WHUFC.com
All the action from the KC Stadium as West Ham United played out a pulsating
draw with Hull City
21.11.2009
Barclays Premier League
Hull City v West Ham United
Kingston Communications Stadium
Saturday 21 November
3pm
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
FT - Hull City 3-3 West Ham United
95 min - We're into added time at the end of added-time. West Ham have a
throw-in inside their own half. Da Costa belts the ball clear and
Clattenburg brings a breathless game to a close. Collison and Bullard swap
shirts, while the Hammers players go to applaud the travelling fans. As
things stand, the Hammers are out of the bottom three and will be hopeful of
picking up three points when Burnley come to the Boleyn Ground in a week's
time.
93 min - Geovanni gets forward and Jimenez pulls him back. Yellow card for
the South American. Geovanni is lining up a free-kick from about 35 yards.
It hits the wall, Gabbidon gets to the ball first and is fouled.
92 min - Duke is called into action again. Faubert digs out a cross and
Collison gets his head to the ball, forcing the goalkeeper to dive to his
right to push the ball to safety.
91 min - We're going to have a minimum of four added minutes... It looks
like Hull have settled for a point.
90 min - We're into the final minute of the 90. Stanislas works some space
on the edge of the penalty area, but his chip is too strong and rolls out
for a goal kick.
87 min - Great chance for Stanislas. Hines broke clear down the left and fed
Faubert. The Frenchman crossed into the six-yard box, where the ball just
cleared Cole and rather surprised Stanislas, who could only head the ball
straight into the ground.
85 min - Hunt is replaced by Geovanni.
84 min - Upson gets above the big Dutchman Vennegoor of Hesselink to win a
header. The home fans are incensed and want another penalty, but Clattenburg
waves away the protests.
82 min - A big chance for Jimenez goes begging. Parker gets the ball off a
hesitant Gardner and the South American latches on to it, only to fire his
shot into the side netting.
79 min - Hines gets away from Marney before going down under a challenge
from Gardner. Clattenburg isn't impressed and books the striker for diving.
78 min - Jimenez is playing just behind Cole now. Can the Chilean, nicknamed
'The Magician' conjure something special?
76 min - Less than 15 minutes to go now. Can the Hammers nick a late winner?
73 min - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is on for Altidore. That's a striker for
a striker.
70 min - Franco is replaced by Jimenez. West Ham need to turn the screw
against the ten men here. Cole almost does just that, working some space
before curling a shot too close to Duke.
69 min - GOAL! The Hammers have a corner. Stanislas runs across to take it.
The ball appears to get stuck between two West Ham players before dropping
to Da Costa, who lashes a left-foot shot between Dawson and the post. Great
finish!
67 min - The home fans are not at all happy. Franco slides in and Altidore
takes to the air. The Hull supporters want the Mexican to be sent-off, but
referee Clattenburg waves away the protests.
66 min - Stanislas picks up a pass from Hines and cuts inside. He fakes a
shot before letting fly from more than 30 yards. The ball is gathered by
Duke at the second attempt.
65 min - West Ham are rocking a bit. Hull win a corner. Hunt runs across to
take. Franco heads clear at the near post.
64 min - An iffy moment for Upson, whose pass back to Green is a bit short.
The defender recovers just in time to hack the ball clear with Altidore
closing in fast.
62 min - Franco is booked. The Mexican was penalised for a foul on Hunt as
he tracked back.
60 min - Valon Behrami is the man to go off. Hines is on. A bold attacking
move from Zola.
59 min - Zavon Hines is going to come on for West Ham. Who will be the man
replaced by the England U21 striker?
57 min - Behrami and Cole create a chance on the edge of the penalty area,
but Cole's shot flashes well wide. McShane replaces former Hammer Richard
Garcia.
55 min - Stanislas stands over the resulting free-kick. Can he produce
something special? No. The free-kick flies wide of the post.
54 min - We've had five goals and now we've had a red card. Mendy is the man
to see red as he commits a professional foul on Parker.
52 min - Franco does well again. He holds off a challenge and runs at the
Hull defence, but his attempted pass to send Cole in is just too strong.
49 min - Zayatte goes down under a challenge from Cole. The ball breaks to
Franco, but his shot curls just wide of the far post. After treatment,
Zayatte recovers and runs to the touchline.
47 min - It is absolutely chucking it down out there now. Cole is brought
down by Gardner. Stanislas will take the free-kick, but he overhits it and
the ball bounces out for a goal kick.
46 min - West Ham get us underway. Collison fires an early shot in, but it
goes a long way wide of the far post.
West Ham take to the pitch a few seconds before their opponents. No changes
from Zola at the break. West Ham will kick-off shooting towards their own
fans. Can that inspire them to come back and nick a victory.
Half-time - Hull City 3-2 West Ham United
50 min - After just a tad over four minutes of added-time, Clattenburg
brings the first half to a close.
48 min - I'm sorry but in the confusion, I did not see how many added
minutes we're going to have here.
46 min - GOAL! Hull are ahead. Bullard smashes the penalty into the top
right-hand corner.
45 min - Hull have a penalty. That was harsh in the extreme. Fagan went down
under a challenge from Faubert and Clattenburg points to the spot.
44 min - GOAL! Hull are level. Hunt curls in the free-kick, Zayatte gets
away from Da Costa and volleys home from close range.
43 min - Stanislas is booked for a blatant tug on Mendy's shirt. Another
free-kick in a dangerous situation...
41 min - Hull are finishing the half strongly. Hunt has another corner, but
Gardner can only head wide of the near post from five yards.
40 min - Collison shoots from 30 yards, but it is straight at Duke. Hull
break and Altidore gets around his marker, only for Gabbidon to make a fine
block.
37 min - Hull force another corner. Hunt trots across to take it. The ball
is cleared to Bullard, who elects to shoot first time, but he screws his
volley a mile wide.
35 min - Fantastic play from Faubert, who skips around Stephen Hunt and
crosses. Gardner has to be at his best to clear from in front of Cole.
31 min - Franco nearly sets Cole clear with another fine through ball, but
Duke slides in and hacks the ball clear with his feet just in the nick of
time.
30 min - Parker has another shot saved by Duke. The effort came at the end
of another fine move involving Franco and Stanislas.
29 min - Marney receives the ball about 35 yards from goal and the crowd
implore him to shoot. He does, but nowhere near the target.
28 min - West Ham think they should have a free-kick as Parker tries to
burst away from Gardner. The midfielder is not impressed with the decision,
but Clattenburg is unmoved.
27 min - GOAL! Bullard shoots, the ball hits Parker, then flicks off Cole's
head and into the top corner. That was a little bit lucky.
26 min - Da Costa brings down Altidore about 25 yards from goal. Bullard
looks like he wants to shoot again.
22 min - Hull look a bit shaky at the back. Franco does well again, but his
reverse pass for Stanislas is just too strong.
20 min - West Ham are looking to kill this game off early. Faubert crosses,
the ball is deflected and Mendy has to be alert to stop Cole from scoring a
third. The resulting Stanislas corner is eventually cleared. That rain has
arrived by the way.
18 min - Another chance for the Hammers. Franco does superbly in midfield to
hold off his marker before spreading play wide to Gabbidon. He finds
Stanislas, but the winger's cross is just over Cole's head.
16 min - Hull win another corner after Altidore had nicked the ball off Da
Costa wide on the left. Green punches again and, following a bout of pinball
again, West Ham win a goal kick.
14 min - The away fans are in full voice. I'm not sure Parker is hearing
much of hit as he climbs to his feet rubbing the back of his head.
13 min - Scott Parker needs a bit of treatment after being caught flush on
the head by Bullard's 30-yard free-kick. Hull's players are not too pleased.
They think Parker encroached before the former Hammers player had taken his
set-piece. Referee Clattenburg waves away their protests.
12 min - Collison celebrated the goal by pointing skywards before being
swamped by his jubilant team-mates.
11 min - GOAL! West Ham are in dreamland! Franco provides the assist this
time, curling a superb ball over the Hull defence. Collison gambles and gets
goalside of Dawson before sending a superb header looping over Duke.
10 min - Bullard shoots from long range but it goes miles wide.
9 min - Sorry for the delay there. Hull have come on fairly strong since
conceding as you might expect. The Tigers force a corner that Green punches
clear. Bullard launches a shot that hits a defender and eventually falls to
Fagan, who can only stab wide from no more than six yards.
5 min - GOAL! Close from Cole. Gabbidon and Franco release Stanislas down
the left. Stanislas crosses and Cole's shot is blocked brilliantly by Dawson
and the ball spirals out for a corner. Stanislas delivers and Guille Franco
gets in front of his marker to plant a downward header past Duke from six
yards! Cue massive celebrations in the away end!
3 min - Green makes a fantastic save to keep out a shot from Fagan, but the
striker had already been penalised for a foul on Upson. The England man
wasn't to know that play had been called back and plunged low to his right
to push the ball aside.
1 min - Hull get us underway... Just 50 seconds have passed when Behrami
stings Duke's palms with a shot from 25 yards. Cole had started the move on
the halfway line with a smart turn before Stanislas provided the width. Cole
crossed and the ball fell to the Swiss midfielder, but he shot straight at
the goalkeeper. Good start!
3pm - The teams are ready to kick-off. Jack Collison is on the right wing,
with Valon Behrami alongside Scott Parker in the centre of midfield in a
flat 4-4-2 formation.
2.57pm - The Hammers fans to my right are making plenty of noise and giving
each of their heroes a hearty cheer as their names are read out. I forgot to
mention James Tomkins there! The England Under-21 defender has a groin
problem and is hoping to return to action soon.
2.56pm - Here come the two teams to the strains of Republica's 90s classic
'Ready To Go'....
2.55pm - For those of you with slightly shorter memories, who will ever
forget 6 October 1990? That afternoon, Steve Potts scored his only goal in a
claret and blue shirt in a 7-1 West Ham win. Just a quick word on today's
absentees. Herita Ilunga and Mark Noble are both expected to return next
week against Burnley. Ilunga has returned to training following a hamstring
problem, while Noble has a slight muscle strain in his leg. Alessandro
Diamanti has a minor hip problem, while Kieron Dyer has returned to full
training and is hoping to feature against the Clarets.
2.50pm - Both teams have returned to their respective dressing rooms for
their final preparations. The floodlights are on as darkness threatens to
fall early here on the north banks of the River Humber. West Ham travelled
to Hull in the FA Cup first round in January 1923, coming away with a 3-2
win. A repeat of that result would be most welcome this afternoon.
2.45pm - While the substitutes engage in a spot of two-touch in the centre
of the pitch, fitness coach Antonio Pintus is putting the starting XI
through their paces with some shuttle runs on the touchline. In the penalty
area, Ludek Miklosko is warming up young goalkeepers Peter Kurucz and Marek
Stech.
2.40pm - West Ham will be feeling confident of scoring their first win at
the KC Stadium this afternoon. Hull have not been in good form throughout
2009, with only a strong start to last season keeping them in the
top-flight. A victory over Stoke City last time out will have eased the
concerns in this part of the world, but the Hammers will be hoping to
increase the Tigers' worries again this afternoon.
2.35pm - Welcome to the KC Stadium for this afternoon's big Barclays Premier
League fixture. It is unseasonably warm here, so the jumper has stayed in
the bag for the moment. I can also report that the rain that has been
sweeping across the north of the country hasn't arrived in Hull just yet.
But enough of the weather... On the pitch, both teams are going through
their pre-match warm-up routines.
Gianfranco Zola has made three changes to his West Ham United side for
today's Barclays Premier League fixture at Hull City.
At the back, Danny Gabbidon makes his first start since the trip to Wigan
Athletic on 12 September, starting at left-back in place of Jonathan
Spector. Junior Stanislas replaces Luis Jimenez in midfield, while Carlton
Cole is back from a hamstring injury to replace Zavon Hines up front.
Hull have made one change from the 2-1 win at Stoke City a fortnight ago,
bringing in Essex-born Dean Marney for Seyi Olofinjana.
West Ham are seeking their first win at the KC Stadium, having not won at
Hull since the 1954/55 season. Should they taste victory this afternoon, the
Hammers will leapfrog the Tigers out of the bottom-three.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Da Costa, Upson, Gabbidon, Collison.
Parker, Behrami, Stansislas, Franco, Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Spector, Daprela, Kovac, Jimenez, Hines, Nouble
Hull City: Duke, Mendy, Zayatte, Gardner, Dawson, Garcia, Marney, Bullard,
Hunt, Altidore, Fagan
Subs: Myhill, McShane, Kilbane, Boateng, Geovanni, Barmby, Vennegoor of
Hesselink
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'It was a crazy game'
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola is maintaining a positive outlook after Saturday's Barclays
Premier League draw at Hull City
21.11.2009
Gianfranco Zola has admitted his players must learn how to preserve a lead
after Saturday's 3-3 Barclays Premier League draw at Hull City. Zola's West
Ham United stormed into a 2-0 lead in just eleven minutes through Guille
Franco and Jack Collison, only to allow the Tigers to fight back with three
goals of their own before half-time. The Hammers regrouped well after the
break, equalising through Manuel Da Costa after Hull defender Bernard Mendy
was sent-off for a professional foul on Scott Parker. The rollercoaster game
followed a similar pattern to many West Ham matches this season, with goals
and chances in abundance at both ends. The club's last nine league matches
have featured 36 goals - 16 for the Hammers and 20 for their opponents - and
the manager is eager to stop conceding so frequently in upcoming fixtures.
"It was a crazy game. At 2-0 up, I couldn't see them coming back at all
because we looked in control. Then, they got their first goal that was a
deflection to send the ball into the top-corner and, maybe, we should then
have done better with the second goal. And the third goal certainly wasn't a
penalty at all. That was the story of today. "After that, it was tough to
come to back but the reaction from the team was excellent and I'm delighted.
At the end of the day we got a point but we could've had even more because
we had a couple of chances and could've got another goal. "It was a strange
game. Maybe we could've handled it better, when we were 2-0 up but I must
say that Hull City came back well and they played a good game. They did very
well. "Certainly, I'm not pleased that this is the second successive away
game where we've given away a two-goal lead but we've scored a lot of goals
this year. We need to focus on defending a little bit better. I'm aware of
that."
While Zola is concerned about the number of goals his team is conceding, two
of Hull's three owed more than a little to good fortune. The Tigers' opener
saw Jimmy Bullard's free-kick hit both Parker and Cole on its way into the
top corner, while Zola claimed referee Mark Clattenburg's decision to award
a spot-kick for Julien Faubert's challenge on Craig Fagan was harsh. "I'm
definitely sure that it wasn't a penalty but referees are there and
sometimes they make mistakes and we can't do anything about that. The good
thing for me was our reaction, which I'm delighted about."
While Zola questioned Clattenburg's penalty decision, he believed the
official had been right to send-off Mendy. "I think it was a foul for the
sending off. It was a clear goal-scoring occasion and the referee was even
closer than me. I think that our players were confident that it would be a
goal. I think we would have scored, too, because I know how good we are in
front of goal! I'm sure that Scott Parker would've scored."
While his team will be eager to pull away from the lower end of the table
sooner rather than later, Zola was still upbeat when asked if the Hammers
were embroiled in a relegation battle. "Obviously we are not in a position
where we can say that we're going for a place in the Champions League but
it's still early days. I accept that the club is not in a very good
position, but we're aware of that and there's a long way to go. What I can
see is a team playing well and we're not very far from picking up victories
rather than draws or defeats. "I remain confident because we've got good
players in this squad and we're going to be all right."
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Honours even at Hull
WHUFC.com
West Ham United shared six goals with Hull City in a thrilling Barclays
Premier League encounter
21.11.2009
West Ham United and Hull City shared a six-goal Barclays Premier League
thriller at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Hammers were two up in
eleven minutes courtesy of a pair of cracking headers from Guille Franco and
Jack Collison. Carlton Cole unluckily deflected in Jimmy Bullard's free-kick
to get the hosts back into the game before Kamil Zayatte levelled matters
with a volley from eight yards. Bullard rounded off a dramatic opening 45
minutes by putting Hull in front from the penalty spot. Bernard Mendy was
sent-off before Manuel Da Costa's first goal for the club set up a dramatic
finish but neither side could find a winner in front of a 24,909-strong
crowd. Hull had an early warning of what was to come within 60 seconds when
Valon Behrami shot straight down the throat of Matt Duke. And, just four
minutes later, Gianfranco Zola's side took the lead from a corner. Junior
Stanislas, in for muscle injury victim Mark Noble, cut the ball back to the
fit-again Cole, but his shot was blocked by Andy Dawson. Stanislas took the
flag-kick and Franco powered a superb low header past Duke.
The Mexico international played a major a role in the Hammers' second when
his exquisite 40-yard ball forward was met with a looping header from
Collison that left Duke stranded. The Wales international was understandably
delighted and celebrated by pointing to the sky. Hull were floored from the
early one-two, but were not knocked out and Robert Green had to show some
good command of his area to clear several dangerous crosses with his fists.
He was helpless 18 minutes before the break, though, as the Tigers began
their comeback. Jimmy Bullard's free-kick from 30 yards took two fortuitous
deflections, the latter off Cole before beating the stranded Green.
Parker had a half-hearted shout for a penalty waved away by Mark Clattenburg
before seeing his shot fly straight at Duke. Hull drew level when Zayatte
turned in Stephen Hunt's free-kick before Julien Faubert was adjudged to
have nudged Craig Fagan in the back in added-time. Bullard made no mistake
from 12 yards to complete a remarkable first-half turnaround for the hosts.
The second half carried on where the first had ended with Franco flashing a
shot wide within five minutes of the restart before Hull were reduced to ten
men four minutes later when last-man Mendy was dismissed for bringing down
Parker.
Phil Brown reorganised his defence by changing another former Hammer,
Richard Garcia, for Paul McShane. Zola responded by swapping Behrami for
Zavon Hines, with Collison moving to the centre of midfield and the
youngster playing wide on the right flank.
Franco survived a scary moment. After picking up a yellow card for a tug on
Hunt, he escaped further punishment minutes later for a foul on Jozy
Altidore.
The Hammers drew level on 69 minutes from another corner. Stanislas' kick
fell kindly to the feet of Da Costa and the central defender made no mistake
with a ruthless left-foot finish from eight yards to set up a blockbuster
climax. Franco was replaced by Luis Jimenez following an all-action display
and the Chilean came within inches of winning it after picking up Parker's
pass and firing into the side netting. Stanislas had an even better chance
to win it with four minutes to go but he could only head Faubert's cross
into the ground and over the bar. Then, in added time, Collison's header
from the same provider had Duke scrambling across his line to claw the ball
to safety.
West Ham United, who climbed one place to 17th with their point, return to
Barclays Premier League action next Saturday when they play host to Burnley.
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Loanees in action
WHUFC.com
Three of West Ham United's youngsters turned out for their respective loan
clubs on Saturday
21.11.2009
While the first team were playing out a six-goal Barclays Premier League
thriller at Hull City, three of West Ham United's loanees had a busy
Saturday afternoon in the Coca-Cola Football League. In the Championship,
Freddie Sears' cross-shot was converted by Darren Ambrose to earn the Eagles
a point from a 1-1 draw at Coventry City. Sears played for 70 minutes at the
Ricoh Arena before being replaced by Trinidad and Tobago striker Stern John.
In the same division, central defender Bondz N'Gala made his second
substitute appearance for Scunthorpe United in the Iron's 3-0 defeat by
Watford at Vicarage Road. Scunthorpe were already 2-0 down when the
20-year-old replaced Matthew Sparrow at half-time. Fellow Hammer Jordan
Spence was not involved.
Into League One and defender Matt Fry completed a full 90 minutes as
Gillingham were edged out 2-1 by Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.
Fry, 19, should be in action again when Gillingham host Yeovil Town on
Tuesday evening.
Midfielder Josh Payne has returned to Chadwell Heath after his loan spell at
Colchester United ended on Friday. U's manager Aidy Boothroyd thanked the
18-year-old for his efforts during his time at the Weston Homes Community
Stadium, during which he made three appearances. "If he hadn't been so close
to West Ham's first-team picture, I think we might have taken him for
another month, but it is best for him to go back and be with his parent
club," said Boothroyd.
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Academy goes global
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United International Academy has launched its American Partner
programme
21.11.2009
The West Ham United International Academy has announced the launch of a
North American Partner Club programme with partnerships agreed with some of
the United States and Canada's top youth football clubs.
The International Academy officially unveiled its partners at the Annual
General Meeting of the United Soccer Leagues to be held in Tampa, Florida.
West Ham United International Academy is the official Barclays Premier
League partner of the United Soccer Leagues.
West Ham United initiatives in the US and Canada formed the basis of the
club's participation in the 2008 MLS All-Star Game in Toronto and a
pre-season friendly match with Columbus Crew. Additionally, the club has
been active in setting up a scouting and partnership network to help cover
the 18 million-plus football players in North America.
Academy Director Tony Carr and his staff have been regular visitors to the
US and Canada over the past few years and, as part of the growth of the
initiative, the West Ham United International Academy has hired Mike
Kelleher, a former FA Premier League Academy staff member, to lead its
partnership development programme.
Speaking from its Atlanta headquarters, Kelleher said: "We have worked hard
to ensure our first partner clubs will fit with the key principles and
standards of the West Ham United Academy.
"We look forward to developing official West Ham United Academy events,
tournaments and to provide a direct pathway for coaches and players to gain
access to the world famous West Ham United Academy for our partner clubs and
to add many more great youth soccer organisations to the West Ham United
Network"
The 2009 West Ham United partner clubs are:
Northern Virginia Soccer was named as the top club by United Soccer Leagues
for the 2009 Super Y League. The club operates teams at every level of the
Super-Y League, in addition to fielding teams in the PDL, W- League and USL
2 pro division, as well as being a dominant participant in Virginia Youth
Soccer. Northern Virginia has also been chosen to host the 2010 West Ham
United USA Academy National Camp. The club includes over 8,500 players
across Northern Virginia and is directed by Mo Sheta.
Erin Mills Soccer Club is ranked as the number one club in Ontario, Canada
by TERRA power rankings. Under the direction of Josef Komlodi, Erin Mills
has already established a record for sending players to West Ham United.
Defender Patrick Soltys visited the club in 2008 and Aaron Vasant and
Yuvneesh Dhalia were invited by Carr to be part of the 2010 Elite Player
visit to West Ham United Academy, scheduled for March of 2010
Alpharetta United Football Club, in partnership with Ambush Elite Soccer
Club, will represent the West Ham United Academy in the Atlanta, GA area.
Alpharetta United was named as the 5th ranked club in the USL Super Y League
for 2009 with a remarkable seven out of ten teams qualifying for the USL
National Championships. The Ambush club continued the winning tradition by
claiming the 2009 US Youth Soccer Region 3 Premier League and winning the
top division at Disney in the U17 Boys Division.
Santa Clara Sporting, from Northern California, is one of the oldest and
most successful competitive youth soccer organisations in the United States.
With over 450 players on 30 teams from under-9 to under-18, Santa Clara
Sporting continues to have a major impact on the local, district, regional
and national soccer scenes. Club director, Carlos Brasil has already been a
visitor to West Ham United's Academy and looks forward to a prosperous
partnership between the two clubs.
Euro Soccer Club will be the first West Ham United partner club in the
Chicago metropolitan area. Under the direction of Paul Keenan and Rob
Etheridge, Euro Soccer Club welcomed Carr and his academy staff at a talent
identification event ahead of the MLS All-Star game in 2008. Chicago is also
the home city of West Ham United favourite and US international Jonathan
Spector.
Newport Mesa Soccer Club, serving the Newport Beach area close to Los
Angeles, CA plays in the highly competitive, Coast Soccer League. Director
of Coaching Tamiko Davila and assistants Craig Harrington and Chris Klein
(22 caps, USA) have already shown a commitment to integrating the West Ham
United Way of Coaching and Player Development into the club operations and
are looking forward to seeing the club grow in partnership with the West Ham
United International Academy.
The West Ham United International Academy will be hosting a series of Elite
Player ID Events with partner clubs during 2010, culminating in the West Ham
United National Camp. The final camp will be directed by Carr and his senior
staff from the Academy and will be held in the Washington DC area in July
2010. Partner clubs will be hosting local and regional Player ID events to
serve players in their local communities through the spring and early summer
of 2010.
In addition, the club will be launching the West Ham United Academy Cup
Tournament in 2011, featuring West Ham United Academy teams participating in
North America. Partner club tournaments will become West Ham United Academy
Cup qualifying events, with top division winners gaining automatic
qualification for the 2011 West Ham United Academy Cup Tournament and a
chance to face off with the famous West Ham Untied Youth and Academy teams.
For further information on the West Ham United International Academy, click
here or email Kelleher at mkelleher@westhamunited.co.uk
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Charlton too strong
WHUFC.com
Tony Carr's Under-18s lost to the odd goal in three at Charlton Athletic on
Saturday
21.11.2009
Charlton Athletic U18s 2-1 West Ham United U18s
West Ham United Under-18s' six-match unbeaten run came to an end with defeat
at Charlton Athletic on Saturday. After an even opening 45 minutes, the
hosts took the lead midway through the second half. Tony Carr's side hit
back soon after, though, with Robert Hall's third goal in two games. Jack
Werndly went close to putting the Hammers ahead with two chances in quick
succession. The 16-year-old could not quite convert a one-on-one with the
goalkeeper before heading a Hall cross into the ground and over the bar. It
was not to be West Ham's day though, as Charlton sealed the points with a
winner in the 80th minute. Carr said: "We conceded two poor goals and missed
two good chances. It's a game we shouldn't have lost but if you don't do the
basics right you lose the game and we didn't do the basics well enough."
West Ham United: Loveday, Barrett (Modelski 70), Smith, Craig, Brown, Lampe,
Moncur (Okus 80), Wearen, Abdulla (Wearndly 70), Hall, Montano
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Hull 3 - 3 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
By Les Roopanarine
Hull City retrieved a two-goal deficit to claim a point despite finishing
the game with 10 men in a thrilling encounter against West Ham. West Ham's
Guillermo Franco nodded home a Junior Stanislas corner before Jack Collison
headed in Franco's long pass. But Hull hit back in dramatic fashion, Jimmy
Bullard drilling in a deflected free-kick and a penalty either side of a
near-post strike from Kamil Zayatte. Bernard Mendy saw red before Manuel Da
Costa struck to give West Ham a point. It was a breathlessly unpredictable
encounter, yet one which did little for either side in their bid to pull
clear of the lower reaches of the Premier League. Having been two down with
only 11 minutes on the clock, Hull's Phil Brown will doubtless be the
happier of the two managers. But West Ham counterpart Gianfranco Zola will
rue his side's failure to protect a two-goal lead for the second time in
under a month. The beleaguered Brown had called on his players to reproduce
the spirit and level of performance exhibited against Stoke, but a vibrant
start from West Ham threw Hull into early disarray. The fingers of Matt
Duke, deputising for the injured Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal, were still
smarting from an early Valon Behrami effort when Stanislas aimed a
well-flighted corner, West Ham's first of the game, into the six-yard box.
Shrugging off the attentions of Richard Garcia, Franco nodded a firm
downward header beyond Duke to claim his second Premier League goal since
his summer arrival from Villarreal. With the irrepressible Bullard pulling
the strings in midfield, Hull sought a swift riposte and might have been
rewarded when a Stephen Hunt corner caused momentary mayhem in the West Ham
area. Yet just as Hull seemed to be getting a foothold in the game, West Ham
doubled their lead. Gathering the ball from a position deep on the left
flank, Franco clipped a precise ball towards Collison, who out-jumped Andy
Dawson to direct a header over the poorly-positioned Duke.
Again Hull refused to be bowed, continuing to press forward as an end-to-end
encounter developed. With the half hour approaching, Hull finally translated
their enterprise into more tangible reward, pulling a goal back through a
Bullard free-kick that flew into Green's top left-hand corner after
ricocheting off Scott Parker and Cole in rapid succession. With Bullard
increasingly influential - one cross-field pass to Hunt was nothing short of
majestic - the mind drifted back to West Ham's late-October visit to
Sunderland, where Zola's men relinquished a two-goal lead to draw 2-2.
Sure enough, with the interval looming Hull won a free-kick that was curled
towards the near post by Hunt before being sweetly turned in by Zayatte.
Worse quickly followed for the Hammers when referee Mark Clattenburg awarded
what looked a harsh penalty against Julien Faubert for a foul on Craig
Fagan, who was backing into the Frenchman on the edge of the area. Bullard
converted the spot-kick with aplomb, firing the ball high to Green's right
to leave the England keeper grasping at thin air. The Hammers looked
shell-shocked as they trudged back to the dressing room, but the second
period was barely nine minutes old when Mendy's dismissal paved the way for
further drama. As Parker raced towards the Hull area he was unceremoniously
upended by the Frenchman, who, as the last defender, had to go. Within 15
minutes West Ham were level, Da Costa turning in a Stanislas corner from
close range to set up a dramatic finale. The game ended amid a flurry of
chances at either end, with Hammers substitute Luis Jimenez particularly
culpable when he brushed the side netting after being fed by Parker. Hull
then cried foul when substitute Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink went down under a
Matthew Upson challenge, but Clattenburg dismissed the appeal. Arguably the
best opportunity fell to Collison, whose late header was brilliantly parried
by Duke, leaving both sides with a deserved point.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Hull manager Phil Brown:"I'm disappointed we've dropped two points, but
we're playing some good football now. "In the face of adversity there was a
lot of speculation about myself, the team and the club, but we've shown
spirit. "We ground out the point in the end, but the players are more
relaxed and they're playing better."
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:"We are scoring a lot of goals, we just
need to defend a little bit better. "Certain things are not working well and
we just need to focus and get them right. "I didn't see the third goal as a
penalty, but Hull played well."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hull City 3 West Ham Utd 3
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 21st November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola's West Ham United grabbed what could prove to be a vital
point in a thrilling encounter at the KC Stadium this afternoon - but should
have taken all three.
West Ham - who had found themselves in the driving seat after early goals
from Guillermo Franco and Jack Collison - threw away a two goal lead for the
second successive away fixture before going on to concede a third - and all
before half time.
Hull - hugely assisted by the unsurprisingly appalling Mark Clattenburg -
turned the game around with three goals in 19 minutes to lead 3-2 at the
break before Manuel Da Costa saved United's blushes with a second half
equaliser, coming after the home side had been reduced to ten men.
The Hammers took the lead in a quite extraordinary opening 45 minutes when
Mexican international Franco ghosted in to nod home a Junior Stanislas
corner after just five minutes. That lead was doubled on 11 minutes when
goalscorer turned provider; Franco delivering a delightful flighted cross
which Collison met with a looping header.
A quite astonishing comeback - from a side that have won just five times in
2009 - began on 27 minutes when Hull were awarded a decidedly soft free kick
to the left of United's penalty box. Former Hammer Jimmy Bullard's delivery
was deflected first off Scott Parker then the unfortunate Carlton Cole,
whose header leaft Rob Green with no chance as it looped into the top
corner.
The Tigers made it 2-2 in the final minute of normal time when Junior
Stanislas gave away an unnecessary free kick, this time to the right of West
Ham's goal. The free kick split Danny Gabbidon and Da Costa allowing Kamil
Zayatte to steal in and stab home.
To cap what had already been a disastrous period for West Ham, referee Mark
Clattenburg somehow managed to exceed himself with a minute of first half
injury time played when he awarded one of the weakest penalties you are ever
likely to see against Julien Faubert. Presumably the Frenchman was penalised
for leaning on Craig Fagan; regardless, Bullard slammed home the resulting
spot kick to put the home side ahead at the break.
The second half began quietly but burst into life on 54 minutes when Hull
were reduced to ten men. Scott Parker's dash through the middle was halted
by a despairing lunge from last-man Bernard Mendy and referee Clattenburg
finally got something right by issuing the errant defender his marching
orders.
The dismissal saw a sea-change in the game as Hull, who had started the
stronger of the two sides following the restart were forced into more
defensive duties as a result of the numerical disadvantage. Unlike in the
games against Fulham or Sunderland, the Hammers finally made an advantage
count when they pulled level through Da Costa on 69 minutes; the centre-half
slamming a loose ball from a corner into the back of the net from the edge
of the six-yard box.
Hopes were high at that point that West Ham would push on and grab the three
points they should have secured long before Da Costa's first goal for the
club. But just as in those aforementioned games against 10 men, if any side
was going to grab a winner it wasn't going to be West Ham.
Phil Brown, who might just not be Out! after all following today's battling
performance made bold substitutions, introducing two attacking players.
Zola's options were once again limited by the quite-simply-not-good-enough
squad he has been left with by CB Holdings and his only real option was to
introduce a barely-interested Luis Jimenez for the booked Franco, who was
taken off for his own safety having been given a final warning by
Clattenburg following a late challenge on Jozy Altidore.
The failure to dismiss Franco was just one of many decisions the
inconsistant Clattenburg got wrong during the game. Hull had benefitted
hugely from his decisions with at least two of their three goals coming from
contentious calls, although the Hammers were also fortunate not to concede a
penalty in the closing minutes when Matthew Upson climbed all over Vennegoor
of Hesselink - a challenge far more deserving of a penalty than that which
saw Faubert penalised in the first half.
Of course, had West Ham not gifted their opponents too much ground in the
lead up to the goals those decisions would never have been made - and it has
to be said, Zola's team are a shambles defensively at present.
Matthew Upson has never looked less assured in a claret and blue shirt
whilst partner Da Costa, despite the goal, looked anything but a competent
centre half. With a right-winger and centre-half filling in at full back
it's perhaps no surprise that West Ham were once again all over the place;
teams must be relishing playing United right now.
But little blame should be apportioned to Messrs Zola and Clarke, who have
seen the likes of Craig Bellamy, Lucas Neill and James Collins sold off to
satisfy club owners CB Holdings without satisfactory replacements being
made.
One can only hope that the club's ownership situation can be resolved sooner
rather than later, else it could prove to be a long, hard winter for West
Ham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diamanti rejects rumours
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 21st November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Alessandro Diamanti has brushed off speculation concerning his future
following reports that he is unhappy in England. A report on SkySports
earlier this week under the heading 'Diamanti Struggling to Adjust' carried
quotes from Livorno president Aldo Spinelli claiming that the advanced
midfielder had told him he was struggling to adapt to life in London.
"Diamanti rang me admitting that it is hard to get into the style of English
football," Spinelli is reported to have told Italian channel Radio Kiss
Kiss. "For him, everything has happened so quick".
However Diamanti - who has been ruled out of this afternoon's trip to Hull
with a minor muscular injury - has dismissed the rumours, telling colleagues
that he couldn't be happier at West Ham, whilst adding that he hasn't spoken
to Spinelli in some considerable time. In other news, Luis Boa Morte - out
of action since sustaining cruciate ligament damage during the pre-season
friendly with Tottenham - has returned to Portugal to continue his
rehabilitation. The 31-year-old winger, whose three-and-a-half year contract
expires next summer, is not expected to return to action until March/April
of 2010 at the earliest.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Points shared in KC thriller
Ten-man Tigers come from two down to deny Hammers
Last updated: 22nd November 2009
SSN
MATCH FACTS
Man of the match: Scott Parker. Just shaded his midfield rival Jimmy
Bullard. It was his drive through the midfield which led to Bernard Mendy's
red card.
Talking points: Plenty to discuss. Mendy's sending off looked justified but
Franco was lucky to stay on after a couple of debatable challenges. He was
substituted soon after his clash with Hunt. The Tigers also had a good case
for a penalty when Upson climbed all over Vennegoor of Hesselink but the
referee, who gave a soft spot-kick earlier, was unmoved.
Hull City came from two goals down to share the points with fellow
strugglers West Ham in a 3-3 draw which had everything. In a week dominated
by refereeing controversy it was fitting Mark Clattenburg should have been
at the centre of many key moments. The official gave a controversial penalty
converted by Jimmy Bullard which saw the Tigers complete their comeback from
two goals down on the stroke of half-time. Then with the second half just
nine minutes old, Clattenburg sent off City's Bernard Mendy for a
professional foul on the inspirational Scott Parker. The resulting
free-kick failed to find the net but the Hammers did grab an equaliser on 69
minutes through Manuel Da Costa to add to earlier headers from Guillermo
Franco and Jack Collison. Even when down to ten men, the Tigers still
pressed for a winner and had a strong penalty shout turned down with seven
minutes remaining when Matthew Upson climbed all over Jan Vennegoor of
Hesselink but the referee waved away the hosts' strong protests. The result
was enough to ensure both sides ended the day sitting outside the relegation
zone.
A compelling game got off to an extraordinary start as West Ham scored twice
inside the opening 11 minutes. Franco found space to head in Junior
Stanislas' cross with five minutes on the clock. Then West Ham doubled their
lead soon when Franco sent a speculative cross into the area but Collison
got ahead of Andy Dawson to meet it with a looping header that dropped over
Matt Duke. Yet City, led by the effervescent Bullard, refused to let spirits
drop and got back into the game thanks to a stroke of fortune after 26
minutes.
Jozy Altidore won a free-kick on the edge of the area and there was little
on Bullard's mind other than shooting as he lined up the free-kick. His
initial effort appeared on target but it would not have found its way in had
it not bounced up of Parker and then skimmed Carlton Cole's head to arc over
Robert Green.
Hull then pressed for an equaliser and Bullard picked out Mendy with a
superb crossfield pass but the Frenchman's effort was blocked by Danny
Gabbidon.
West Ham did not hold out much longer and, remarkably, the Tigers were in
front by half-time. First Stephen Hunt clipped in a free-kick from the right
and Kamil Zayatte turned unmarked to volley powerfully past Green. West Ham
were then stung again as Craig Fagan went down easily under a challenge from
Julien Faubert on the edge of the area. Clattenburg pointed to the spot and
Bullard smashed home to emphatically open his Hull account. Despite the
turnaround, the game was far from over and West Ham were given a way back in
as Hull were reduced to 10 men after 53 minutes. Clattenburg had no option
other than to send Mendy off as he slid in to deny Parker a clear
goalscoring opportunity. Hull survived as Stanislas curled his shot wide
from the resulting free-kick and Duke had to be alert when the same player
tried his luck from distance. West Ham were rewarded for a good spell of
pressure when they pulled themselves level after 68 minutes as Hull failed
to clear a corner and Da Costa blasted in from close range. West Ham pushed
for a winner but substitute Zavon Hines was booked for diving when he
tangled with Dawson on the edge of the area after a strong run. Hull's
hearts were in their mouths when Luis Jimenez found an opening to shoot but
he could only find the side-netting. Hull wanted another penalty when
Vennegoor of Hesselink went down under an Upson challenge but Clattenburg
played on. Stanislas headed over a late chance for West Ham and Duke also
saved from Collison as Hull held on.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola happy after 'crazy' draw
Hammers boss settles for a share of the spoils in six-goal thriller
By Ben Collins Last updated: 22nd November 2009
SSN
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola was happy to settle for a 3-3 draw after a
"crazy game" with 10-man Hull. The Hammers went 2-0 up inside 11 minutes
through headers by Guillermo Franco and Jack Collison, yet the hosts forged
in front by the break. Hull then had Bernard Mendy sent off for a
professional foul on Scott Parker and Manuel da Costa secured a point for
Zola's men with a 69th-minute equaliser. The visitors may have needed a
late leveller after leading 2-0 early on but Zola was satisfied given the
way his side battled back and almost won it late on. "It was a crazy game,"
he said. "When we were 2-0 up, I couldn't see them coming back because we
looked in control. "Their first goal was a deflection, maybe the second goal
we should have done better and the third goal was a penalty that wasn't a
penalty at all. "After that it was tough to come back but the reaction from
the team was excellent and I am delighted for them. "Maybe we could have
handled it better when we were 2-0 up but I have to say they came back
really well. "At the end of the day we have got a point and it could have
been more because we had a couple of chances to get another goal."
Hull pulled one back when a Jimmy Bullard free-kick deflected off Parker and
Carlton Cole to loop over goalkeeper Robert Green in the 27th minute. Kamil
Zayatte equalised in the 44th minute and moments later Bullard completed a
remarkable turnaround by smashing in a penalty after Craig Fagan was
adjudged to have been fouled. Da Costa's close-range effort ensured a share
of the spoils, though, and meant each side ended the day outside the bottom
three. "Hull City played a good game and did very well to do what they
did," Zola added. "I'm sure it wasn't a penalty for them. Referees sometimes
make mistakes and you can't do anything about that. "But the important thing
for me was the reaction. I am delighted about that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jimmy Bullard helps Hull recover from two-goal deficit in thrilling West Ham
draw
Jamie Jackson at the KC Stadium
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 21 November 2009 17.08 GMT
Jimmy Bullard celebrates after his free-kick led to Hull City's first goal
against West Ham. Photograph: John Clifton/Action Images
Phil Brown may ponder how much more joyous life on the Humber would feel if
Jimmy Bullard had only kept his knee uninjured seconds into his debut last
January and not been eliminated from the Hull manager's plans until last
month. Even then the midfielder's return stalled before Bullard's second
coming a fortnight ago preceded a late, late free-kick that forced an
invaluable winner here against Stoke.
Bullard and his always-intriguing hair flowed all over the field to
illustrate why Brown may have made a shrewd move indeed in acquiring the
31-year-old for £5m, plus his £45,000-a-week wages. Bullard's first-half
performance, in particular, offered the home crowd an exhilarating reminder
of why they love the old game, and their manager became a local hero when
taking over in December 2006.
Yet after 13 minutes the reverse emotion threatened to swamp the KC Stadium
as Hull fell two behind. At that juncture Brown may have wished Adam
Pearson, the new chairman, had placed the scotch and revolver under his
place on the bench for the moment when he could no longer ignore the fact
that the time had arrived for him to do the honourable thing.
Jimmy Bullard's influence on Hull City was obvious against West Ham. He
strung together 55 succesful passes, pulling the strings in the midfield as
all of Hull City's play came through him. Contrast it with Dean Marney's
contribution in a similar position against Portsmouth earlier this season,
in which the midfielder managed just 18 succesful passes and the team's
performance remained low on quality.
Within five minutes, Guillermo Franco, a 33-year-old Mexican striker
acquired on a free, headed home for the visitors. Their second arrived when
Franco punted a diagonal ball from the left that plopped on to Jack
Collison's head and looped over a stranded Matt Duke.
Cue Brown hoping to disguise deep concern over his immediate career
prospects by offering a nonchalant puff of the cheeks, while surely
wondering why he had bothered with all the training-ground drills concerning
the fundamental need to attack the first ball. Gianfranco Zola, meanwhile,
whose team had woken a place and point behind their hosts, confessed that it
had been hard for him to envisage City stemming the slick, smooth play which
had given them such ascendancy.
"I could not see them coming back at all because we were playing so well,"
the Italian reflected on what was about to unfold. Bullard took charge,
insisting Hull's play should be constantly threaded through him, and on 26
minutes he had yanked them back into proceedings.
The former Fulham playmaker stepped up to blast a free-kick from the left of
the area which hit an onrushing Scott Parker before the ball skidded in off
Carlton Cole's head. Then, a Stephen Hunt free-kick was volleyed cleanly
beyond Robert Green by a lurking Kamil Zayatte, a minute before the break.
When Faubert pulled Craig Fagan down, Bullard – who else? – finished to make
it 3-2, and that was a vintage half closed. "It was definitely not a penalty
but referees make mistakes and we can't do anything about it," Zola said,
before offering a tribute to his troops' effort in producing their own
comeback: "Our reaction was excellent and I'm pleased. It was a good point
from a strange game."
Bernard Mendy received a red card for levelling Scott Parker, before West
Ham's equaliser arrived from Manuel Da Costa – Matthew Upson emerging from a
melee to knock the ball on for the Portuguese defender. How, then, had Brown
digested it all? "Very entertaining, fantastic. If I was sat with a pie and
Bovril at half-time there would have been lots to talk about." On Bullard he
added: "He's infectious, bubbly, he's here to play football."
In Bullard, Brown may just have found the way to keep his winter warm.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hull City 3 West Ham United 3: match report
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Hull City and
West Ham United at the KC Stadium on Saturday Nov 21, 2009.
Telegraph
By David McVay at the KC Stadium
Published: 5:18PM GMT 21 Nov 2009
Jimmy Bullard emerged as the hero of the hour for Hull City at the KC
Stadium but even his emotional contribution could not inspire a much needed
victory for the home side. Bullard scored from the spot against West Ham
United as Hull retrieved a two goal deficit only to settle for a share of
the spoils when Bernard Mendy was sent off for a professional foul eight
minutes after half-time. It was in January this year that Bullard made his
ill-fated debut for Hull, away at West Ham, and suffered the long term
injury that saw him sidelined for several months following his £5miillion
move north from Fulham. However, his second home game could not have begun
in a more disastrous fashion as the Londoners secured a comfortable cushion
within 11 minutes thanks largely to some pitiful Hull defending. Guillermo
Franco headed their first from a Junior Stanislas corner, a tame header
arriving from inside the six yard box. It got worse for under-pressure Hull
manager Phil Brown when Jack Collison met Franco's cross and the ball
somehow looped over a stranded Matt Duke. Bullard, though, began the
recovery in the 27th minute when his free kick bounced through the defensive
wall before Carlton Cole deflected it over his own goalkeeper Robert Green
for 2-1. If Hull's defending was poor, West Ham proved they could do
anything just as lamentably when Stephen Hunt's deep free kick from the
right reached Kamil Zayatte who gleefully volleyed the equaliser from close
range and totally unmarked. A minute later, in time added on during the
first half, Julien Flaubert's clumsy push on Craig Fagan elicited a penalty
which Bullard smashed beyond Green with Hull in command. But when Scott
Parker pierced the hub of the Hull back four, the covering Mendy timed his
tackle badly and referee Mark Clattenburg had little option other than to
show him a red card. Hull might have hung on but more careless defending
from a corner allowed Manuel da Costa to sweep the loose ball past Duke and
salvage a point apiece that neither side really wanted in this relegation
contest.
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Jimmy Bullard pulls the strings to keep Hull in touch
Hull 3 West Ham 3
The Times
Richard Rae at KC stadium
HULL'S manager, Phil Brown, likes to insist the performance is what matters,
because if you get that right the results tend to take care of themselves.
For half an hour or so the Tigers were at their best yesterday, with Jimmy
Bullard genuinely inspirational, but before and after that purple patch the
claret shirts of West Ham dominated. The result was a game of extraordinary
incident. The portents for City were not good when Valon Behrami was given
time to shoot straight at Matt Duke in the first minute. They got a lot
worse after Guillermo Franco wrestled himself goal-side of his marker,
Richard Garcia, to head a Junior Stanislas corner past the flat-footed Duke.
Worse was to come for City, in every sense. Franco's long, deep cross should
have been easily dealt with by a defence with two tall centre-halves but
Jack Collison found himself jumping against the relatively diminutive
full-back Andy Dawson and happily looped his header over the stranded Duke
to make it 2-0 after 11 minutes. West Ham supporters, remembering the manner
in which their side had surrendered a two-goal lead at Sunderland last
month, knew the game was not over, however, and before the half-hour City
were back in it. Luck was very much on their side when Bullard's driven free
kick was deflected first by the foot of Scott Parker and then by the head of
Carlton Cole before drifting into the top corner of Robert Green's goal.
Talk about a game-changer. Suddenly City were dominant, Bullard everywhere,
one cross-field angled ball to Bernard Mendy a pass of international
quality. A minute before the break, Kamil Zayatte swept Stephen Hunt's free
kick past Green and then, incredibly, Hull went into the break ahead. Craig
Fagan made the most of Julien Faubert's mistimed challenge by collapsing in
the penalty area as he felt the contact, Mark Clattenburg pointed at the
spot and Bullard triumphantly thrashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Eight minutes after the break the game changed again when Parker, about to
burst into the City penalty area, was blatantly brought down by Mendy. The
full-back had to go. Brown sent on Paul McShane for Garcia, pulled Craig
Fagan back into midfield and left the young American Jozy Altidore on his
own up front.
Now it was West Ham's turn to pile on the pressure. It paid off when Manuel
Da Costa rose to meet a Hammers corner, headed the ball against Altidore and
lashed home the rebound. Luis Jimenez, played in by the alert Parker, should
have scored the winner and Collison's stoppage-time header brought a good
diving save from Duke as Hull hung on for a point they deserved. "It was a
crazy game. I couldn't see them coming back at all because we were in
control, but after they did so I was pleased with our attitude," said the
Hammers manager, Gianfranco Zola. "I'm sure it wasn't a penalty for them.
Referees sometimes make mistakes and you can't do anything about that."
Brown claimed: "We didn't deserve to be two down, but even then the players
looked like they were enjoying themselves. Jimmy Bullard is giving us
belief, his teammates trust him with the ball."
Star man: Jimmy Bullard (Hull)
Yellow cards: West Ham: Stanislas, Franco, Hines, Jimenez
Red card: Hull: Mendy
Referee: M Clattenburg
Attendance: 24,909
HULL: Duke 5, Mendy 5, Zayatte 6, Gardner 6, Dawson 5, Garcia 6 (McShane
56min, 6), Marney 7, Bullard 9, Hunt 7 (Geovanni 84min), Altidore 6
(Vennegoor of Hesselink 73min), Fagan 6
WEST HAM: Green 6, Faubert 5, Da Costa 6, Upson 6, Gabbidon 5, Collison 6,
Behrami 6 (Hines 60min, 5), Parker 8, Stanislas 6, Franco 7 (Jimenez 69min),
Cole 6
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West Ham to cover Nigel Quashie's wage when he joins Milton Keynes on loan
By Rob Draper, Mail on Sunday Chief Football Writer
Last updated at 12:05 AM on 22nd November 2009
Daily Mail
Cash-strapped West Ham United will continue to pay £20,000-a-week in wages
to unwanted midfielder Nigel Quashie when he joins MK Dons on loan this
week. Quashie will join Paul Ince's League One club after the Hammers agreed
to carry on paying all but a small percentage of his £21,000-a-week salary.
The arrangement will stun West Ham fans whose club have been in dire
financial straits since their Icelandic owners were badly hit by the
international banking collapse. Former manager Alan Curbishley walked out
after the club sold Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney behind his back a
year ago while current manager Gianfranco Zola has also seen players like
Craig Bellamy leave to help balance the books. Quashie, 31, has been capped
by Scotland but has not played for West Ham this season and is not part of
Zola's plans. He has made only seven Premier League starts since signing
from West Bromwich in a £1.5million deal in January 2007. West Ham are £85m
in debt and there are fears key men like Matthew Upson may be sold.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
CANNY BROWN CAN CAUSE ZOLA ECLIPSE
Hull City 3 West Ham 3
News Of The World
By Aidan Magee, 21/11/2009
WHATEVER you think about Phil Brown, he's been around the block. Years spent
in Sam Allardyce's shadow, watching, listening, learning. Storing away the
things that worked, discarding that which didn't fit his character or style.
A vertiginous learning curve at Derby followed by the kind of Premier League
arrival with Hull that might have broken lesser men. He's made mistakes,
Brown will be the first to admit that. But there's one essential commodity
that will stand him in good stead for as long as Hull keep faith in him -
the fella's got experience. Compare that to Brown's rival in the away
dugout. A wonderful, often magical, player. A role model, the epitome of
absolute professionalism. But what has Gianfranco Zola got to fall back on
as the dark days at the bottom of the table draw in? A few months as
assistant to Gigi Casiraghi with Italy's U21s, that's the total of his
managerial experience before he was pitched head-first into the car crash of
Upton Park. So when it matters, when the dogfight in which these two clubs
will inevitably find themselves embroiled comes in the spring, who are you
going to trust? It's not going to come down to who they buy because,
frankly, neither lot will have a sheckel to spend in January. It's going to
come down to tactics, man-management and pure inspiration. Brown has been
through it before last season. For Zola, it's something he rarely witnessed
in a stellar career.
It might come down to which boardroom blinks first but until then, the
shrewd money is moving to Hull. Yes, Brown will be distraught at having seen
three points slip away but it's a point that keeps West Ham pinned in the
bottom three and Hull one step ahead of the drop. Neither manager will be
truly satisfied. Not when both teams had justifiable reasons to think the
win should have been theirs. But how can you account for the kind of
brain-dead defending which constantly scars West Ham's season? And how long
can any team - let alone one shorn of confidence like Hull - cope with
holding out with just 10 men?
It's the kind of situation that takes fate out of a manager's hands. All you
can do from the touchline is pray there's somebody on the other side of that
white line with the capability to lead from the front. In Jimmy Bullard,
Brown has such a player. Stricken with injuries from the moment he set foot
in the KC Stadium, Bullard has been missed. His track record of inspiring
rattled and terrified colleagues is undoubted. His return at Craven Cottage
under Roy Hodgson saw Fulham survive. Now he has to perform the same feat on
Humberside. There's something about the gap-toothed grin and hair that looks
as if it's been combed with a toffee apple that appeals. The fact he's
fought back from two serious injuries adds to the Bullard aura. Even when
West Ham galloped into a two-goal lead within 11 minutes through Guillermo
Franco and Jack Collison, the indomitable Bullard spirit fizzed around this
Meccano-set stadium.
The bloke makes his own luck - as the best players always seem to do. His
long range free-kick caught Scott Parker, flipped up and skimmed off Cole's
head to drag Hull back into the game. That ebullience was infectious and
Kamil Zayatte decided it was his turn for the spectacular with a volley past
Rob Green. Zola had time to reflect on the kind of absurdity that can get
managers the sack when Hull somehow went ahead before the break, Craig Fagan
slumping under the slightest of touches from Julien Faubert. Bullard - who
else? - deliriously thumped home the penalty.
As a horse racing fan, Brown knows there is no such thing as home and hosed
until the finishing post has been left behind and when Bernard Mendy hauled
back Parker to deny a clear run-in on goal, Mark Clattenburg's red card was
inevitable. Thirty-seven minutes to survive? Not a likely proposition. So
when Manuel Da Costa struck from close range, Brown may have been dejected
but he wasn't surprised. After all, he's been here before. This time,
though, he's got a reference point. Zola has nothing...and that could be the
most telling factor in all this.
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DI CANIO BACKS HAMMERS TO STAY UP
NOTW
DI CANIO: Still idolised at West Ham
By James Masters, 21/11/2009
PAOLO DI CANIO has backed West Ham to fight their way out of trouble despite
their nightmare start to the season. The Hammers legend spent four years at
Upton Park between 1999-2003. And he reckons boss Gianfranco Zola has far
too much quality at his disposal for his side to be relegated. Di Canio, who
is desperate to make an emotional return to the club as manager in the
future, says Zola must be given time to turn the club around. He said:
"Robert Green, Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Carlton Cole up front... you have
international players everywhere. This can't be the position for West Ham
but of course it is a bad moment. "There were many changes in the past and a
few players that came in like Luis Jimenez and Alessandro Diamante. Now it
is not easy to connect all together. "Every year you change lots of things.
Sometimes the job can go well quickly and sometimes you need time to get all
together.
"But I am sure there is quality in the technical staff and the players that
can get out of this situation."
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Ex-West Ham boss Curbishley slams foreign owners
22.11.09 | tribalfootball.com
Former West Ham United and Charlton Athletic boss Alan Curbishley has hit
out at the Premiership's foreign owners. Curbishley has settled his
compensation despite with the Hammers. And he told the Sunday Mirror: "It
used to be the case that the local boy done good and bought the club. "He
was part of it and understood the expectations. Now people are coming in
from outside who perhaps don't understand the club's expectations. They
don't understand you sometimes have to have bad times to get good times."
West Ham were bought by a consortium led by Eggert Magnusson in November
2006. It is now owned by Icelandic bank Straumur – but Magnusson is reported
to be interested in a return. Curbs added: "Football has a different
ownership now. It makes everything short-termist. The only chairman who has
slipped under the radar is Randy Lerner at Aston Villa. "Everyone else has
things written about them, but not him. Most don't know his name. He and
Martin O'Neill are a nice pairing."
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