Daily WHUFC News - 17th August 2010

Da Costa determined
WHUFC.com
Manuel da Costa is fit and ready for action having signed off last season as the main man
17.08.2010

Manuel da Costa is fit and ready to return to action for the West Ham United who touched his heart at the end of last season. The 24-year-old capped a memorable closing month of the 2010/11 campaign by scoring a vitally important goal in the 2-2 Easter Monday draw at Everton. Da Costa produced strong performances at the heart of the back four against Fulham and Manchester City in the final two fixtures of the season. Those displays were recognised by the club's fans, who celebrated survival by voting the defender as SBOBET Player of the Month for May. The man nicknamed 'The Beast' by some at the Boleyn Ground, who returned to full training on Monday following a minor leg injury, was naturally grateful for their support. "I am very happy when the supporters give you their blessing," he told whufc.com. "It was not the trainer or the staff, it was the supporters, and this is very important. It goes directly to my heart. I want to say 'Thank you'. "At that time, everybody was in a difficult position. I like West Ham and I like everybody here at the club - the supporters especially - and I want to stay here. "When you are in a difficult position, you must give more than what you have for everybody - there is no choice. We had some bad moments, but we also had some very good moments. "My last five or six games of last season were a very good moment. Having not played so many games before, it was important that, that when I did play I played well."

Da Costa will answer supporters' questions in the Fans' Mailbag feature in Saturday's official matchday programme for the Barclays Premier League visit of
Bolton Wanderers to the Boleyn Ground.

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Kids for a Quid this Saturday
WHUFC.com
Kids can see the first Barclays Premier League home match of 2010/11 against Bolton for a pound
14.08.2010

West Ham United will kick-off the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season at home in perfect fashion with the visit of Bolton Wanderers designated Kids for a Quid. The spectacular summer offer will see all under-16s offered the chance to watch the Hammers take on the Trotters at the Boleyn Ground for just £1 on Saturday 21 August. With manager Avram Grant and new signings like Tal Ben Haim, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne and Winston Reid set to make their competitive debuts at the famous home of the Hammers, there is sure to be plenty of demand for seats. Ticket prices for Academy members start from just £36, while Over-65 members and Young Adult members can purchase their seat from just £15. Disabled Academy members can secure their place for just £18 for Adults, £9 for Over-65s and Young Adults and £1 for Under-16s. Adult non-members can purchase their seat from just £36, while Over-65 non-members can secure their place from just £21. Disabled non-members can secure their place for just £18 for Adults, £10.50 for Over-65s and Young Adults and £1 for Under-16s.
Tickets are on sale now online or by telephone, or alternatively by calling at the West Stand Ticket Office at the Boleyn Ground between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Online and telephone bookings can be made up until 11.30am on the day of the game, with kick-off at the Boleyn Ground on 21 August at 3pm.
Supporters should note that all telephone bookings are subject to a £1.80 booking fee per ticket for Academy members and £2 per ticket for non-members. Online bookings will be charged at £1 for Academy members and £2 for non-members. Should any tickets remain, the West Stand Ticket Office will be open from 9am until kick-off on the day of the game, while the Priory Road Ticket Office will be open from 12.30pm until kick-off on the day of the game. For more information, call 0871 222 2700 and select Option 1 or Option 3, visit the West Stand ticket office in person or click the above link.

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Reserves to tackle Eagles
WHUFC.com
Alex Dyer's side will host Crystal Palace in a friendly at Thurrock FC on Tuesday afternoon
16.08.2010

A host of first-team squad members look set to be on show when Alex Dyer's reserves take on Crystal Palace on Tuesday afternoon. Loan signing Tal Ben Haim, Fabio Daprela, Kieron Dyer, Junior Stanislas, Freddie Sears, Frank Nouble and Jordan Spence could all figure in Dyer's squad for the fixture, which will kick-off at Thurrock FC at 2pm. Appearing alongside that experienced group should be a number of the club's promising youngsters, including Czech Republic Under-21 goalkeeper Marek Stech, first-year professional Cristian Montano and England U17 forward Robert Hall. The reserves have enjoyed a busy pre-season schedule, losing out away to the Thurrock and Burton Albion first teams before defeating Bishop's Stortford 4-0, with Sears (pictured) scoring all four goals. A goalless draw at League One new boys Dagenham & Redbridge was followed by a 1-1 home draw with Ipswich Town. Dyer's side will begin their Barclays Premier Reserve League South challenge with the visit of Manchester City on Tuesday 7 September. Tickets for Tuesday's match at Ship Lane will be priced at £3 for Adults and £1 for Under-15s.

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Faubert banking on Bolton
WHUFC.com
Despite the weekend loss, Julien Faubert expects the Hammers to show their true potential this Saturday
16.08.2010

Julien Faubert and his West Ham United team-mates will be fired up to get a good result at home to Bolton Wanderers this Saturday and repay the club's "fantastic fans". The France attacker was at a loss to explain the Hammers' 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa - especially as the pre-season preparations had gone so well and morale was high. "I can't pick out why we lost, as we have had a good week training and a good pre-season. We were ready for this game, but we just started bad and we gave them too much space. It was the first match of the season and we wanted to get a good result but it didn't happen and we must look to do this in the next match, which we can do."

Faubert began the Villa Park contest in his new forward role and had a golden chance soon after the interval to pull one back, but the opportunity went begging and Villa capitalised to score a match-clinching third beyond the blameless Robert Green midway through the second half. "We had two or three chances but we did not follow them up. We took on the pressure but could not get back on how we wanted to play. We just have to forget this game now and concentrate on getting it right in the next game."

There will be extra incentive to do well in order to repay the near-3,000 travelling supporters who did not relent in their singing, even when drenched by a torrential downpour. "The fans were fantastic, singing loud even when we were losing by the three goals," Faubert added. "They also gave a good cheer to Greeny and that was good for him. That is why we want to do better, for them, to show we are grateful for their support. "We feel bad about the match. If you can play hard and not win, sometimes you can say well, we did what we could, but we know we can do much better and we will be working hard again this week to change what happened. "We will show the manager we can do that. We will be focusing on that and will be ready for the next match."

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Villa fans attack 73-year-old Hammer
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Hammers co-chairman David Gold is said to be considering offering a £5,000 reward to nail two Aston Villa fans who attacked his Rolls Royce following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Villa Park. Septuagenarian Gold was being driven home in his Rolls Royce after the game when the vehicle was attacked as it waited at a red light outside the King Edward VII pub, said to be a Villa stronghold. The former Birmingham owner - who cited his role at his former club as the most likely reason for the attack - watched aghast as his vehicle was bombarded with beer bottles, one of which smashed his chauffeur's window. "People were outside the pub and there was some good-natured banter when, suddenly, the whole thing turned horribly sinister and even life-threatening," Gold told the Sun.
"Two guys who can only be described as monsters - animals - ran from the pub and threw a bottle of beer at the driver's window, smashing it. They then kicked the car and tried to get in. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity but was probably about a minute, we were able to pull away. "That bottle could have come through the window and killed my driver as it was aimed directly at his temple. Needles of glass could have hit and maybe killed me if they had gone into my head. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. "I'm sure these lunatics attacked the car in part because I was once Birmingham City's chairman. Despite the speed with which it happened, I saw one woman watching the whole thing unfold. I appeal to her and any of the 30 or so people outside the pub to give any information they have to the police."

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Sullivan - Hands off Parker
Sullivan says Spurs will be reported if Parker pursuit continues
Last updated: 16th August 2010
SSN

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has issued a stark 'hands-off' warning to Tottenham in their pursuit of Scott Parker. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wants the England midfielder to bolster his ranks for the campaign ahead, which includes a tilt at the UEFA Champions League. The White Hart Lane outfit have already had one bid knocked back for the 29-year-old, with the Hammers making it clear that they had no intention of selling Parker for any price. To see off further interest, the Hammers are keen to tie the midfielder down on an improved five-year contract, which they believe he will sign on Monday. And Sullivan has also issued a stark warning to Spurs, saying they will report them if there is further contact. He said in the Daily Mail: "I have told Spurs again that he's not available and not to bother us any further or we'll report them to the Premier League."

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Last orders called on Yobs
The Sun
By DEAN SCOGGINS
Published: Today

DAVID GOLD'S bid to find the thugs who attacked him has been helped by the landlord of the pub they were drinking in. SunSport revealed how West Ham's co-owner, 73, was subjected to a terrifying ordeal at traffic lights near the King Edward VII pub after his club's 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa. Pub owner Paul McMahon will help cops catch the two men who threw a bottle that smashed the driver's window, kicked Gold's Rolls Royce and tried to get in just one mile from Villa Park. McMahon said: "It must have been a frightening experience. "We have extensive CCTV covering the area and door supervisors were on duty.
"CCTV will be handed to West Midlands Police to ensure those responsible are held accountable." Gold, who took over at West Ham alongside David Sullivan last season, stopped to sign a programme and have his photo taken with a disabled Villa fan in the build-up to the incident. He is considering offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for the hooligans.

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West Ham's Valon Behrami eyes Roma move after revealing he can't settle in London
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 1:39 AM on 17th August 2010
Daily Mail

Valon Behrami wants to quit West Ham for Roma - insisting his family can't settle in London. The £5million Swiss international moved to Upton Park from Roma's city rivals Lazio two years ago. But his Italian partner Elena Bonzanni has failed to adapt to life in the capital, and they are struggling to bring up their baby daughter. The Kosovo-born wing-back, who spent five seasons in Italy with Genoa, Verona and Lazio, is under contract at West Ham until 2013, and hopes the Serie A club will now throw him a lifeline. The 25-year-old said: 'There is interest in me from Roma, but nothing concrete so far, and so I'm still at West Ham. 'I would have no problem playing for Roma despite being ex-Lazio. I am a professional, and I always give my best. 'My daughter Sofia is now 18 months old, and it is not easy to bring a child up in London. Besides, Elena does not feel happy. She does not have a big circle of friends over there.'

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West Ham's Valon Behrami angles for return to Serie A with Roma
Player says his partner has not adapted to London
'There is interest in me from Roma but nothing concrete'
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 August 2010 01.17 BST

West Ham United's Valon Behrami is having difficulty adjusting to life in London. The West Ham United midfielder Valon Behrami is agitating for a move to the Serie A club Roma, claiming that his family cannot settle in London. The 25-year-old Swiss moved from Lazio for £5m two years ago but his Italian partner Elena Bonzanni has not adapted to the move from Rome and the couple are struggling to bring up their baby daughter in the capital. Behrami, who is contracted until 2013 at Upton Park, said: "There is interest in me from Roma but nothing concrete so far and so I am still at West Ham. I would have no problem playing for Roma despite being ex-Lazio. I am a professional. "My daughter Sofia is now 18 months old and it is not easy to bring up a child in London. Besides, Elena does not have a big circle of friends over there."
Meanwhile West Ham's summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger was ruled out for at least a month with a thigh injury sustained while playing for Germany against Denmark last week.

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The Villa Debacle Was All Too Familiar!
West Ham Till I Die

The disorganised and, quite frankly, unprofessional performance at Villa was a huge disappointment. I was expecting to see Grant's team play a tight, controlled and disciplined game. Instead, we got a dysfunctional and totally unacceptable display that was all too familiar from the worst excesses of last season.

Something else far too familiar is the unwelcome report that Thomas Hitzlsperger could be missing for up to a month, as a result of the thigh injury picked up playing for Germany. How many times have we signed players, only to lose them to injury early in the season. Hitzlsperger impressed me greatly in pre-season, he bought both a stability and offensive threat to our midfield. If this report is true then it is disappointing news.

I was not totally convinced by our starting selection, particularly in defence. Arguably, (if he was fit?) we should have started with Da Costa at centre half to counter Cardew's strength and ariel threat. Winston Reid had a shaky debut, but it is still early days for him. It may have been a better policy to have started this match with Faubert at right-back? Once again Kovac continually lost possession in midfield. While, Carlton Cole was left isolated and unsupported at the apex of the forward line. If 4-3-3 is going to work then Cole's strike partners have to give him much closer support and demonstrate pace and clinical finishing in the final third.

On the plus side, it was good to see Illunga back in the side and playing reasonably well. I felt that Noble also had a half decent game and things definitely improved when Piquionne and Barrera came on in the second half. We did actually create three or four decent goal scoring opportunities during the match, but ultimately the finishing of Boa Morte, Faubert and Cole let them down when it mattered.

However, nothing should distract from the sheer awfulness of this team performance. Villa could have scored six on the day and the ease with which they outplayed us was embaressing. Remember, this was a Villa side that had lost their manager a couple of days prior to the match, had two key defenders missing, had suffered the uncertainty about Milner's future and included a couple of rookies in their starting line up (although you would no know it from their assured performances).

The season has started badly, but it is not 'set in stone' that we will struggle. There is a lot of work to be done in preparation for the visit of Bolton this Saturday. Some of it attitudinal, because we cannot afford a recurrence of that type of non-committed display against one of our great bogey teams. Somehow we need to match them physically, both in terms of commitment and work-rate. Then our greater playing ability can be decisive. Easier said than done, I know!

Perhaps Tal Ben Haim will come into the frame for this match? After all, if there is a player that knows Kevin Davies' game, and should be able to counter it, then it is Ben Haim. Offensively, I would quite like to see Junior Stanislas start the match. Stanislas has all the tools to play effectively in a 4-3-3, but he needs to start realising his full potential this season. Failing that, perhaps Diamanti or even Dyer may figure, even if only from the bench?

It is early days, but we need the win against Bolton to prevent an unnecessary build up of pressure on the manager and avert the inevitable media discourse portraying us as a 'crisis club.' Our season may ultimately depend upon who the club manages to sign in the final period of the summer transfer window? Could Santa Cruz arrive from Man City, as rumoured? We shall see?

SJ. Chandos.

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Roque Santa Cruz 'on verge of £8m West Ham United transfer'
Manchester City star Roque Santa Cruz looks set to transfer to West Ham United this week, with the clubs close to agreeing an £8million fee for the striker.
Metro.co.uk

Hammers boss Avram Grant, who has hit a brick wall in his attempts to sign Nice striker Loic Remy this summer, has turned his attention to City, who are attempting to offload at least six players before they are forced to name a 25-man squad for the Premier League season. And despite interest from Fulham, where former City boss Mark Hughes has taken over, Santa Cruz is rumoured to be keen on a move to east London. "A move to West Ham would be the best scenario for everyone," an insider told website Goal. "City get the player off their squadlist and some return on their investment, while West Ham get the goalscorer they are desperate for." Hughes is yet to lodge an official bid for the player but could hold a great deal of sway in negotiations, having worked with the Paraguayan at City, and Blackburn Rovers before that. The forward, 29, could represent something of a gamble for either club, though, as his injury record over the past 18 months has been poor.

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Manchester City Willing To Offload Striker Roque Santa Cruz To West Ham United for €10m
Hammers make approach for ex-Blackburn forward...
Goal.com
By Wayne Veysey
Aug 16, 2010 1:41:00 PM

Manchester City are ready to offload Roque Santa Cruz to West Ham United as they trim their bloated squad ahead of the Premier League's 25-man squad deadline. The Hammers are desperate for a striker and have approached City over an €10 million move for the Paraguayan frontman, who is also the prime target for Fulham boss Mark Hughes. City are eager to cut their squad by six players in order to comply with new Premier League rules that mean clubs can only register a maximum of 25 players. Santa Cruz, who is 29 today, is believed to fear for his place in Roberto Mancini's squad and wants a fresh start following an injury-plagued year at Eastlands. The former Bayern Munich frontman would prefer to re-unite with Fulham boss Mark Hughes, who has signed him twice as manager of Blackburn and City. But Hughes is working under considerable financial constraints at Fulham, with the Cottagers only able to afford a loan deal and reported wages of €110,000-a-week a massive stumbling block. City would rather to cut their losses by agreeing a permanent transfer for the player, who cost €21m when he signed from Blackburn last June. West Ham boss Avram Grant has the money to meet City's demands and has declared his interest, after being thwarted so far in his attempts over the summer to sign a physical forward who can lead the line. "A move to West Ham would be the best scenario for everyone," said an insider. "City get the player off their squadlist and some return on their investment, while West Ham get the goalscorer they are desperate for."
Yakubu remains a target for the Londoners, but the club are refusing to meet Everton's £8m asking price for the 27-year-old. Grant's need for a striker could become even more pressing should England international Carlton Cole – most recently linked with Liverpool – leave Upton Park. West Ham are hoping that Santa Cruz can rediscover the form that made him a revelation at Blackburn following his €4.2m move from Bayern Munich three years ago. Santa Cruz, who played for Paraguay at the World Cup, made just 22 appearances for the Citizens last season and scored only four goals as he struggled to regain his form after battling with a recurring knee injury. He is just one of a number of star names who find themselves on the fringes of Roberto Mancini's squad following this summer's £100m spending spree. Mancini has over 40 players in his squad and the Italian faces a tough task to prevent major disruption in the dressing room if he does not offload a number of players before the 25-man squad deadline on September 1. Goalkeeper Shay Given's future is in doubt after Joe Hart was chosen ahead of him in Saturday's goalless draw at Tottenham, while Stephen Ireland – City's player of the year in the 2008-09 season – is expected to join Aston Villa as part of the deal to sign James Milner. Craig Bellamy could join Cardiff on loan and speculation surrounds Wayne Bridge, who was omitted from the squad to face Spurs. The Citizens also still have Robinho on their books and the Brazilian looks set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce for €23m, a huge loss on the British record €40m the club paid for him in 2008.

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West Ham ready to deal in Aliadiere
17.08.10 | tribalfootball.com

West Ham United are ready to deal in Jeremie Aliadiere. The former Middlesbrough and Arsenal attacker has been doing his preseason with the Hammers. The Mirror says West Ham are set to sign Aliadiere today.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 16th August 2010

Coe backs West Ham Olympic bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 15th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Sebastian Coe has endorsed West Ham United's proposed move to the Olympic
Stadium for the first time. The 2012 Games committee chairman, who had
previously appeared hostile to the Irons' bid to move to Stratford after the
Olympic Games two years from now told insidethegames.biz that West Ham's
move 'has got to be a good idea'. "I think it's obviously the situation that
everybody is looking to and I think it's a sensible acceptance that we were
always going to live within the bid commitment," he said, adding: "In
fairness, this is a different West Ham to what it was a few years ago,
where, with the best will in the world, it was fairly transient. "These are
two owners that are committed to the club, committed to the community, that
recognise there is a sensible mix here, of serving a community, but also of
having a permanent tennant in there, which has got to be a good idea."

Coe's comments follow West Ham's recent public admission that the club would
commit to keeping the running track in place after the games - an issue that
Coe has championed from the start, yet one that is threatening to cause a
rift between the club and its supporters, the majority of whom remain
opposed to a move to a stadium with a running track in situ.

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Sullivan: Parker still not for sale
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 15th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

David Sullivan has reiterated his earlier statement regarding Scott Parker's
immediate future. The Hammers co-chairman, speaking in Monday's edition of
the Daily Mail revealed that he had once again warned off Tottenham from
making a bid for the former Charlton and Newcastle midfielder, despite no
apparent fresh interest from the north London club who had an earlier
test-the-water bid of £7million instantly rejected. "I have told Spurs again
that he [Parker] is not available and not to bother us any further or we'll
report them to the Premier League," Sullivan said. "I made a promise that I
would not sell Scott and I will not, for any amount of money, break that
promise to the West Ham supporters."

Sullivan, who last week reinstated former chairman Terry Brown to his
previously-held position of Honourary Life President added: "For far too
long we have had owners that sell their best players and promise one thing
and do another. This is a new era. We are building a bigger, better West Ham
and when we make a promise, we honour it."

Parker was one of a number of West Ham players who appeared unusually
subdued during Saturday's 3-0 drubbing at Villa Park. Meanwhile, rumours
persist that the 29-year-old is one of several squad memebers to whom
promises had been made by the previous administration - promises that
included certain financial bonuses and other privileges - but not honoured
by the current co-owners as part of their emergency cost-cutting.

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Behrami eyes bigger clubs
Swiss midfielder could move away from Hammers
By Simone Bargellini Last updated: 15th August 2010
SSN

Valon Behrami is reportedly considering a move away from West Ham should a
bigger club make an offer for him, according to the player's agent. The
Swiss international left Lazio two years ago to move to Upton Park and has
become one of the club's most established players. The midfielder has been
linked with the likes of Manchester United, but has seen his appearances
become more limited due to injury. Despite agent Alessandro Beltrami
claiming that Behrami was content with life at the Hammers, he did state
that if another team showed an interest, then they would need to speak to
the club. "Valon for West Ham is an important player." Beltrami told
tuttomercatoweb. "There would be the will (by Behrami) to play at a club of
a high level and participate in European competitions. "We'll see if this
will be possible in the next few days in the market. "However, it doesn't
depend on us; if any club is interested in Behrami, they must speak with
West Ham."

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Help me nail Villa Monsters
By HUGH SOUTHON
Published: Today
The Sun

DAVID GOLD last night spoke of his terrifying brush with death at the hands
of two 'Villa monsters' West Ham's co-owner, 73, endured the 'most
frightening experience of my football life' as he left Villa Park following
the Hammers' 3-0 defeat on Saturday. His Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up at a
red light beside the King Edward VII pub, a favourite with Villa fans. What
followed was a nightmare of 'epic proportions' that has left him reviewing
his personal security. He said: "People were outside the pub and there was
some good-natured banter when, suddenly, the whole thing turned horribly
sinister and even life-threatening.
"Two guys who can only be described as monsters - animals - ran from the pub
and threw a bottle of beer at the driver's window, smashing it. They then
kicked the car and tried to get in. "Thankfully, the doors lock when the
engine is running otherwise we could have been in serious trouble.
"Eventually, after what seemed an eternity but was probably about a minute,
we were able to pull away. "That bottle could have come through the window
and killed my driver as it was aimed directly at his temple. "Needles of
glass could have hit and maybe killed me if they had gone into my head. The
more I think about it, the worse it gets."
Gold is considering offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the
arrest and conviction of one or both of the men responsible. He said:
"Despite the speed with which it happened, I saw one woman watching the
whole thing unfold. "I appeal to her and any of the 30 or so people outside
the pub to give any information they have to the police."
The saddest irony is that, had Gold not stopped to sign a programme and have
his photo taken with a disabled Villa fan, he would have avoided the
horrific ordeal. He said: "Had I decided to pass that lad by, I would have
been away and gone but that's not me."It's ironic the acceptable and
unacceptable faces of this game were so close together they almost
collided."
The incident has left Gold reviewing his personal security and he admits it
is a cast-iron certainty the Rolls, which sustained damage estimated at
£2,000, will be left in the garage on away trips. Gold added: "I'm sure
these lunatics attacked the car in part because I was once Birmingham City's
chairman. "It's a return to the bad, bad days of football and I appeal
specifically to that young woman to tell the police everything she saw."

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Hammers Av to face harsh truth
The Sun
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT insists staying clear of the relegation scrap will mean success
for West Ham this season. But on the evidence of their first-half showing at
Villa Park in his first game in charge, the former Pompey manager is in for
another tough season. Hammers were trounced by a Kevin MacDonald-led Aston
Villa and the 3-0 scoreline could have been much worse. Boss Grant said: "I
know it will take time. "I believe you need to build for the future and to
do that it is more easy if you have a good result immediately. "The chairman
David Sullivan said that in the first year he would try to do his best for
the team but there are a lot of financial problems. "If we are not in a
relegation fight, which I believe will be the case, then we can develop our
game. "We need to make the squad stronger. But I think we have a good squad
even now that is capable of showing better than they did here."

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Vinny's Aston Villa Report
Vinny - Sun Aug 15 2010
West Ham Online

Aston Villa 3 West Ham United 0

A new season it may be but same old story on the road it was as West Ham put
in a dismal display with Aston Villa totally dominating and deserving of
their victory. After everything we went through last season with so many bad
performances we were looking for something that just gave us a little
indication that it will not be as bad this time around and that we will look
to play differently and attempt to rectify what went so wrong during the
last campaign. You can be forgiven for fearing the worst given how badly we
played and how abject this showing was. Nothing about our play suggested
anything has changed and our defending was concerning in just about every
aspect. It has been a very busy summer at the club with changes in the
managerial department as Gianfranco Zola was correctly dismissed by the
owners. Replacing the worst manager in West Ham history is Avram Grant who
was managing relegated Portsmouth last season.

Only two players have left the club in the summer with Guillermo Franco and
Ilan both released. Coming into the squad we have seen five new signings in
German Midfielder Tomas Hitzlsperger, Defender Winston Reid, Attacking
Winger Pablo Barrera, Striker Frederic Piquionne and Centre half Tel Ben
Haim.

The noise coming from the owners is that there will be a few more signings
before the transfer window closes at the end of the month and I would
suggest that these need to be made very soon as we simply could not compete
during this encounter with an Aston Villa side who lost there manager
earlier in the week and are set to lose star player James Milner very
shortly.

Starting in goal was Robert Green fresh off the back of his nightmare World
Cup with England. It would seem that one mistake has ended his England
career and he will be receiving a lot of stick from opposition supporters
throughout the season.

In typical West Ham fashion only one of the new signings actually started
the game with Winston Reid making his debut a right back. The captain
Matthew Upson and James Tomkins were at centre half with Herita Ilunga
returning from a long lay off at left back.

Avram Grant went with five in midfield with Julien Faubert on the right
wing, Luis Boa Morte on the left, Parker and Noble in the middle and they
were joined by Radoslav Kovac whom it seemed was poised to sign for Stoke
City but injury to Tomas Hitzlsperger seems to have put a halt to that deal
to the dismay of many.

Up front on his own was Carlton Cole with Piquionne left on the bench. There
was still no place in the squad for Kieron Dyer and Benni McCarthy, both
deemed inexplicably unfit.

From the very beginning things did not look right as Villa took the game to
us and had already forced a couple of corners within two minutes.

We did not look all that comfortable defending these corners either as Villa
should have done better from one of them with Carew heading wide.

Even at an early stage the West Ham supporters were getting agitated as we
could not get hold of the ball and any time we did find ourselves in
possession the ball would be given straight back to Villa.

The home side should have been a goal up when James Tomkins attempted a back
pass which went terribly wrong and let John Carew in on goal. The striker
raced (well maybe not raced) towards goal but Green seemed to bundle Carew
over with the ball then smacking off Tomkins and hitting the post when it
looked certain to go in.

I had hoped this let off would wake the team up and we would get ourselves
together but it wasn't to be and Villa kept coming at us with wave after
wave of attack. The Villa right winger Albrighton was taking Ilunga apart
and managing to get his cross in every time.

With fifteen minutes on the clock Villa took a deserved lead after some poor
keeping from Robert Green. It started from a cross from Ashley Young which
Green decided to punch away when maybe he could have caught the ball.

The punch was poor and went straight to Albrighton to volleyed the ball to
the back post where Stewart Downing standing in an offside position was
there to tap in.

Whilst we do have an argument regarding Downing being offside, this goal was
coming and you cannot play like we were playing and hope everything we will
go for you.

Moments later Green would be called into action again but this time he would
make a superb save. It was a long punt from a goal kick by Friedel which
caused the problems as John Carew (who our defence could not cope with)
flicked the ball on for Ashley Young to run into space and he chipped the
ball towards goal which looked destined for the back of the net but Green
managed to tip the ball over.

We struggled to make anything happen going forward although a good turn and
run from Carlton Cole nearly ended with an equaliser but his cross come shot
went wide.

The hosts looked a lot stronger and had so many more ideas than our
toothless performance thus far. It was clear from early on that our team was
set up incorrectly and we would need to address this at half time.

Unfortunately for us with five minutes of the half remaining Villa doubled
their lead with a simply goal.

A throw in just in front of the away supporters saw Boa Morte momentarily
switch off which allowed Villa space and the ball was eventually given to
Ashley Young who put in a pinpoint cross for Stiliyan Petrov to steal into
the box and head past Green.

'Pissed on our chips' is probably a good way to describe how many West Ham
fans were feeling at this moment with this game looking dead and gone.

There was to be one great chance to get back into the game just before the
half time whistle blew as Faubert found space to break and we had players in
support. Faubert picked out Boa Morte but he looked slow on the ball and had
to get the ball onto his right foot to find space for a shot. If he had just
rolled it to Carlton Cole to his right I have no doubt we would have scored
but he tried a shot which Friedel saved and it was cleared.

At half time I slumped to my seat cursing my misguided optimism which I took
into this game. There was nothing to suggest anything had changed although
apart from Reid at right back this was the same team which struggled time
and time again last season.

In a way this was quintessential West Ham - build up your hopes, owners and
manager talk good games, pre season went well and promises of change being
thrown at us from every corner.

Changes at half time were needed and in fairness to Grant he made them with
Piquionne and Barrera being introduced for Boa Morte and Kovac. This saw us
go to a 4-4-2 with Barrera starting on the left although he would swap sides
throughout the half.

For my £38 I did get to see ten minutes of West Ham competing like a proper
football team. Not a great return but for those ten minutes I felt the
season had started and all was right with the world for that short period
time.

We took the game to Villa with intelligent runs from Piquionne causing their
defence problems with their left back getting himself into a muddle or more
than one occasion.

That big chance just need to come our way and of course it did and it looked
as though we had found a way back into the game but for a terrible miss from
Faubert.
The move saw Piquionne move out to the right wing and his cross found Cole
who touched it back for Faubert who dragged his shot wide from around twelve
yards out.

The 'excitement' ended their and Villa settled down and came back at us
forcing more corners (they had a staggering 15) and with 66 minutes on the
clock they would finish the game off.

For me it was another sloppy goal to conceded. A free kick was given for a
foul on Carew who we really could not cope with.

The free kick was played quickly out to the right hand side to Albrighton to
race for the ball with Tomkins. There was no contest on who was going to
reach the ball as Tomkins looked so very slow and Albrighton got to the ball
first, made a mug out of Tomkins, got in the box and pulled it back for
James Milner to hit a superb left foot shot past Green.

With a fair amount of time still left to play the only hope now is that we
were not going to see a glut of goals and an even worse defeat.

Villa had already hit the wood work twice in the game from the first half
Carew chance and they would hit it again as Ashley Young hit a free kick
which crashed off the bar and over.

John Carew should have scored when a cross saw the striker completely
unmarked in the area but his header was wayward. It was terrible defending
and it looked as though we had given up by that point.

A clever piece of play from Stewart Downing saw his shot hit the bar and the
woodwork would again be rattled when Carew held off our defence, turned and
shot from inside the area only for the ball to hit the post, bounce off
Robert Green and some miss the goal.

It was excruciating to watch us get picked off as easily as we were and many
West Ham fans did not stay to watch anymore as the away section started too
look like the home areas - full of empty seats.

Alessandro Diamanti was brought on but offered little - well unless it's a
free kick that is to be expected isn't it? I suspect that we are the only
team in the Premiership to employ a player simply for set pieces.

A performance which would have looked perfect alongside all those from last
season and whilst panicking and criticising the manager at this stage is
completely stupid, this was a worrying start to the season nonetheless.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
Shown no mercy by the Villa supporters and this is something he will have to
get used to throughout this campaign. Made a couple of good saves but his
mistake for their first goal was poor and he should have done a lot better.
It was a punch by a keeper whose confidence must be at low given the
dreadful summer he has had.

Winston Reid
Not a great start to his West Ham career. I thought he was a surprise
inclusion given that he hasn't played in any of the first team Pre Season
games. Looked out of his depth, was taken apart by whoever was taking him on
and we will want to see a lot more for him in the coming weeks as on this
display he won't last long.

Matthew Upson
Our entire defence was very poor and Upson did not do anything to exempt
himself from that criticism either. Should have taken responsibility when
Tomkins was being torn a new one by Carew. This happened last season when
Kevin Davies did the same thing.

James Tomkins
A really dreadful performance from Tomkins who could do very little
correctly. When he first broke into the side a few season ago his
performances were often riddled with poor mistakes and these seem to be
creeping back into his game more and more. A major improvement needed.

Herita Ilunga
Looked as though he had found his form against Deportivo last weekend but he
was destroyed by the excellent Villa winger Mark Albrighton who Ilunga could
not get near to. Not good enough.

Julien Faubert
Faubert was so bad as a right winger that last season we played him at right
back which he did reasonably well without being anything special. The first
thing Grant does is play him as an attacking right winger and Faubert shows
us once again how shit he is. It was a toss up between him and Boa Morte to
be taken off at half time.

Scott Parker
Never in the game and poor on the ball whenever he did get it. Found a bit
more space in the second half when the midfield area was less congested but
we could rarely get him the ball. Was strange not to see him go in with one
strong challenge throughout the entire game.

Mark Noble
At times he will do something where you think he looks decent but then he
disappears for large chunks of the game. Looks so slow and like Parker he
just wasn't involved enough in the game.

Radoslav Kovac
Not many of us expected to see him start given that it seemed as though he
was poised to sign for Stoke earlier in the week. Even with injury to
Hitzlsperger we could have played Piquionne and went to a 4-4-2 or play
Barrera on the wing with Boa Morte playing a more central position. Kovac
was woeful and was taken off correctly at half time.

Luis Boa Morte
Found a bit of space in the first half and quite clearly knew what he wanted
to do but twice his execution was poor. He can see the passes that need to
be made but seems to be lacking in the ability to actually produce them.

Carlton Cole
Left isolated and when the ball did come to him he kept hold of the ball for
far too long. Cole is best when he has the ball at his feet and is running
at defenders but this only happened the one. This was not a great
performance from a player who has had a great pre season. Need from Cole as
he is out main striker still.

Subs Used

Frederique Piquionne (on for Boa Morte 45 mins)
A positive performance from the French forward who made some intelligent
runs and worked hard on his debut for the club. As this formation in the
first half did not work I would hope Piquionne will start against Bolton.

Pablo Barrera (on for Kovac 45 mins)
Played most of the half on the left hand side and looked confident when in
possession. Can't say he did too much but hopefully we will be seeing more
of him starting with next week.

Alessandro Diamanti (on for Tomkins 72 mins)
Had a shot which went over the bar but did little else.

Subs Not Used: Stech, Gabbidon, Spector, Sears

Bookings: Tomkins, Faubert

Man Of The Match: None

Aston Villa: Friedel, L Young, Dunne, Clark, Warnock, Albrighton, Petrov,
Milner, Downing, A Young, Carew
Subs: Guzan, Weimann, Lichaj, Bannan, Reo-Coker, Beye, Heskey

Attendance: 36, 604

Overall

It is of course important to still stay positive despite this crushing
defeat but it is difficult given how we struggled last season. We cannot go
through another relegation battle because last season was such a horrible
time and the negativity surrounding the club and the tension from the
supporters make home games especially an uncomfortable experience.

Trying to search for positives from this game is a difficult task. I liked
the looked Piquionne and Barrera but even the two of them didn't offer too
much.

Last season we started with a victory away to Wolves (our last away win) and
thought we were going to have a decent season which as we know was a
complete false dawn. Hopefully it will be the opposite this time and this
defeat will be just a blip on a wonderful campaign. Ok, maybe I am clutching
at those straws a little but I still don't expect us to be as bad as last
season no matter how bad this display was.

Some people may think it is unrealistic and expecting too much to think we
can push for a top ten place but if Birmingham and Blackburn can finish
there last time around I am unwilling to accept that this is too much for us
to achieve.

Next Game - Bolton Wanderers (Home)

Our bogey side are up next. Bolton have done the double over us during the
last two seasons and they are a team who are simply too physical for us to
contain. If the Villa game is anything to go by then we may struggle again
as Tomkins and Upson find it impossible to deal with strong striker such as
Carew or in Bolton's case Kevin Davies.

There is no need at home to play one up front. We have criticised managers
in the past for playing in the negative way and Grant will not be exempt
from this either.

Whilst it is too early to call this a must win game with Manchester United
and Chelsea to follow in the league it is not inconceivable that we would
find ourselves down at the bottom after just a few games. A win next week
will give us a little bit more confidence which as we know evaporated last
season very easily.

It was terrible performance, a dreaful result and almost impossible to find
any positives from the game.

Welcome to another season of West Ham United.

The View From Grant

"I was not by pleased by the first-half performance or the result," Grant
said. "The first goal was a clear offside but we did not play so well even
though we had two big chances to score at 1-0 and 2-0."

"We didn't score, we didn't play quick and we didn't pass the ball well, so
we made some changes and until they scored again we controlled the game.
Again, we had another two big chances but we didn't score. They did but that
is football. The game was finished."

"Robert Green played well today. But in front of him we didn't play so well.
It was not an easy life for him but the goals were not his fault and he made
some good saves.

"Winston Reid was good for his first game. He did not play in his position
because he is centre-half but for a first performance in the Premier League
he was good. He will be a very good player."

"My players wanted to succeed in this game very much and they had been
waiting for this match, especially after last season but sometimes when
you're so excited you don't end up playing so well.

"Carlton Cole looked isolated but that was not the plan. Players needed to
support him but they didn't and our movement was not so good. Aston Villa
played sharp and quick, which was what we had planned to do. It was not so
good. The reaction after [half-time] was good.

"This is the beginning of the season. When I started here I told the players
that I want to see how they react both after they win and after they lose.
There is a long way to go but, of course, we wanted to win.

"When you play away from home, anything can happen and we didn't want to
lose this game but we lost. As you have seen from all my other teams before
is that they will react after a defeat like this. We will learn and be much,
much better during the season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant: Hammers just need to beat the drop
Published 23:00 15/08/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror

Hammers boss Avram Grant insists his sole aim this term is to stay clear of
the relegation dogfight. Despite a promising pre-season, West Ham were
absolutely appalling on the opening day at Villa Park. The visitors were
lucky to lose only 3-0 and the defeat brought back bad memories of last
term's scrap against the drop. But Grant, who has succeeded Gianfranco Zola,
says his orders this season from the cash-strapped club's hierarchy are
simply to stay up. "I know it will take time," said Grant. "The chairman
said that in the first year he would try to do his best for the team but
there are a lot of financial problems. "He wants to go forward every year
because last year we were battling against relegation so it is a good
target. "If we are not fighting against relegation, which I believe will be
the case, we can develop our game and improve our football. "I believe you
need to build for the future and to do that it is more easy if you have a
good result immediately. "But in this game the result wasn't good and the
performance wasn't so good so we can learn and go forward because it is only
the beginning of the season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spurs target Scott Parker to sign five-year deal as Harry Redknapp turns his
attention to £11m striker Loic Remy
Last updated at 11:36 PM on 15th August 2010
Daily Mail

West Ham believe Scott Parker will sign a new five-year contract and have
warned Spurs to stay away from the England midfielder. Chairman David
Sullivan told Sportsmail: 'I have told Spurs again that he's not available
and not to bother us any further or we'll report them to the Premier
League.' The 29-year-old still has three years remaining on his current deal
but Tottenham were reported to be weighing up a £7 million bid. Sullivan
reacted angrily to efforts to unsettle Parker by insisting he was "not for
sale at any price, to anyone". He added: 'I made a promise that I would not
sell Scott and I will not, for any amount of money, break that promise to
the West Ham supporters. 'For far too long, have had owners that sell their
best players and promise one thing and do another.
'This is a new era. We are building a bigger, better West Ham and when we
make a promise, we honour it.'
Tottenham are weighing up an £11m offer for Nice striker Loic Remy after
manager Harry Redknapp saw his strikers draw a blank on Saturday. Redknapp
made a personal check on Remy during France's defeat by Norway last
Wednesday along with scouts from Everton, Aston Villa and Chelsea. Everton
may struggle to match Tottenham's offer as they need to sell to help
supplement any bid. Newcastle are showing interest in Victor Anichebe and
West Ham remain keen on Yakubu.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Chairman David Sullivan Tells Tottenham To Back Off Of Their Chase
Of Scott Parker
Hammers midfielder helped club survive last season's relegation scare
By Anthony Sciarrino
Aug 16, 2010 2:25:00 AM
Goal.com

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has warned Tottenham not to pursue
Scott Parker anymore or they will report the club to the Premier League.
After a fantastic season for West Ham last term, Parker has been the subject
of many transfer rumours, but Sullivan had vowed that he would not sell his
star at any price this summer. However, Sullivan believes that the
29-year-old, who has three years remaining on his current deal with the
Hammers, will agree to a new five-year deal, and does not what to hear for
Spurs again. "'I have told Spurs again that he's not available and not to
bother us any further or we'll report them to the Premier League." Sullivan
told the Daily Mail. "I made a promise that I would not sell Scott and I
will not, for any amount of money, break that promise to the West Ham
supporters. "For far too long, have had owners that sell their best players
and promise one thing and do another. "This is a new era. We are building a
bigger, better West Ham and when we make a promise, we honour it."
Parker was a big reason why West Ham barely avoided relegation last season,
finishing in 17th place, just five points above the drop zone.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 15th August 2010

Grant expecting 'much better'
WHUFC.com
The manager was disappointed but not deterred by a tough opening to the
season at Villa Park
14.08.2010

Avram Grant was certain he would see a reaction from his players after a
tough start to the new Barclays Premier League season. The manager refused
to make excuses, despite the opening goal in Aston Villa's 3-0 win on
Saturday coming when scorer Stewart Downing was in an offside position. That
was quickly followed by a second from Stiliyan Petrov and, despite a
spirited start to the second half, James Milner confirmed the defeat with a
third that was probably deserved for the home side. "I was not by pleased by
the first-half performance or the result," Grant said. "The first goal was a
clear offside but we did not play so well even though we had two big chances
to score at 1-0 and 2-0. "We didn't score, we didn't play quick and we
didn't pass the ball well, so we made some changes and until they scored
again we controlled the game. Again, we had another two big chances but we
didn't score. They did but that is football. The game was finished."

Aside from the "great" travelling support, there were positives with Winston
Reid making his first appearance for the club while notably Frederic
Piquionne and Pablo Barrera looked lively when coming on at the interval.
Robert Green was also exempt from any fault for the three Villa goals and
did much to stop them adding to the tally. "Robert Green played well today.
But in front of him we didn't play so well. It was not an easy life for him
but the goals were not his fault and he made some good saves. "Winston Reid
was good for his first game. He did not play in his position because he is
centre-half but for a first performance in the Premier League he was good.
He will be a very good player."

Despite Thomas Hitzlsperger's thigh problem keeping him out and Manuel da
Costa not travelling because of an ankle knock, Grant said Villa merited the
manner of their victory. "Villa were better than us. "My players wanted to
succeed in this game very much and they had been waiting for this match,
especially after last season but sometimes when you're so excited you don't
end up playing so well. "Carlton Cole looked isolated but that was not the
plan. Players needed to support him but they didn't and our movement was not
so good. Aston Villa played sharp and quick, which was what we had planned
to do. It was not so good. The reaction after [half-time] was good. "This is
the beginning of the season. When I started here I told the players that I
want to see how they react both after they win and after they lose. There is
a long way to go but, of course, we wanted to win. "When you play away from
home, anything can happen and we didn't want to lose this game but we lost.
As you have seen from all my other teams before is that they will react
after a defeat like this. We will learn and be much, much better during the
season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa 3 - 0 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
By Kevin Darling

Aston Villa shrugged off the loss of manager Martin O'Neill with a vibrant
display as Avram Grant's first game as West Ham boss ended in a dismal
defeat.
The hosts dominated from the the start and Stewart Downing pounced on Robert
Green's parry to secure an early lead. Stiliyan Petrov's header from an
Ashley Young cross made it 2-0 before Julien Faubert fluffed a rare Hammers
chance. James Milner, tipped to leave Villa, slammed home a third from 18
yards after a fine run from Marc Albrighton. It was a dazzling end to a
turbulent week at Villa Park, which saw Kevin MacDonald take charge of the
team after O'Neill's shock exit five days ago. The Northern Irishman
reportedly walked out after a disagreement with Villa owner Randy Lerner -
but it was the American's name the home fans were chanting at the end of an
emphatic win. While it was a fine day for the Midlands club, it was a
dreadful start to the new job for Grant, whose side looked disjointed and
toothless as they were outplayed for most of the game by a young and
committed Villa side. MacDonald's team showed no ill-effects from the events
of the past week as they started the match in blistering fashion, with John
Carew heading just wide from Downing's cross after three minutes.
They went even closer to an opening goal moments later after some calamitous
defending by James Tomkins. The young centre-back's dreadful back pass
allowed Carew a clear run at goal and after Green got a touch with his leg,
the ball ricocheted off Tomkins and then bounced back off the post. But the
Hammers' good fortune quickly evaporated and it was goalkeeper Green,
mercilessly booed throughout by the Villa fans after his unfortunate World
Cup exploits, who was at the centre of the action. The keeper's poor punch
from a Young cross led to a shot from Albrighton and, although Green palmed
it away, Downing followed up to tap in the rebound.

Referee Mike Dean waved away the protests from the Hammers defence, who
thought Downing was in an offside position when the ball was fired in by
Albrighton - with replays suggesting they had a case. The busy West Ham
keeper partially made amends when he acrobatically tipped over Young's
clever lob.
But Villa continued to excel and they soon doubled their lead when Young
dinked in a cross, and Petrov beat Faubert in the air to power a header past
the helpless Green from eight yards out. The goal roused the lethargic
visitors into creating their only chance of the half as Luis Boa Morte cut
inside and forced a good save from Brad Friedel. Manager Grant signalled his
desire for more attacking intent in the second half as he sent on new
signings Pablo Barrera and Frederic Piquionne.

The change almost paid off when the Frenchman teed up an unmarked Faubert in
the box, only for the winger to scuff wide from 12 yards out. The Hammers
were left to rue the miss when Milner, possibly playing his last game for
the club as he has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Manchester
City, added an excellent third goal. The 20-year-old Albrighton, who was
outstanding on his first Premier League start, jinked past two defenders and
cut the ball back for Milner, who swept the ball past Green from the edge of
the box. Villa should have extended their lead but Carew made a mess of a
free header from six yards out and then saw a shot hit the inside of the
post. Milner, who had been booed by some supporters at the start of the
game, received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the closing
stages. There was plenty here to suggest that if the midfielder does leave,
Villa have the talent to thrive without him.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin MacDonald defends decision to pick James Milner
BBC.co.uk

Aston Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald says his decision to pick
James Milner was vindicated by the player's fine display against West Ham.
The England midfielder, who is set to join Manchester City and was booed by
some fans, scored in a 3-0 win and ended up receiving a standing ovation.
"It wasn't easy for him. There were a few grumblings but that shows how good
and how tough he is," said MacDonald. "He wants to do the best he can.
That's why I had no problems playing him." MacDonald took charge of Villa
five days ago following the surprise departure of Martin O'Neill and led his
young side to an emphatic win, with Stewart Downing and Stiliyan Petrov also
on target. Milner netted the third Villa goal with a fine 18-yard strike in
what could be his last game for the club, pending an expected transfer to
City. "The latest I heard, there was still a stalemate with Man City. But
that could change within hours," said MacDonald.
"Within five minutes the crowd realised James is still James. He's an Aston
Villa player. The ovation at the end of the game was rightly deserved."
MacDonald will stay in charge of Villa for Thursday's Europa League
qualifier against Rapid Vienna but his future in the hotseat beyond then is
uncertain. Sven-Goran Eriksson, Gareth Southgate and USA coach Bob Bradley
have all been linked with the post. "It's too soon after the game to say I
want the job (full-time). It can only get worse after winning 3-0 - maybe I
should retire now!" said MacDonald.

West Ham manager Avram Grant admitted his new side had been comprehensively
outplayed by Villa. "I was not pleased with the performance and not with the
result, even if the first goal was from a clear offside," said Grant. "We
didn't play well. They were better than us. Villa played sharp and quick
like we planned to do." The former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss said he
expected the Hammers to bounce back in their next game, against Bolton next
Saturday.
"One thing you see in all my teams before is that they react well to a
defeat like this. There is a lot to learn from this game and I am sure the
season will look much, much better."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant on... Aston Villa
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Avram Grant shares his thoughts after a somewhat less-than-impressive
competitive start to his new job...

... On a 3-0 defeat

"It wasn't a good game for us and not like we've been playing in the
preparation games. Aston Villa were better than us, they won most of the
battles and passed the ball better than us. We didn't play well and at the
end of the day, they deserved to win.

We started the game very sloppy and passed the ball more to them that we
passed to ourselves! So the game was not good and we didn't win many balls.
Then the [three] goals, even though the first goal was clearly offside.

Then we missed the opportunities that we had, we had three or four good
chances to score. We lost, but we're looking forward to next week."

... Wasted opportunities

"We created chances to score at the end of the first half and at the
beginning of the second half. At 1-0 we had a big chance and another at 2-0.
We had two or three chances to score, then they scored with their first
chance of the second half."

... It's all in the mind

"Maybe it's a psychological problem, I don't know. But twe didn't pass the
ball very well; we played very, very slow. We did a lot of things that we
haven't done until now in training, so it's a good game to learn [from] and
it's good that this is the first game."

... Rob Green

"He performed well. It wasn't easy for him because most of the team in front
of him didn't perform well and gave them easy chances. But he performed
well."

... The season ahead

"My job never was easy. This is a hard job anyway but is a big challenge and
we have to learn from this game. We have a lot to learn but I'm sure we will
have a good season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa 3 West Ham Utd 0
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Avram Grant's side look like facing another long, hard season after they
were trounced 3-0 by a managerless Aston Villa this afternoon.

Gianfranco Zola's replacement saw his side humiliated on the opening day of
the Premier League season at Villa Park by a Villa side who could have
racked up double figures, given the sheer number of chances they were
allowed to create by a Hammers side who were, quite frankly, an absolute
shambles.

Despite having made five signings during the summer, Grant chose to start
with only one - centre half Winston Reid, who started at right back - which
proved to be a huge error. Radoslav Kovac, playing with the knowledge that
his immediate future almost certainly lies elsewhere was hapless in the
centre of midfield (so much so that he was replaced at half time) whilst
James Tomkins, preferred to Danny Gabbidon had possibly his worst ever game
in a West Ham shirt.

Villa, featuring the wantaway James Milner and Ashley Young were in command
from the start. They were unlucky not to take the lead on 14 minutes when
James Tomkins made his first error of the game with an underhit backpass
that John Carew failed to capitalise on. However they side had to wait less
than 60 seconds before (a clearly offside) Stewart Downing pounced at the
far post to make it 1-0 after Rob Green had made a a mess of an attempted
punch.

A shellshocked Hammers failed to respond and Villa continued to enjoy the
freedom of Villa Park. To illustrate the difference between the teams, Villa
racked up TEN corners in the opening half-hour; the only surprise was that
they had to wait until the 40th minute to double their lead when Petrov lost
tracker Faubert to head home an Ashley Young cross.

Avram Grant unsurprisingly rang the changes at half time with Kovac and the
disappointing Luis Boa Morte hauled off. On came new signigs Barrera and
Piquionne and with them a much-needed change in formation (to 4-4-2).

Those changes worked well initially as the Hammers went close to reducing
the deficit on a number of occasions - most notably when Julien Faubert was
granted a gilt-edged opportunity that he failed to convert with the goal at
his mercy ten minutes into the second half.

But once the hour mark had passed Villa were to regain complete control of
the game - embarassingly easily at times as West Ham looked like a bunch of
strangers, and certainly not like a team that had gone through pre-season
without suffering a single defeat.

The final goal arrived with 66 minutes on the clock when young Tomkins was
once again made to look foolish after being beaten too easily by the Man
City-bound James Milner. The England winger skipped inside Tomkins before
firing across Green into the far corner.

For the reminder of the game Villa continued to take pot-shots at Rob
Green's goal, hitting the post twice more but failing - somehow - to improve
on their three-goal advantage. The Hammers, boosted by the introduction of
Alessandro Diamanti managed to conjure a couple of half-chances but nothing
to seriously test Brad Friedel.

So it's back to the drawing board for Avram Grant who now faces a very
difficult week - and no doubt a visit from chairman David Sullivan, who has
given the Israeli his unequivocal support since bringing him into the club.

Meanwhile a number of questions will be asked - like why Tomkins, who has
played exclusively at right-back in pre-season reverted to the centre of
defence, and why centre-half Winston Reid was played at right back.

However the biggest worry ahead of next weekend's visit of bogey-side Bolton
will be the general manner in which the team played today. A distinct lack
of cohesion points to a long, difficult season ahead.

Aston Villa 3 West Ham Utd 0

West Ham Utd: Green, Reid, Ilunga, Tomkins (Diamanti 72), Upson, Parker,
Kovac (Piquionne 46), Noble, Boa Morte (Barrera 46), Faubert, Cole.

Subs not used: Stech, Spector, Gabbidon, Sears.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brady blasts Redknapp
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's vice-Chairman Karren Brady has accused Harry Redknapp of trying
to unsettle Scott Parker. Brady, speaking in her regular column for the Sun
lashed out at the Tottenham manager after a derisory £7million bid for West
Ham's vice-captain was rejected by the board. "Harry Redknapp has
introduced something into the transfer market I call Harry's Law," blasted
Brady. "It goes: 'Do what I like, when I like, with whom I like.' "Scott
Parker grew unsettled by Spurs' clear interest in him even though West Ham
joint-chairman David Sullivan stated he was not for sale. No permission to
speak to Scott was requested or would have been given. But this was not good
enough for Spurs who were convinced we would be pressured into selling.
"Daniel Levy - my friend, but obviously not a very good one - once ventured
to me that business was all about principles and money. I told him he had
failed in both on this occasion. "

Brady also revealed that rotund striker Benni McCarthy, who was dropped from
South Africa's World Cup squad for being overweight has been nicknamed 'two
Benni's' by club staff.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hitz facing month out
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Thomas Hitzlsperger could be out of action for around a month after
sustaining an injury whilst on international duty during the week. West
Ham's first new signing of the summer had a scan following Germany's 2-2
draw with Denmark on Wednesday night, a game in which he was substituted
having pulled up midway through the second half. The damage to his hamstring
is set to keep him out of action for 4-6 weeks. The news comes as a major
blow to Avram Grant, whose side face Aston Villa at Villa Park this
afternoon. Also out of action is Valon Behrami, whilst Radoslav Kovac - who
was set to join Stoke in midweek - has been give a reprieve and is recalled
into the squad as cover for Hitzsperger.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Milner scores in Villa stroll
Midlanders start in style with easy win over Hammers
By Elliot Ball Last updated: 14th August 2010
SSN

Man of the match: Villa had many contenders, but youngster Marc Albrighton
was the stand-out player and the winger looks like he is going to be a hit
at Villa Park this season, especially if Milner moves on.

Moment of the match: Look no further than James Milner's second-half goal.
The winger is likely to have played his last game for the Villans and he
signed off in style.

Miss of the match: John Carew had a day to forget, no more apparent with his
second-half header. Stiliyan Petrov's delightful cross deserved better as an
unmarked Carew got his angles wrong and blazed wide from eight yards.

Talking point: Was Stewart Downing offside for the opener, does Kevin
MacDonald deserve the Villa job and should Avram Grant dip into the market
to bolster

James Milner capped what could be his last game for Aston Villa with a fine
goal as they kicked off their Premier League campaign by emphatically
beating West Ham 3-0 to prove there can be life after Martin O'Neill.
Milner, who is expected to join Manchester City in the coming days, proved
caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald - left to take charge after O'Neill walked
out as manager earlier in the week - correct to select him for Saturday's
season opener as he signed off in style with a stellar display in front of
the Villa Park faithful. Before that, Stewart Downing was the beneficiary of
a lenient offside decision and latched onto Marc Albrighton's parried shot
to give the hosts the lead in the 15th minute. Villa's utter dominance paid
off once more as Stiliyan Petrov's clever run was picked out by the
brilliant Ashley Young and the Villa captain nodded a second five minutes
before half-time. The Hammers, who were defensively woeful in the Midlands,
briefly caused Villa a few problems in the second half but Milner rounded
off the win with a delightful finish after being teed up by the impressive
young winger Albrighton on 66 minutes.

Albrighton, who made his England Under-21 debut in midweek, was given his
first Premier League start and he looked right at home while West Ham failed
to handle Young's pace and movement. Villa started like a train and barely
let up in intensity. Richard Dunne and John Carew both missed with
close-range headers after being picked out by Downing before West Ham's
defending touched on the farcical. Carew should have put Villa ahead when he
latched on to a dreadful back-pass from James Tomkins. A poor first touch
gave Robert Green time to race off his line and his deflection ricocheted
off Tomkins and onto the post. Somehow West Ham cleared but a Villa goal
seemed inevitable and it duly came after 15 minutes. Green parried Young's
fierce cross out to Albrighton, who volleyed the rebound goalwards and
forced the West Ham keeper into a diving save. But Green could only push the
ball to Downing who scored from the six-yard line. The officials waved away
West Ham's strong appeals for offside. Young almost doubled Villa's
advantage when he escaped the West Ham defence but Green produced an
excellent save to tip his shot over the bar. Milner thought he had won a
penalty when he was challenged by West Ham debutant Winston Reid on the edge
of the box but referee Mike Dean waved play on.

Reid was struggling on his Premier League debut and was even penalised for a
foul throw as West Ham failed to relieve the almost constant pressure.
Carlton Cole made one powerful run past Dunne and into the Villa box but he
had no-one in support and his shot was dragged across the face of goal. All
at sea
West Ham's defence was all at sea as Downing and Albrighton made the most of
the space and time they were being afforded down the flanks. Albrighton once
again got the better of Herita Ilunga before pulling the ball back to Young,
who picked out Petrov's driving run into the box, and the Bulgarian headed
Villa into a 2-0 lead. Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel was called into serious
action only once in the half and he was equal to Luis Boa Morte's shot after
the former Portugal international had made space inside the box.

Grant sent on Pablo Barrera and Frederic Piquionne in the second half and
West Ham briefly flickered into life but Tomkins powered a header wide of
Friedel's post. Barrera's first real contribution was to concede a
free-kick, which Downing curled towards the top corner and Green was
relieved to see it dip just over the bar. But Villa soon wrapped up the
game. Albrighton bustled his way past Tomkins and pulled the ball back for
Milner, who lashed a first-time shot past Green. Milner barely celebrated in
front of the Holte End but he did acknowledge the standing ovation from the
Villa Park crowd after being replaced before the end. Villa pushed for a
fourth goal and Petrov picked out Carew in the box but the Norwegian striker
once again failed to find the target with a close-range header. Carew then
squeezed a shot against the post but the ball refused to go in, rolling
across the line, and Young could only turn it into the side-netting.
Villa were unfortunate not to have won by double the scoreline by full-time
as MacDonald's side put the midweek disruption behind them with a commanding
performance to get their season up and running.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant - Iron job not easy
Hammers boss also backs Green performance
By Elliot Ball Last updated: 14th August 2010
SSN

Avram Grant insists he is under no illusions of the "challenge" he faces at
West Ham United after they were pummelled 3-0 by Aston Villa on the opening
day of the season. Goals from Stewart Downing, Stiliyan Petrov and James
Milner ensured Villa got their campaign off to a flying start, while the
Hammers were left with their tails between their legs in the Midlands. Grant
was not happy with the way his team defended at Villa Park and he will be
seeking rapid improvements, especially with tough fixtures against Chelsea,
Manchester Unitedand Tottenham upcoming But the Hammers boss knew it would
be difficult at the Upton Park club after taking over in the summer, and
claims his side will need some time to adapt to his style of playing. "These
are the fixtures, we cannot change those," Grant told Sky Sports after the
game. "My job was never easy, this is a hard job but it's a big challenge."
All-eyes were on goalkeeper Rob Green at Villa Park after his showing for
England in the World Cup. Green was guilty of an embarrassing clanger during
the Three Lions' unsuccessful campaign in South Africa and the Hammers
shot-stopper looked uneasy on Saturday following boos from the crowd. But
Grant felt his No.1 played well, something he could not say for Green's
team-mates. He performed well," added the Israeli tactician. "It was not
easy for him because most of the team in front of him didn't perform well."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa 3-0 West Ham: Sunday Mirror match report
Published 23:00 14/08/10 By Anthony Clavane
The Mirror

Martin who? Kevin MacDonald might have ruled himself out of the running -
but on this evidence Randy Lerner could well make the unsung hero Villa's
new permanent boss. The American owner is reportedly prepared to take his
time over finding a new boss following O'Neill's shock resignation. And
MacDonald insists he is not a candidate for the post. Yesterday's win,
however, should propel the former Leicester and Liverpool midfielder from
the anonymity of reserve-team coach into the top-flight front line.
MacDonald claims he is not a "big enough name". But, after spending seven
years as part of the backroom staff at Villa Park, he grabbed his big chance
with both hands. O'Neill's disappearing act earlier this week had left Villa
fans feeling lost. So, given the state of turmoil, MacDonald took a huge
gamble in playing James Milner. He said: "I am on a high after that. It was
quite a nerve-wracking experience but we deserved victory.
"Everybody is telling me how well we played but I want to look at the DVD of
the game and see how I feel. "Maybe I should retire now with 100 per cent
record. But it's too soon to talk about the job of being permanent manager."
Milner, whose £24million player-plus-cash move to Manchester City is on
hold, was bound to get a hot reception in what was probably his farewell
match.
"There were a few grumbles when James first touched the ball," said
MacDonald, "but when he was substituted he got a standing ovation." At
first, the Villa fans didn't know who to boo the most - Milner or West Ham
keeper Robert Green. They settled, eventually, on the Hammers No.1, whose
June 12 howler for England against the USA had got the Three Lions' campaign
in South Africa off to such a disastrous start. As the home side laid siege
to the West Ham goal, they lost no opportunity in taunting the keeper. And
when the Midlanders opened their account they sneered, sarcastically,
"England's No 1."

Green, clearly unsettled by the hostility, should have dealt better with
Ashley Young's tricky cross - his lacklustre punch only ending up at Marc
Albrighton's feet. The wing wonder then pinged in a shot which the
ex-Norwich stopper saved - but Stewart Downing was on hand to follow up with
a simple tap-in. If it hadn't been for poor finishing by John Carew, the
Londoners would have been dead and buried by half-time. The big Norwegian
could have easily had a hat-trick in the first half. He was gifted a sitter
from debutant Winston Reid, whose weak back-pass was picked up by Carew. The
striker's poor first touch allowed Reid to recover - and the ball deflected
on to the post. Green was not to blame for Villa's second five minutes
before the interval – a well-worked move which started with Albrighton
pulling the ball back for Young. The England star, who is attracting
interest from several top clubs, put the ball straight on to Stiliyan
Petrov's head and the Bulgarian nodded in to make it 2-0. After the restart,
the skies opened and – like the weather – the visitors became briefly
thunderous.
Only Brad Friedel's superb goalkeeping - and poor finishing by Carlton Cole
- prevented them getting a consolation goal. But order, and good weather,
was eventually restored.

Downing twice came close. First he hit the bar with a curling free-kick.
Then Carew's delightful back-flick set him up for a one-on-one with Friedel
- but the West Ham stopper bravely blocked the shot. Another clever flick
from Carew hit the post - before Milner, putting to bed the notion that he
might not have been in the right frame of mind to play, went from zero to
hero by converting man-of-the-match Albrighton's cross. When MacDonald
cleverly substituted the midfielder with seven minutes to go, Milner was
given a standing ovation by the home crowd. As for Avram Grant's side, they
were lucky to escape an even bigger hammering. Their supporters remain
unconvinced about their new Israeli boss. They have now won only one of
their last 14 visits to the stadium - and they never looked remotely like
ending their Villa Park hoodoo.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Harry's back in for £12m Parker
Published 23:00 14/08/10 By John Percy
The Mirror

Harry Redknapp has stepped up his pursuit for Scott Parker after tabling a
£12million offer to West Ham. Tottenham boss Redknapp has made an improved
bid for the Hammers midfielder as he attempts to test his former club's
resolve to keep their prize asset. Redknapp wants to offer Parker a dream
shot at the Champions League this season and has already failed with a £7m
bid. But Spurs have returned with a second offer and are confident of taking
the 29-year-old across London to White Hart Lane. West Ham's board had
insisted that Parker was the one player they would not contemplate selling
this summer. Chairman David Sullivan blasted Spurs after their first bid and
claimed he was "very angry" at what he believed to be an attempt at
unsettling Parker. The Hammers have also attempted to convince him to stay
by offering him a bumper five-year deal. But Redknapp has been a long-term
admirer of the former Newcastle star and has made signing him one of his top
priorities. He said: "We just need to improve that little bit. I still feel
we need one or two top quality players to tip the balance for us."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
GOLD FURY AT 'ATTACK' ON HIS CAR BY PUB YOBS
News Of The World
GOLD: His car was attacked by yobs
By Hugh Southon, 14/08/2010

WEST HAM co-owner David Gold claimed he was the victim of a "vicious and
outrageous attack" as he left Villa Park following the club's 3-0 defeat.
Gold's Rolls-Royce was stationary outside the King Edward VII pub when two
"monsters" flew out and threw a bottle at the windscreen. Gold, joint owner
of Villa rivals Birmingham City before he and David Sullivan left for West
Ham, said: "People had been waving and smiling when these two thugs flew at
us screaming abuse before unbelievably throwing the bottle which, but for
the toughened glass, could have killed my driver Jerry had it penetrated. "I
hope and pray the incident is reported to the local constabulary and these
two thugs are caught. "I have been in this game for 17 years and don't
deserve this. It was the worst and most frightening thing I have experienced
in my life."
The incident added insult to injury after West Ham's defeat. Manager Avram
Grant said: "I was not pleased with the performance or the result, even
though the first Villa goal was clearly offside. "We didn't play well, we
didn't pass the ball well. "We started the second half well but did not take
our chances and when they scored again it was the end of the game. "Villa
played sharp and quick, like we planned to do. "One thing you see in all my
teams before is that they react well to a defeat like this. There's a lot to
learn from this game and I am sure the season will look much, much better."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool to target Carlton Cole after Mario Balotelli's Manchester City
switch starts transfer carousel
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 12:20 AM on 15th August 2010
Daily Mail

Manchester City's £23million capture of Mario Balotelli could set off a
transfer merry-go-round which may end up with West Ham's Carlton Cole at
Anfield.
The sale means Inter boss Rafa Benitez can bid for Javier Mascherano, with
Barca also keen on the Argentina captain. That, in turn, can fund a new
Liverpool striker, with City's Felipe Caceido West Ham's preferred
replacement for Cole. And City will let Vladimir Weiss go to Celtic on loan
this week - the first of three possible deals between the clubs. Winger
Weiss, 20, played for Slovakia in the World Cup but City want him to get
more first-team experience following a loan at Bolton last season. Celtic
are also keen on Shay Given and Craig Bellamy.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 14th August 2010

Aston Villa match preview
WHUFC.com
All the early team news and background for Saturday's return to the Barclays
Premier League
13.08.2010

Barclays Premier League
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Villa Park
Saturday 14 August 2010
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Mike Dean

Introduction

• West Ham United kick off the 2010/11 campaign with a trip to the Midlands
to take on managerless Aston Villa. The game will be Avram Grant's first
competitive fixture in charge of the club after he became the club's 13th
manager on 3 June 2010.
• West Ham have not lost in their last three matches against Villa, with 0-0
and 1-1 draws in the last two outings at Villa Park either side of a 2-1 win
in east London on 4 November 2009. The stadium also holds happy memories
after the 1-0 win against Middlesbrough in the 2006 FA Cup semi-final on 23
April 2006.
• The Hammers have played seven matches during the summer, winning the first
five and drawing the last two - the last of those fixtures against RC
Deportivo La Coruna in the SBOBET Cup last weekend actually culminating with
a 5-3 shoot-out win for the Hammers.
• In pre-season, Avram Grant's men secured victories over League One outfit
Peterborough United (2-1), German side VfL Borussia Monchengladbach (2-0),
Greek champions Panathinaikos (1-0), League One outfit MK Dons (2-0),
Championship club Ipswich Town (1-0) before a draw at Southend United (1-1).
The final summer contest was that Deportivo date when Pablo Barrera struck
the winning penalty after Rob Green had made a save.
• Saturday's fixture could see Hammers league debuts for Thomas Hitzlsperger
- a fitness worry - Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne, Tal Ben Haim and
Winston Reid. Hitzlsperger, Barrera and Piquionne have all played during the
summer, while Ben Haim has just a 45-minute reserve run-out under his belt
and Reid has yet to figure.
• The Hammers last won a Barclays Premier League match on the road at
Wolverhampton Wanderers almost exactly a year ago. The 2-0 victory at
Molineux came on 15 August 2009 before the next 18 awaydays saw the Hammers
never once take the full three points, along with a Carling Cup third-round
loss at Bolton Wanderers.
• West Ham finished 17th last season with just 35 points, although were most
successful against Aston Villa and relegated Portsmouth - winning at home
and drawing away.
• Villa secured UEFA Europa League football this season with a sixth-placed
finish in 2009/10 - the third time in a row that they ended up in that
relatively lofty league position.
• The Hammers have won seven, drawn one and lost seven of their opening
Premier League games since its inception in 1992.

• Two 3-1 wins count as their best-ever start to a Premier League season. A
3-1 win at home to Charlton Athletic in 2006 was matched by a defeat of
Blackburn Rovers by the same score in 2005

• The biggest opening-day defeat in the Barclays Premier League came in
2002, when Newcastle United won 4-0 at St James' Park.
• West Ham have not drawn the opening game since 1994, when they drew 0-0
with Leeds United at Elland Road.

• Carlton Cole was West Ham's leading scorer last season with 10 top-flight
goals.

• Robert Green topped the appearance charts for the last campaign, playing
every minute of every Premier League game. He has played 126 consecutive
top-flight matches. He started the last 12 games of the 2006/07 campaign and
every one of the 38 games in each of the last three campaigns.
• Brad Friedel, his opposite number on Saturday, is the league leader for
consecutive starts - having made 228 appearances in a row in the top-flight
- having played every game in the Barclays Premier League for the last six
seasons.
• Aston Villa began last season with a 2-0 home defeat by Wigan Athletic.
This is the fourth season in a row that they have started the campaign at
Villa Park, with two defeats and a win in the previous three first games.
Last meeting
• The last meeting between the two sides was the 0-0 draw at Villa Park on
17 January this year. The match was notable for 18-year-old Frank Nouble
leading the line on his own on his first start for the club.
The lineups were:
Aston Villa: Friedel, Warnock, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Downing, Milner,
Young, Petrov, Heskey (Carew 57), Agbonlahor
Subs not used: Guzan, Sidwell, Young, Delph, Delfouneso, Beye
West Ham United: Green, Upson, Spector, Tomkins, Parker (Diamanti 57), Kovac
(Stanislas 62), Noble, Behrami, Faubert, Collison, Nouble (Da Costa 89)
Subs not used: Kurucz, Jimenez, Daprela, Sears
• This is the 91st league meeting between the two sides. West Ham have won
32, Aston Villa have won 30 and there have been 28 draws.
Head to head

Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
17 January 2010 - Aston Villa 0-0 West Ham United
4 November 2009 - West Ham United 2-1 Aston Villa
18 April 2009 - Aston Vila 1-1 West Ham United
20 December 2008 - West Ham United 0-1 Aston Villa
11 May 2008 - West Ham United 2-2 Aston Villa
6 October 2007 - Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham United

Overall record v Aston Villa (all competitions) W 37 D 30 L 34
Last time out
Saturday 7 August 2010
SBOBET Cup
West Ham United 0-0 RC Deportivo La Coruna (Hammers win 5-3 on penalties)
West Ham United: Green, Tomkins, Gabbidon (Barrera 63), Upson, Ilunga,
Parker, Noble, Hitzlsperger (Boa Morte 75), Faubert, Diamanti (Piquionne
63), Cole
Subs: Stech, Daprela, Spector, Da Costa, Kovac, Stanislas
Friday 6 August 2010
Aston Villa 0-0 Valencia
Aston Villa: Friedel (Guzan 63), Beye, Clark (Lowry 82), Dunne (Warnock 46),
L Young (Lichaj 73), Albrighton (Delfouneso 63), Petrov (Sidwell 63),
Reo-Coker (Salifou 82), Downing, A Young (Weimann 73), Carew (Heskey 46).

West Ham United

• Avram Grant's West Ham United will be aiming to continue the form shown in
pre-sason, which has seen them defeat League One new boys Peterborough
United (2-1) at London Road, German Bundesliga challengers VfL Borussia
Monchengladbach (2-0) in Ruhpolding, Greek double winners Panathinaikos
(1-0) in the Austrian town of Kitzbuhel, MK Dons (2-0) at stadium:mk and
Ipswich Town (1-0) at Portman Road. The away schedule was completed by the
1-1 draw at Southend before the goalless draw against RC Deportivo La Coruna
and subsequent 5-3 penalty shoot-out win.
• Carlton Cole has been in fine form in pre-season, scoring in the victories
over Peterborough, Monchengladbach and MK Dons with just 45 minute run-outs
in each contest before adding a fourth in six games against Ipswich.
• Benni McCarthy scored his first goal for the club this summer with a fine
half-volley against Monchengladbach.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger, on 99 Barclays Premier League appearances, made a
bright start to his West Ham career following his summer arrival from SS
Lazio, scoring his first goal for the club with a direct free-kick in the
1-0 victory over Panathinaikos.
• Julien Faubert was also off the mark this summer, netting the first
against MK Dons, having assisted on McCarthy's goal against Monchengladbach.
• West Ham United went 471 minutes without conceding this summer between
Peter Kurucz being beaten by Peterborough United's Dave Hibbert in the 49th
minute of the meeting on 14 July and Anthony Grant firing past Marek Stech
in the 70th minute of the 3 August game at Southend. In between there were
four clean sheets against Monchengladbach, Panathinaikos, MK Dons and
Ipswich.
• The November 2009 victory over Villa was West Ham United's first in eight
attempts. Their previous maximum came when a Marlon Harewood hat-trick
helped them to a 4-0 win at the Boleyn Ground in September 2005.
• The Hammers have won at Villa Park twice, in 1995 and 2006, since the
inception of the Premier League.
• West Ham's biggest ever away win at Aston Villa came in a Division One
fixture played on 2 April 1927. Vic Watson scored twice, while Stanley
Earle, Joseph Johnson and Jimmy Ruffell also netted in a 5-1 victory for the
Hammers in front of a crowd of 20,000 at Villa Park.

Aston Villa

• Villa will be managed for the first time by caretaker manager Kevin
MacDonald after Martin O'Neill's surprise resignation on Tuesday. O'Neill
had been at the Boleyn to watch the Deportivo match last Saturday.
• Villa's biggest-ever home league victory over West Ham came in Division
One on 25 April 1987. That day, the Villans ran out 4-0 winners at Villa
Park in front of a crowd of just 13,584. Warren Aspinall scored twice, while
Stephen Hunt and Simon Stainrod netted a goal each. Villa would end the
season by being relegated to Division Two.
• The club picked up 64 points last season, their best since a second-place
finish in 1993.
• John Carew top scored for the club last season with 17 goals, ten of which
came in the league.

Team news

• West Ham United manager Avram Grant is waiting for more news on Thomas
Hitzlsperger after he picked up a thigh problem in captaining Germany in
midweek away to Denmark. Pablo Barrera and Frederic Piquionne are the most
likely players to make their competitive debuts for the club after summer
arrivals, with Tal Ben Haim and Winston Reid short of match practice.
• Peter Kurucz has joined Jack Collison and Zavon Hines on the long-term
injured list after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last Saturday.
• Kieron Dyer, Benni McCarthy and Freddie Sears have all been training this
week. McCarthy (hamstring) and Sears (thigh) had minor issues while Dyer's
return to fitness is being carefully managed.
• Valon Behrami went away with Switzerland in midweek after 45 minutes for
the reserves last weekend alongside Ben Haim but did not play.

• For Villa. Carlos Cuellar and James Collins are both out with hamstring
and calf problems, but they hope to have Gabriel Agbonlahor (hamstring) and
Curtis Davies (knee) fit to play.
• James Milner is in the matchday squad, despite being linked with a move to
Manchester City.
• Marc Albrighton, who made his England Under-21 bow in midweek, could get
his first top-flight start on the wing.
Old boys

• James Collins will be prevented from facing West Ham United for the second
time since leaving the Boleyn Ground just under a year ago. The central
defender left swapped London for Birmingham on 1 September 2009 for an
undisclosed fee after making 65 appearances in all competitions, scoring two
goals.

• Carlton Cole will be playing against the team where he spent the 2004/05
season on loan. Cole scored three goals in 30 league and cup appearances (20
starts) for Villa.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger spent five seasons at Villa Park after leaving Bayern
Munich in August 2000. He left in the summer of 2005 after making 99 league
appearances for the club and picking up the nickname Der Hammer because of
his powerful left foot.
• Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker spent three-and-a-half seasons at
West Ham. The former MK Dons player made 142 appearances for the Hammers,
scoring eleven goals, before making the switch to Villa in the summer of
2007 for a £7.5m fee.

• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Billy Askew,
Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day, Marlon Harewood, Ray Houghton, David James,
Fred Norris, Tony Scott, Les Sealey, Nolberto Solano, Tommy Southren, David
Unsworth and Phil Woosnam.
Referee
• Saturday's referee will be Mike Dean, who last took charge of the Hammers
with the 2-0 home win against Birmingham City back on 10 February 2010.
• Dean began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football
in the Northern Premier League.

• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly
between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam Arena. That
same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and
Manchester United.

• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds
United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was the
man-in-the-middle for the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City
at Wembley Stadium.
General information
• The weather forecast on Saturday afternoon is for heavy showers with
temperatures set to peak at around 20C
• Tickets are all sold out
Next up
• West Ham welcome Bolton Wanderers on Saturday week... For details of how
to purchase tickets, click here.
• Villa are in UEFA Europa League qualifying action on Thursday when they
travel to Austrian side SK Rapid Wien.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Avram on Friday
WHUFC.com
Avram Grant has spoken ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League opener at
Aston Villa
13.08.2010

West Ham United manager Avram Grant conducted his pre-match press conference
ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League opening-day fixture at Aston
Villa. Grant was asked about a wide range of issues, including Saturday's
match, his aims for the 2010/11 season, possible new arrivals, the future of
Hammer of the Year Scott Parker and the fitness of striker Benni McCarthy.

Avram on Aston Villa...
"I was very surprised by Martin O'Neill's departure because first I like
Martin as a person. He's a very good person and, in my opinion, he's a very
good manager and Aston Villa looks to me to be a very stable club. If a
manager is going one week before the league is started, for me it is a big
surprise. "I never like to play against a team in the first game after they
have changed the coach. I will tell you the answer after the game but for
the moment I don't think it's an easy game - it's very difficult. "I don't
think [the departure of Martin O'Neill will make things easier] because it
is the first game of the season. If it was the middle of the season, maybe,
but the first game of the season players are always trying to impress the
next coach. They will do their best. They have very good players so I expect
a very difficult game for us. "We had an OK pre-season. I was happy with the
pre-season. I always like to do better but you know when you come to the
league that it's a different story."

Avram on his hopes for the new season...
"The aims are not for one season. We have targets for the next seasons. At
the end of the day, we want to put West Ham in the place they belong. "I
think West Ham was a very good club that played very good and very positive
football. The tradition of positive football started here at West Ham with
Ron Greenwood and then other teams followed this, so we want to play good
football, to gives chances to talented players because we have a very good
scouting system and Academy which is our base. "Over the next season, as the
owners said, we want to not fight against relegation, play good football and
put a good base for the next season. "At the end of the season, if we look
back and say it was better than the last season, then for me that's a good
start."

Avram on Scott Parker's future...
"As I understand it, and I fully support this, the club wants Scott to stay
for a very long time and are giving him a long contract. I don't know what's
happening with this but I think everybody wants this deal because it's good
for the club, it's good for Scott because he's very, very important for this
club. I hope it will be done."

Avram on the importance of keeping the club's best players...
"They are very good players for us. We are going forward for the next
seasons, not for one season. You see we don't take players for one year
because we like to do things not for one year. Alongside these players we
need experienced players who are very positive and good football players.
The players you mentioned are very good players and are very important to us
and we want to move forward with them, not without them."

Avram on possible new signings...
"Nobody has signed yet in the last day. As we always say, when a player
signs, we will let you know. For the moment, there is no news. As I say,
when a player signs, we will announce it. From my experience, especially in
England, we need to see all of the deal before we can say anything about
players.
"Of course, we are happy with the squad that we have but we have some areas
that we need to improve. In any case, if there are any players until the
31st of this month who can improve the squad and make the competition even
stronger, it will be good for everybody. We will continue looking."

Avram on David Beckham...
"I met David Beckham last year at the NBA finals and he's a very lovely guy.
For me he's not just a very good player, but one of the best characters I've
seen in football. But now he's injured, so I wish him all the best and we
will see what will happen."

Avram on missing out on Miralem Sulejmani...
"You know, I like to fight about things I can change, even one per cent.
This deal didn't succeed, no matter why, and we are looking forward. I will
not look back at something I cannot change."

Avram on Benni McCarthy...
"Benni has a problem and we have a programme for him to make him better. As
you know, he needs to lose some weight to be fit. He's a very good player
when he's fit so we're trying our best. "I don't know [the answer]. I am
here a little bit more than one month and he is a nice guy and is doing
everything I tell him to do. I know it started one year ago and it's a pity
because he's a very good player. "Any player that belongs to the squad, you
try to take the best of him, but it's not one way. The player also needs to
do his job."

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Sulejmani appeal denied
WHUFC.com
The club has not been granted a work permit to sign AFC Ajax forward Miralem
Sulejmani
12.08.2010

West Ham United can confirm the club's work permit application for Miralem
Sulejmani has been rejected by an Appeal panel at the Football Association.
The club had agreed terms with the player and AFC Ajax but the move was
dependent on Thursday afternoon's hearing. West Ham will make no further
comment at this time, with the club still very active in the transfer market
and looking to add more new recruits for Avram Grant's squad. Five new faces
have already arrived this summer in Thomas Hitzlsperger, Pablo Barrera,
Frederic Piquionne, Tal Ben Haim and Winston Reid, while the club have also
retained the services of key men like Robert Green and Scott Parker.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Freddie ready
WHUFC.com
Aston Villa away should be Frederic Piquionne's league bow for West Ham
United
13.08.2010

Frederic Piquionne is raring to get his Barclays Premier League campaign
going with West Ham United away to Aston Villa. The striker has settled in
quickly to life in east London and is eager to show that when the Hammers
arrive at Villa Park on Saturday. "I am enjoying it here," the striker said.
"I want to work hard for this team and score many goals. I think we can do a
big season because we have very good players in this team."

One of five new faces, with more to come, Piquionne has had the comfort of
already knowing his manager after scoring ten goals for him at Portsmouth
last season. "Avram is a very good manager. I am very happy to be here with
him at West Ham and I hope to repay his faith on the pitch. "We have a new
manager and a new tactic, there are many new things. We have the chance to
have a good season."

His optimism is fuelled by the competition for places in attack, describing
Carlton Cole as "a very good player" but quickly going on to talk up the
threat of Benni McCarthy and youngsters Frank Nouble and Zavon Hines. "We
will all do our best for the team and we will score more goals this season."

Piquionne was also positive about the travelling support from the fans,
having witnessed it already in the pre-season camp in Germany and games at
Ipswich Town and Southend United. "I know the fans are going to be amazing
and fantastic for us. We have quality in the squad to make them happy. We
have new players in the team and I think the top ten is possible this season
"Every stadium will be full, the fans will be fantastic and I enjoy playing
here. There are exciting plans for the club and we will do the best on the
pitch. It is important first to stay in the Premier League and then to try
and finish in the top ten."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cup ticket prices slashed
West Ham United and Oxford United have agreed on cheap prices for all on
Tuesday 24 August
13.08.2010
Send Print RSS
West Ham United are delighted that ticket prices of just £5 for kids and £10
for adults have been agreed with Oxford United for the Carling Cup
second-round tie. The significant price reduction was part of the club's bid
to thank supporters for their loyal backing once again this year, with
season tickets and memberships being snapped up in their thousands. A bumper
Boleyn Ground crowd is expected on Tuesday 24 August, with the Hammers
looking to show they mean business in every match they play.

The club would also like to thank Oxford for their co-operation in the
matter, which means with their help that as many supporters as possible will
be able to see what could be a memorable Boleyn Ground night under the
lights. There is plenty of promise for an exciting evening, with manager
Avram Grant's squad full of optimism for the new season. The manager has a
fine cup pedigree, having reached the UEFA Champions League final and FA Cup
final in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Hopes will be high that the Hammers -
boasting several new signings - can enjoy a long run in the competition.

Tickets priced at £5 for Under-16s and £10 for adults are on sale to season
ticket holders from today. Members can buy their tickets from Wednesday 18
August with general sale following from Thursday 19 August. With prices
greatly reduced, fans are urged to make sure of their seats as soon as
possible.

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Further funds raised
WHUFC.com
On the eve of the new Barclays Premier League season, the club has received
a boost from new investors
13.08.2010

W H Holding, the parent company of West Ham United, is pleased to announce
the club has raised £4m in new equity through a placing of shares, primarily
with new investors. The proceeds will partly be used to buy in some of the
shareholding of CB Holding EHF, with the balance available to fund the
further development of the club on and off the pitch. The placing was
conducted by Shore Capital and Corporate Limited. The new investors are John
Harris CBE and Daniel Harris, and Terence Brown, former Chairman of the
club. Daniel Harris is joining the board and Terence Brown is becoming
Honorary Life President of the club. David Sullivan and David Gold also
subscribed for further shares. Terence Brown is well known to supporters
having been involved with the Club for many years. Father and son John and
Daniel Harris are lifelong supporters of West Ham and will also be known to
many supporters. They previously built up the publicly listed Alba Group,
which was founded by John Harris, and currently run Harvard Medical Devices.
Daniel Harris said: "My father and I have considered investing in West Ham
on a number of occasions. We chose to do so now because we have confidence
in the new management team and believe they are capable of fulfilling West
Ham's exciting potential. We look forward to the future success of the
club."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Squad numbers confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm their first-team squad numbers for the 2010/11
season
13.08.2010

West Ham United are delighted to be able to confirm the club's official
squad numbers for the 2010/11 season. With the exception of No6, which was
retired in honour of Hammers and England legend Bobby Moore OBE in August
2008, numbers 1 to 11 will be filled. New signings Winston Reid, Tal Ben
Haim and Thomas Hitzlsperger will wear Nos 2, 3 and 11 respectively, while
James Tomkins takes the No5 shirt while Carlton Cole moves to No9 and Jack
Collison to No10. Pablo Barrera will wear the No12 shirt vacated by Cole,
while Frederic Piquionne will wear No30. Youngsters Junior Stanislas, Zavon
Hines and Jordan Spence have also taken new numbers, wearing 25, 26 and 27
respectively.

Full 2010/11 squad list

1 Robert Green
2 Winston Reid
3 Tal Ben Haim
4 Danny Gabbidon
5 James Tomkins
6
7 Kieron Dyer
8 Scott Parker
9 Carlton Cole
10 Jack Collison
11 Thomas Hitzlsperger
12 Pablo Barrera
13 Luis Boa Morte
14 Radoslav Kovac
15 Matthew Upson
16 Mark Noble
17 Benni McCarthy
18 Jonathan Spector
19 Freddie Sears
20 Julien Faubert
21 Valon Behrami
22 Manuel da Costa
23 Herita Ilunga
24 Frank Nouble
25 Junior Stanislas
26 Zavon Hines
27 Jordan Spence
28 Peter Kurucz
29 Marek Stech
30 Frederic Piquionne
31
32 Alessandro Diamanti
33 Fabio Daprela

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brown in
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

Former Chairman Terry Brown has been named Honourary Life President for the
second time, it has been revealed. The former Chairman of the club, who was
held responsible by the majority of supporters for breaking up what could
have been West Ham's greatest ever team at the beginning of this century is
back on the board he resigned from after falling our with the Icelandics, to
whom he sold the club in 2006.

In an announcement confirming the capture of a further £4million in equity
from investors John and Daniel Harris and Brown - which is being used to
further reduce the influence of Straumur and CB Holdings - it was also
revealed that co-Chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan have 'subscribed for
further shares'.

KUMB first revealed Brown's interest in returning to the board last
December. The former Chairman, who borrowed £2million in the early 1990s
with which to buy into the club sold his controlling stake to Bjorgolffur
Gusmundsson for an estimated £85million some 14 years later.

It is the second time that Brown has been awarded the title which was first
given to him in 2006. Less than six months after selling the club - a
condition of which was the new title - Brown stepped down after it was
revealed that his successors were planning to sue him for damages relating
to the Carlos Tevez affair.

The Harris' - father and son - currently head Harvard Medical Devices.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Villa Park Date: Saturday, 14 August Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score &
highlights on Match of the Day

TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa are without defenders James Collins and Carlos Cuellar, who have
respective calf and hamstring injuries.
Curtis Davies hopes to overcome a knee complaint to make his first start for
a year, while Gabriel Agbonlahor is a slight doubt with a hamstring problem.

West Ham could give debuts to summer signings Pablo Barrera, Winston Reid,
Tal Ben Haim and Frederic Piquionne.
Thomas Hitzlsperger may miss out against his former club after limping out
of Germany's midweek friendly.

Aston Villa
Doubtful: Agbonlahor (hamstring), Davies (knee)
Injured: Collins (calf), Cuellar (hamstring), Delph (knee)

West Ham
Doubtful: Hitzlsperger (thigh)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee)

MATCH PREVIEW
Aston Villa begin the new season in a similar state of turmoil to how West
Ham ended the previous campaign. While the Hammers have regrouped since
narrowly avoiding relegation, uncertainty has enveloped Villa Park following
the sudden resignation of manager Martin O'Neill on Monday. Reserve-team
coach Kevin MacDonald takes temporary charge, as he did in the Premier
League 16 years ago at Leicester after Brian Little left; ironically to
become Villa's manager. MacDonald failed to win any of his three games in
charge: his only point came at home to Villa, who he then joined as part of
Little's coaching staff.
It remains to be seen how destabilising O'Neill's departure will prove to
be. MacDonald will buy Villa time, but it is new signings the club needs to
invest in after a barren summer so far.
West Ham's Avram Grant has endured his share of managerial travails at
Chelsea and Portsmouth and will want stability for himself as much as his
new employers. The rebuilding process is well underway, with half a dozen
new faces added to their squad. Grant, though, has lost his first Premier
League match in charge at both previous clubs.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• West Ham have won only one of their last 13 visits to Villa Park (W1, D7,
L5). That was in January 2006 when Marlon Harewood scored the decisive
penalty in a 2-1 Premier League victory.
• Villa's only defeat in the last eight meetings came at Upton Park last
November.

Aston Villa
• Villa's 64-point tally last season was their best since they finished as
runners-up in 1993.
• Their home record of 32 points from 19 matches was the worst in the top
half of the table, and only 12th best overall.
• Villa have only won two of their nine home league matches in 2010, drawing
six and losing to Blackburn on the final day of last season.
• They have won one of their last five opening-day fixtures - 4-2 at home
against Manchester City in 2008 when Gabriel Agbonlahor scored a hat-trick.
• Stephen Warnock will be making his 200th career league start.
• Emile Heskey is poised to make his 500th career league appearance. He has
scored 113 goals.

West Ham
• The Hammers have won four of their last five opening-day matches. Their
only defeat in the last seven was 2-0 at home to Manchester City in 2007.
• Their only away victory last season came on the opening weekend against
Wolves. West Ham's final away tally of nine points was the third lowest
total in the top flight.
• New manager Avram Grant lost his first Premier League match at both
previous clubs, with Chelsea and Portsmouth beaten by Manchester United.
• If fit, Thomas Hitzlsperger's West Ham debut will be his 100th Premier
League appearance. His previous 99 matches came for Aston Villa between 2000
to 2005.
• Matthew Upson will be making his 300th club career start.

LAST SEASON'S LEADING GOALSCORERS

Aston Villa
Carew: 17 goals (10 league);
Agbonlahor: 16 goals (13 league)

West Ham
Cole: 10 goals (10 league); Diamanti: 8 goals (7 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistant referees: John Flynn & Andy Halliday
Fourth official: Andy D'Urso

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Aston Villa (L 0-1 v Blackburn, h): Friedel; Cuellar, Collins, Dunne,
Warnock (L Young 41), A Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing, Agbonlahor
(Delfouneso 78), Carew (Heskey 76) Subs not used: Guzan, Beye, Sidwell,
Reo-Coker.
West Ham (D 1-1 v Man City, h): Green; Faubert, Upson, Da Costa, Daprela,
Parker, Kovac, Boa Morte (Franco 64), Cole (Stanislas 64), Ilan, Diamanti
(Spence 88) Subs not used: Gabbidon, Spector, Kurucz, McCarthy.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Squad numbers 2010/11
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th August 2010
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have released the new squad numbers for the forthcoming
season. With a host of new signings to incorporate, several changes have
been made to last year's squad list - including Carlton Cole moving from 12
to 9 and the currently injured Jack Collison being granted the famous number
10, previously worn by the likes of Trevor Brooking and Paolo Di Canio.
Currently all numbers from 1 to 33 are catered for - bar the retired number
six and number 31. Radoslav Kovac, who is expected to move to Stoke, has
been given number 14.

2010/11 Squad List

(Last season's squad number in brackets)

1 (1) Robert Green
2 (-) Winston Reid
3 (-) Tal Ben Haim
4 (4) Danny Gabbidon
5 (30) James Tomkins
7 (7) Kieron Dyer
8 (8) Scott Parker
9 (12) Carlton Cole
10 (31) Jack Collison
11 (-) Thomas Hitzlsperger
12 (-) Pablo Barrera
13 (13) Luis Boa Morte
14 (14) Radoslav Kovac
15 (15) Matthew Upson
16 (16) Mark Noble
17 (17) Benni McCarthy
18 (18) Jonathan Spector
19 (33) Freddie Sears
20 (20) Julien Faubert
21 (21) Valon Behrami
22 (22) Manuel Da Costa
23 (3) Herita Ilunga
24 (24) Frank Nouble
25 (46) Junior Stanislas
26 (41) Zavon Hines
27 (42) Jordan Spence
28 (17) Peter Kurucz
29 (29) Marek Stech
30 (-) Frederic Piquionne
32 (32) Alessandro Diamanti
33 (33) Fabio Daprela

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Green to get new deal
Hammers to offer keeper contract extension
Last updated: 13th August 2010
SSN

West Ham are preparing to offer Robert Green a new long-term deal in an
effort to keep him at the club. The England international still has two
years left to run on his current contract at Upton Park, but is set to be
rewarded with fresh terms. The Hammers believe their goalkeeper remains the
best in the country, despite his horror show at the 2010 World Cup. As a
result, co-owner David Sullivan has revealed that the club will sit down
with Greennext summer and attempt to thrash out an extended agreement. "He's
an integral part of our team and, next summer, we'll sit down and offer him
a new long-term contract," said Sullivan. "I saw Robert on Sunday and he's
very relaxed about the coming season."
Meanwhile, reports suggest Scott Parker is close to agreeing a new contract
at Upton Park. The midfielder was the subject of a big-money bid from
Tottenham earlier this summer, which was swiftly knocked back. He now
appears set to commit his long-term future to the Hammers, with talks
regarding a lucrative four-year package edging towards a conclusion.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Behrami seeks Hammers exit
Diamanti could be sold, but Upson is set to stay
Last updated: 13th August 2010
SSN

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed that Valon Behrami is keen to
leave the club. The Switzerland international has been strongly linked with
a switch this summer, with Serie A outfit Palermo thought to be leading the
chase. Sullivan has now confirmed that the versatile 25-year-old has
expressed a desire to move on, with the Hammers prepared to listen to
offers. "We have not had a bid for him," said the Upton Park supremo. "He
doesn't want to be here, his wife doesn't like London - but he cost us
£6million and his agent got more than £1million to bring him to West Ham.
"He's actually a very decent player and I'm surprised we've not had a bid
for him."
West Ham are also looking to cash-in on Alessandro Diamanti after telling
the Italian forward that he is surplus to requirements. Sullivan said: "We
had one bidder. He cost us £6million last summer."
But while Behrami and Diamanti could soon be heading for the exits, the
Hammers are reluctant to sell Matthew Upson. The England international
appeared destined to be on his way earlier this summer, but a lack of
interest has ensured that he remains part of Avram Grant's plans. "He's not
indicated to us what he wants to do," said Sullivan. "He said he would after
the World Cup. I think he probably thought a big club would come in for him
but we've not had that. "Sunderland inquired but he didn't think he wanted
to go there. I hope this season he does prove he is worthy of playing in the
Champions League. We have no choice if he wants to go into the last year of
his contract. "We've bought some good, new, young centre-halves and I'm
interested to see how Upson performs.
"If he does well we will bid against other clubs for his services, if not we
will let him go next summer. We've got Winston Reid and James Tomkins and
plenty of centre-halves so let's see what he does. He is a great player."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
McCarthy admits weight battle
Hammers striker told to shed pounds or lose wages
By Ben Collins Last updated: 13th August 2010
SSN

West Ham striker Benni McCarthy is battling to lose weight in time for the
new season. The South African has struggled for fitness since making a
£2.5million move from Blackburn in January and in May his body fat was
measured at 24.2 per cent. A healthy male athlete should measure between
five and 12 per cent on the Body Mass Index, with between 20 and 25
considered desirable for most middle-aged men. After missing out on South
Africa's World Cup squad, the 32-year-old returned early for pre-season
training and has trimmed down to 16 per cent. However, West Ham chairman
David Sullivan has warned that McCarthy could be fined a week's wages -
£38,000 - if he fails to lose another kilo in the next week. McCarthy was
out with a knee injury towards the end of last season although he admits a
poor diet has contributed to his weight problems in the past. "I eat well
but it doesn't matter," he told the Daily Mail. "Me, I'm the type of person
who, if I don't train hard, I pick up weight. "With my bone structure, body
structure, if I don't train with intensity, I will get bigger. "When you're
injured, you can't train. For three weeks, I was told to stay off my feet,
just come in for treatment. I couldn't go in the gym. If I was on my feet,
my knee would just swell up. "I started to get worried because I know I pick
up weight quite easily. I was out for five weeks, just doing rehab on the
knee. When I started training again, I could tell I was too heavy, two or
three kilos too heavy, and I didn't train at the same intensity I normally
would do. I didn't feel right. "I used to eat the wrong things at the wrong
times," added McCarthy, a Champions Leaguewinner with Porto in 2004.
"Carbohydrates, you can't eat at night. You eat it during the day and burn
it off when you train. If you eat it at night, you store it and get heavier.
That was my problem."
McCarthy was ordered to lose weight towards the end of last year by
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce and Hammers' chief Sullivan has now warned he
faces losing a week's wages. "Benni has a rigorous weight-loss programme and
if he doesn't lose the weight we will be fining him," he told the Daily
Telegraph.
"We are not being unrealistic. We've given him a target of losing a kilo -
2.2lb - a week. He has to lose five or six more kilos. "He's training very
hard so he must be eating or drinking something very wrong. Short of
spending 24 hours a day with him, we have to assume that. "With the amount
of training he is doing his weight should be going down with a normal diet.
We are not starving him."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa v West Ham preview
Villa reeling from O'Neill exit while Grant aims for positive start
By Ben Collins Last updated: 13th August 2010
SSN

PREDICTIONS:
Skysports.com prediction: 1-1
SKY BET odds: Villa 10/11 Draw 11/5 West Ham 10/3
One to Watch: Ashley Young

Aston Villa open their season at home to West Ham on Saturday still reeling
from the departure of Martin O'Neill. The Northern Irish boss chose to bring
his four-year tenure to an end just four days before the start of the new
campaign. The former Celtic boss has led Villa to a sixth-placed finish in
each of the last three seasons but had become frustrated over the club's
transfer policy. There were very few comings and goings at Villa Park this
summer and star midfielder James Milner, last season's PFA Young Player of
the Year, looks set to be sold this summer before the transfer window shuts.
The ongoing saga over Milner's potential move to Manchester City has been an
unwelcome distraction during Villa's pre-season, which saw them beat
Feyenoord 2-1 before losing 4-1 to Benfica. In their other friendly against
top-class opposition, Villa drew 0-0 with Valencia at Villa Park last
Friday, a match in which Luke Young, Stewart Downing, Nigel Reo-Coker and
young winger Marc Albrighton were particularly impressive. A crumb of
comfort for Villa fans following O'Neill's sudden exit is that the likes of
Reo-Coker and Curtis Davies will be keen to impress caretaker boss Kevin
MacDonald after falling out of favour under O'Neill. And Young was one of
England's stand-out players in Wednesday's 2-1 friendly win over Hungary,
coming off the bench at half-time and laying on the winner for Steven
Gerrard. Milner also featured as a second-half substitute but has been left
out of Villa's squad to face West Ham as his switch to Man City edges
nearer. Only a pay-off dispute between Stephen Ireland is thought to be
holding up the move with a part-exchange deal having been agreed.

There has been many changes at West Ham, however, as they aim to avoid
another relegation scrap. Gianfranco Zola was sacked at the end of last
season, with Avram Grant the man to step into the Hammers hotseat after
battling adversity at Portsmouth. Grant has signed Frederic Piquionne from
Lyon after having him on loan at Pompey last season while Thomas
Hitzlsperger, Pablo Barrera, Winston Reid and Tal Ben Haim have also arrived
at Upton Park. Guillermo Franco and Ilan have been released, but one man the
Hammers were keen to keep hold off was Scott Parker and they have managed to
stave off interest from Tottenham in their star midfielder. Robert Green and
Matthew Upson will be aiming to put the World Cup behind them although
striker Carlton Cole was back in the England squad for the Hungary friendly.
Benni McCarthy has been told he must lose even more weight despite a
rigorous pre-season training regime and did not appear in the Hammers' final
friendly, a 0-0 draw at home to Deportivo La Coruna last Saturday.

Team news
Villa's caretaker MacDonald will be without the services of defensive duo
Carlos Cuellar and James Collins. Cuellar has failed to recover from a
hamstring injury so either Habib Beye or Luke Young will come in at
full-back. Collins is ruled out with a calf problem so Davies is expected to
partner Richard Dunneat the back, although if he fails to shake off a knee
problem then youngster Ciaran Clark should come in. Striker Gabriel
Agbonlahor is battling to overcome a hamstring injury in time so Emile
Heskey could start as MacDonald may be mindful of Villa's Europa League trip
to face Rapid Vienna on Thursday.

West Ham could give debuts to summer signings Barrera, Ben Haim, Piquionne
and Reid. Hitzlsperger may miss out against his former club, however, after
limping out of Germany's midweek friendly, while Jack Collison (knee)
remains a long-term absentee.

Possible starting XIs:

Villa: Friedel, Beye, Dunne, Davies, Warnock, A Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker,
Downing, Agbonlahor, Carew.

West Ham: Green, Tomkins, Gabbidon, Upson, Ilunga, Faubert, Parker, Noble,
Barrera, Cole, Piquionne.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Parker offered fresh terms
Hammers keen to tie midfielder down on long-term contract
By Chris Burton Last updated: 13th August 2010
SSN

West Ham have stepped up their efforts to keep Scott Parker at the club by
offering him a new long-term deal. The midfielder has been the subject of
interest from Tottenham this summer, with one bid having already been
knocked back. The Hammers made it clear in snubbing that approach that they
had no intention of selling the England international for any price. That
remains their stance, with the 29-year-old having become an integral member
of their squad. The Upton Park outfit are now keen to end any uncertainty
regarding Parker's future by tying him down on an improved five-year
contract. "As I understand it the club wants Scott to stay and have given
him a long contract," said Hammers boss Avram Grant. "It's good for the club
and good for Scott. He's very important to this club and I hope it will be
done."
While retaining the services of Parker has been a top priority for Grant
this summer, he has also been looking to bolster his ranks. Five fresh faces
have been drafted in to help create competition for places, but the Hammers
have been forced to accept defeat in their efforts to land Miralem Sulejmani
after seeing the Ajax midfielder fail to obtain a work permit. "We didn't
succeed in the deal and we are looking forward - I can't look back on things
I can't change," added Grant.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa name James Milner in squad to face West Ham despite impending
Man City move
Aston Villa midfielder James Milner, the subject of a possible move to
Manchester City, has been named in caretaker-manager Kevin MacDonald's squad
to play West Ham on Saturday.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff
Published: 2:02PM BST 13 Aug 2010

City are believed to be offering a player-plus-cash deal involving Stephen
Ireland to meet Aston Villa's £30 million valuation of the England
midfielder. But MacDonald, in charge since the resignation of manager Martin
O'Neill, has named Milner to face West Ham. Milner has not featured in any
of Villa's warm-up matches since the World Cup but he played 20 minutes as a
substitute for England against Hungary on Wednesday. MacDonald said: "The
latest about Milner is that talks are still ongoing. Nothing can be done
today in terms of him being signed in time to play tomorrow. "James has been
put in the squad and will be available to play for Aston Villa against West
Ham."
MacDonald was non-committal on whether he would like to replace O'Neill on a
permanent basis. But he admitted owner Randy Lerner had asked him to be
ready to take charge for another week if a successor to O'Neill is not
imminent The former Liverpool midfielder said: "Would I like to be a
manager? What will be will be. Mr Lerner told me to prepare the team for
West Ham. "I spoke to him today and he also asked me to make preparations
for next week just in case. That's all I'm doing."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa v WEST HAM: Avram Grant set to be without new signing Thomasz
Hitzlsperger
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 2:49 PM on 13th August 2010
Daily Mail

Thomas Hitzlsperger looks set to miss out on his West Ham debut against his
former club Aston Villa. The midfielder, a summer signing from Lazio,
suffered a thigh injury playing for Germany in midweek and is a major doubt.
New manager Avram Grant could hand debuts to Mexico winger Pablo Barrera,
New Zealand defender Winston Reid and his old Portsmouth pair Tal Ben-Haim
and Frederic Piquionne. Midfielder Jack Collison and striker Zavon Hines
(both knee) remain long-term absentees.

Team (from): Green, Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Ilunga, Noble, Parker, Behrami,
Piquionne, Cole, Boa Morte, Gabbidon, Dyer, Kovac, Hitzlsperger, McCarthy,
Ben-Haim, Spector, Sears, Da Costa, Nouble, Stech, Diamanti, Daprela,
Stanislas, Barrera, Reid.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham keen to offer Rob Green new contract - despite World Cup shocker
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 3:05 PM on 13th August 2010
Daily Mail

West Ham are readying an offer to keep England World Cup flop Rob Green at
the club for the long term. Green has two years remaining on his current
deal but the club are keen to tie down a player they see crucial to their
future - despite his horror show in South Africa. Co-owner David Sullivan
has revealed that the club will sit down with Green at the end of the season
to thrash out an extended agreement. Sullivan said: 'Green's an integral
part of our team and, next summer, we'll sit down and offer him a new
long-term contract. 'I saw Robert on Sunday and he's very relaxed about the
coming season.' And reports suggest Scott Parker is close to agreeing a new
contract at Upton Park. The midfielder was the subject of a bid from
Tottenham last month which was rejected. Talks regarding a lucrative
four-year package are edging towards a conclusion.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Parker to commit future
August 13, 2010
ESPN

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is close to signing a new five-year
contract. Parker, 29, has been linked with moves to Liverpool and Tottenham
over the summer but is set to commit his future to the Hammers. "As I
understand it the club wants Scott to stay and have given him a long
contract," West Ham boss Avram Grant said. "It's good for the club and good
for Scott. He's very important to this club and I hope it will be done."
Grant has brought in five new players so far this summer but has failed in
his bid to land Miralem Sulejmani after the Ajax midfielder failed to obtain
a work permit. "We didn't succeed in the deal and we are looking forward - I
can't look back on things I can't change," Grant added. The Hammers are
understood to be close to agreeing a deal for Manchester City striker Felipe
Caicedo.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Prem Guide : West Ham
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 13 Aug 2010

AVRAM GRANT must improve West Ham's performances and attitude as the club
faces a landmark season. But the new boss also has to ensure a trip to Upton
Park remains entertaining for the long-suffering fans. Hammers supporters
have a definite masochistic tendency. Many will quietly admit they prefer a
hair-raising flirt with relegation to mid-table mediocrity. Under Alan
Curbishley, the team reached 10th place in November and beached there. The
crowd had to be woken up to be told the season had finished. Grant has to
learn quickly that West Ham is about passion and commitment on the pitch,
combined with stylish football. There is not a ruthless demand from the
punters for trophies. The Israeli has been able to sign five new players and
pre-season went well with four wins from five games. Grant once led Chelsea
to a Champions League final but was unable to keep Portsmouth in the Premier
League last season. He has experience at both ends of the spectrum but West
Ham is a different kind of club and that's not just some romantic East End
notion. The club have never won much. Three FA Cups, the Cup Winners' Cup
back in 1965 and that's pretty much it. Loose talk about the Champions
League and the ill-fated signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano were
greeted with suspicion from the punters at Upton Park. And, last season, the
team let the fans down badly. This time around, German Thomas Hitzlsperger
will bring experience, while dashing Mexican winger Pablo Barrera promises
to wow the crowds. Grant can get off to a great start with victory at Villa
Park today. But, even if they lose, West Ham have to go down with a fight or
the fans will soon be on his back.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We'll Av a good go this year
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today

DAVID SULLIVAN hurled insults at West Ham's players last season - but on
Sunday he threw a party for them. A bouncy castle, barbecue, beer and
ice-cream replaced stinging public criticism and threats of pay cuts. The
club's outspoken co-owner summed up last season's relegation worries as
'Armageddon'. The new buzzword is 'togetherness'.
West Ham supporters remain unconvinced about new boss Avram Grant and few
are bold enough to predict much glory at Upton Park this term. But Sullivan
insists that while he has not gone soft hosting a garden party at his
stately-home HQ, the boardroom battles, dressing-room dressing-downs and the
fears of financial meltdown have faded... for now. Grant has yet to complete
a full season as a Premier League manager but will have the full backing of
Sullivan, joint-chairman David Gold and vice-chair Karren Brady for the full
tenure of his three-year contract. Ahead of today's game at Aston Villa,
Sullivan said: "Last season, West Ham conceded goals for fun - that won't
happen this year. "There were a lot of disruptive things going on. A change
of owners, the club looking like it was going bankrupt, selling players like
James Collins early in the season. "There's a real feeling of togetherness
now and that will come across in the first 12 or 14 games. "We have a
manager I totally believe in. And coaching staff I believe in. "We are
seasoned pros at running clubs and know harmony and togetherness is what
works best and it's what we're trying to build at the club. "If you look at
the managers we picked, we are good judges. "The last two managers we picked
were Steve Bruce and Alex McLeish, neither of whom had any Premier League
experience but are now established Premier League managers. "We stuck with
Steve Bruce during some horrendous spells. "Last season, we had a crisis. I
did what was necessary to gee people up. Whether it was wise or not we'll
never know. "Normally it's not the way we run a club. But relegation would
have been a disaster. The criticism was a tactic I'd used before. "Whether
it had any impact, I do not know. "For the next five or six years, I will be
supportive. We're building a team that will take the club forward."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Green backed to bounce Beck
The Sun
By JAMES MASTERS
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT reckons blunder keeper Rob Green can emulate David Beckham by
going from World Cup zero to Premier League hero. West Ham No 1 Green is set
for a red-hot reception from the Holte End this afternoon as the Hammers
kick-off their season at Aston Villa. Green is sure to get stick for his
World Cup howler that let the USA equalise in the teams' opener in South
Africa. Yet Irons boss Grant insists Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Oliver
Kahn have all suffered World Cup hardship, only to come back stronger. He
said: "I believe any player has to give answers on the pitch. "I remember
David Beckham after he was sent off in the 1998 World Cup - he had his best
season, even though the supporters weren't giving him a good welcome. "I
remember Cristiano Ronaldo after his wink at the 2006 World Cup, the fans
didn't like him - and it was also his best season. Maybe it is a good thing
for a footballer to go through. "Things like this happen. In the 2002 World
Cup final, Oliver Kahn conceded a goal my grandmother could have stopped and
Germany lost. "Robert Green is a very good goalkeeper. It will not be the
last goal that any goalkeeper will concede like this."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady's Football Diary
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
Email the author
Published: Today

OH my God, the summer is over!

I thought I'd do a round-up of the close-season and take a look at the new
campaign. We're busy at Upton Park transforming "Well, it's West Ham, what
do you expect?" so often used historically by supporters in a negative way.
We're editing it to make the association one of quality, high levels of
service and top-class experience because our values are authentic. I prefer:
"It's West Ham. We expect a lot." This is not just about appointing a new
manager and signing new players - which we have, in plenty - it's more to do
with creating a new era based on professionalism and good values. The pace
has been hectic and it's been one of my busiest close-seasons in 17 years.
But I'm not complaining, I love it.

AND we're off...

It will be a relief to go to Villa today without a hard hat. Now I'm not
with the club Villa fans regard as Public Enemy No 1 I'm hoping the old
Birmingham City board will be made more welcome than in the past. I wonder
if Benni McCarthy will play? Sent home by South Africa for being overweight,
his problems have become ours. My husband said: "You? Talking about Benni's
weight? Hello pot. Meet kettle!" Don't worry Burton supporters, he'll be out
of hospital soon! I hope even Benni - now nicknamed 'two Bennis' - has
grasped the expectation at the club.

You can't Av everything

MAYBE it's typical of Avram Grant that he should arrange to meet for our
first informal chat at 10pm in a trendy London restaurant. Maybe not. When I
told him that was late and I was usually thinking of bed at such a time,
there was a guffaw down the line. I was at our table when Avram texted to
say his plane from Israel was delayed and he'd be half-an-hour late. Crikey,
I was missing my Horlicks. By the time he arrived the restaurant lights had
dimmed and the throb-throb of dance beat was so loud I couldn't hear a word
he was mumbling. So I shouted: "Avram, I can't hear you, I can't see you,
let's go somewhere else."
Not a promising first date but I like his humour. He's as dry as Dead Man's
Gulch.

Welcome to Harry's Law

HARRY REDKNAPP has introduced something into the transfer market I call
Harry's Law. It goes: "Do what I like, when I like, with whom I like." Scott
Parker grew unsettled by Spurs' clear interest in him even though West Ham
joint-chairman David Sullivan stated he was not for sale. No permission to
speak to Scott was requested or would have been given. But this was not good
enough for Spurs who were convinced we would be pressured into selling.
Daniel Levy - my friend, but obviously not a very good one - once ventured
to me that business was all about principles and money. I told him he had
failed in both on this occasion. Something very similar has now happened
with Ashley Young at Villa. I'm glad about this - but not so happy it has
happened in such a way.

He's not that Fab, after all

ONCE 'Fabio Fabuloso', England's manager returned from the World Cup with a
reputation as Fabio Flopo. A great club manager, but it appears he's a work
in progress when it comes to the very different skills required when a team
is in long-term residence. Over in South Africa he had to be part
scout-master, part tactical guru. Well, Capello is certainly no happy-clappy
scout-master. I was chatting with a couple of the World Cup squad at a
party, and one of them put it this way: "It's like a summer romance. "You
meet a girl and think she's great and can't get enough of her. So you move
in together. After 10 minutes you realise everything about her annoys you."
Some testimony, that.

My Heart stopper

LIFE at West Ham is not without plenty of laughs. After work a couple of
staff and I are chatting. One, a Geordie, revealed: "I was in the shower and
heard you on the radio. I got hard on." I like informality, but... "You had
a what?" I said. "Hard. You know. Hard on." Cue uproar. A voice whispered
from beside me: "He means Heart - you were on Heart FM radio." Thank heavens
for that!

Boss fits the bill

SCOTS are known for a combination of moths and wallets, just ask an agent
who convinced a club to sign a Scottish manager. The agent remains annoyed
at the manager's lack of gratitude. "Let's put that right," said the boss
when they met. "A bottle of champagne . ." Bottle emptied, the boss left.
Then the waiter arrived with the bill.

Hard times indeed

IF ever there was proof times are hard for football club owners... Premier
League chairman - short bloke, enormous chest, always seems in a bad mood
and good-ish friend - invited me to spend the day on his yacht with him in
Marbella. "So, where are we going," I asked all excitedly. "Going? We're not
going anywhere. Do you know how much fuel this thing uses?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham aiming to see off Tottenham and sign PSG midfielder Stephane
Sessegnon
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:34 AM on 13th August 2010
Daily Mail

West Ham United are vying with Tottenham Hotspur for Paris Saint-Germain
midfielder Stephane Sessegnon. White Hart Lane boss Harry Redknapp is
monitoring the 26-year-old because of fears he faces a defensive shortage.
However, the Hammers are said to be the club closest to making a formal
offer for the Benin international. Everton also reportedly considered him,
but Mikel Arteta's commitment to a new contract Goodison Park has reduced
their need to strengthen in midfield. PSG will demand a big fee for a player
who was man of the match in their Ligue 1 opener against Saint-Etienne last
Saturday. Sessegnon was signed from Le Mans for £6million two seasons ago,
but PSG put off suitors last summer by asking for £15m.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Lastest Twists: Sulejmani Deal Off?
West Ham Till I Die

It would seem the Sulejmani deal has finally come to a conclusion, with the
result being not so good for West Ham. The Ajax striker and Serbian
international has had his work permit appeal rejected and it appears the
deal is dead in the water. I dont think there is much anyone can now do to
resurrect this move as his application for a permit has now been turned down
twice. Its a shame as i think he would have been a terrific player for us,
but we must now set our sights on other targets and hopefully get another
forward in before next week. It would seem this weekends match has come too
soon to introduce any more players.

It seems thats Kovac's transfer from West Ham to Stoke City should be
completed within the next 48 hours. Reports suggest that it is West Ham who
are actually holding things up at the moment as they are undecided whether
to do a deal or not. For the reported fee of £2million, which is what we
shelled out to buy him last year, i cant see what there is to think about?

Good Luck to West Ham tomorrow! My prediction for the game, 2-1 West Ham,
with Piquionne scoring the winner!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers block Kovac's Stoke switch after Hitzlsperger injury
Published 09:32 13/08/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror

West Ham have put a temporary block on Radoslav Kovac's switch to Stoke
while they assess Thomas Hitzlsperger's injury. Czech midfielder Kovac, 30,
was due at the Britannia Stadium yesterday to discuss a £1.5million switch.
But Hammers' new signing Hitzlsperger, recruited on a free from Lazio,
picked up a thigh injury in Germany's 2-2 draw against Denmark in an
international friendly on Wednesday. Hitzlsperger was subbed in the 66th
minute and West Ham also have injury worries over fellow midfielder Valon
Behrami, who didn't play in Switzerland's friendly in Austria.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Aston Villa v West Ham United: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Aston Villa and
West Ham United at Villa Park on Saturday Aug 14 2010, kick-off 15.00 BST.
Telegraph.co.uk
By John Ley
Published: 6:00AM BST 13 Aug 2010

Saturday, August 14
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Villa Park
Kick-off: 15.00 BST
TV: Highlights, BBC One Match of the Day.

Aston Villa (Possible, 4-4-2): Friedel; Cuéllar, Collins, Dunne, Warnock; A
Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing; Carew, Agbonlahor.

West Ham United (Possible, 4-5-1): Green; Faubert, da Costa, Upson, Ilunga;
Parker, Noble, Hitzlsperger, Diamanti; Cole, Piquionne.

Referee: M Dean. Matches (last season): 30. R: 116.Y: 6.

Tale of the game

Villa begin life after Martin O'Neill without any new signings. But West Ham
have failed to win in their last four League visits to Upton Park and,
crucially, they have not won away in the Premier League for a year. The last
success they experienced away from Upton Park was at Wolves on the opening
day of last season.
New manager Avram Grant lost twice against Villa last season, with
Portsmouth, but West Ham were unbeaten in seven pre-season friendlies. He
may give debuts to some of his summer signings including Frederic Piquionne
and former Villa favourite Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Last season: West Ham 2 Villa 1, Villa 0 West Ham 0.

Stat of the game: Villa lost their last two games of last season; a third
successive defeat would represent their worst run since April 2009 (four
straight losses).

Betting tip: West Ham to take advantage of the turmoil at Villa Park. Take
1-0 to the Hammers at a rather enticing 10-1.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to fine Benni McCarthy if striker does not lose weight
West Ham United will fine Benni McCarthy a week's wages – £38,000 – if he
fails to lose a kilo in weight within seven days.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt
Published: 7:00AM BST 13 Aug 2010

West ham have told Benni McCarthy he will be fined a week's wages unless he
loses a kilo in weight in the next seven days. The weight loss regime will
continue for five weeks as the Premier League club have finally lost
patience with the South African striker, who has struggled for fitness since
he moved to Upton Park.Club chairman David Sullivan told Telegraph Sport:
"Benni has a rigorous weight loss programme and if he doesn't lose the
weight we will be fining him. We are not being unrealistic. We've given him
a target of losing a kilo – 2.2lb – a week. He has to lose five or six more
kilos. "He's training very hard so he must be eating or drinking something
very wrong. Short of spending 24 hours a day with him, we have to assume
that. "With the amount of training he is doing his weight should be going
down with a normal diet. We are not starving him. It's just don't eat ice
cream, don't eat cakes, don't drink wine. Who knows when they go home what
they do. "They say he's lost five kilos but he still looks heavy to me. But
we are very optimistic. I can fine him. I can't be unrealistic and say half
a stone a week but a kilo a week is a realistic target for a man of his
size. "It's like a jockey turning up overweight. He can't ride a horse can
he, and no one is going to pay him? I think we are fully within our rights
to say 'you are not honouring your side of the contract'. You expect him to
turn up in a state to be a footballer."

McCarthy, 32, is the club's fourth-highest earner and has two years left on
his contract having arrived from Blackburn Rovers in January for £2.2
million. His weight problems meant he was left out of South Africa's World
Cup squad. It remains to be seen whether he survives the overhaul of the
squad Sullivan and new manager Avram Grant are carrying out this summer. "In
a perfect world I would love to have been able to throw every player out,
get all the money that was paid for their transfers in a pot and start
again," Sullivan said. "I look at some of the money the club has paid for
some players and it does not make sense."

New Zealand defender Winston Reid plus Tal Ben Haim (on loan) and Frédéric
Piquionne, both of whom Grant managed at Portsmouth, have been added to the
squad along with Pablo Barrera, a £4 million Mexico forward, and Thomas
Hitzlsperger, the German midfielder. Sullivan will hope to sign at least one
more striker after the club failed to obtain a work permit for Miralem
Sulejmani, the Ajax forward who was set to arrive on a season-long loan. "We
have brought balance to the squad," Sullivan said, criticising what he
inherited. "We are playing cards with a bad hand, but we have to work our
way through as best we can and hang on in there."

Sullivan said he was optimistic that midfielder Scott Parker would sign a
new contract next week, with a one-year extension to his existing three
years. "He has not told us he wants to leave," he said. "And we do not want
to sell." The same applied to Carlton Cole, he said.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham hope injury-jinxed Kieron Dyer's latest comeback is not a false
dawn
Any mention of Kieron Dyer in an international week will lead to a sense
that here is one of the lost talents of English football, a player limited
to 33 caps because of his injury jinx.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt
Published: 7:30AM BST 13 Aug 2010

More directly there has been the fear for the past two years that he may
have to retire from football altogether. West Ham United probably feel they
are jinxed, having already suffered the premature retirement of Dean Ashton,
while Dyer is the club's top earner at a staggering £83,000 a week. His
contract is made all the more ludicrous by his fitness record. It has been
some drain on strained financial resources. But, finally, there are hopes
that Dyer may play again after having been restricted to just seven starts
in the past three years. He had four operations alone to rectify a leg
break. Over the summer it was recommended that Dyer undergo a new treatment.
It was identified that he had a huge patch of scar tissue on a leg caused by
a series of operations. According to sources, the patch was around an inch
by eight inches in size and prevented him from being fully fit. Through a
course of painful, deep massage, the scar tissue has been broken up and
reduced to, it is claimed, around half an inch by an inch. "It's been
extremely painful but he's now in a situation where there is optimism that
he will be injury-free this season," a source said. "He might just be able
to make a major contribution again."

At the same time, Dyer, 32 in December, only had a two-week holiday in the
close season to work on his core fitness. Although he suffered for a week
after playing an hour of the pre-season friendly against Ipswich Town, that
has been attributed to his lack of playing time. West Ham, who have been the
victims of a number of false dawns, are not making a great deal of Dyer's
fitness – and neither is he – but it would be a significant boost to see him
playing again.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ASTON VILLA v West Ham: No Carlos Cuellar and James Collins leaves defensive
crisis
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 11:28 AM on 13th August 2010
Daily Mail

Aston Villa caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald will be without defensive duo
Carlos Cuellar and James Collins for the Barclays Premier League opener
against West Ham. Cuellar has failed to recover from a hamstring injury
while Collins is ruled out with a calf problem. Curtis Davies could partner
Richard Dunne at the back if he shakes off a knee problem. If not, then
rookie Ciaran Clark, who made his first Premier League start against Fulham
12 months ago, could deputise.
Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is also battling to overcome a hamstring injury
in time to face the Hammers.

Team (from): Friedel, Guzan, Luke Young, Lichaj, Beye, Dunne, Davies, Clark,
Warnock, Ashley Young, Downing, Albrighton, Petrov, Sidwell, Reo-Coker,
Carew, Delfouneso, Heskey, Agbonlahor.

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Hammers offer Parker new deal
The Sun
Published: Today

SCOTT PARKER is closing in on a new five-year contract at West Ham. The
29-year-old midfielder has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham but is
set to commit his future to the Hammers. West Ham boss Avram Grant said: "As
I understand it the club wants Scott to stay and have offered him a long
contract.
"It's good for the club and good for Scott. He's very important to this club
and I hope it will be done."
Grant has brought in five new players this summer but failed to land Miralem
Sulejmani after the Ajax midfielder was denied a work permit. The former
Portsmouth manager added: "We didn't succeed in the deal and we are looking
forward. I can't look back on things I can't change."

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Parker poised to pen Hammers deal
Published 14:51 13/08/10 By Pa Sports
The Mirror

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is close to signing a new five-year
contract. The 29-year-old, West Ham's player of the year last season, has
been linked with moves to Liverpool and Tottenham over the summer but is set
to commit his future to the Upton Park club. "As I understand it the club
wants Scott to stay and have given him a long contract," said Hammers boss
Avram Grant. "It's good for the club and good for Scott. He's very important
to this club and I hope it will be done."
Grant has brought in five new players so far this summer but has failed in
his bid to land Miralem Sulejmani after the Ajax midfielder failed to obtain
a work permit. "We didn't succeed in the deal and we are looking forward - I
can't look back on things I can't change," added Grant. The Hammers are
understood to be close to agreeing a deal for Manchester City striker Felipe
Caicedo.

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Grant: Rob Green can be my Cristiano Ronaldo
Published 23:00 13/08/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Robert Green has been tipped to bounce back from World Cup misery in the
same way as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. West Ham keeper Green is
expecting to be booed at Villa Park today, following his World Cup blunder
for England. But Hammers boss Avram Grant reckons Green is mentally strong.
Grant said: "I remember Beckham after the 1998 World Cup, it was his best
season even though fans weren't giving him a good welcome. "Ronaldo after
the 2006 World Cup – they didn't like him and it was also his best season. I
hope the reaction will be the same. Maybe it's a good thing."

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Parker set to sign new five-year West Ham contract
ESPN Soccernet staff
ESPN
August 13, 2010

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is close to signing a new five-year
contract. Parker, 29, has been linked with moves to Liverpool and Tottenham
over the summer but is set to commit his future to the Hammers. "As I
understand it the club wants Scott to stay and have given him a long
contract," West Ham boss Avram Grant said. "It's good for the club and good
for Scott. He's very important to this club and I hope it will be done."
Grant has brought in five new players so far this summer but has failed in
his bid to land Miralem Sulejmani after the Ajax midfielder failed to obtain
a work permit. "We didn't succeed in the deal and we are looking forward - I
can't look back on things I can't change," Grant added. The Hammers are
understood to be close to agreeing a deal for Manchester City striker Felipe
Caicedo.

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Slim down or be fined, West Ham warn striker McCarthy
BBC.co.uk

West Ham striker Benni McCarthy has been told by club co-owner David
Sullivan to lose weight or be fined. The 32-year-old has failed to make an
impact since joining in February and missed out on a place in South Africa's
World Cup squad because of his weight. "It's like a jockey being overweight.
He can't ride a horse and no-one is going to pay him," said Sullivan. "I
think we are fully within our rights to say 'you are not honouring your side
of the contract'." Sullivan said the former Ajax and Blackburn striker, who
is South Africa's record goal-scorer, was being put on a weight-loss
programme. "We are not being unrealistic. We've given him a target of losing
a kilo (2.2lbs) a week. He has to lose five or six more kilos," he said. "He
is training very hard so he must be eating or drinking something very wrong.
Short of spending 24 hours with him, we have to assume that. "You expect him
to turn up in a state to be a footballer. We are not starving him. It's just
don't eat ice cream, don't eat cakes, don't drink wine." McCarthy is
unlikely to be included in manager Avram Grant's squad for the opening game
of the new Premier League season, away to Aston Villa on Saturday.

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West Ham midfielder Scott Parker set to sign new five-year contract
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is set to sign a new deal with the Premier
League club, handing manager Avram Grant a major boost ahead of the new
season.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 5:10PM BST 13 Aug 2010

Grant has already brought in five new recruits - Thomas Hitzlsperger, Pablo
Barrera, Winston Reid, Tal Ben-Haim and Frederic Piquionne - and is close to
landing Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo. But the news Parker is
poised to put pen to paper on a bumper five-year deal to ward off interest
from Tottenham and Liverpool has given Grant a major boost on the eve of the
Barclays Premier League season. The 29-year-old midfielder was named the
West Ham player of the year last term and was the only squad member
co-chairman David Sullivan claimed he would not listen to offers for.
Parker's performances helped West Ham avoid relegation under Gianfranco Zola
and earned him a call-up to Fabio Capello's provisional World Cup squad -
although he failed to make the cut to South Africa. Grant said: "As I
understand it the club wants Scott to stay and have given him a long
contract. It's good for the club and good for Scott. He's very important to
this club and I hope it will be done."

West ham have left an open invitation for David Beckham to join them, but
whether the apparent 'former' England star will be lining up in the same
midfield as Parker in the future remains to be seen. "I met David Beckham
last year at the NBA finals," added Grant. "He's a lovely guy and a very
good player - one of the best characters I have seen in football. "But now
he is injured. I wish him all the best and then we will see what happens."
Grant kicks off his West Ham reign with a trip to an Aston Villa side
reeling from the departure of manager Martin O'Neill and the proposed sale
of James Milner to Manchester City. But the former Chelsea and Portsmouth
boss refuted suggestions it is a good time to be playing the midlanders.
"It's the first game of the season," he said. "If it was the middle of the
season, maybe, but in the first game when there's a change of coach players
are always trying to impress so I think they will do their best. "They have
very good players so I expect a very difficult game for us."
One player with little chance - or should that be fat chance - of facing
Villa is striker Benni McCarthy. The South African was left out his nation's
World Cup squad due to his lack of fitness and has been put on a strict
weight-loss regime in a bid to shed some extra pounds. "Benni has a problem.
He needs to lose some weight to be fit - he's a very good player when fit so
we are trying our best," said Grant. "I've only been here one month. He's a
nice guy, he's doing everything we tell him to do but I cannot follow the
players around 24 hours a day - maybe I will in the future. "But I don't
know what any player is doing in their private life and I can't put my
finger on it. I know it started a year ago, and it's a pity because he's
very skilful and a very good player. "Any player that belongs to the squad
we always try to get the best out of but it is not all one way, the player
also needs to do his job." Hitzlsperger is likely to miss out on the trip to
his former club after suffering a thigh injury playing for Germany in
midweek.

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Avram Grant vows to follow in footsteps of Ron Greenwood at West Ham
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 11:42 PM on 13th August 2010
Daily Mail

Avram Grant has revealed he has set himself the target of recreating the
attractive football West Ham played in the Sixties under legendary coach Ron
Greenwood. 'Our resources are very, very limited, we can't even bring in
players who are less than big money,' he said. 'But we can make a good job
out of what we have. ' I love the traditions of the club, I believe in the
football that was started here by Ron Greenwood who tried to change the way
of playing in this country. 'I wanted to see how he did things. Sure the
results are important but there is also a way of playing that is important.
For me, success is a journey - not a target. We are starting the journey at
Aston Villa.'

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Avram Upholds the Greenwood Philosophy, as 'Relegation Misery' is Predicted!
West Ham Till I Die

On the eve of the new Premier League season, Avram Grant has vowed to
continue the playing philosophy of Ron Greenwood. He is quoted as stating:
' I love the traditions of the club, I believe in the football that was
started here by Ron Greenwood who tried to change the way of playing in this
country.
'I wanted to see how he did things. Sure the results are important but there
is also a way of playing that is important. 'For me, success is a journey
– not a target. We are starting the journey at Aston Villa.'

Words to warm the hearts of all true Hammers! Ron Greenwood is probably the
greatest and most innovative coach that English football has ever produced.
It is often a cliche to say that people are head of their time, but in
Greenwood's case it is perfectly true. He developed coaching methods in the
1960s that are integral to modern coaching manuals and still used every day
at professional clubs.

Greenwood was the nearest thing that you will get to a footballing
intellectual, a purist who wanted to see the game played the right way.
Avram Grant is right to aspire to being Greenwood's heir and it is certain
that Hammers fans will respond positively to his stated ambition. However,
as I have said previously, the trick is combine Greenwood's flowing,
attacking style of football with a new professionalism, discipline, team
spirit and will to win. Now that would be a winning combination!

Well done ITN news, yesterday evening, for emphasising the success of West
Ham's Academy and its contribution to England, in their report on the
implications of the new 'Home Grown' rules. What did the report say, 'A
club that produced seven of the England squad and they are not even in the
top four of the PL.'

Too often the media have banged on about the young English players at clubs
like Spurs and Aston Villa, conveniently forgetting that the likes of
Milner, Young, Lennon and Dawson were bought from other clubs and not
actually produced via their Academies.

It is nice to see the West Ham getting credit for its youth policy; as well
as media coverage of Tony Carr's views on the development of young players.
After all, Carr has a track record second to none in this country. As a
club, we are very fortunate to have him running our Academy.

Elsewhere, Sports Mail journalist Des Kelly has tipped us for relegation
(along with Blackpool and WBA)! Kelly suspects that he may have powers of
prediction (a la Mystic Meg?) after getting the PL title winners, runners-up
and relegated clubs spot on last season! And the reason for our predicted
demise? Allegedly West Ham will suffer 'the consequences of appointing a
manager who bows to the bungling interference of owners with the misery of
relegation. '

Indeed, the papers have been pretty down beat about our prospects this
season, most of them seeing us as finishing firmly in the bottom half.
Although they have largely stopped short of predicting the 'misery of
relegation.'

Oh well, that all probably guarantees that we are going to have a very good
season. I am greatly reassured!

And tomorrow I reckon we will start that season with a solid 0-1 West Ham
victory.

SJ. Chandos.

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