Saturday, July 16

Daily WHUFC News - Gudjohnsen

Gudjohnsen: third time unlucky
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 16th July 2011
By: Staff Writer

Eidur Gudjohnsen's decision to reject a move to West Ham is the third time
in four years that he has spurned an offer from the club. KUMB.com revealed
earlier today that the 32-year-old had snubbed West Ham by accepting an
offer from Greek club AEK. However that news will have come as little
surprise to Hammers fans who have now seen the player reject a move to
London THREE times. Back in the summer of 2007, shortly after Eggert
Magnusson and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson had purchased West Ham Gudjohnsen was
linked with a move to east London for the first time. Reports suggested
that a deal was agreed in principal - although the then 29-year-old opted to
remain at Barcelona and fight for a first team place instead. Undeterred,
West Ham - managed at the time by Gianfranco Zola -went back in for
Gudjohnsen, by this time at Monaco during the 2010 winter transfer window.
But despite having paid for the Icelandic international to stay in London
for a week - during which time he underwent a medical - West Ham were
furious when Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp stole the player from their
clutches. Despite reservations about Gudjohnsen's character - and with Sam
Allardyce in control of the club's transfer policy - the board sanctioned a
fresh move for the player last week. Positive negotiations ended with a
contract offer being made - and yet another medical being undertaken -
although once again, Gudjohnsen looks like leaving West Ham in the lurch.

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Exclusive: Gudjohnsen deal falls through
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 16th July 2011
By: Staff Writer

Eidur Gudjohnsen is set to sign for AEK Athens' following an eleventh-hour
bid by the Greek side. Athens are understood to have sent representatives to
London yesterday in a bid to hijack Gudjohnsen's move to the Boleyn Ground,
which looked a done deal yesterday after the 32-year-old completed his
medical at the club.
News from Greece this morning suggests Gudjohnsen met with former Icelandic
international and current AEK Director of Football Arnar Gretarsson in order
to discuss a two-year with the Enosis. A six-hour meeting with Gretarsson
and fellow AEK Director George Constantinides last night is said to have
concluded with the former Chelsea and Barcelona striker being offered a
two-year contract - double the length of the deal offered by West Ham.
Although no formal announcement has yet been made, Greek sources are
claiming this morning that Gudjohnsen has accepted AEK's offer - although an
announcement will be be delayed until he has had the opportunity to inform
Sam Allardyce of his decision. As always, more on this as it happens.

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Daily WHUFC News - 16th July 2011

Dyer backing Allardyce
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 15th July 2011
By: Staff Writer

Kieron Dyer has backed Sam Allardyce to lead West Ham back to the Premier
League at the first attempt. The former Hammer, who signed for Premier
League newcomers Queens Park Rangers last week following his release from
West Ham believes that his former club will secure a swift return to the top
flight under Allardyce's command. "I'm sure with the squad they're
assembling again down there, they'll be back where they belong," Dyer told
Talksport. "Because the Premier League is a better place with West Ham in
it. "I was with Sam for a little bit at Newcastle. He's a proven manager
and he knows what it is to win games. But people like to say that he doesn't
play attractive football. "With the squad they've got - they're keeping hold
of Mark Noble, have Kevin Nolan and maybe Scotty will be staying there -
they'll be fine and I think they'll walk that division. Or I hope they do,
anyway."

Dyer, who started less than 20 first team matches during his four years in
east London due to a succession of injuries also revealed his frustration at
not beng able to play a bigger role last season, a season that culminated
with West ham being relegated from the Premier League. "I wasn't quite 100
per cent fit but because we were struggling, you try to help the team and
play when you really shouldn't - and that's when i started to get my thigh
problem," Dyer confessed. "But what can you do when you're struggling? You
want to help your team and your team mates out in some way. Unfortunately
that wasn't to be."

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Villa bid for Parker
McLeish continues recruitment plans with £7m offer for midfielder
Last Updated: July 15, 2011 9:45pm
SSN
.
Skysports.com understands Aston Villa have made a £7million bid for West Ham
star Scott Parker. The England international is certain to leave Upton Park
this summer after the club suffered relegation from the Premier League last
season. Parker, who is under contract until 2014, has been linked with a
return to former club Chelsea, with West Ham admitting they may agree a loan
deal. But Villa's bid could persuade Hammers co-owners David Gold and David
Sullivan that a permanent sale is the better option.

Wage bill

Villa will have money to spend when the £19million sale of England winger
Stewart Downing is confirmed and they are understood to have bid for Wigan's
Charles N'Zogbia. New Villa boss Alex McLeish is attempting to make changes
to his side and a fee has also been agreed with Manchester City for
goalkeeper Shay Given.
Parker, the 2010/11 Football Writers' Association Player of the Season, is
also on McLeish's wanted list and it remains to be seen how West Ham
respond. They will need to cut their wage bill after dropping into the
Championship and it was reported on Thursday that they wanted Chelsea to pay
£4m plus Parker's wages for a loan.
Chelsea are in need of midfield cover after Michael Essien was ruled out
for up to six months following knee surgery, but boss Andre Villas-Boas may
not want a permanent signing.

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Cole move breaks down
Personal terms appear to be reason for striker staying at Upton Park
Last Updated: July 15, 2011 9:25pm
SSN

West Ham seem to have suggested Carlton Cole's move to Stoke has broken down
because the striker could not agree personal terms. The Potters agreed a fee
for the 27-year-old earlier this week, but the Hammers revealed on Friday
evening Cole would be staying put. The exact reason as to why the deal has
collapsed is not known, although West Ham released a statement which
provided some reasoning. It read: "Carlton has not asked for a transfer and
has remained committed to the club at all times. "In being given permission
to talk to Stoke, the negotiations did not break down as a result of him
asking for too much money. He was discussing wage parity with other key
players and was well within his right to do so. "Further, there is no issue
in terms of his reported 'injury problems'. An England striker, he played 43
games last season." The statement added: "Carlton remains part of the West
Ham United first-team squad under Sam Allardyce." Cole joined West Ham from
Chelsea in July 2006 and has scored 42 goals in 165 appearances.

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West Ham medics put in the doc
Published: Today
The Sun

KIERON DYER has slammed West Ham for their medical treatment during his
injury-hit four-year spell at the club. The QPR new boy, 32, said: "It's
frustrating when you're doing all you can to get fit but getting the wrong
info and being misdiagnosed. "I was out with a hamstring injury for nearly a
full season. I'd get back, injure it again and see a specialist, who'd say
'Why've you been doing that?'. "A number of times I lost months of the
season and people were saying it's down to me - but I was only taking the
advice I was given."

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Parker set for Chelsea - but not on loan
Published 00:10 16/07/11 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

Scott Parker remains on course to make a return to Chelsea - but they would
rather buy the West Ham talisman outright than take him on loan. The Blues
are looking for a midfielder having lost Michael Essien to a knee injury for
half the season. West Ham had been seeking a £4million loan fee for Parker,
30, but Chelsea are said to be uninterested in paying that much to borrow
the Footballer of the Year when they could own him outright for slightly
more. Negotiations are set to take in the fact that West Ham bought Kevin
Nolan - who is a year younger than fellow midfielder Parker - from Newcastle
for just £3m earlier this summer yet are seeking around £8m for their star
man.

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Aston Villa lead Chelsea in £7m chase for wantaway West Ham skipper Parker
By Sami Mokbel and John Edwards
Daily Mail
Last updated at 11:11 PM on 15th July 2011

Aston Villa have moved ahead of Chelsea in the battle for Scott Parker after
West Ham decided they would rather the midfielder leave permanently. The
Midlands club tabled a £7million bid for the England midfielder and will
offer Parker £65,000-per-week plus an extra £5,000 appearance bonus to join.
And now Chelsea are considering shock moves for Nigel Reo-Coker and Jermaine
Jenas after their plan to land Parker on a season-long loan suffered a
serious blow.

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan claimed earlier this week that the Hammers
would prefer to loan Parker. But there has since been a change of heart at
boardroom level and the Upton Park club would now prefer to cash-in on
Parker - who is valued at £8million. Chelsea want Parker on loan until the
end of the forthcoming season as they look for a short-term replacement for
Michael Essien, who will miss up to six months with a serious knee injury.
But the Blues are not as keen on signing Parker on a permanent basis and
Villa overtook them in the queue to land Parker following their tabled
offer.

And Sportsmail understands that Reo-Coker and Jenas will be considered by
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas if a move for Parker fails to materialise.
Both midfielders have been recommended to Villas-Boas by senior members of
the playing and coaching staff at Stamford Bridge. But the Portuguese is
understood to have been well aware of the duo's talents having watched them
on several occasions during his first spell at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho.
Premier League rules state all clubs must have at least eight 'homegrown'
players in their 25 man squads, a fact Villas-Boas is acutely aware of.

Reo-Coker or Jenas would help Chelsea increase their 'homegrown' quota, that
last season only included John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Ross
Turnbull.
Due to the lack of English-produced players, Carlo Ancelotti could not even
fill his 25-man allowance - naming just 19 senior professionals. And moves
for Reo-Coker and Jenas would represent a cost-effective way of filling that
'homegrown' quota next season. Reo-Coker, 27, is available on a free
transfer after leaving Aston Villa at the end of last season. And
Villas-Boas recognises Reo-Coker represents a minimal financial risk in his
efforts to land a player who could step straight into Essien's shoes. Prior
to their decision to sell rather than loan Parker, West Ham wanted a
£4.5million loan fee and insist Chelsea take on his £80,000-per-week wages.
Reo-Coker earned £35,000-per-week at Villa Park and would not command a
transfer fee given he is a free-agent. Bolton and Queens Park Rangers have
also shown an interest in Reo-Coker - clubs that are likely to offer him
guaranteed first-team football. But the chance of establishing himself at a
top-four club would be hard to resist for Reo-Coker - who was once on the
brink of an England call-up under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Meanwhile, Villas-Boas is understood to have been an influential figure in
Jose Mourinho's decision to move for Jenas in 2009, when the pair worked
together at Inter Milan. Chelsea's interest in Jenas could further
antagonise an already delicate relationship with Tottenham over the West
Londoners' pursuit of Luka Modric. The Portuguese wants someone who can hit
the ground running, hence his preference for a midfielder with top-flight
experience. Chelsea signed England Under-21 pair Josh McEachran and Ryan
Bertrand to long-term contracts - further underlining Villas-Boas'
commitment to increasing the club's 'homegrown' contingent.
And McEachran - who now earns £25,000-per-week - wants a crack at taking
Essien's place in the team. The 18-year-old told Chelsea TV: 'I feel really
sorry for Michael because he's had a lot of injuries before but hopefully it
will give me a chance to prove myself to Andre.' In addition to his move
for Parker, Villa manager Alex McLeish tabled a £9million move for winger
Charles N'Zogbia, which has been accepted by Wigan. Goalkeeper Shay Given,
meanwhile was at Villa's training ground yesterday to talk terms over a move
from Manchester City.

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West Ham deny Chelsea bid for Parker as Spurs pull out of the running
Nathaniel John and Ben Pearce
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
1:11 PM

West Ham have revealed that the club is yet to receive an offer for their
star midfielder Scott Parker. Last season's Football Writers' Player of the
Year, who turns 31 in October, is thought to be attracting interest from a
host of clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and most recently
Chelsea. However, contrary to reports elsewhere, the club have confirmed
that there have been no approaches made for the player. "We've had no
approach from any clubs officially," David Sullivan told Sky Sports News.
"We keep hearing rumours and I'd be wrong to comment further. "We'd love a
deal, and this has been mooted, that we'll loan him out for the season for a
substantial fee and when we get promotion he comes back to us. "That sort of
deal would appeal to us because we love Scot. We're not desperate for
anything. You know we'd obviously love a loan fee. He has substantial value
and has three or four years left of his career."

With Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien ruled out for at least six
months following a knee operation, it was suggested that new Blues manager
Andre Villas-Boas was interested in taking Parker to Stamford Bridge on loan
for the season. Tottenham are another club who have been linked but it seems
that interest has cooled. While Spurs have previously been interested in
Scott Parker, London24 understands that Tottenham have abandoned their chase
for West Ham's talisman, and will not be bidding for the 30-year-old. Parker
has been training with the West Ham squad on their pre-season tour in
Switzerland, although it is thought that tonight's game against FC Basel
will come too early for the midfielder to feature. Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce revealed that he has held talks with Parker and his England
colleagues Robert Green and Carlton Cole and is hopeful that at least one of
the trio will stay at the club. "We sat down and chatted and they said they
were happy to do their pre-season training with us and see what happened,"
he said. "If the right sort of bid comes in for a player then we would have
to look at it and we would certainly keep the player aware of what is going
on. "I am hopeful that they won't all be leaving."

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Cole prepared to stay with West Ham
By talkSPORT
Friday, July 15

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has not asked for a transfer and remains a key
part of their first-team plans for next season. Cole looked set to join
Stoke for £6m but the move fell through after he failed to agree personal
terms. The England striker is happy to stay with the Championship side and
play under Sam Allardyce if the club do not receive a fair price for his
signature. Cole has been accused of having injury problems, but he played 43
games last season and the club are convinced he can still play a major role
for them. A club statement said: "Carlton has not asked for a transfer and
has remained committed to the club at all times. "In being given permission
to talk to Stoke, the negotiations did not break down as a result of him
asking for too much money. He was discussing wage parity with other key
players and was well within his right to do so. "Further there is no issue
in terms of his reported "injury problems". An England striker, he played 43
games last season. In fact he has averaged 36 matches a year in the last
four campaigns at West Ham United. "Carlton remains part of the West Ham
United first-team squad under Sam Allardyce."

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Super Kev can be West Ham's Captain Fantastic
West Ham: Kevin Nolan is proud to wear the shirt – and the armband
By Will Haine July 15, 2011
GiveMeFootball.com

With West Ham bosses declaring an interest in loaning out Scott Parker for a
year, the contribution of Kevin Nolan to the Hammers' cause will take on an
even greater significance next season. Sam Allardyce pulled off arguably
the transfer coup of the summer by persuading Nolan to relinquish the
Newcastle captaincy and drop down a division, with the 28-year-old now set
to lead the charge back to the Barclays Premier League. Nolan is with
currently with his new teammates at a training camp in Switzerland, where
Allardyce is running the rule over his new charges, and was given his West
Ham debut against FC Basel on Wednesday.

The former Bolton midfielder played 45 minutes in a 2-1 loss, and was handed
the skipper's armband - a position that is there for the taking after
Matthew Upson left the Boleyn Ground at the end of last season. And, after
wearing the famous claret and blue for the first time, Nolan was honoured
and proud to make his West Ham bow. "I was very proud to pull on the shirt,"
he told West Ham TV. "I was delighted and to be made captain was a nice
little touch, too, and I was happy to get through my first 45 minutes. "I
think it showed that at the end of the week, we were a little bit tired.
This is the last game here and I think it showed a little bit in our
performance. Some of the lads were a bit lethargic. "To be fair, it was my
first game in eight or nine weeks, so I'm delighted to have got through it
with no injuries. Hopefully I can push on now and get more games under the
belt and it's the first step to getting ready for Cardiff."

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