WHUFC.com
James Tomkins is keen to make his England U21 debut against Azerbaijan on
Monday
08.06.2009
James Tomkins will be eager to add to his bulging collection of
international caps when England's Under-21 side take on Azerbaijan on Monday
night.
The West Ham United defender, who has played more than 20 games for his
country over the past four years, could make his debut at U21 level in an
international friendly at Milton Keynes Dons' stadium:mk home.
The 20-year-old defender has represented England at U16, U17, U19 and U20
levels, making his U16 debut at the Montaigu Tournament in France in March
2005 before appearing for the U17s at the Pepsi Tournament and a Mini
International Tournament in Germany and Luxembourg respectively later the
same year.
Tomkins featured at last summer's UEFA European U19 Championship finals in
Czech Republic before a calf injury suffered in training brought a premature
end to his campaign. He made his U20 debut alongside club-mates Freddie
Sears and Junior Stanislas against Italy at Queens Park Rangers on 31 March
this year.
Following Monday's match, Tomkins will join another Hammer, Mark Noble, in
England's 23-man squad for the UEFA European U21 Championship tournament in
Sweden, which kicks-off with the Three Lions' clash with Finland in Halmstad
on 15 June.
The Hammers' No30, who has been training with his U21 colleagues in Spain,
is looking forward to the experience.
"It's great to be here and to be involved with this side," said Tomkins. "I
got the call-up after a good season with my club and I'm trying to enjoy
every moment, training with and getting to know the lads. They are a very
good group and have helped me settle in pretty easily.
"I obviously know Nobes (Mark Noble) from West Ham so he's been great, but
it's really not been difficult, the lads have welcomed me in. I've just
loved having this opportunity."
Tomkins was a revelation after slotting into Gianfranco Zola's side in late
February, forging a solid partnership with England's Matthew Upson over the
closing months of the season.
While the defender, who can also operate at right-back, is focused on
securing victory this evening, he admitted his head had already begun
turning towards the Euro finals
"Everyone's buzzing about Sweden now, and we're really looking forward to
getting started. Yes we have a tough group but we are confident that we can
have a good Championship."
Following their opening fixture, Stuart Pearce's side take on Spain in
Gothenburg on 18 June before returning to Halmstad to tackle Germany on 22
June.
The tournament will feature some of Europe's finest young players, including
Spain's exciting forward Bojan Krkic, Germany winger Mesut Ozil and Italy
striker Mario Balotelli, as well as England's own Micah Richards, Kieran
Gibbs and Theo Walcott.
England will be looking to improve on their showing in the Netherlands two
years ago, when Noble scored twice in a thrilling penalty shoot-out before
Pearce's side were finally eliminated 13-12 on spot-kicks by the Dutch at
the semi-final stage
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Mehmet tipped to shine
WHUFC.com
Young Turkish goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet is set to impress at the FIFA Under-17
World Cup
08.06.2009
West Ham United goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet has been earmarked as one of seven
players to watch at this year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
The 16-year-old Academy student was in superb form as Turkey reached the
UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Germany last month, helping his
country beat England 1-0 in their final group stage fixture. The victory
secured Turkey third place in their group and a passage to the World Cup.
Mehmet also turned in impressive displays against host nation Germany and
the Netherlands, but was unable to prevent the Turks from going out at the
first hurdle.
Following the tournament, FIFA named Mehmet as one of seven players tipped
to make names for themselves at the World Cup, which will be held in Nigeria
between 24 October and 15 November 2009.
"Turkey's goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet showed just how much he has learnt at West
Ham United's Academy, where he has followed in the footsteps of luminaries
such as Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand," read a
statement on FIFA.com
Mehmet was highlighted alongside four Germans and two Dutch youngsters.
Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 after extra time to lift the trophy in
Magdeburg on 18 May.
Werder Bremen forward Lennart Thy and dead-ball specialist Florian Trinks,
Liverpool left-back Christopher Buchtmann and Borussia Dortmund midfielder
Mario Gotze have all been tipped for great things, as have Feyenoord
Rotterdam pair Luc Castaignos and Shabir Isoufi.
Mehmet's heroics in Germany were witnessed by Academy goalkeeping coach
Jerome John, who travelled to the tournament to keep tabs on the development
of his young charge.
The highly-rated Mehmet could be involved in Tony Carr's Under-18 squad in
the 2009/10 season, where he will face stiff competition from Canada
Under-20 goalkeeper Adam Street and Peter Loveday.
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Young lions roar at MK
WHUFC.com
Captain Mark Noble and debutant James Tomkins led England U21s to a 7-0 win
against Azerbaijan
08.06.2009
West Ham United's young lions Mark Noble and James Tomkins led England
Under-21s to a 7-0 victory over Azerbaijan on Monday evening. Noble was
named captain while Tomkins completed the full 90 minutes on his U21 debut,
becoming the 20th West Ham United player to represent England at that level
on an unseasonably cool June evening at stadium:mk.
England, coached by former Hammer Stuart Pearce, completed their
preparations for the UEFA European U21 Championship with a comprehensive
win. The squad jets out to Sweden on Thursday ahead of next Monday's opening
Group B fixture against Finland in Halmstad.
Tomkins, returning to the ground where he scored twice for England's U19s
against Russia in March last year, nearly found the net again after just 45
seconds, heading Adam Johnson's far post corner against the inside of the
post before central defensive partner Michael Mancienne thrashed the ball
past Elchin Sadigov from eight yards.
As one might have expected, England continued to dominate and it was no
surprise at all when a slick passing move ended with the unfortunate Sadigov
diverting the ball into his own net on 28 minutes.
Again, a West Ham player and Sadigov's left-hand post were heavily involved.
Martin Cranie cleverly swapped passes with Craig Gardner before crossing low
towards Fraizer Campbell. The striker laid the ball off to skipper Noble,
who saw his low shot bounce against the upright and over the line via the
goalkeeper's body.
Three minutes later, Gardner latched on to man-of-the match Kieran Gibbs'
inch-perfect pass before firing a rasping drive past Sadigov to make the
score 3-0.
Rauf Aliyev forced Joe Hart into a smart save before Emin Jafarguliyev
inexplicably dragged his shot wide from eight yards as Azerbaijan briefly
rallied, but the visitors' threat soon subsided.
Into the second half and Campbell forced Sadigov into a flying save on 48
minutes before Noble curled a free-kick over the crossbar from 25 yards. The
goalkeeper did well to palm substitute Jack Rodwell's header wide before
Campbell headed Johnson's resulting corner against the bar.
It would not be long before the fourth goal arrived, however, as captain
Nodar Mammadov inadvertently diverted Lee Cattermole's volley past Sadigov
after 54 minutes. Noble's night ended soon afterwards as he was tactically
replaced by Danny Rose ahead of next week's finals.
Cattermole came close to making it five, only for Sadigov to divert his
header over the crossbar before Gibbs converted Rose's cross to do just
that. The same combination led to the Arsenal youngster adding a sixth with
20 minutes remaining.
Hart did well to block Jamid Imamverdiyev's shot with his legs before fellow
goalkeeper Joe Lewis was handed a 15-minute run out as a makeshift striker,
momentarily flummoxing the stadium PA announcer when he appeared on the
touchline in the No32 shirt.
Shahriyar Rahimov came within a yard of heading in a last-minute consolation
for Azerbaijan, but England's goal remained intact. The visitors' misery was
complete in the first minute of added-time when Jack Rodwell's shot took a
deflection and looped over the stranded Sadigov.
Pearce's youngsters will now go into next Monday's Euro 2009 opener against
the Finns full of confidence. England's other group matches see them take on
Spain in Gothenburg on Thursday 18 June before returning to Halmstad to face
Germany on Monday 22 June.
* The other 19 West Ham players to have represented England at U21 level are
Paul Allen, Stephen Bywater, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Tony Cottee, Jermain
Defoe, Alan Dickens, Julian Dicks, Anton Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Paul
Goddard, Paul Ince, Glen Johnson, Frank Lampard, Adam Newton, Mark Noble,
Nigel Reo-Coker, Stewart Robson and Stuart Slater.
Defoe, with 23, has earned more U21 caps than any other Hammers player,
scoring seven goals.
Present West Ham players Matthew Upson, Calum Davenport, Kieron Dyer, Scott
Parker, Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole all earned U21 caps before moving to
the Boleyn Ground.
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Laws confirms interest in Sears
BBC.co.uk
Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws has confirmed his interest in West
Ham United striker Freddie Sears. The 19-year-old England Under-20
international had been in talks with Peterborough over a possible temporary
move to London Road. But Laws told BBC Radio Sheffield: "We are in with a
shout of signing Freddie but there are other clubs interested in him too.
"Freddie is currently on holiday but we will meet up again when he gets
back."
Peterborough director of football Barry Fry has also been quoted suggesting
that Sears has been told by the Hammers that he must join Wednesday. The
Owls are keen to take the 19-year-old on a season long loan deal. Sears has
made 25 appearances for the Hammers first team, scoring once.
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What West Ham takeover means
Simon Austin | 13:04 PM, Monday, 8 June 2009
Bbc.co.uk
The sale of West Ham could be the least exciting takeover in the history of
the Premier League. Without fanfare, CB Holding announced it had bought the
club and would not be changing the way it was run. There were no promises of
star signings or qualifying for the Champions League, as there had been when
previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson arrived at Upton Park in November
2006. Nevertheless, the takeover is hugely significant because it saves the
famous east London club from administration.
This was a realistic prospect, according to the new owners.
On Monday, an arrangement protecting West Ham's parent company Hansa from
its creditors came to an end, meaning even one of its small creditors could
have requested its liquidation. This could have led to the Premier League
docking nine points from the Hammers. CB Holding was set up last week by
creditors of Hansa. It is 70% owned by Icelandic bank Straumur, with the
remaining 30% held by Byr Bank and MP Bank, which are also based in Iceland.
CB's spokesman, Georg Andersen, insists Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola will
have a transfer budget this summer and will not be forced to sell the club's
best players. "We want to make a clear distinction between the financial
side of the club and the football side," he told me. "We will leave the
football side of the business to Gianluca Nani, Scott Duxbury and Gianfranco
Zola, while we focus on the financial side. "Selling our best players would
make absolutely no business sense, because it would jeopardise the potential
future price. We will try to hold the value of the club and enhance it if
possible."
The financial side of the club will be overseen by new non-executive
chairman, the publicity-shy Englishman Andrew Bernhardt. On the field, the
club will continue the policy implemented by Gudmundsson and his
vice-chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson - of bringing the best academy talent into
the first team, signing promising youngsters from overseas and keeping a
tight reign on the wage bill. "We are not going to throw money around left
and right - we don't run businesses that way," Andersen said. The new owners
expect to be in charge at West Ham for at least another two years because of
the current economic climate. "When the markets return and we get offered a
decent price, as well as someone who can support the club better than we do,
we will sell," Andersen said. "We don't think it's feasible to try and sell
the club at the moment though and can't realistically see anything happening
in the next two years. Of course anything is for sale if the price is right,
but we can't see that happening tomorrow."
Gudmundsson had been trying to find a buyer for the club since the end of
last year, when his business empire began to collapse. Although there was
interest from several parties, the offers they made fell dramatically short
of Gudmundsson's asking price, which was initially more than £200m. Not one
of the buyers even reached the stage of carrying out due diligence on the
club. After the excesses of Eggert Magnusson's tenure as chairman, when West
Ham lavished huge salaries on the likes of the injury-prone Freddie
Ljungberg, the club now appears to be very well run. Fridgeirsson has
overseen the development of vastly improved training and medical facilities,
homegrown talent such as Jack Collison, Freddie Sears and James Tomkins have
made an impact in the first team and director of football Nani has made
astute signings such as Valon Behrami and Herita Ilunga. Gianfranco Zola and
Steve Clarke have also proven an effective management team and the Hammers
finished ninth in the Premier League last season. CB Holding's promise of
"more of the same" could be just what the Hammers fans want to hear.
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Sold
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th June 2009
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have confirmed the club's sale to asset management group CB
Holding. An announcement released this morning on the club's website stated
that previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and right-hand man Asgeir
Friedgeirsson had left the club (as revealed here on KUMB last week) to be
replaced by Non-Executive Club Chairman Andrew Bernhardt - a senior director
with Straumur Bank, the majority shareholder in CB Holding. Bernhardt,
speaking on whufc.com in order to reassure supporters worried about the
future direction of the club said: "I am delighted that an agreement has
been reached and look forward to working with Scott Duxbury and his team in
the coming years. "We have one of the best young management partnerships in
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix
of experience and young players coming through from the Academy. "CB Holding
fully supports the executive management of the club and acknowledges the
considerable progress achieved this season by Scott Duxbury and Gianfranco
Zola. CB Holding has no intention of changing the executive management or
direction of the club." Bernhardt added that the group will provide
investment in the playing squad, but warned that the free-spending days of
2007 are well and truly over. "I can assure fans we will sanction investment
in new players, but all within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on
revenues generated by West Ham United," he said. "It will be my job to help
facilitate this continued progress on the pitch, while ensuring the club's
success is built on a strong financial footing. We have an initial two-year
plan which includes improving the infrastructure at the club and we will be
getting to work on this as soon as the new board is appointed."
Departing former Chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson wished his successor well,
adding: "I want to thank everybody at Upton Park for unforgettable years. As
my fortunes have changed I now have to withdraw from the board of directors.
"I do that with a great regret but I am convinced that this change of
ownership and control of West Ham United will advance the club in the
present circumstances. I will remain forever a West Ham fan and hope I will
have many returns to Upton Park."
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Duxbury looking ahead
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th June 2009
By: Staff Writer
Scott Duxbury has been speaking about both his and the club's future in the
wake of today's announcement that West Ham United FC had been sold. Chief
Executive Officer Duxbury - who has been effectively running the club for
much of the season - along with long-standing Financial Director Nick Igoe
has retained his position in the board reshuffle which saw the departure of
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and second-in-command Asgeir Friedgeirsson following
a troubled two-years of Icelandic ownership. The duo have been replaced by
(Non-Executive Club Chairman) Andrew Bernhardt of CB Holdings. "I am
delighted to say that West Ham United has been sold in an agreement that
will secure the long-term future of this football club," said Duxbury,
speaking on whufc.com. "Change is always unsettling, but I believe the new
owners led by Andrew Bernhardt will bring stability to West Ham United and I
hope all our staff and fans will join me in welcoming them to our club.
"This will allow us all to concentrate on next season and beyond, with
Gianfranco Zola, technical director Gianluca Nani and I working to build on
what we have achieved. We are all committed to a long-term vision.
"We are playing great football, have our Academy at the heart of the club
and are looking to the past to move forward in the right way. I can assure
all fans that I will never lose sight of this. I am determined to bring
success to West Ham United."
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the club has been sold for around
£100million. The 'CB' in CB Holdings is understood to stand for 'Claret and
Blue', according to the Guardian. The group is owned by a consortium of
creditors - Straumur (70%), Landsbanki, NP and Byr (30%) - and is understood
to have been created for the purposes of purchasing the club.
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Upson on future
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th June 2009
By: Staff Writer
Matthew Upson says he is enjoying his football at West Ham - and says that
his future is at the club, for now at least. The 29-year-old defender, who
is tipped to succeed Lucas Neill as club captain should the Australian not
renew his contract was talking ahead of England's World Cup qualifier
against Andorra, where he is again expected to start. Speaking just hours
after news of the Straumur-led takeover was announced Upson - whose contract
talks with the Hammers remain ongoing - said that he welcomed the news,
calling it a 'positive sign' - before answering questions over his own
future. "I think it's a positive thing from what I can gather," he said.
"Any kind of financial investment into the team and into the club is great.
We're at a real crucial period in terms of developiong the team and I think
it's a positive sign that the manager can maybe go out and strengthen the
squad. "All I know is that I'm very positive that the club has some good
financial investment. As a player there I want to improve and I want to
develop, as a club and a player. My future's there at the moment, I feel
very happy. I'm enjoying my football and I'm enjoying working under
Gianfranco Zola - so I think times are good. "It's the most games I have
ever played and the best season of my career to date. I feel I've improved
and developed well so I'm very positive about next season."
Upson is set to win his 16th cap at Wembley on Wednesday night where a win
for England against the group minnows will be enough to guarantee a place in
next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. The former Arsenal trainee is
very well positioned for a spot in Fabio Capello's final World Cup squad of
22 - and admits that an appearance in the competition would represent the
pinnacle of his career. "It would mean everything; it's something I've
dreamt of for a long time" he said. "It's something that I've worked very
hard for over the last four or five years; it's a big goal of mine to go to
a World Cup."
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Steady as she goes
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th June 2009
By: Staff Writer
A spokesman for West Ham United's new owners CB Holdings has rebuffed
predictable suggestions of impending player sales. With the (national) media
doing their best to whip up something juicy from what on the face of it
appears to be one of the least interesting football club takeovers in recent
years idle speculation has led to rumours surfacing that the new owners will
seek to 'asset strip' Gianfranco Zola's first team squad. Not so, according
to CBH spokesman Georg Andersen - who stated quite categorically that the
football 'project' would remain in the hands of CEO Scott Duxbury and his
team, whilst Andersen and his partners at CBH will presumably concentrate on
seeking a buyer for a business which they now own almost by default. "We
want to make a clear distinction between the financial side of the club and
the football side," Andersen told the BBC. "We will leave the football side
of the business to Gianluca Nani, Scott Duxbury and Gianfranco Zola while we
focus on the financial side.
"Selling our best players would make absolutely no business sense, because
it would jeopardise the potential future price. We will try to hold the
value of the club and enhance it if possible. "We are not going to throw
money around left and right - we don't run businesses that way. When the
markets return and we get offered a decent price, as well as someone who can
support the club better than we do, we will sell. "We don't think it's
feasible to try and sell the club at the moment though and can't
realistically see anything happening in the next two years. Of course
anything is for sale if the price is right, but we can't see that happening
tomorrow."
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Upson welcomes new owners
Fresh investment pleases West Ham defender
Last updated: 8th June 2009
SSN
West Ham defender Matthew Upson has welcomed news of fresh financial
investment at Upton Park. Asset management group CB Holding took control of
the club on Monday, with former owner and chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson
and his vice-chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson stepping down with immediate
effect. There had been concerns for the future of the club following the
global economic crisis which crippled Gudmundsson's finances and Upson,
currently training with England ahead of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier
against Andorra at Wembley, welcomed the fresh investment. Asked if it was
unsettling to hear the reports about West Ham's future, he replied: "No, I
think it's a positive thing from what I can gather. "Any kind of financial
investment into the team and into the club I think is great. "We're at a
real crucial period in terms of developing the team and I think it's a
positive sign that the manager can maybe go out and strengthen the squad."
Upson, who joined West Ham from Birmingham in January 2007, added: "All I
know is I am very positive that the club's got some good financial
investment. "As a player there I want to improve and I want to develop as a
club and as a player. "So my future is there - at the moment I feel very
happy, I'm enjoying my football, I'm enjoying working under Gianfranco Zola,
so I think times are good."
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UPSON DOWNS By John Cross 9/06/2009
The Mirror
Matthew confident he'll start in World Cup BUT admits that he needs
Champions League football to be a regular Matthew Upson last night warned
West Ham he is "desperate" to play in the Champions League - and claimed it
is crucial to his World Cup hopes. Upson fears he will always lag behind
John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in the England pecking order unless he starts
playing regular European football at the highest level. That is clearly a
major warning to West Ham, who have missed out again on Europe next season
and are a long way from challenging the Big Four. Hammers defender Upson,
30, insists he is happy at Upton Park but could not hide his desire to get
back into the Champions League to push his career forward. Upson said: "I am
desperate to play in the Champions League and that is where I want to be. I
have played there with Arsenal and had that experience as a younger player.
I would love to achieve that again. "I really enjoy watching Champions
League action. As a player it is the best football to watch. "Being first
choice for England is in my mind. That's what I'm striving for every day.
I'm coming from a negative position in terms of where Rio and JT have been.
"They're well-established, solid and to come in and make myself a permanent
fixture in the team is a very difficult task, but it doesn't mean it's
impossible for me. It's not my selection, but I just have to keep pushing.
The World Cup is a year away, too far away and it's too early to say. "I
would definitely agree that more European experience in a campaign would
help me. "Playing in the Champions League every season definitely puts you
in a position where you can compete against the best players in the world.
"I know that the Premier League holds a lot of those player but worldwide
there's a lot of different talent, different tactical situations you're
going to find yourself in other than the Premier League. "So that definitely
favours Rio and JT when they are playing in the Champions League every
year."
Upson's outburst is certain to alert clubs to his desire to get back into
Europe's major club competition, having played 10 games in the tournament
for former club Arsenal.
The Hammers are desperate to keep hold of Upson, but may struggle if a
bigger club comes in with an offer of European football and a chance to play
in the Champions League. Upson, set to keep his place alongside Terry in
England's central defence to face Andorra, stresses that Gianfranco Zola has
been good for his career and has helped him become an England squad regular.
However, Upson warned West Ham's new owners, asset management company CB
Holding, that they must spend to keep the club moving forward. "Gianfranco
Zola has definitely been good for me," said Upson. "We are coached one way
in this country and the Italian way is different. "Fabio Capello is trying
to coach that into us as well. "It would be really nice to build on what
we've got at West Ham. We have got the right man in charge. He has done an
excellent job and it would be nice to see the new owners spending money and
taking the team on. "At the moment I am enjoying my time at West Ham and
pleased that they are going to make some positive investment in the team.
"Hopefully, we will see where we go from there."
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EAST SPENDERS By Darren Lewis 9/06/2009
The Mirror
HAMMERS RESCUE? NEW LIFE AT UPTON PARK AS BANKERS BOOST CLUB
Gianfranco Zola will make Inter Milan midfielder Luis Jimenez his first
signing after West Ham were bought by a group of Icelandic banks yesterday.
The club's ownership has been switched to an asset management company called
CB Holding after former owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson failed to find a buyer
willing to meet his asking price.
Gudmundsson owed around £100million to Straumur Burdaras Investment Bank,
which set up CB Holding with a 70 per cent majority stake. Gudmundsson's
other creditors - MP Bank, Byr Savings Bank and Landbanki - own the
remaining 30 per cent. Cb Holding was at pains last night to stress that the
changes will have no impact on the club's management structure or transfer
plans. Indeed, there are also plans afoot to fund a new training ground in
nearby Romford and West Ham are in "advanced talks" to sign three new
players this summer. Asked how much money there would be for his manager to
spend, Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "Its not a case of money,
it's a case of who Gianfranco Zola wants to bring to the club. He will have
the backing in whatever he does."
It is believed Zola wants a total of 21 outfield players and three keepers
with which to go into the new season. Jimenez, 24, will be signed on loan
with a view to a permanent transfer. The Chilean attacking midfielder can
play on the right wing or up front. He was signed by Jose Mourinho's Inter
last summer but injuries have kept him from holding down a regular place in
the side. West Ham still have debts of around £45m. But CB Holding spokesman
Georg Andersen said: "We feel there has been good progress made with West
Ham over the last year. "We support the manager and we support the direction
that the club has been taking."
Duxbury, said to be "delighted" by the change of ownership, claimed last
night that fears about the future of the club have now been dispelled. He
said: "This will allow us all to concentrate on next season and beyond, with
Gianfranco, technical director Gianluca Nani and I working to build on what
we have achieved. We are all committed to a long-term vision. "We are
playing great football, we have our academy at the heart of the club and are
looking to the past to move forward in the right way. "I can assure all fans
that I will never lose sight of this. I am determined to bring success to
West Ham."
Nani added: "This doesn't change anything. We have done a good job and we
will continue to do it. The management has not changed and from an economic
point of view, there will be more stability. "We will not revolutionise the
squad. Our intention is to keep hold of all our best players and allow those
who ask to leave to go. "There are not a lot of positions we have to cover.
But we are always ready to act if there is a good prospect.''
On Jimenez, he said: "He is a great player, one who we have always followed.
He is a possibility but nothing is certain. He is also a non-EU player and
it is not easy to get a permit for those players in England." Straumur
director Andrew Bernhardt has been appointed West Ham's non-executive
chairman. He said: "I can assure fans we will sanction investment in new
players, but within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on revenues
generated by West Ham. "It will be my job to help facilitate this continued
progress on the pitch, while ensuring the club's success is built on a
strong financial footing. "We have an initial twoyear plan which includes
improving the infrastructure at the club and we will be getting to work on
this as soon as the new board is appointed.''
Gudmundsson bought West Ham three years ago for £85m, taking on a debt of
around £22m. But he lost around £500m in the global financial crisis and his
efforts to claw cash back through selling the Hammers were hampered by the
low offers he received.
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FANNI OLD BUSINESS 9/06/2009
The Mirror
Rennes right-back Rod Fanni is one of three transfer targets in advanced
talks with West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola. With the signing of Inter Milan
attacking midfielder Luis Jimenez nearing completion, Zola has also
earmarked cover for his right full-back position in the shape of Fanni and
Middlesbrough's Matthew Bates. Following Boro's relegation, Bates - who can
also play central defence - would come at a knockdown price of around
£500,000. In addition the player is out of contract at the end of this
month. French international defender Fanni has been in the mind of the
Hammers even before Lucas Neill decided to reject a new one-year deal at
reduced wages. Neill was one of the highest earners at the club, but many
believed he did little to justify it. Fanni's agent, Dominique Six, said:
"We have been in talks with several clubs including West Ham, which is
interesting to Rod."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola Hits Hammers Jackpot
The Sun
WEST HAM have stepped up their pursuit of Chilean hotshot Luis Jimenez in
the wake of a £100million takeover. Icelandic bank Straumar have purchased
the club from Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who was battling huge debts. And it
means boss Gianfranco Zola can press ahead with a £15m raid for Inter
Milan's attacking midfielder Jimenez, 24. New Hammers chairman Andrew
Bernhardt said: "I can assure fans we will sanction investment in new
players. "We have an initial two-year plan which includes improving the
infrastructure at the club."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Matthew - Up,up and away
The Sun
By MARK IRWIN
Published: Today
MATTHEW UPSON has rocked West Ham by admitting he needs European football to
achieve his World Cup ambitions. Upson, in line to become the new Hammers
skipper, will continue to deputise for the injured Rio Ferdinand for England
against Andorra tomorrow night. But he fears his lack of big-match
experience will count against him when it comes to claiming a place in Fabio
Capello's starting line-up in South Africa next year. And that confession
will come as a major blow to West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola on the day the
club were sold to new owners CB Holdings. Upson, who picked up his 15th
senior cap in the 4-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Saturday, said: "Every day
I'm striving to become a first choice for England. "But I'm coming from a
negative position in terms of where Rio and John Terry have been. "I would
definitely agree that more European experience would help me. "It definitely
favours them to be playing in the Champions League every year. There is a
massive part of me that wants to play in the Champions League. "I
experienced that competition as a younger player at Arsenal and I'm
desperate to play there again. "Playing in the Champions League every season
definitely puts you in a position where you can compete against the best
players in the world. "And I am now at the stage of my career where I feel
ready to participate in that kind of environment. I am sure I could play at
that level."
Upson, 30, has two years of his Upton Park contract to run and Zola is keen
to tie the powerful defender to a new long-term deal. But the former Luton
centre-half, in line to replace Lucas Neill as captain next season, wants
assurances the club can match his big-time ambitions. The Hammers finished
ninth in the Premier League last season - two places outside of
qualification for the newly-formed Europa League. Upson, a £6million buy
from Birmingham in January 2007, added: "This is a critical time for West
Ham. "The manager has done an excellent job and it would be nice to see the
new owners spending money and taking the team on. "We have to build and
improve the squad. West Ham have been good for me and my career but I don't
want to stand still. "As long as the club can indicate they are willing to
progress then I'd be happy. At the moment, I'm enjoying my time at West Ham
and maybe in the future we could qualify for the Europa League. "But it's
getting harder and harder for any of the clubs outside the top four to
qualify for the Champions League. "And even spending millions like
Manchester City is no guarantee of success any more."
Yet Upson has no doubts he has made massive improvements as a defender since
Zola took charge in East London last September. Upson, who was Arsene
Wenger's first English signing for the Gunners in 1997, admitted: "I had the
opportunity at Arsenal but wasn't ready to take it. "I took a step down when
I moved to Birmingham but I had to learn to defend and work on my all-round
game. "Now I feel I have improved massively working with Zola on a daily
basis and that has helped me at international level.
"Traditionally, English defenders attack the ball. "But the boss has a more
Italian view of man-marking and really getting hold of your opponent. "It
wasn't that clever when he first arrived at West Ham because we weren't
doing what he wanted. "But he eventually got his point across and it has
definitely improved me as a centre-half."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ZOLA HANDED PULLING POWER
Daily Express
Tuesday June 9,2009
By Frank Wiechula Have your say(0)
GIANFRANCO ZOLA will plough on with his plans to buy three new players after
West Ham were sold to a group of Icelandic banks in a deal worth about
£100million.
The takeover by asset management company CB Holding will provide Zola with
transfer funds, the ability to hold on to his best players and enhance
long-term stability.
Hansa, West Ham's holding company, had until yesterday to sell the club to
prevent creditors from seizing its assets and forcing the sale. There were
fears for the club's future following the global economic crisis, which
badly damaged the finances of their then-owner and chairman Bjorgolfur
Gudmundsson. He and his vice-chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson have stepped down
with immediate effect. The non-executive chairman will be Andrew Bernhardt,
a senior director with Iceland's Straumur Bank, the major shareholder of CB
Holding. Bernhardt said: "I can assure fans we will sanction investment in
new players, but all within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on
revenues generated by West Ham."
But although they have just implemented a takeover, CB Holding have admitted
they will consider offers for the club [chappellg: Inline note: in the
future ] [chappellg: Inline note: in the future ] . The company is made up
of financial institutions owed money by Gudmundsson, including the bank
Straumur.And Georg Andersen, its head of corporate communications and
spokesman for CB Holding, said: "Every club is for sale at the right price.
"But we don't believe there is a buyer out there willing to pay what we
believe is the correct value of the club and don't believe there's a buyer
for the next two to three years. "Because of that, we are actively not
seeking any buyers. We expect to hold on to the club for some time, two
years, even longer. We are not thinking about selling the club. We have a
price somewhere in the back of our head but we don't want to put a price tag
on the club because as soon as you do that, it's basically for sale."
Zola has identified a defender, midfielder and striker to help take the club
forward and is close to doing business. He has already been linked with
Rennes right-back Rod Fanni and Chilean striker Luis Jimenez, who plays for
Inter Milan. Zola, who has overseen the breakthrough of academy graduates
James Tomkins, Jack Collison and Freddie Sears into the first team, wants to
create a squad of about 21 players with three goalkeepers.
Zola's belief is that a smaller, tightly knit group of players, younger and
more experienced, will offer a better chance of progress than accommodating
a much larger squad.
Zola and assistant Steve Clarke, who led the club to a ninth-place finish in
the Premier League, are seen as key by the new owners. Bernhardt said: "We
have one of the best young management partnerships in Gianfranco Zola and
Steve Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix of experience and
young players coming through from the academy. "It will be my job to help
facilitate this continued progress on the pitch, while ensuring success is
built on a strong financial footing. "We have an initial two-year plan which
includes improving the infrastructure at the club and we will be getting to
work on this as soon as the new board is appointed."
Scott Duxbury, who remains as chief executive, said: "This is an agreement
that will secure the long-term future of this football club. Change is
always unsettling but I believe the new owners, led by Andrew Bernhardt,
will bring stability to West Ham United. "This will allow us all to
concentrate on next season and beyond, with Zola, technical director
Gianluca Nani and I working to build on what we've achieved. We are all
committed to a long-term vision."
Gudmundsson added: "I want to thank everybody at Upton Park for
unforgettable years. As my fortunes have changed, I now have to withdraw
from the board of directors. I do that with great regret, but I am convinced
this change of ownership and control will advance the club." Former player
and temporary manager Trevor Brooking said, welcomed the news. "The
priority is to support Gianfranco and give him a bit of money to try and
strengthen the squad – certainly from an attacking point of view – and to
try and make them a viable Premier League club," he said. "That's what
hopefully will emerge from this deal that looks as if it has been resolved
this week. "Stability now seems to be the emphasis for the club."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's new owners face risk of financial collapse
Bankruptcy proceedings could start in 72 hours
Thursday deadline for six-month moratorium with creditors
Matt Scott The Guardian, Tuesday 9 June 2009 Article history
The parent company of CB Holding, which took over West Ham on Monday, faces
a hearing on Thursday to determine whether it can have a six-month extension
to a standstill with creditors.
West Ham United's new owners may be forced into bankruptcy proceedings
within 72 hours, casting doubt on assurances that it has brought stability
to Upton Park.
CB Holding, a special-purpose vehicle whose 70% shareholder is the stricken
Icelandic investment bank Straumur, took control of the Premier League club
on Monday. Straumur said the move, first revealed by this column in April,
was necessary because a moratorium – a suspension of payments to creditors –
granted to the club's former owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson's investment
company, Hansa, was due to expire on Tuesday.
In the event that Hansa had, as expected, been declared bankrupt West Ham
would have been liable to Premier League sanctions. However, Straumur, which
is effectively bust, has a similar moratorium over its own liabilities and
must apply on Thursday to the District Court of Reykjavik for a six-month
extension to that agreement.
In a presentation made to creditors last Friday Straumur executives said:
"The moratorium provides a 'standstill' period during which Straumur can
pursue a restructuring of its financial position. Unless Straumur
successfully petitions the court for an extension, the moratorium will end
on 11 June 2009. As stated above, Straumur intends to apply for a six-month
extension of its moratorium."
Even if the Reykjavik court is persuaded the moratorium should be extended,
Straumur must convince creditors its plans for West Ham and its other
managed assets are acceptable. The transformation of the collapsed
investment bank into an asset-management company is said to be a fait
accompli by Straumur's spin doctors in Iceland and London. But it depends on
a "composition agreement" under which creditors accept a fixed sum.
A meeting at which creditors may present their claims against Straumur is
set for 6 August. If agreement cannot be reached, the outlook for West Ham's
new owner is stark – a winding-up committee, made up of three attorneys of
Iceland's supreme court and independent of the Straumur executive, would be
called into action.
"If composition proceedings are rejected, or the attempt to seek a
composition is unsuccessful, the winding-up committee will request that the
district court place Straumur's estate in bankruptcy proceedings," said the
presentation to creditors. "A liquidator would then be appointed by the
district court." Straumur's confidential statements to its creditors on
Friday would seem to be at odds with claims it made in public yesterday.
"CB Holding fully supports the executive management of the club and
acknowledges the considerable progress achieved this season both by Scott
Duxbury, chief executive of West Ham, and the club's manager, Gianfranco
Zola," said a statement. "CB Holding has no intention of changing the
executive management or direction of the club."
If Straumur fails to reach agreement with creditors or to persuade the
courts to extend the moratorium, it will present a severe test for the
Premier League's rules governing fit and proper persons. Under those
regulations directors and significant shareholders cannot have been made
bankrupt. They are currently designed for individuals but, in the event that
a club's controlling shareholder is a bankrupt company, the league's board
would examine it.
The league confirmed it has asked West Ham to provide documentation. "We
have asked West Ham to produce details of the change of ownership," said a
spokesman. "Once we have that information we will assess it and, if needs
be, act accordingly."
Even if Straumur's plans pass muster with the courts, creditors and league,
there will be no return to the liberal spending of Gudmundsson. According to
its presentation to creditors Straumur will now rely on "the establishment
of a new and simplified business model appropriate to the reduced activities
and scale of Straumur's operations as an asset management business".
Company gets shirty
Its ownership of West Ham United might prove to be short-lived but Straumur
at least knows what the club's fans hold dear. CB Holding is not a reference
to the citizen-band radio beloved of truckers but rather the colour of the
club shirt: CB stands for claret and blue.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham takeover saves club from disaster, say new owners
Consortium claims team would have been first in top flight to enter
administration
By Ian Herbert, Deputy Football Correspondent
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Independent.co.uk
West Ham's new owners – a consortium led by an Icelandic bank which has been
bailed out by its own government – said yesterday that they had taken
control at Upton Park to protect the club from the imminent threat of
becoming the first in the Premier League to enter administration.
The CB Holding consortium, which comprises the outgoing chairman Bjorgolfur
Gudmundsson's creditors, took over on the eve of a court hearing in Iceland
today in which Gudmundsson was likely to have been stripped of the
protection against bankruptcy that had been in place since March.
One company in the new consortium, which will command a seat on the West Ham
board – Iceland's MP Bank – was pushing to bankrupt Gudmundsson, a move
which, under league rules, would have seen the Hammers deducted nine points
and placed at severe risk of relegation to the Championship next spring. But
the largest creditor, Straumur-Burdaras Investment Bank – under Icelandic
government control having gone into administration itself – has helped
broker a transfer of the club to the creditors.
Ominously for manager Gianfranco Zola's hopes of spending money, the club's
new non-executive chairman, Englishman Andrew Bernhardt, is Straumur's head
of debt, but Bernhardt said: "I can assure fans we will sanction investment
in new players, but all within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on
revenues generated by West Ham."
The Hammers can at least be grateful they have avoided becoming the most
serious Premier League casualty of the credit crunch. That was becoming a
possibility as the end of the moratorium protecting Gudmundsson was in
sight. Bankruptcy and administration would have seen West Ham incur a
nine-point penalty under section C, rule 60 of Premier League rules, a
disastrous outcome which would compel them to virtually match last season's
51-point total simply to survive.
There appear to be no concerns at West Ham that Straumur's own financial
plight will see it fail the Premier League's fit and proper person test.
That test may rule out an individual who has presided over the collapse of a
football club but not necessarily the collapse of another business, such as
a bank. The league said it had asked West Ham to provide details of the
change of ownership. "Once we have that information we shall assess and, if
needs be, act accordingly," a spokesman said.
Straumur does not appear ready to sell the club for at least three years,
despite the presence of at least one active prospective buyer – American,
according to some sources – who has been waiting in the wings. Several other
bids have reached the due diligence stage since Gudmundsson was hit by the
global economic meltdown, but none has come close to his £150m asking price.
"We don't see anyone out there willing to buy at our price," said Straumur's
Georg Andersson. "We live in a world where if anyone came in with a
ridiculous sum of money [a sale could happen]. We don't see anyone capable
or willing to do that."
Andersson said Straumur, which has a 70 per cent share of CB Holding, had
decided to take the club over "mainly to protect our interests", in the move
which had been under preparation for weeks. "The former owners of West Ham
were going out of moratorium, which meant it was most likely they would go
into bankruptcy, and under league rules the club would ... be penalised with
a points reduction," he said. "The value of the asset would have decreased
enormously. As a bank, we would have preferred the owners to keep the club
and had success with the whole thing, but that is not the case. We [had] to
do something."
Gudmundsson bought the club for £85m, taking on debt of around £22m, three
years ago. He lost around £500m in the credit crisis but his efforts to sell
West Ham have been complicated by the level of debt – currently around £75m
including the £26m the Hammers will be liable for in the settlement of the
Carlos Tevez affair with Sheffield United.
Straumur insisted West Ham were not in the de facto ownership of the
Icelandic nation, owing to the fact the Reykjavik government had taken
control of the bank. "We have not been nationalised. We are preparing a
restructuring plan which in three to four months should see us re-emerge as
an independent asset management company," Andersson said.
It is understood some senior executives at Straumur are disgruntled that MP
Bank has, as they see it, used Gudmundsson's financial misfortune to
increase its own profile in Iceland by making high profile calls for him to
be left high and dry. No one at MP Bank could be reached yesterday.
Bernhardt has no background in football but said: "I'm delighted an
agreement has been reached and look forward to working with [chief
executive] Scott Duxbury and his team in the coming years."
Under the Hammer What the sale means
*Who are the new owners?
A consortium of banks owed money by Hansa – West Ham's parent company
established by previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. The largest bank,
Straumur, will have three seats on the board and 70 per cent control.
*Why have they bought in?
Because Hansa might have fallen into administration, plunging West Ham into
a points deduction which could have meant relegation. Hansa was protected
from liquidation until today, after which the smallest of its creditors
might have foreclosed on it.
*Will they spend?
Not inordinately. Straumur is in dire financial straits itself. But attempts
to sell the club on in three years will be jeopardised without on-field
progress. Zola must sell to buy.
*Was a points deduction a possibility?
Although this kind of deal had been anticipated for weeks, insiders say the
club had been aware of that possibility, as the alternative safety route –
the sale of the club – looked unlikely.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's future uncertain after latest Icelandic takeover
The Times
Gary Jacob
West Ham United are in financial limbo after the club's ownership was
transferred to an Icelandic asset management company yesterday.
CB Holding — the CB stands for "Claret and Blue" — has a three-year plan to
run the club, aiming to recoup the money it is owed by Björgólfur
Gudmundsson, West Ham's former owner, when the financial climate improves.
The club will be forced to balance their books in the meantime. CB's
representatives, however, have held talks with interested parties in the
past week and a takeover could occur sooner rather than later.
It is an embarrassing fall from grace for Gudmundsson, who stepped down as
chairman yesterday and who has lost about £500 million because of the
effects of the credit crunch. He had hoped that his takeover would lift West
Ham to Champions League contention, but the club paid a heavy price for
overspending on transfers and wages. Outgoings have been gradually cut over
the past 18 months, but the club face a more stringent demand to be
self-sufficient because of the nature of the new owner.
CB Holding will want to maintain the value of West Ham and is unlikely to
sell too many top players because it could risk relegation and therefore a
drop in value. Equally, it is unlikely to invest much money for transfers.
Some cash will be raised by the departure of squad players and probably
Matthew Upson this summer. The defender reiterated yesterday that he wants
to play in the Champions League to help his chances of starting for England.
Self-sufficiency puts the emphasis on Gianluca Nani, the club's technical
director, to find promising players. He wants to sign several players. "From
an economic point of view, there will be more stability," Nani said. "We
will not revolutionise the squad. Our intention is to keep our best players
and allow those who ask to leave to go."
Gudmundsson was given until today to sell West Ham and other assets to repay
money he owed to Straumur — about £80 million — and his other creditors. The
club needed to be sold for a price in excess of £100 million to raise enough
money to repay the debt, but none of the informal offers he received was
high enough.
It left Straumur, a former bank in the process of being restructured to
become an asset management company, with no choice but to take control.
Straumur holds a 70 per cent stake in CB Holding, with the remainder owned
by Byr/MP Banki and Landsbanki, which together are owed about £16 million by
Gudmundsson. Straumur has creditors of its own who may also force an early
sale of the club. It claims that Gudmundsson will not receive a share of the
club's future sale, a deal that he had tried to negotiate.
Georg Andersen, the head of corporate communications at Straumur, said: "We
don't think there is a buyer willing to pay our valuation. But if someone
from the Middle East was to come in with a ridiculously high offer, it would
be looked at. We don't see anybody doing that and we will hold on to the
club for the next two or three years at least."
West Ham have debts of £45 million and owe Sheffield United a minimum of £21
million rising to £27 million after the Carlos Tévez affair. A payment to
the Yorkshire club is due on July 1.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
How West Ham secured their future: Q&A
Answering the questions that matter on the takeover of Premier League club
West Ham United.
Telegraph
By Jason Burt
Published: 10:37PM BST 08 Jun 2009
What has happened?
West Ham have been taken over, but the running of the club has not changed.
In a so-called "soft" announcement the previous owner Bjorgolfur
Gudmundsson, whose business empire has collapsed, has been removed and some
of his creditors are now in control as they try to protect their own assets
and, eventually, make some money back.
What if a deal couldn't be struck?
That was pretty much unthinkable for all concerned. Creditors could have
called in their debts, West Ham's holding company could have faced
bankruptcy and the club itself a points deduction. And the creditors would
have lost most of their money.Who are CB Holding?
The CB stands for Claret and Blue, the West Ham colours. It's a new holding
company formed by creditors of Hansa, the investment vehicle used by
Gudmundsson to purchase the club. The new company is 70 per cent owned by
Straumur with the remaining 30 per cent held by three other banks: Byr, NP
and Landsbanki.
But is Straumur not in trouble?
Yes, it is. But then so is the whole of the Icelandic economy. The bank is
under the temporary control of the government but is confident that, after
it has restructured itself, this will change.
What does it mean?
In the short-term not at lot. West Ham's future is secure, the club will
continue to run as it has done for the past year, but there is now greater
stability and less confusion over the ownership. It will eventually be sold
by Straumur but only when the bank can find a buyer willing to meet its
asking price and that may taken three years.
Will there be money to spend?
Yes. But West Ham fans can't expect a huge injection of cash. A transfer
budget will be allocated but it will be generated from the club's turnover,
not from huge borrowings. Money from players sales will also be re-invested
and Straumur has pledged not to take any funds out of West Ham.
Jason Burt
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West Ham's Takeover Is Well-Considered, Stable and Boring
EPL Talk.com
by tyduffy on June 8, 2009 · 5 comments
For those not emotionally invested, the sale of a prominent Premier League
club is chum in the water. We want easily caricatured nutballs in charge,
huge transfer budgets, grandiose schemes destined to fail and decimations of
the club's staff. We want entertainment. Given that context and the club's
unique penchant for disaster, West Ham's sale was abominable, substandard
and lamentable. Given one word, it was boring. Profoundly boring. CB
Holding, the original Icelandic creditors of Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, took
control of West Ham to keep it from going bankrupt and protect it's
investment. The ownership stays Icelandic. The only difference is the
Straumur Burdaras bank rather than Landsbanki. West Ham's financial
situation was perilous. There was the bank crisis, debt and the Tevez
settlement. They easily could have entered into administration. There
would have been furor over a points deduction, possibly one that could have
effected the relegation battle next year. The club would have been
offloading players, possibly replacing Zola with a manager who would accept
it. It would have been messy. It would have been exciting. Instead, the
new Hammers' ownership wants to protect and enhance its investment. There
will be no sales of the clubs best players, though sensible sales such as
Dean Ashton and Matthew Upson are possible. The reasonably successful
managerial partnership of Zola and Clarke will remain intact. The club will
even have a sensible transfer budget, all with a sound financial backing. CB
Holding's takeover is great for West Ham and their supporters. It's great
for the Premier League, who benefit from a large, successfully run club in
London. It's awful for those who have to write about it.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham takeover a step towards the future insists Matthew Upson
Matthew Upson has described the takeover of West Ham by a company controlled
by the Icelandic bank, Straumur, as a "positive sign".
Telegraph
By John Ley
Published: 4:05PM BST 08 Jun 2009
The England defender, speaking ahead of England's World Cup qualifying match
with Andorra at Wembley, said: "I think it's a positive thing, from what I
can gather.
"Any kind of financial investment into the team or club is great. We are at
a really crucial period in terms of developing the team and I think it's a
positive sign that the manager can maybe go out and strengthen the squad."
Kazakhstan 0 England 4 Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, has been told
he can invest but must balance the books. Upson has been linked with a
possible big-money move away from Upton Park, but the defender insisted he
was happy where he was. "I wouldn't know about my future (following the
takeover)," he added. "All I know is I'm very positive in that the club's
got some good financial investment. "As a player I want to improve and
develop, so at the moment my future is there, I'm very happy and I'm
enjoying my football. I'm enjoying working under Gianfranco Zola, so I think
times are good. "It's the most games I have ever played and it's the best
season of my career to date. I feel I've improved and developed well, so I
am very positive about next season." Upson is quietly confident about the
future at international level though will be guarding against complacency on
Wednesday. "We'll obviously dominate a lot of the play but sometimes, as a
defender, those games are some of the hardest and you can't get into your
rhythm. "It's a real matter of concentrating and keeping switched on for 90
minutes because you can go through long spells of doing nothing and suddenly
something happens and you have to be on your guard. "To go to a World Cup
would mean everything. It's something I've worked very hard towards over the
last five years and it's a big goal of mine, to go to a World Cup."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham bubbling after $162M takeoverStory Highlights
West Ham Utd sold to a company owned by Iceland's largest investment bank
New non-executive club chairman promises a bright future for the Premier
club
Relegated Newcastle United also seeking buyer for a knock-down $162million
CNN
(CNN) -- West Ham United's long-term future was secured on Monday when the
Premier League club was sold to a company owned by Iceland's largest
investment bank in a deal reportedly worth around $162million. West Ham's
new owners are backing manager Gianfranco Zola as they take the Premier
League club forward. Asset management company CB Holding, the majority of
which belongs to Straumur-Burdaras, stepped in after previous owner and
chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson saw his fortune wiped out in the credit
crunch. Relegated Newcastle United are also seeking a buyer with owner Mike
Ashley ready to accept a similar knock-down $162million for his club
following their loss of top flight status. Meanwhile, West Ham's new
non-executive club chairman and majority shareholder in CB Holding, Andrew
Bernhardt, has an initial two-year plan and promised a bright future for the
east London club. "We have one of the best young management partnerships in
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix
of experience and young players coming through from the academy," he said.
"I can assure fans we will sanction investment in new players, but all
within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on revenues generated by
West Ham United. "It will be my job to help facilitate this continued
progress on the pitch, while ensuring the club's success is built on a
strong financial footing. "We have an initial two-year plan whoich includes
improving the infrastructure at the club and we will be getting to work on
this as soon as the new board is appointed."
He added: "CB Holding fully supports the executive management of the club
and acknowledges the considerable progress achieved this season by (CEO)
Scott Duxbury and Gianfranco Zola. CB Holding has no intention of changing
the executive management or direction of the club." Duxbury insisted that
the uncertainty of recent months had not been laid to rest, saying: "This is
an agreement that will secure the long-term future of this football club.
"Change is always unsettling, but I believe the new owners led by Andrew
Bernhardt will bring stability to West Ham United and I hope all our staff
and fans will join me in welcoming them to our club." He added: "This will
allow us all to concentrate on next season and beyond, with Gianfranco Zola,
technical director Gianluca Nani and I working to build on what we have
achieved. We are all committed to a long-term vision. "We are playing great
football, have our academy at the heart of the club and are looking to the
past to move forward in the right way. I can assure all fans that I will
never lose sight of this. I am determined to being success to West Ham
United."
Sportswear magnate Ashley, whose Newcastle were relegated despite the
efforts of temporary manager Alan Shearer, confirmed his intention to sell
in a Web site announcement. "The Board of Newcastle United can today confirm
that the club is for sale at the price of £100m. Interested parties should
contact Newcastle United at adminnufc.co.uk (or Keith Harris at Seymour
Pierce) for further details. The club will not be making any further comment
at the present time," said the Newcastle statement.
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Green sell-on saga takes new twist as financial prudence is installed at
Upton Park
Mon 8 Jun 09
norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com
City supporters can be forgiven this afternoon for picking through the words
of West Ham United's new owners very carefully as ex-Canary Youth product
Robert Green continues on his quest to make that England No1 slot his own.
Despite the odd first-half flap, the 29-year-old Hammers keeper walked away
from his first, full international start on Saturday with a clean sheet to
his name in that 4-0 stroll over Group Six rivals Kazakhstan. Green is now
expected to keep his place for Wednesday night's Wembley clash with genuine
World Cup minnows Andorra - hardly a testing shop window for a player
regularly linked to switches away from Upton Park, principally to one of the
two North London clubs. Chief executive Scott Duxbury admitted last summer
that there was a 'mechanism' within Green's current, five-year deal that
ensured his contract position would be reviewed this summer. And with both
Arsenal and Spurs reported to be in the market for a new keeper, events
could yet take an interesting turn or two.
For example, the question now is whether the Hammers' new owners - a
collection of Icelandic banks brought together under the guise of 'Claret
and Blue Holdings' and led principally by the bank Straumur - will have the
inclination to offer England's prospective full-time No1 keeper the kind of
wages enjoyed by team-mates Lucas Neill and Scott Parker. Or whether
prudence will dictate that they listen to offers this summer - and thereby
raise Norwich's hopes of finally cashing in on the sell-on clause installed
deep within that £2 million switch to the East End. Andrew Bernhardt, the
club's new non-executive chairman, today insisted that the jobs of boss
Gianfranco Zola and his No2 Steve Clarke were safe - and that there would be
fresh investment in the team. However, given that the four-strong consortium
of Icelandic banks only find themselves now owning a Premiership football
club courtesy of the £100 million facility they granted the club's former
owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, the feeling remains that the generous wage
terms granted the Neills and the Parkers will be a thing of the past - those
kind of good times have come to an end.
The Hammers will cut their cloth according to what they can realistically
afford - potentially ruling out a fat new deal for Green. Prudence appeared
to be the new watchword at Upton Park. "I can assure fans we will sanction
investment in new players, but all within the parameters of sensible
budgeting based on revenues generated by West Ham United," Bernhardt told
the club's official website as news of the change of ownership broke. "It
will be my job to help facilitate this continued progress on the pitch,
while ensuring the club's success is built on a strong financial footing. We
have an initial two-year plan which includes improving the infrastructure at
the club and we will be getting to work on this as soon as the new board is
appointed."
As for Green himself, he was happy enough with his first start in an England
shirt - a long-held dream had been finally realised. "It's been an ambition
and a dream and to get it done and have the memories of winning is more than
pleasing," he told reporters afterwards. "It was a difficult game, but one
we've come through with a good result. Maybe not the greatest of
performances, but one we'll take," he continued. "We kept chances down to a
minimum, but we knew there would be a storm to ride and we've done that."
That success made it six wins out of six for England; a seventh surely
beckons on Wednesday night. "Coming away with seven wins out of seven is the
next focus and if we win on Wednesday we know we will be a long way ahead of
the rest of the group and we'll know that we've done our job over the last
ten days," said Green. Closer to home and if City boss Bryan Gunn ever had
any interest in Crewe right-back Danny Woodwards that ended today after the
25-year-old agreed a two-year deal with MK Dons. Out-of-contract this
summer and a free agent, the one-time Exeter youngster was briefly linked to
both Leeds United and Norwich before being won over by Roberto Di Matteo's
charms. "It's a nice stadium, I've seen the fans here and they're a good
crowd, they seem to be behind the team and that helps," said Woodwards on
his arrival at the Stadium MK. "I spoke to a few people before signing with
the club and they all just said good things - I want to be a part of that
and everything seems right." As for reports of ex-Chelsea keeper Mark
Bosnich being Norfolk-bound on the basis of one lunch Down Under with City
first team coach Ian Crook, club sources were today playing down such talk.
The expectation is that it will all prove nothing more exciting than that -
a lunch.
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Deal that hammers home need for change
Ken Dyer
08.06.09
Evening Sta dard
The events at West Ham today are a portent of things to come for English
football. Up until now Premier Leagueclubs have largely ignored the global
recession, continuing instead upon their merry, profligate way. The change
of ownership at Upton Park could usher in a new mood of austerity as teams,
for once, begin to learn to live within their means. Even the top four, who
have ignored the need to tighten their belts, may now have to keep a close
eye on what they spend as Liverpool's loss of £42million proved last week.
The departure of Icelandic businessman and old-fashioned philanthropist,
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, ended the West Ham dream of being able to compete
financially with the fat cats of English football. When Gudmundsson's then
lieutenant, Eggert Magnusson, succeeded Terry Brown as West Ham's chairman
in the winter of 2007, he promised a regime of largesse - a new stadium, top
players and ultimately, European football. Then manager Alan Curbishley set
about the challenge with gusto, signing a crop of experienced players in the
January transfer window, all of them earning top money. Gudmundsson, at that
time the 799th richest billionaire in the world and majority owner of
Icelandic bank Landsbanki, soon became increasingly dismayed by the extent
of West Ham's expenditure. Eventually, things came to a head and
Gudmundsson, himself, became more active at the club while Magnusson
departed. In a warning of what was to follow, the 68-year-old insisted they
become self-sufficient and key to this new strategy was the appointment of
Gianfranco Zola as manager last September. Zola's primary aim was to reduce
the expenditure on astronomical fees and players' wages and sign youngsters
could be sold on for healthy profits in the future. Not long after Zola took
over, Landsbanki were one of the first casualties of the recession and
Gudmundsson lost upwards of £300m. He wanted to keep hold of West Ham but
was forced to sell to the major creditors of his holding company Hansa.
The new owners, CB Holding, mostly owned by Straumur Investment Bank, will
continue this policy of a self-financing football club until, at some point
down the line when the financial climate improves, they sell to new
investors. The new non-executive chairman, Straumur senior director Andrew
Bernhardt, has no football experience and said today: "We will sanction
investment in new players but all within the parameters of sensible
budgeting generated by West Ham." Zola will have to balance the books,
selling one player so that he can buy another. West Ham fans have already
seen the new budgeting regime when back in January, the club doubled their
money on the sale of Craig Bellamy, to Manchester City. Captain Lucas
Neill, offered a new contract last week but at a sizeable drop in salary,
also looks likely to move on this summer.
This model is likely to become the norm in the coming years as financial
realities hit home even in the cash-rich Premier League. The television
money earned from Sky can only support so much spending. Whether Zola will
be able to achieve another ninth-placed finish given the added constraints
only time will tell. Newcastle had the same problem this season and look
where they are now.
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Goalkeeper tipped to shine by FIFA
3:03pm Monday 8th June 2009
Guardian Series
FOOTBALL'S governing body has tipped a young West Ham goalkeeper to shine in
a youth competition. FIFA praised Hammers stopper Deniz Mehmet after a
series of glowing games for Turkey in the UEFA European Under-17
Championship last month. Following his performances, the organisation
predicted that Mehmet and seven other players will do well at this year's
FIFA Under-17 World Cup. A statement on the FIFA website said: "Turkey's
goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet showed just how much he has learnt at West Ham's
Academy, where he has followed in the footsteps of luminaries such as Frank
Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand."
Werder Bremen forward Lennart Thy, dead-ball specialist Florian Trinks,
Liverpool left-back Christopher Buchtmann and Borussia Dortmund midfielder
Mario Gotze have all been tipped as exciting prospects, as have Feyenoord
pair Luc Castaignos and Shabir Isoufi.
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West Ham caught in the middle of a battle of global high finance
Andrew Hodgson
08.06.09
Evening Standard
A complex web of ownership lies behind today's takeover deal for West Ham,
but ultimately the club has been placed in the hands of a group of bankers
with no background in football. The move follows the collapse of previous
owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson's business empire, which was hit by the credit
crunch to leave a power vacuum at Upton Park since last autumn. A new
company, CB Holding, today assumed control of the club from Gudmundsson, who
has quit the board, and installed former Barclays banker Andrew Bernhardt as
non-executive chairman. But the formal takeover announcement only tells half
the story as to who is really running the show in east London. CB Holding
was formed by creditors of Hansa, the investment vehicle used by Gudmundsson
to fund his purchase of the club in 2006. By far the largest creditor of
Hansa is the Icelandic bank Straumur and it is they - for whom Bernhardt
works as head of corporate finance - who are the driving force behind CB
Holding. Yet that does not necessarily mean Straumur are the ultimate
decision-makers at West Ham as the situation is further complicated by the
bank's temporary nationalisation by the Icelandic government earlier this
year. Straumur is confident a restructuring plan - which will turn it into
an asset management company - will remove it from government control but in
the meantime its creditors have been taking close interest in its major
assets, notably West Ham. Straumur has declined to confirm the identity of
its creditors but they are believed to be a group of international banks.
Georg Andersen, Straumur's head of corporate communications, said: "The
creditors of Hansa have formed a holding company with the sole purpose of
purchasing West Ham. "It is independent of Straumur and has its own board.
We have done this to protect our interests. We think it is necessary to
protect the asset of West Ham because of the problems the previous owner ran
into."
Gudmondsson orginally bought West Ham in a deal worth £108m and, given the
improved Premier League television deal, the club could be now be worth far
more.
There have been talks about a possible sale in recent months and Andersen
admitted that CB Holding are not in for the long haul. He said: "I am not
going to bulls**t anyone and say we are going to own the club forever. We
honestly believe there is no buyer out there willing to pay the true value
of the club at the moment. We are realistic enough to know that we will have
to hold on to the club for some time - a couple of years, maybe even more -
to do so."
The club's new chairman spent 27 years at Barclays and two years at GE
before joining Straumur in 2007. He specialises in leveraged finance, a
controversial area of banking which focuses on funding firms through high
levels of debt. Andersen added: "Andrew is an extremely qualified finance
professional and will greatly contribute to the management of West Ham."
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UPSON'S GREEN LIGHT
Daily Express
Monday June 8,2009
By Matt Law Have your say(0)
MATTHEW UPSON believes his West Ham team-mate Robert Green seized his chance
to claim the England goalkeeper's spot – and has the capability to hold on
to it.
With David James injured, Hammers keeper Green got his first competitive
game for England and his first start on Saturday, as Fabio Capello's team
moved closer to the 2010 World Cup finals with their win produced one fine
early save and looked confident thereafter, although escaped when Sergey
Ostapenko had a header disallowed for offside. Green is almost certain now
to keep his place for Wednesday's game against Andorra at Wembley, and Upson
said: "Rob did well. Those sort of games are difficult for a goalkeeper.
"There are big patches of the game where you don't do anything and all
really focused. It was good for him. He played the ball very well, passed
the ball out from the back well and must be pleased. "There are chances for
people to come into this squad and stake a claim for a position. That keeps
everyone hungry. "Maybe in the past you could pick the fi rst XI. But you
can't do that now. The manager can surprise people sometimes."
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New owners would sell Hammers
TeamTalk
West Ham's new owners will consider offers for the club if it is in the
Hammers' best interests, despite having only just secured a takeover. CB
Holding, an Icelandic holding company made up of banks owed money by the
Hammers' previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, have a two-year plan for the
club as they do not believe current market conditions are favourable for a
sale. However, should any potential buyer come forward - and an American
investor who has already had one £70million offer turned down is still
interested - then they would be prepared to sell. Georg Andersen, head of
corporate communications at the investment bank Straumur which owns 70% of
CB Holdings, said: "Every club is for sale at the right price but we
honestly believe that with the market as it is right now it will be
extremely difficult to find the right value. "I'm not going to pretend we
are going to own the club forever. "Our plan is to hold onto the club for a
couple of years, or maybe four or five years, until we believe we can get an
appropriate price."
It is understood the value of CB Holdings takeover is £110million, or the
amount of money Gudmundsson used to buy the club. A new chairman, Andrew
Bernhardt who is a senior director of Straumur, has been appointed and he
has promised security for the club and manager Gianfranco Zola. Despite the
takeover, a degree of uncertainty still surrounds the ownership of the club
and Straumur themselves have suffered major problems in the credit crunch
and are basically controlled by the Icelandic government. Other Icelandic
banks Byr Bank and MP Bank are also shareholders in CB Holding. Andersen
said Straumur were confident of agreeing a compensation deal with creditors
and insisted that even if any of CB Holding's shareholders went into
liquidation it would not affect West Ham. "CB Holdings are owned by a number
of banks. Hansa [Gudmundsson's company] was owned by one person - there's a
huge difference," said Andersen. "If one of the shareholders of CP Holding
went under then the their creditors would simply acquire their shares. The
company was created to ring-fence the club."
The Premier League have announced they will study the new ownership
structure in detail to ensure all board members pass their fit and proper
person's test. A league spokesman said: "We have asked West Ham United to
produce details of their change of ownership. Once we have that information
we shall assess it and, if needs be, act accordingly."
The new regime have assured Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke that their
jobs are safe and that some funds will be made available for transfers.
Chief executive Scott Duxbury will also remain at the club. Bernhardt said
in a statement: "We have one of the best young management partnerships in
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix
of experience and young players coming through from the academy. "I can
assure fans we will sanction investment in new players, but all within the
parameters of sensible budgeting based on revenues generated by West Ham
United. "We have an initial two-year plan which includes improving the
infrastructure at the club and we will be getting to work on this as soon as
the new board is appointed."
Hammers defender Matthew Upson, one player of whom it had been suggested the
club would have to sell, welcomed the news. Upson said: "The club is in a
really crucial position because we had a positive season and it would be
really nice to build on that. "We have got the right man in charge, the
manager has done an excellent job and it would be nice to see him given a
bit of spending money, the ability to strengthen the squad and to take the
team on."
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West Ham watching Inter Milan's Balotelli
09.06.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United are among Premiership clubs monitoring Inter Milan striker
Mario Balotelli's situation. The 18-year-old Palermo-born son of Ghanaian
immigrants was insulted verbally and had bananas thrown at him by a small
group of Roma ultras at the weekend. Balotelli admitted interest in joining
West Ham United last month.
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West Ham cannot afford to keep Kovac
09.06.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United cannot afford to sign midfielder Radoslav Kovac, it has been
revealed. The Daily Mail says Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola has been told
there are no funds to pay the £4million fee which would make Kovac's loan
deal from Spartak Moscow permanent.
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West Ham defender Upson: Best form of my career
09.06.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United defender Matthew Upson says he's in the best form of his
career. "It's been the best season of my career to date," he said. "I felt
I've improved and developed well and I'm very positive about next season.
"I'm really happy with the amount of games I've played (for England). I want
to play as many games as I can.
"(Playing in the World Cup) would mean everything. It's something I've
dreamt of for a long time and worked hard for over the last four or five
years. "But we're not there just yet. We've put ourselves in a strong
position but we're still a couple of wins away from confirming that. "We
can't start taking our eye off the ball and looking ahead to next summer
just yet."
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New West Ham owners assure Zola over transfer funds
09.06.09 | tribalfootball.com
The new regime at West Ham United have assured Gianfranco Zola and his
assistant Steve Clarke that their jobs are safe and that some funds will be
made available for transfers. Chief executive Scott Duxbury will also remain
at the club. New chairman Andrew Bernhardt said in a statement: "We have one
of the best young management partnerships in Gianfranco Zola and Steve
Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix of experience and young
players coming through from the academy. "I can assure fans we will sanction
investment in new players, but all within the parameters of sensible
budgeting based on revenues generated by West Ham United. "We have an
initial two-year plan which includes improving the infrastructure at the
club and we will be getting to work on this as soon as the new board is
appointed."
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New West Ham owners looking for quick sale
09.06.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United's new owners are ready to sell on the club. CB Holding, an
Icelandic holding company made up of banks owed money by the Hammers'
previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, have a two-year plan for the club as
they do not believe current market conditions are favourable for a sale.
However, should any potential buyer come forward - and an American investor
who has already had one £70million offer turned down is still interested -
then they would be prepared to sell. Georg Andersen, head of corporate
communications at the investment bank Straumur which owns 70% of CB
Holdings, said: "Every club is for sale at the right price but we honestly
believe that with the market as it is right now it will be extremely
difficult to find the right value. "I'm not going to pretend we are going to
own the club forever. "Our plan is to hold onto the club for a couple of
years, or maybe four or five years, until we believe we can get an
appropriate price."
It is understood the value of CB Holdings takeover is £110million, or the
amount of money Gudmundsson used to buy the club.
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Dicks departs from Wivenhoe
Greenun24
Last updated: 08/06/2009 17:07:00
Football: Julian Dicks is leaving Wivenhoe Town. The former West Ham and
Liverpool star took over the boss seat at Broad Lane half way through last
season and did a fine job in guiding the team through a turbulent period.
However, by mutual consent, the two parties have gone their own ways, with
ongoing issues surrounding the club remaining unresolved. In recognition of
the outstanding issues and the likely time to resolve those issues, the club
decided that, in the interests of all parties and to recognise Dicks'
commitment during the past few months, it was best the club set out its
position so that he, being based in Spain, could make an informed decision
about his future plans. Dicks expressed his disappointment but thanked the
club for its openness.
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