Joe glad to be back
WHUFC.com
A chance to return to the Boleyn Ground was too good to miss for England
midfielder Joe Cole
02.06.2010
West Ham United fans can meet Tony Carr at the Stadium store from 1pm on
Thursday and pass on their best wishes for his testimonial year - just as
Joe Cole has done. The England midfielder - gearing up for the FIFA World
Cup after being named in Fabio Capello's final 23-man squad - was delighted
to be involved when the Academy Director staged his testimonial match last
month. Cole came all the way through the Hammers youth ranks to the first
team before progressing to full international honours. "Tony has been a
great coach and a big part of my upbringing in football, I don't think I
would be the player I am if it was not for Tony and the Academy staff I
worked with when I was here. "I really appreciate what I was given here at
West Ham and it is nice that so many of the lads came back and we were able
to say thanks to Tony like this."
Cole remains in close contact with Carr and keeps a keen interest in who
might be the next player off the production line. "He is still going, still
telling me about the young players he has now coming through. He's excited
about a few of them and he is waiting for the next lot to come through as
well now." Although unable to play in the match back on 5 May because of
club commitments with Chelsea, Cole was grateful for the welcome he received
from the Hammers faithful. "I can't thank the West Ham fans enough for the
reaction they gave us. All of us who have come back were delighted about
that. It is nice to appreciate what the club have done for me and also the
fans appreciate what I done for the club. I am very happy at that." "I have
only all good memories of my time here, no bad at all. It was great winning
the FA Youth Cup here, making my debut for the first team and playing with
some great players like Paolo. "It was great to see him and be on the pitch
with him again. He's still the same, still wants to do everything and is as
energetic as ever out there. It was a cracking night."
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Green gives back
WHUFC.com
Robert Green was the guest of honour at the Norfolk FA's new Football
Development Centre
02.06.2010
Robert Green took time out from packing his kit for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
to open the Norfolk FA's new Football Development Centre. The West Ham
United and England goalkeeper has strong ties to the county, coming through
the ranks at Norwich City before going on to make 241 first-team appearances
for the Canaries. Green spent four years with the club's Academy between
1992 and 1996 before making his debut in an East Anglian derby with Ipswich
Town at the age of just 19 in April 1999. During his time at Norwich, Green
was capped by England at Under-16, U18, B and senior level, making his full
debut against Colombia in May 2005. Since joining the Hammers in August
2006, the 30-year-old has made a further 152 first-team appearances and
become England's No1 goalkeeper, earning ten caps in total. After unveiling
a special plaque to mark the centre's opening, Green met aspiring local
young footballers before speaking to members of the media about his
impending inclusion in England's World Cup squad, as well as the Three
Lions' chances of success in South Africa. "This facility can encourage
people and can really help promote football within the community," said
Green. "It will encourage kids to play football and help Norfolk and Norwich
in both a football sense and a community sense."
The centre, situated in the Norwich suburb of Bowthorpe, boasts eight
small-sided pitches and one larger arena, all of which are fully floodlit
and possess state-of-the-art third-generation surfaces. The Norfolk FA hope
the facility will encourage youngsters to become involved in grassroots
football. City College Norwich will also use the centre as the base for a
host of sports-related courses, including NVQs in Sport, Recreation and
Allied Occupations and the BTEC Nationa l Diploma in Sport and Exercise
Science.
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Academy awe for Anton
WHUFC.com
A high-profile graduate of the youth system, Anton Ferdinand is eager to see
who is coming through
02.06.2010
Anton Ferdinand has revealed he is not surprised at all that Tony Carr
continues to churn out homegrown Hammers from the Academy. The Sunderland
defender is one of the most high-profile graduates in recent seasons and was
delighted to return to the Boleyn Ground for his mentor's recent
testimonial. Ferdinand has kept in touch with Carr and said West Ham United
fans can look forward to many more starlets coming through. "He is still
bringing players through today. There are a few in the first team here again
at West Ham. A lot of those players are below the age of 23 and even more
are coming through from the Academy. The fact that this is still happening
here doesn't surprise me.
"Tony has not only made this club money, but brought through talent for the
country, for England. A lot of the credit goes to not only Tony but the
people in the Academy around him as well. It just goes to show the respect
and the love the players have for him, to come back and be at his game."
Ferdinand was thrilled to wear a West Ham shirt again and was more than
nostalgic about the experience. "Just coming back and walking into the home
dressing room again was so good and brought back great memories for me.
These are memories I will treasure forever." In particular, he will treasure
the chance to play alongside big brother Rio, with the defensive duo finally
realising a lifelong dream. "It was the first time I have played alongside
him. There was not so much banter, but a lot of talking out there between
us. Like we would in a game, it would be even greater if it was a proper
competitive match, but it was the next best thing. It was good to play with
him and our family was very proud. "It was nice to play for the fans. I got
a good reception when I have come back here with Sunderland so I was hoping
that it would be the same again for me wearing the claret and blue again. It
was and I was very happy at that."
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Lee looks forward for Parker
WHUFC.com
Robert Lee said Scott Parker still has a chance of establishing himself with
England in future
02.06.2010
Robert Lee has backed Scott Parker to bounce back from the disappointment of
missing out on the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad. The two-times Hammer of the
Year was one of seven players left out of the final 23-man selection after
being named in the provisional squad. Former West Ham United midfielder Lee,
who played at the 1998 finals, said he was not surprised at Parker's
exclusion, especially after Gareth Barry proved his fitness to the England
manager. "He [Fabio Capello] felt Gareth Barry was worth waiting for," said
Lee. "He has done very well for Capello and he rates him very highly. I am
not surprised about Scott as he came in very late. He is only in his late
20s, though, and still has a chance with England "He did marvellously [this
season] for West Ham. He single-handedly kept them in the Premier League and
the fans would agree with that. He was a very late admission and the fact he
didn't play in the last two warm-up games meant the writing was on the wall
for him."
Lee, who scored twice in 21 appearances for his country and played for his
beloved Hammers in the 2003/04 campaign, was also delighted to see Academy
graduate Joe Cole make the cut. However, he felt the tricky midfielder was
always going to be on the plane. "I don't think there was any doubt about
Joe Cole going. He is a fantastic player.
"He has done very well at the end of the season. He always does well for
England. In these sorts of tournaments you need players who can beat players
and Joe Cole is someone who can do that. It is a very well balanced squad
and I think we have a great chance."
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Avram Grant expected to be new West Ham boss
BBC.co.uk
By Frank Keogh
Former Portsmouth and Chelsea manager Avram Grant is set to be named as the
new West Ham boss on Thursday. Grant, who quit Pompey on 21 May, is
returning from holiday on Wednesday and Hammers officials have indicated he
is on the verge of signing a contract. The 55-year-old Israeli is thought
to have met the criteria laid down by co-chairmen David Sullivan and David
Gold. "After an hour, we knew we could work with this manager. We are very
optimistic," Gold told BBC Sport. "I think it's time for the football club
to get some stability with people that have been there, done that and got
the T-shirt. "The bottom line is the relationship between the manager and
the chairman is critical. In our case it's two chairmen so it's even more
difficult as you need to have a relationship between three people."
Grant, who took Chelsea to a Champions League final and Portsmouth to the FA
Cup final, will fill the position left vacant following the sacking of
Gianfranco Zola. West Ham's owners want Grant to improve a squad which
finished in 17th position in the Premier League, one place above the
relegation zone, with 35 points from 38 matches. "We can't put our fans
through that again. We want to put together a team that was better than last
year," said Gold. "We were very fortunate. Normally 35 points gets you
relegated.
"What we need is a manager who has achieved, has experience. We are not in a
position where we can take on young, inexperienced managers."
Gold said he hoped the appointment, subject to the relative formality of
Grant being granted a work permit, would herald a new era for West Ham,
which includes a possible move to the new Olympic Stadium in east London
after the 2012 Games. "The vibes from the politicians are this is the
perfect fit," said Gold of the potential for the Hammers to relocate from
the Boleyn Ground to Stratford. "What changed all this was spending a day at
the stadium at the beginning of May. "Let me tell you not many people have
seen what we have seen. This stadium is going to be as iconic, in my view,
as Wembley Stadium."
Grant is likely to bring in his own support team, and Zola's assistant Steve
Clarke - who worked with the Israeli at Chelsea - is not expected to have a
role at Upton Park. West Ham had finished ninth under Zola in the 2008-09
campaign but struggled last season with off-pitch turmoil and a prolonged
takeover battle. "We did ask Franco to keep us up and he did that, but I
think we need to move on from that. New owners like to choose their own
people," said Gold. Gold and Sullivan said the club had £110m debts when
they took over in January. The pair - together with Karren Brady - had
previously been in charge for 16 years at Birmingham City where Barry Fry,
Trevor Francis, Steve Bruce and Alex McLeish were their managerial
appointments. "We are over the worst at West Ham, we've found most of the
skeletons in the cupboard and are looking forward to a bright, exciting
future," said former Hammers youth player Gold.
AVRAM GRANT FACTFILE
1986-2002: Managed Hapoel Petah Tikva, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Haifa and
Maccabi Haifa in Israel
2002-06 Israel national manager
2006 Director of football, Portsmouth
2007-08 Director of football, then manager, Chelsea
2009-10 Director of football, then manager, Portsmouth
"There are still many problems and most of all is the debt at the football
club. "We believe it is a great club and we can turn this round." He added:
"I've been 17 years in football and I know the critical thing in any
football club are the principles and the manager. "We got it right with
Steve Bruce. We got it right with Alex McLeish. "Like all managers, our new
manager will bring his own people in, and we are comfortable with that."
Grant may well turn to his former club Portsmouth for recruits after their
relegation to the Championship following a season which saw the club docked
nine points for going into administration. The current West Ham squad boasts
goalkeeper Robert Green, centre-half Matthew Upson, midfielder Scott Parker
and striker Carlton Cole as players who have been capped by England. Several
younger players, such as defender James Tomkins, midfielders Mark Noble and
Jack Collison and strikers Junior Stanislas and Zavon Hines, have progressed
from the club's famed academy. Given the club's debts, Grant is seen as a
perfect candidate for operating in the transfer market with a limited
budget. He is unlikely to be handed a huge transfer kitty, but will be
eyeing moves both in and out of Upton Park, with the squad due to report
back for pre-season training on 5 July. West Ham have narrowly escaped
relegation twice in the last four seasons, and the new owners are hoping for
a more stable period. "I've been a fan for as long as I can remember and
still am, and we fans are very demanding," said Gold. Gold and Sullivan
announced last month they were increasing their holding in the club from 50%
to 60% with an injection of £4m each. "We've added another £8m which shows
our integrity and intent. We've got to rebuild the club and its
infrastructure," said Gold. "What fans have to do is trust their principles
and trust their chairmen. These chairmen put their money where their mouths
are."
Grant arrived as Portsmouth's director of football in October 2009 but
replaced Paul Hart as manager the following month, with the club bottom of
the league with just seven points from 13 games. Crippled by financial
problems, the club went into administration in February and were
subsequently deducted nine points by the Premier League. They went on to
finish bottom of the table on 19 points but reached the FA Cup final, losing
the Wembley showpiece 1-0 to Grant's former club Chelsea. He won 10, lost 16
and drew seven of his 33 matches in charge. Grant announced his decision to
leave the beaten FA Cup finalists in an open letter to fans. "This was one
of the most difficult decisions I've had to take in my football career," he
said. "I will never forget you, the loyal fans of Pompey, who, without a
doubt, helped me protect the team under such complex circumstances," he
said.
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Luis Boa Morte offered fresh West Ham deal
BBC.co.uk
West Ham winger Luis Boa Morte has been offered a new contract but the club
are releasing strikers Ilan and Mido. Portugal international Boa Morte, 32,
returned in April from nine months out with a serious knee injury. He
apologised to Hammers co-owner David Sullivan after criticising his comments
about the team in a TV interview. Brazilian Ilan, 29, and Egyptian Mido, 27,
were signed in January and join Mexico striker Guillermo Franco as surplus
to requirements at Upton Park. Avram Grant is expected to take over as West
Ham manager on Thursday. Franco, Mido and Ilan all joined the club when
Gianfranco Zola, who was sacked in May, was in charge. Boa Morte scored for
the Hammers in their last Premier League match when they drew 1-1 with
Manchester City. It was his second goal in 80 apperances for West Ham since
he was signed by Alan Curbishley for £5m in January 2007.
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Gold on Grant: stability is key
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd June 2010
By: Staff Writer
David Gold says Avram Grant is the man to bring 'stability' back to the
Boleyn Ground. Gold, speaking this morning ahead of tomorrow's unveiling of
the 13th full-time West Ham United manager confirmed that Grant would indeed
be the man to replace Gianfranco Zola - who was fired last month - adding
that he knew immediately that the former Portsmouth boss would be the right
man for the job. "It's time for the football club to get some stability with
people that have been there, done that and got the T-shirt," said Gold.
"After an hour, we knew we could work with this manager. We are very
optimistic. "The bottom line is the relationship between the manager and
the chairman is critical. In our case it's two chairmen so it's even more
difficult as you need to have a relationship between three people."
Referring to the difficulties of last season, Gold added that there could be
no repeat of the 17th placed-finish that saw the Irons narrowly avoid
relegation. "We can't put our fans through that again. We want to put
together a team that was better than last year," he said. "We were very
fortunate. Normally 35 points gets you relegated. "What we need is a
manager who has achieved, has experience. We are not in a positon where we
can take on young, inexperienced managers," he added, before confirming what
a number of supporters had suspected since the day Gold and partner David
Sullivan entered the Boleyn Ground. "We did ask Franco to keep us up and he
did that, but I think we need to move on from that. New owners like to
choose their own people."
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New deal for Luis
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd June 2010
By: Staff Writer
Luis Boa Morte has been offered a new one-year deal, it has been confirmed.
The Portuguese winger - who fell foul of his employers last month after he
launched a scathing attack on David Sullivan following the 1-1 draw with
Manchester City - has somewhat surprisingly been offered the contract
extention, despite having prevously been told that his future lay elsewhere.
However it is unlikely to be on the same terms as those previously offered
when he became Alan Curbishley's first signing when moving from Fulham for
£5million in 2007. New contracts have also been offered to Academy
youngsters Anthony Edgar, Jordan Spence, Matthew Fry and Olly Lee - the son
of former Hammer Rob Lee.
Going the other way this summer, and now confirmed as definite departures
are veteran striker Guille Franco - who scored for Mexico against England in
the recent Wembley friendly - plus both Mido and Ilan, who are being
released after just four months with the club.
Summer Ins and Outs
Extended pro contracts: Luis Boa Morte; Anthony Edgar; Jordan Spence;
Matthew Fry; Olly Lee.
New pro contracts: Jordan Brown; Callum McNaughton; Cristian Montano.
Released pros: Guille Franco; Ilan; Mido; Josh Payne; Tony Brookes; Daniel
Kearns; Jack Lampe; Bondz N'Gala (now at Plymouth).
End of loan: Davide Ferrari (Brescia).
Released Academy: Peter Loveday; Nicky Barrett; Conor Okus.
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Mac on the knife
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd June 2010
By: Staff Writer
A disappointed Benni McCarthy has been speaking about his omission from
South Africa's World Cup squad. The recently-signed Hammers striker - the
African's all-time leading goal scorer - was told at the weekend that he was
out of the Bafana Bafana squad having failed to show any improvement to his
fitness. "The final squad is a tough call for any coach to make and I am
sure it was not made without heartache. My fitness level came into question
after weeks recovering from my knee injury but the coach still believed in
me, as did I and the rest of the team, and I am grateful for that," he said.
"No one's place in the final squad is a given. We all gave it our best and
pushed ourselves to our limits to make the cut. In the end it comes down to
a head count. I am proud to have been given the privilege to have been
capped in the South African national squad; unfortunately this time it was
not to be. "I did not fail - I just didn't make the final 23; I am still a
part of the team, if not the squad. We have a strong team everyone will be
proud of and I am in no doubt we will make our mark with the groundswell of
support the team has been receiving of late. If the carnival spirit of the
Super 14 rugby is a measure of the united support we are to expect for
Bafana, then I see us excelling. My role now is to join in that support."
McCarthy joined West Ham in the January transfer window in a £2million
switch from Blackburn. But his short spell in east London has thus far
proved to be a spectacular failure, with the 32-year-old making just two
starts since moving south and suffering jibes from supporters due to the
excessive weight he is carrying.
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Green disappointed by departure
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 1st June 2010
By: Staff Writer
Robert Green has called the sacking of Gianfranco Zola 'disappointing'. The
England goalkeeper, who is expected by many to get the nod over David James
and Joe Hart as number one for this summer's World Cup Finals was Zola's
number one during his entire spell as manager - and it is a working
relationship that Green will sadly miss. Talking to the BBC ahead of
joining up with his international team mates as they begin preparation for
the tournament, Green said: "I spoke to him just after he left. I was
obviously disappointed for him because's he's been a tremendous manager and
a tremendous man in difficult times. "It wasn't particularly a great
surprise but it was disappointing. He worked so hard for the club's cause in
difficult circumstances. You look at the squad being decimated by sales and
injuries and having a tough season and you look at what previous manager's
have had to spend in recent years and the success they've bought as opposed
to who he's had to sell. "So in that respect it's difficult for him but
people make their decisions. The new owners have come in and made their
decision and that's it. You get on with it and I'm sure that whoever comes
in is going to be a great success."
Green, who is expected to start for England when their World Cup campaign
kicks off against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12th admitted that
he was as in the dark as anyone else with regards to who will get the nod -
but also flattered by comments from former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton,
who has backed the West Ham number one to get the shirt. "To get the support
of a living legend is a wonderful thing and I'm obviously delighted," he
said. "Hopefully his thoughts and sentiments are repeated by the manger;
we'll see."
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Ilan and Mido get Hammer blow
Strikers to depart Upton Park as retained list announced
Last updated: 2nd June 2010
SSN
West Ham striking duo Ilan and Mido are to leave the club, but Luis Boa
Morte is set to stay on. The Hammers announced which players are staying
and going following the release of the retained list on Tuesday, ahead of
the imminent appointment of their new boss. While it is no surprise Mido
will be moving on after failing to score in nine appearances since his loan
switch from Middlesbrough in January, Brazilian Ilan did make an impact,
netting four times in 11 games, including crucial goals against Everton,
Sunderland and Wigan as the Hammers just stayed up. In other departures from
the club, fellow striker Guillermo Franco had already revealed he will be
released by West Ham when his contract expires in June, while Bondz N'Gala
has joined Plymouth Argyle permanently. Midfielder Josh Payne is also
leaving, Davide Ferrari's loan from Brescia Calcio has expired and young
trio Peter Loveday, Nicky Barrett and Conor Okus have all been released.
But midfielder Luis Boa Morte, whose existing deal expires on 30th June, has
been offered a new deal following his successful comeback from a long-term
knee injury. Youngsters Anthony Edgar, Jordan Spence, Matthew Fry and Oliver
Lee have also been offered new deals, while first professional contracts
have been offered to left-back Jordan Brown, centre-back Callum McNaughton
and forward Cristian Montano.
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Grant set for Hammers role
Club confirm next manager will be announced imminently
Last updated: 2nd June 2010
SSN
Sky Sports News understands Avram Grant will be named as West Ham boss on
Thursday subject to a work permit. The Premier League strugglers have been
heavily linked with the former Portsmouth boss since parting company with
Gianfranco Zola last month. Their search for a boss is now set to reach
fruition, with the Upton Park outfit confirming on Wednesday they will
announce their new coach imminently. In a statement on their official
website, the club said: "West Ham United will make a formal announcement of
the club's new manager within the next 24 hours. "The club have been
conducting a thorough recruitment programme in recent weeks and made
excellent progress after considering a number of candidates. "The squad are
set to report back for pre-season training on Monday 5 July, meaning the new
manager will have plenty of time to put together his squad for the 2010/11
campaign. "With the aim to build on the proven international talent in the
ranks and exciting youngsters coming through, the club expect a number of
new signings to be made over the coming weeks."
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Harry feels for 'ghost' stars
Spurs boss wonders why Parker and Dawson were called up
By Chris Burton Last updated: 2nd June 2010
SSN
Harry Redknapp has questioned Fabio Capello's treatment of those on the
fringes of his World Cup plans. The England boss announced his 23-man squad
heading to South Africa on Tuesday, with seven difficult decisions having to
be made. Theo Walcott, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Leighton Baines,
Darren Bent, Michael Dawson and Scott Parker were the unfortunate men to
miss out. Of those overlooked, Parker and Dawson were the only ones to be
left sidelined throughout England's pre-tournament preparations.
A lack of action gave them no opportunity to impress Capello in the heat of
battle, giving them little chance of making the cut. Tottenham boss
Redknapp, who manages Dawson at club level, believes the Italian coach
handled the situation badly. He feels all of those included in the 30-man
preliminary squad should have been given a run out and admits he is
particularly disappointed for West Ham midfielder Parker, who enjoyed a
standout season domestically. "They tell me Scott trained fantastically
every day in training and could not have done any more," said Redknapp. "He
worked his socks off. But whatever he did he was not going to go. "Someone
said to me he felt like a ghost on the trip, like Dawson, they were there
but not there and they could sense that. "The manager didn't really speak to
them or give them much feedback. They have not kicked a ball. "Dawson and
Parker have had great seasons but you might as well have taken 25 to
Austria. They had no intention of them being in the squad and they made up
the numbers."
Redknapp also fears England may live to regret their decision to leave
Walcott behind, with the Arsenal winger able to offer a considerable threat
down the flanks when on top of his game. "I'm surprised, I thought Theo
would go. I like him and he has got great ability," added the former
Southampton boss. "I gave him his debut and he is inconsistent at times,
but he is a winger and flies by people. "Capello probably had another look
at him and was probably frustrated with his final ball against Japan and
decided not to take him.
"But you only have to look back at Croatia when he scored a hat-trick and
ripped them to pieces. He can be a match-winner. "Aaron Lennon will have
days when it doesn't go his way. Theo can come on and give them a problem."
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Hammers set to appoint Grant
The Sun
Published: Today
WEST HAM are expected to unveil Avram Grant as their new boss in the next 24
hours. The Hammers have been without a manager since they sacked Gianfranco
Zola, shortly after narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
But the east London club have confirmed they are on the verge of making an
announcement about their new chief.
Grant, 55, emerged as the firm favourite for the Upton Park job after he
quit Portsmouth at the end of the campaign. Although Pompey went into
administration and were relegated to the Championship, the Israeli earned
widespread respect for guiding the cash-strapped club to the FA Cup final.
Ian Holloway, who took Blackpool to the top flight, Cardiff boss Dave Jones
and Sam Allardyce of Blackburn have also been linked with the vacant
position — but former Chelsea boss Grant appears to be the Hammers' No1
choice. Co-chairman David Gold said: "After an hour, we knew we could work
with this manager. We are very optimistic. "I think it's time for the
football club to get some stability with people that have been there, done
that and got the T-shirt. "The bottom line is the relationship between the
manager and the chairman is critical. "In our case it's two chairmen so it's
even more difficult as you need to have a relationship between three
people."
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West Ham to announce new boss 'within 24 hours'
Published 14:00 02/06/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
West Ham have confirmed they will make an announcement about their new
manager within the next 24 hours. The Hammers have been without a manager
since they sacked Gianfranco Zola, shortly after the team narrowly avoided
relegation from the Barclays Premier League. Avram Grant has emerged as the
leading candidate for the Upton Park job after he left Portsmouth following
a turbulent tenure in charge. Ian Holloway, who guided Blackpool to the top
flight, Cardiff boss Dave Jones and Sam Allardyce of Blackburn have also
been linked with the position but Grant appears to be in the driving seat.
In a statement on the official website, www.whufc.com, read: "West Ham
United will make a formal announcement of the club's new manager within the
next 24 hours. "The club have been conducting a thorough recruitment
programme in recent weeks and made excellent progress after considering a
number of candidates. "The squad are set to report back for pre-season
training on Monday July 5, meaning the new manager will have plenty of time
to put together his squad for the 2010-11 campaign. "With the aim to build
on the proven international talent in the ranks and exciting youngsters
coming through, the club expect a number of new signings to be made over the
coming weeks." The club also confirmed midfielder Luis Boa Morte has been
offered a new contract, with his current deal due to run out on June 30.
Guillermo Franco, Ilan and Mido will all be leaving the east London club.
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West Ham United to unveil Avram Grant as manager
Grant confident of having full control of team matters
Number of new signings in coming weeks, club claim
Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 June 2010 20.33 BST
Avram Grant will be announced as West Ham United manager today. The Israeli
will replace Gianfranco Zola and has been assured by David Gold and David
Sullivan, the co-owners, that he will be able to keep some of the club's
better players, who include Scott Parker, Matthew Upson and Robert Green.
Grant, who impressed by taking financially stricken Portsmouth to the FA Cup
final, is confident that he will be allowed full control of team matters
following Gold and Sullivan's public interventions during Zola's tenure last
season. A statement on the club's website read: "West Ham will make a formal
announcement of the club's new manager within the next 24 hours. The club
have been conducting a thorough recruitment programme in recent weeks and
made excellent progress after considering a number of candidates. The squad
are set to report back for pre-season training on 5 July, meaning the new
manager will have plenty of time to put together his squad for the 2010-11
campaign." The statement also promised that Grant will be able to recruit
fresh personnel. It said: "With the aim to build on the proven international
talent in the ranks and exciting youngsters coming through, the club expect
a number of new signings to be made over the coming weeks. "Meanwhile, the
club can confirm Luís Boa Morte has been offered a new contract following
the release of the retained list of players for the new season. The Portugal
midfielder's existing deal expires on 30 June but he has been given a new
offer after his successful comeback from a long-term knee injury. "Meanwhile
Guillermo Franco, Ilan and Mido are all leaving the club after the end of
their respective deals. "Anthony Edgar, Jordan Spence, Matthew Fry and
Oliver Lee have also been offered new contracts."
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Gold explains West Ham's Grant appointment
By Soccernet staff
ESPN
June 2, 2010
David Gold has explained that West Ham decided on Avram Grant as their new
manager because they felt the former Portsmouth boss was the right man to
bring stability to Upton Park. The Hammers have confirmed their new manager
will be appointed imminently and Soccernet revealed on May 27 that it is
Grant who will be replacing Gianfranco Zola at the club. After an end to the
Premier League season that witnessed disagreements between Zola and West
Ham's co-owners - Gold and his partner David Sullivan - the Upton Park
hierarchy are hoping for a more harmonious approach under Grant. "After an
hour, we knew we could work with this manager. We are very optimistic," Gold
told BBC Sport. "I think it's time for the football club to get some
stability with people that have been there, done that and got the T-shirt.
"The bottom line is the relationship between the manager and the chairman is
critical. In our case it's two chairmen so it's even more difficult as you
need to have a relationship between three people. "We can't put our fans
through that again. We want to put together a team that was better than last
year. We were very fortunate. Normally 35 points gets you relegated. "What
we need is a manager who has achieved, has experience. We are not in a
position where we can take on young, inexperienced managers. We did ask
Franco to keep us up and he did that, but I think we need to move on from
that. New owners like to choose their own people."
Grant was the surprise choice to succeed Jose Mourinho as Chelsea manager in
2008 and took the club to the final of the Champions League. Last season he
could do little to keep Portsmouth in the top flight but reached the final
of the FA Cup, only to be defeated by his former side.
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West Ham set to name new manager
West Ham have confirmed they will make an announcement about their new
manager within the next 24 hours.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 1:48PM BST 02 Jun 2010
West Ham have been without a manager since they sacked Gianfranco Zola,
shortly after the team narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.
Avram Grant has emerged as the leading candidate for the Upton Park job
after he left Portsmouth following a turbulent tenure in charge. West Ham
make Thierry Henry bid Ian Holloway, who guided Blackpool to the top flight,
Cardiff manager Dave Jones and Sam Allardyce of Blackburn have also been
linked with the position, but Grant appears to be in the driving seat. A
statement on West Ham's official website read: "West Ham United will make a
formal announcement of the club's new manager within the next 24 hours. "The
club have been conducting a thorough recruitment programme in recent weeks
and made excellent progress after considering a number of candidates. "The
squad are set to report back for pre-season training on Monday July 5,
meaning the new manager will have plenty of time to put together his squad
for the 2010-11 campaign. "With the aim to build on the proven international
talent in the ranks and exciting youngsters coming through, the club expect
a number of new signings to be made over the coming weeks."
The club also confirmed midfielder Luis Boa Morte has been offered a new
contract, with his current deal due to run out on June 30. Guillermo Franco,
Ilan and Mido will all be leaving the east London club.
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