WHUFC.com
All the text action as it happened as Freddie Sears clinched victory away to
FC Copenhagen
20.07.2011
FC KOBENHAVN v WEST HAM UNITED
PRE-SEASON MATCH
WEDNESDAY 20 JULY 2011
KICK-OFF: 7PM (8PM DENMARK)
LIVE STREAMING AVAILABLE TO
FULL TIME - FC Kobenhavn 0-1 West Ham United
There goes the final whistle of what has been a tremendous display from the
Hammers against a strong FCK side. Freddie Sears' late winner was the icing
on the cake on what was a thoroughly professional display.
93 mins - Nouble blasts over to waste a few more seconds. Well done Tomkins
at the other end to block Absalonsen's effort. Then Spence shows poise to
clear under pressure.
92 mins - Allardyce is out of his dug-out and urging his men to show
discipline. They need to stay strong as FCK are searching for an equaliser.
91 mins - We are into added time now and West Ham are keeping the ball well.
90 mins - If the Hammers can hang on this is a great result, albeit that the
manager has said it is performances not results that matter at the moment.
To that end, he will be delighted on both counts.
89 mins - GOAL! - Sears! Wonderful feet from Montano feeds Sears and the
youngster shows great poise to slot the ball into the net. Superb stuff.
88 mins - Noble's long ball forward drops back for Montano again. The
Colombian attacker cannot direct his shot on target as the announcer tells
us there are 8,907 supporters here.
86 mins - Montano shoots for goal but the shot is deflected and the sting is
taken out of the ball. In the end it was comfortable for the keeper.
85 mins - Nordstrand misses again after being played in with a lovely ball.
Kenneth Zohore, at only 16, is on for Diouf in the home side's attack.
84 mins - Noble puts his foot on the ball and tries to get the Hammers going
again. It is a little bit scrappy in midfield.
83 mins - FCK are probing but the Hammers are holding a good line. There's
no doubt that the home side want to win this and Oviedo nearly gets in round
the back but for some alert thinking by Sears.
82 mins - That was a great chance for Absalonsen but, under pressure from
Spence, he fires high and wide from an acute angle.
82 mins - Bubbles rings out from behind the goal again. Will the Hammers
faithful get to cheer a goal tonight?
80 mins - Nouble shows some good footwork before losing the ball. Spence
tries to recover but eventually loses out.
78 mins - Oviedo and Absalonsen combine on the FCK left before the play
switches to the right. Delaney eventually gets a shot away but is fouled in
the process. Before the free-kick is taken, Bolanos is replaced by Youssef
Toutouh.
77 mins - Noble has the captain's armband, by the way. He has looked full of
running this evening.
76 mins - Cristian Montano is coming on for the bloodied Boa Morte.
75 mins - Sears whips it in and only a last-gasp header from a Danish
defender avoids a certain Hammers goal for either O'Brien or Nouble. Boa
Morte then does brilliantly before shooting just wide.
75 mins - Noble tries to find Nouble over the top but the ball is cut out.
The long-serving Hammers midfielder has been tireless tonight. As has Boa
Morte, who is fouled again.
74 mins - Can either side find a winner here as we move into the closing
stages? The manager will be very pleased with the attitude and application
of his players against tricky opposition who look set to be playing with the
elite again in Europe this season.
72 mins - Grindheim wins the ball in midfield. FCK break quickly and
eventually the ball is slid across the box for the waiting Nordstrand. Not
for the first time, the substitute cannot direct his shot on target. Thomas
Delaney is coming on for Grindheim.
71 mins - Outstanding play involving Spence, O'Brien and Sears to work the
ball up the right wing. The move breaks down in the final third.
70 mins - Here come two more changes. Jordan Spence and Frank Nouble are
coming on for Faubert and Piquionne. That will be like for like.
69 mins - Apologies for the technical issues here in the FCK press box.
68 mins - FCK have the ball in the net but the referee rules it out after a
challenge on Boffin saw the ball forced over the line.
65 mins - Boa Morte and Sears then combine and force a corner. The Hammers
fans are singing Come on you Irons.
64 mins - The game has lost some of its momentum with all the changes. Boa
Morte is upended though and the Hammers have a free-kick in a dangerous
position. It comes to nothing.
60 mins - Freddie Sears, Joey O'Brien and Jordan Brown are on for Kevin
Nolan, Jack Collison and Scott Parker.
57 mins - Great effort there from Nordstrand that had Boffin sprawling. It
just fizzed wide of the post.
55 mins - Boa Morte is back on but his head is bandaged. Looks a nasty cut.
54 mins - Reid has to be alert to deny Diouf but FCK win a corner. It comes
to nothing. They get the ball back in, but Piquionne is on hand to clear.
53 mins - FCK have kept possession for the last 60 seconds and the ball ends
up in the Hammers net. Diouf was offside though as he applied the final
touch to a flowing move.
50 mins - Boa Morte is off getting treatment. The Hammers are down to ten
men at the moment.
49 mins - FCK are on the attack now but the referee brings a halt to
proceedings as Boa Morte has a cut.
48 mins - Piquionne just had a good chance only for FCK to clear at the last
minute. Collison then played a ball into a dangerous area but it was hacked
away.
47 mins - Ruud Boffin is on now for Green. That's the only change while FCK
have brought on Johan Absalonsen for De Souza.Johnny Thomsen, Bengtsson,
N'Doye and Santin are also off with Morten Nordstand, Thomas Kristensen,
Bryan Oviedo and Saban Ozdogan are on.
46 mins - Nolan and Parker get us under way
HALF-TIME
46 mins - That was great play from Noble and Parker but the final ball was
just not there. The ball comes back into the box but comes to nothing. FCK
counter quickly and get a chance to fire a ball across the box from Santin.
It comes to nothing and that was the last notable contribution as the
half-time whistle blows.
45 mins - That led to a corner but FCK fail to make it count and Green
claims well from Bolanos' cross into the area.
44 mins - Can either side break the deadlock before the interval? I guess we
will have a couple of minutes added time. Just as I write that, Faubert
executes a perfectly-timed tackle to deny Santin as he burst into the box.
42 mins - Green looks OK to continue and so does N'Doye. Ruud Boffin may
well play the second half anyway and the Belgian has been out warming up.
40 mins - Well done Green. He came out bravely to catch from Pierre
Bengtsson's terrific cross. That confident claim left N'Doye in a heap as he
collided with Green and both men are now getting treatment.
39 mins - A smart header from Nolan kills any danger as he finds Green. That
took a bit of guts though as there were about three FCK players between the
skipper and the goalkeeper.
38 mins - Noble tidies up in midfield and the Hammers look to go again. Boa
Morte gets the ball wide left and crosses. The ball falls to Nolan on the
edge of the area but he cannot bring it under control and the home side
clear.
36 mins - Bolanos shoots over from a central position and only 12 yards out.
Green had wanted the ball earlier in the move but instead the Hammers tried
to clear. That tactic failed and Bolanos should really have done better.
36 mins - That was close. Piquionne is flagged for offside from Noble's
delightful ball over the top but it was a debatable one. The Frenchman was
in there.
35 mins - Nolan just had his first shot of the contest. It was a long-ranger
after Ilunga had found him in a central position. Wiland was not troubled in
the home goal but perhaps that was just a sighter for later on.
34 mins - Reid does well to head away an FCK cross and then is on hand 20
seconds later to clear after some neat inter-passing inside the Hammers box
briefly caused some alarm.
33 mins - FCK have the Hammers pinned back and are flooding men forward.
They are a strong side and want to win this.
31 mins - Outstanding from Noble with two great tackles while helping Ilunga
out at left-back. The Congolese did well as well to stop what was a decent
FCK surge.
30 mins - Parker is beginning to boss this. He is everywhere in midfield.
29 mins - Bubbles breaks down in the away end just as Boa Morte mis-places a
pass to Ilunga. The Portuguese makes up for his error though with a strong
run back to win the ball again.
28 mins - Ilunga does well and then feeds Faubert. Parker joins the fray and
then Nolan. Parker picks it up again and lofts a delightful ball to
Piquionne who nods down for Collison. Only then does the move break down but
it was good stuff until then.
27 mins - Santin shoots wide after a snappy FCK move. Neil McDonald is out
of the dug-out to pass on some words to the team.
26 mins - Tomkins forces Santin to run offside and plays the trap perfectly.
Nice play there on the left wing from Collison and Ilunga. The play switches
to the other wing and then back again.
25 mins - Parker does brilliantly to beat Cesar Santin to the ball. The No11
is frustrated and kicks out at the England man. Class there from the No8.
24 mins - The FCK crowd have sparked into life. Three-corners of the ground
are singing now.
22 mins - Noble is penalised for a push on Johnny Thomson in the right-back
position.
21 mins - Collison was nearly in there after latching on to a Piquionne
flick-on. The Hammers midfield are still buzzing about. The manager wants
them all to get at least 60 minutes but it will be tough on them at this
pace.
20 mins - Claudemir de Souza shoots over from 25 yards after more neat
build-up play from the hosts.
19 mins - Tomkins gives the ball away with a loose pass. N'Doye picks it up
in midfield and promptly shoots from more than 45 yards. The ball flies over
Green's crossbar.
18 mins - Piquionne is dropping deep and proving a handful. It is a very
fluid formation in the final third but so far the killer pass has eluded the
Hammers.
16 mins - Reid finds Piquionne, who brings in Parker. The England man spins
away from his marker and feeds Boa Morte out wide. The cross from the left
is not the best though and the ball is cleared. That was good stuff.
15 mins - Noble tracks back and tidies up after an FCK break. The play
switches to the other end but Faubert's cross is over-hit and goes straight
into the arms of Wiland.
14 mins - The match is settling down into a fairly even contest. We are
seeing a few fouls committed. The Hammers know they are in a game against
strong opposition, who will hope to play in this year's Champions League
group stage.
13 mins - West Ham try to respond after a spell of home pressure. Scott
Parker is upended but quickly on his feet. Boa Morte has a chance to shoot
but just over-runs the ball.
11 mins - That was close. FCK play some good stuff before a teasing ball
across the box from their playmaker Grindheim. Herita Ilunga is alert,
though, and gets there just in front of N'Doye.
10 mins - Nolan tries to chip one through for Piquionne. He just over-hits
it. FCK counter but the Hammers are trying to press them high. This is a
good game.
9 mins - Bolanos is getting a lot of room on the right flank for FCK. He
gets a chance to cross but Rob Green comes and claims comfortably.
8 mins - N'Doye clears the corner but the Hammers keep the pressure on. Reid
gets free in the box and chips for Tomkins but the homegrown Hammer cannot
direct his header on target.
7 mins - Noble is dispossessed in midfield by Dame N'Doye. The No14 races
forward and feeds Bolanos, but the resulting shot is wayward. Up the other
end, Faubert finds Nolan and his cross is knocked behind for a corner.
7 mins - Collison and Boa Morte are switching wings all the time. This is
lively stuff up top.
6 mins - FCK win a corner. Christian Bolanos whips it in but Julien Faubert
heads clear at the near post.
4 mins - Lovely play from Collison there to hold up the play. Piquionne and
then Parker get involved before Boa Morte tries his luck from 25 yards. It
was comfortable for Wiland.
3 mins - Both teams have had a bit of the ball now. Suddenly the Hammers
break down the left through Jack Collison. He crosses deep to Freddie
Piquionne who nods back towards goal only for Johan Wiland to clear in goal
just before Luis Boa Morte could get there. Collison has started on the
left, with Boa Morte on the right.
1 min - A chance after just 44 seconds for Pape Pate Diouf. The ball in was
a good one but the No13, usually so deadly in those positions, cannot direct
the header on target. Robert Green gets a chance to clear from a goal-kick.
1 min - FCK get us under way. A long ball forward is dealt with by James
Tomkins, wearing the No6 shirt.
KICK-OFF
6.57pm (7.57pm local) - Here they come. Nolan leads the way and the fans are
on their feet. Here we go....
6.52pm (7.52pm local) - There is a really good atmosphere building. It won't
be long now until the club's new No4 Kevin Nolan leads the side out.
6.50pm (7.50pm local) - Remember the match is live on West Ham TV and it
will be the only place for exclusive post-match reaction from the men that
matter. FCK
are heading back to the dressing room now and this stadium is filling up. I
was told to expect 10,000 but we may top that.
6.48pm (7.48pm local) - I am informed by our friends at Danish TV that this
is the strongest FCK lineup. They have several new faces and the one to
watch is Christian Grindheim, newly arrived from SC Heerenveen. Pape Pate
Diouf is also a fresh face from Norwegian football and will look to impose
himself on the contest.
6.45pm (7.45pm local) - The Hammers clap the travelling fans as they return
to the dressing room. It looks likely to be a 4-3-3 tonight with Mark Noble
sitting in a deep-lying role behind Kevin Nolan and Scott Parker. Jack
Collison will start wide right with Luis Boa Morte wide left. Frederic
Piquionne will lead the attack.
6.30pm (7.30pm local) - This is the first match here since Take That
performed last Friday. They were supposed to play on Saturday as well before
Robbie Williams was laid low by a bug. The concert was called off at the
last minute. There should be no such problems tonight for what is an
important match for FCK. They have a big league game here at the weekend
against Odense BK before a vital UEFA Champions League qualifier next week
against Shamrock Rovers.
6.25pm (7.25pm local) - The Hammers are out warming up. Rob Green is getting
a few good cheers, in particular
6.20pm (7.20pm local) - FCK are now managed by former Sheffield Wednesday
and Sweden defender Roland Nilsson. The home side is as follows....
FCK: Johan Wiland, Johnny Thomsen, Mathias Zanka (c), Ragnar Sigurdsson,
Pierre Bengtsson, Christian Bolanos, Claudemir de Souza, Christian
Grindheim, Pape Pate Diouf, Cesar Santin, Dame N'Doye
Subs: Kim Christensen, Martin Bergvold, Morten Nordstrand, Thomas
Kristensen, Kenneth Zohore, Bryan Oviedo, Johan Absalonsen, Youssef Toutouh,
Thomas
Delaney, Saban Ozdogan, Lass Lindbjerg
6.10pm (7.10pm local) - The pitch is being heavily watered now. The players
are yet to take the field for the warm-up but had a close inspection when
they first arrived about 45 minutes ago. Winston Reid was straight into
Danish duties, doing an interview with the local broadcaster.
6.05pm (7.05pm local) - Still no sign of the FCK team. Will bring that to
you as soon as we get it. Away to the right of the main stand, the first
Hammers fans are arriving into the stadium behind the goal. The PA has fired
up and the first song of the evening is Elton John's Rocket Man. It is a
warm, sunny evening here in Copenhagen and the pitch - laid just yesterday -
looks the part in what is an impressive setting. The Parken Stadium is home
to the Danish national team and the facilities are first-class.
6pm (7pm local) - The Hammers lineup is in. Sam Allardyce has named the
following side.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Reid, Tomkins, Ilunga, Noble, Nolan,
Parker, Collison, Boa Morte, Piquionne
Subs: Boffin, Spence, Brown, Sears, Montano, O'Brien, Nouble
Welcome to the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen for tonight's friendly against
FC Kobenhavn, the Danish title-holders and UEFA Champions League holders.
Sam Allardyce has an 18-strong squad to choose from and is expected to name
an experienced first eleven before introducing some of the club's talented
youngsters off the bench in the second half. An exclusive pre-match
interview with the manager is also available to view now on West Ham TV.
Definitely absent will be Abdoulaye Faye, Junior Stanislas and Carlton Cole
with that trio left behind in London to work on their fitness, while Pablo
Barrera also did not travel after reporting for the first time this summer
on Monday. Triallist Joey O'Brien is with the squad, however.
The Hammers are on something of a flying visit to the Danish capital, having
landed on Tuesday afternoon and then taking part in a light training session
at FCK's Nummer Ten base in Fredriksberg on Wednesday morning.
The team, who will be wearing their all new sky blue away kit this evening,
will head home on Thursday with their next pre-season game away to Wycombe
Wanderers to come on Saturday.
Allardyce's men have played three matches to date, with first-team
friendlies against BSC Young Boys and FC Basel ending in 2-1 defeats last
week in Switzerland before a Hammers XI won 3-0 at Bishop's Stortford last
Saturday.
The pre-season campaign will also see matches next Tuesday away to Dagenham
& Redbridge and then on Saturday week with the home game against Real
Zaragoza at the Boleyn Ground
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Youngsters record win double
WHUFC.com
The U18s warmed-up for a trip to Estonia by defeating Dagenham and Redbridge
and Notts County
20.07.2011
West Ham United's Under-18s prepared for the pre-season Tallinn Cup by
recording victories over Dagenham & Redbridge and Notts County. The Hammers
played 60-minute matches against the two sides at Chigwell School in the
build-up to their trip to Estonia, where they will take on Dutch giants PSV
Eindhoven, the Estonia U19 side and Russian team Dinamo Moscow. With Academy
Director Tony Carr away on International Academy duty in the United States,
Academy coach Nick Haycock led the youngsters to their back-to-back
successes on Monday and Tuesday. "Taking Dagenham and Redbridge first, we
won 1-0," Haycock confirmed. "We played well in the first half and should
have won by more, but it's obviously about getting minutes in their legs at
this stage. Elliot Lee scored the goal. "[New development squad manager] Ian
Hendon was over there watching, which was good because we obviously want to
create that link with the development squad. "For us to have a successful
season, it's not just about winning games, but about having players who
progress into the development squad and then on into the first team. "One or
two would have caught the eye in the game on Monday, and that led into
Tuesday's game against Notts County, which we won 5-2. "Elliot got a brace,
while Blair Turgott, Kieran Sadlier and a trialist got the other goals. It
was a good performance again and the lads are looking sharp. Hopefully
they'll be able to carry that form forward into the tournament, which will
be a bigger test. "Everything is about getting these boys to progress to
first-team level, and the more minutes they can get under their belts, then
hopefully they can start the season well and continue from there. "We think
we have a good batch of players and we're looking to keep the conveyor belt
moving."
The youngsters fly to Estonia on Thursday ahead of their opening Tallinn Cup
fixture against PSV on Friday before taking on Estonia U19 on Sunday and
Dinamo Moscow next Tuesday. All three matches will take place at the
10,300-capacity A.Le Coq Arena - the stadium that is home to the senior
Estonia national team and reigning Estonian league champions FC Flora
Tallinn. "Estonia will be a great experience - playing against different
styles. It will prepare them well for the season as it unfolds," added
Haycock.
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Sam pleased with FCK win
WHUFC.com
A 1-0 win at FC Copenhagen left the manager more than satisfied with his
players' efforts
21.07.2011
Sam Allardyce has given his post-match thoughts to West Ham TV after a
superb night's work away to FC Copenhagen. The Hammers more than matched the
UEFA Champions League hopefuls in the first hour and then saw the youngsters
who entered the fray in the closing stages secure a 1-0 victory with a
well-worked team goal. Jordan Spence and Cristian Montano were involved
before Freddie Sears produced a clinical finish. The manager was delighted
with the attitude and application of his players as he fielded Scott Parker
and Kevin Nolan in midfield for the first time, while Robert Green got his
first summer minutes under his belt in goal. James Tomkins, Mark Noble and
Luis Boa Morte were also worthy of mention. Speaking to West Ham TV, which
had live coverage from the Parken Stadium, Allardyce said the performance
and the result vindicated the decision to take the team away from England
for a second time this summer. He said: "It was well worth a journey. We had
only just come back from Switzerland but the quality of this game at this
stage was better than any training session we could have put on. "Freddie
scored a very good goal. He was composed, had a look to see what the keeper
was doing and then slotted it in the bottom corner and it gave the 1,000 or
so travelling fans something to cheer about. All in all it was a good
work-out."
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Allardyce lauds 'fantastic' finish
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 20th July 2011
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce has praised young striker Freddie Sears for the goal that won
tonight's pre-season friendly in Copenhagen. Sears struck with two minutes
of time remaining to record Allardyce's first win as West Ham manager and
earn the praise of his new boss. Speaking with Danish TV after the game,
Allardyce said: "It was a quality goal, a quality finish. The ball in, the
lay off and Freddie's finish were fantastic. "It was a good ball from Jordan
Spence and a good ball again from Cristian [Montano]. The first touch from
Freddie Sears takes him past the defender and it was a fantastic little
finish."
Allardyce also has positive words for his young defensive duo James Tomkins
and Winston Reid, who held their supposedly superior oppostion at bay
tonight. "I think we've got a very good defensive force here," he added. "I
think those two players, Winston - still in his early 20s - and James
Tomkins - just 21 - did a very good job. [They're] a promising pair.
"Winston came to West Ham through a very good World Cup with New Zealand so
we're really looking to see his progression this season. He found it
difficult last season because the team had a bad time and ultimately got
relegated. "But this time round, he's got a much better chance of
establishing himself in the team."
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Copenhagen 0 West Ham Utd 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 20th July 2011
By: Staff Writer
West Ham recorded their first win under Sam Allardyce with a smash and grab
raid in Denmark tonight. And toast of the East End this evening is young
striker Freddie Sears, who scored the only goal of the game with just two
minutes left on the clock to give the Irons an impressive win against a side
who will play in the Champions League next season.
Although the game was, for the most, a classic pre-season friendly with hard
challenges being restricted to a minimum - with perhaps the exception of
Luis Boa Morte, who only knows one way to play - both sides had their fair
share of chances to record a win.
Prior to Sears' late winner West Ham had gone close with first half efforts
from captain Kevin Nolan and James Tomkins. However United's best chance of
the game had fallen to Copenhagen's number seven, who directed Mark Noble's
dipping free kick towards his own goal - only to be spared embarrassment by
a stunning tip over from 'keeper Wiland.
The home side, who are far more advanced in their own pre-season flattered
to deceive at times but still created a hatful of chances that should have
been enough to see them win the game. Indeed, they had the ball in the net
on two occasions but both were correctly ruled out - firstly for offside and
then for a foul (on Ruud Boffin).
However the biggest culprit for the Danes was half time sub Morten
Nordstrand who missed three gilt-edged opportunites in the second half to
put the game beyond West Ham long before Sears popped up to grab the game's
only goal.
That goal - which came less than two minutes from the end of normal time -
gave a long-overdue glimpse at what the previously-prolific Sears, who has
endured such a barren spell in front of goal since breaking through to the
first team in 2008, is capable of.
Collecting the ball just outside the box - Cristian Montero the provider
having initially received a long ball from Jordan Spence - Sears allowed the
ball to run across his body in order to make space before bursting into the
box free of his marker.
Feigning to place the ball on Wiland's left side, Sears instead cleverly
clipped the ball across the goalkeeper into an empty net with his right foot
- the instinctive touch of a striker, and one that bore a significant
resemblance to Michel Owen in his prime. Here's hoping that's the first of
many we see this coming season.
All in all it was a competent performance from Allardyce's side, who
impressed particularly with their pressing in the opposition half - a marked
difference from last season when, more often than not, Avram Grant's side
were prepared to defend in the final third alone.
Next up for Allardyce and West Ham is the rather shorter trip to Wycombe,
where they face the Wanderers this coming Saturday.
FC Copenhagen 0 West Ham United 1: match facts
West Ham United: Green (Boffin 46), Faubert (Spence 70), Reid, Tomkins,
Ilunga, Noble, Nolan (Brown 60), Parker (O'Brien 60), Collison (Sears 60),
Boa Morte (Montano 76), Piquionne (Nouble 70).
Subs not used: None.
Goals: Sears (88).
FC Copenhagen: Wiland, Thomsen (Ozdogan 46), Zanka (c), Sigurdsson,
Bengtsson (Oviedo 46), Bolanos (Toutouh 79), de Souza (Absalonsen 46),
Grindheim (Delaney 72), Diouf (Zohore 85), Santin (Kristensen 46), N'Doye
(Nordstrand 46).
Subs not used: Christensen, Bergvold, Thomas, Lindbjerg.
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Taylor jets home to discuss Bolton exit
Published 17:11 20/07/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Bolton midfielder Matt Taylor has flown home from the club's pre-season tour
of America in order to seal a move to West Ham. The 29-year-old, who has 12
months left on his contract, has attracted interest from a number of clubs.
But Press Association Sport understands Wanderers have accepted a bid worth
an initial £2.2million from the Hammers. Taylor was signed from Portsmouth
for £3.5million by Gary Megson in January 2008 and with only a year left on
his deal Bolton are happy to let the midfielder leave. He failed to
reproduce his best form last season, scoring just twice, and found his
left-sided position under threat from Martin Petrov. Taylor was an unused
substitute in Bolton's second friendly of their US trip, a 3-1 win over
Orlando. The player must now pass a medical and agree personal terms with
West Ham, where he will join up with former Wanderers captain Kevin Nolan.
Taylor's departure and the subsequent income it generates should help spark
some transfer activity at the club with manager Owen Coyle interested in
Barcelona forward Jeffren and former Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.
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Bolton midfielder Matt Taylor on verge of West Ham switch
By Carl Markham, PA
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
The Independent
Bolton midfielder Matt Taylor has flown home from the club's pre-season tour
of America in order to seal a move to West Ham. The 29-year-old, who has 12
months left on his contract, has attracted interest from a number of clubs.
But Press Association Sport understands Wanderers have accepted a bid worth
an initial £2.2million from the Hammers. Taylor was signed from Portsmouth
for £3.5million by Gary Megson in January 2008 and with only a year left on
his deal Bolton are happy to let the midfielder leave. He failed to
reproduce his best form last season, scoring just twice, and found his
left-sided position under threat from Martin Petrov. Taylor was an unused
substitute in Bolton's second friendly of their US trip, a 3-1 win over
Orlando. The player must now pass a medical and agree personal terms with
West Ham, where he will join up with former Wanderers captain Kevin Nolan.
Taylor's departure and the subsequent income it generates should help spark
some transfer activity at the club with manager Owen Coyle interested in
Barcelona forward Jeffren and former Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.
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Sears sees off Danish champs
Football365
Last Updated: 20/07/11 at 22:41 Post Comment
Sears came off the bench to convert against the Danish champions and boost
Sam Allardyce's side ahead of their bid to try and get back to the Premier
League. Pape Pate Diouf almost put Copenhagen in front inside the opening
minute with the Hammers struggling to find their rhythm, especially in the
final third. Kevin Nolan and Luis Boa Morte went closest for the visitors
while Diouf thought he had opened the second period with a goal for
Copenhagen only to see it ruled out for offside.
Morten Nordstrand fizzed a drive wide and Boa Morte snatched at his shot
when in a decent position in front of goal. But just as the game appeared to
be dying a death sub Christian Montano produced a moment of magic to play in
Sears who showed great poise to slide past the home keeper and send a small
contingent of travelling fans home happy.
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Ajax set to unveil Benni McCarthy July 20 2011 , 5:55:00
SABC
Ajax Cape Town is expected to unveil Benni McCarthy as their player
tomorrow. The development comes as the club keeps a low-profile as far as
McCarthy's future is concerned, with details of the player's contract being
sketchy. Pipped at the post in the Absa Premiership race last season, Ajax
want to go one better in the 2011/12 season. The club, which appointed
Dutchman Maarten Stekelenburg as head coach recently, introduced stalwart
Granwald Scott as their captain for the coming season.
The big question on everyone's lips was where former Bafana Bafana and West
Ham striker McCarthy was and if his stay would be permanent, but the team's
George Comitis says it would more likely be McCarthy's call. Comitis says
McCarthy is a type of player who would make a big difference to his team.
Meanwhile, Scott, who has been a warrior in the midfield for Ajax in recent
seasons, is aware that captaining the side won't be easy. He is, however,
confident that he will not let the team down and is looking forward to
McCarthy's arrival at Ikamva. The club also made time to show their support
for the Nelson Mandela week, painting the Intshinga Primary in Gugulethu.
The gesture formed part of Ajax's community service project involving 140
schools.
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