, where
West Ham's handful of England stars are, as promised, preparing to depart.
Robert Green is close to securing a move to Aston Villa, Scott Parker will
choose between Arsenal and Liverpool - with the Hammers unwilling to sell to
Tottenham because they're in a bit of a strop over the whole Olympic Stadium
farrago - and Carlton Cole has a testy stripe-versus-hoop conundrum to deal
with as West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers chase his
signature. Demba Ba and Thomas Hitzlsperger have been offered improved deals
as the club bids to secure promotion back to the Premier League as quickly
as possible. QPR, while we're mentioning them, also fancy a
Montpellier-based brace, in the shape of centre-back Emir Spahic and striker
Olivier Giroud.
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Bridge in Villa transfer link
Author: Nigel Brown
Posted on:24 May 2011 - 09:30 AM
Sport.co.uk
Aston Villa are being linked with a summer swoop for out-of-favour
Manchester Ciy defender Wayne Bridge. The 30-year-old former England
international, who has struggled for first-team football at Eastlands, is
approaching the final 12 months of his City contract. And, as they are
reluctant to lose Bridge on a Bosman free transfer, boss Roberto Mancini
will attempt to offload the former Chelsea man this summer as he also looks
to trim down his squad. Bridge spent the second half of this past season on
loan at West Ham, whose relegation scuppered any chance of him earning a
permanent deal at Upton Park. However Villa, who are looking to bring in a
left-back after Stephen Warnock fell out of favour with boss Gerard Houllier
when he took charge last September, are set to swoop for Bridge having lost
out to the Hammers for his loan services at the turn of the year.
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Hammers line up keeper deal
Author: Andrew Allen
Posted on:24 May 2011 - 09:10 AM
Sport.co.uk
Manchester United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak is being lined up as a replacement
for Robert Green at West ham this summer. Green is almost certain to be
leaving Upton Park this summer, along with a number of other high earners at
the club, following their drop into the Championship and the Hammers see
Kuszczak as the man to take over. He is available on a free transfer, as his
contract is up at Old Trafford after a five-year spell, and at 29 is still
considered to have a good future in the game. The sooner the Hammers find a
replacement for the sacked Avram Grant, the sooner they can start to build
for what will be a difficult campaign in the Championship. And Dave Jones of
Cardiff appears to be the new favourite on that front.
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All change in battle for the West Ham job
Ladbrokes.com
After a week in which Chris Hughton has been the almost uninterrupted market
leader to be named the 14th manager of West Ham, there is suddenly a new
favourite that is far from certain to set the pulses of supporters racing,
Cardiff boss Dave Jones. The former Southampton and Wolves chief, who has
endured three straight promotion near misses with the Bluebirds, has plenty
of Championship experience and successfully got out of the division once
with Wolves, and that has reportedly made him the preferred choice of the
Irons board.
Sky Sports claim to understand that he is the number one target for
co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold and that suggestion has turned
Betfair's market on the matter upside down, with Jones being backed all the
way in to 2.84 having at one stage traded at 32.0.
Hughton, who of course finished first in his one and only Championship
campaign in the Newcastle dugout, has drifted out to 4.5 while the only
other candidate available at single figures is Sam Allardyce at 6.2, though
doubts remain as to whether he would consider the job beneath him.
Alex McLeish had gained plenty of support on Sunday night and Monday morning
following Birmingham's relegation from the Premier League but the Blues'
decision to stay loyal to the Scot following his second demotion in four
seasons has caused his price to go all the way out to 14.5.
Martin O'Neill has moved in slightly to 11.0 yet the most interesting thing
of all is that the idea of Carlo Ancelotti following Juventus, AC Milan and
Chelsea with West Ham refuses to go away not matter how absurd it sounds.
The Italian tactician is still the sixth favourite at odds of 19.0.
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