History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

HODGSON WARY OF DI MICHELE THREAT

Roy Hodgson believes that West Ham’s new striker David Di Michele is like Italian legends Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero.

The Fulham manager coached Di Michele while at Udinese seven years ago, and is surprised that Torino have loaned the six-cap Azzurri star to West Ham, who go to Fulham on Saturday.

Fulham have not beaten the Hammers at home in the league since 1966, and Hodgson reckons they will have to stop Di Michele to buck the trend.

"He is a very skillful player and someone who is very adept in front of goal," Hodgson said of the 32-year-old hitman, who scored a match-winning brace last weekend on his debut against Newcastle United.

"He is very good at sniffing out goal chances and then taking them because he has very good technique and manipulates the ball very well.

"I have been surprised by his career in some respects that he has moved on so many times - he has had a lot of clubs. With the talent he has you would have expected him to be like a Del Piero or a Baggio.

"He is a good signing for West Ham and he has started off like a house on fire. We shall be very aware of his goal-scoring ability and we will try to make it hard for him to find the space he needs. But we will have a job on our hands."

And Hodgson is hopeful that his own new signing, Bobby Zamora, is ready to show his old club what they are missing.

"He was highly rated at Upton Park and I spoke to [ex-manager] Alan Curbishley very recently and he said that he was very disappointed that he had to let Bobby go," continued Hodgson.

"Whenever players play against their old club they always have that extra bit of spring in their step. I’ve been very impressed with him, with his attitude.

"Bobby is very keen to be here, keen to work and interested in what we do tactically. So far he has very much been the player thought I was signing."

Labels: David Di Michele, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:47 pm | Permalink | Comments

WATFORD CAN BE TOP THREE - AINSWORTH

Lionel Ainsworth, Watford's man-of-the-match in the shock Carling Cup win over Gianfranco Zola's West Ham, believes that a Premier League scalp was all they needed to kick-start their Championship campaign.

The 20-year-old winger thinks that if Aidy Boothroyd's team, currently 17th in the table, continue to perform as they did in Tuesday's 1-0 victory at Vicarage Road, then a top three finish is a certainty.

England Under-19 star Ainsworth is confident that despite the fact that there are a number of injuries, he and his young team-mates can emulate what Arsenal?s kids did, and hit Sheffield United for six at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

He said: "West Ham are big team - they have been in the Premier League for a number of years - and I like playing the bigger teams. We more than gave them a run for their money - we played them off the park. We have to take that into the League now.

"After the weekend, with the phantom goal, it was good to get some luck to go our way. Even if we didn't get the own goal [conceded by Hayden Mullins], I thought we could get a goal anyway because the movement of the midfield and the attack was very good. In defence we looked solid too - you can't ask for much more.

"Sheffield United are a big side too, but hopefully we can go there and do a job and hit them like Arsenal hit them.

"We have had players out and the youngsters have stepped in and showed what we can do. We can start building momentum now and if we play like we did against West Ham we will be in the top three, no doubt."

Labels: Carling Cup, Lionel Ainsworth, Watford, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:35 pm | Permalink | Comments

WATFORD POP ZOLA'S WEST HAM BUBBLE

Championship club Watford gave new West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola his first dose of defeat as they overcame their Premier League opponents by a solitary goal at Vicarage Road in the Carling Cup Third Round. Aidy Boothroyd's side, victims of a "phantom goal" against Reading in the League on Saturday, were the benefactors of fortune themselves thanks to Hayden Mullins's second-half own goal.

Italian Zola, who earlier in the day had learned that his new employers would have to pay a significant amount in compensation to Sheffield United - the figure £30m had been reported - had selected a young team, but it was experienced substitute Scott Parker who made the game's telling mistake.

With 20 minutes remaining the former England midfielder handled on the left of his own box gifting the home side a free-kick from a dangerous position. Lee Williamson swung a cross over and it deflected in off Mullins's knee into the net to hand Watford their first victory at home against the Hammers in 23 years.

Watford started the brighter in an open first half, and it took only three minutes for Aidy Boothroyd's side to create their first meaningful chance. From the left Tommy Smith picked out Ross Jenkins on the edge of the box with a drilled cross, but the forward could only fizz his header wide right of Jan Lastuvka's goal.

In the absence of rested forward Carlton Cole, Fred Sears, the 18-year-old of which so much is expected at Upton Park, had been handed the chance by Zola to stake his claim to a regular first team spot and let loose a shot only two minutes after Jenkins's wayward header.

The diminutive striker, given his first start of the season, foraging alone in attack, wriggled clear in the left side of Watford's area, but he, like Jenkins, could only fire wide. On nine minutes Sears's team-mate Matthew Etherington cut in from his left wing and cracked a shot goalwards, though Scott Loach, deputising for the injured Mart Poom, clung on well.

In wasn't until 20 minutes before the interval that the best chance of the half arose, when Sears released West Ham's central midfielder Mark Noble with a clever ball behind the static Watford defence. The England Under-19 international played in the charging Noble with a pass between two defenders, but Loach was positioned well and stayed big for Noble's close range strike. He parried the shot, snuffing out the danger, and the Premier League side rarely threatened for the remainder of the half.

Four minutes before the break the home side mustered one last significant effort, when striker Will Hopkins pulled the ball back on the left-hand-side of the West Ham box. Smith raced on to rocket a low shot on target but Lastuvka was up to the task.

The contest continued to be a ding-dong affair in the second half, with Etherington again causing problems for Watford on their right and West Ham's inexperienced team allowing the Championship side time and space that manager Zola will not have been pleased with.

On 58 minutes home central midfielder Williamson clipped in an enticing delivery from the left byline, but Smith, unmarked, could only direct his powerful header towards Lastuvka, who parried the ball to safety.

The next thing the visiting team's goalkeeper had to do, however, was collect the ball from his net, as, from another dangerous Williamson delivery, Mullins deflected into his own net.

Zola's side almost levelled immediately, but Etherington's header arrowed agonisingly wide. Boothroyd's side, currently 17th in the Championship, held on for an impressive win, while Zola will hope for a fast improvement in the weekend's Premier League visit to Fulham, who also stumbled in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Labels: Carling Cup, Watford, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:32 pm | Permalink | Comments

SEARS: I CAN SAVE WEST HAM

West Ham youngster Freddie Sears believes he can be the man to help new manager Gianfranco Zola in these uncertain times for the club.

The 18-year-old led the line against Watford in the Carling Cup Third Round on Wednesday, having learned only hours before that the club could be forced to pay Sheffield United £30m in compensation over the Carlos Tevez debacle.

And with forwards Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole sidelined with injury, England Under-19 striker Sears thinks he has proved his worth to his Italian manager and has set his sights on a starting berth when West Ham travel to Fulham on Saturday.

He said: "Hopefully I have done enough to prove I can start for West Ham against Fulham. I played alright against Watford, I felt. But the more fit strikers we have at the club, the better.

"I'm not sure what the status of Carlton is - hopefully he will be back for the team. But if he is not, then I can fill in again for him, and help the team.

"We were disappointed to lose against Watford but we had a good result last Saturday against Newcastle and we will look to bounce back this Saturday against Fulham.

"It was good to start in the team. It was hard but I thought I did well. At half time he said: 'Keep going and try and stay as high up as you can.'"

On the compensation issue, which could mean that Zola is forced to sell his top players at a cut-price, Sears added: "We haven't really spoken as players about the compensation - there was nothing mentioned in the dressing room."

Zola said of Sears' performance at Vicarage Road: "I think Freddie did very well and he had a couple of chances.

"I can't be too demanding with him but I was pleased with the way he played against Watford. He is only going to get better and he will have a good future at this club."

Labels: Gianfranco Zola, Premier League, Watford, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

NOBLE: PLAYERS KEPT IN DARK OVER CURBISHLEY RESIGNATION

West Ham United players had no inkling that Alan Curbishley's relationship with the club's board had become so strained and were kept in the dark about the clashes over transfer policy that culminated in his exit.

Indeed, the 50-year-old's resignation on Wednesday, on the back of West Ham's best start to a Premier League campaign in almost a decade, came as a complete shock to his former troops, Mark Noble has revealed.

The Under-21 midfielder, who strides out at Wembley on Friday for the first time as Stuart Pearce's team go in search of a draw against Portugal to ensure a play-off en route to next summer's European Championships, was having lunch when he first learned of the news on television.

The 21-year-old had been conversing with U-21 team-mate Steven Taylor about Newcastle's precarious situation when he suddenly saw his own club were the ones who had lost their manager.

"I was sitting down eating lunch and we were chatting about all the stuff about Kevin Keegan and that news popped up," he admitted. "I was talking to Tails [Steven Taylor] about what was going on at his club Newcastle and then I found out that I didn't have a manger.

"I've had some texts from team-mates - we have all been in touch wondering what is happening. They only know as much as I do. He is a proud man but I don't know what was going on. The only certainty is that we are going to have a manager, but I don't know who that will be."

Noble praised Curbishley's contribution to the club he had been in charge of since December 2006. The former Charlton manager first saved West Ham from relegation in the 2006/07 season before steering them to 10th last term.

"After we managed to stay up we were hoping to push on after last season, which we saw as a stepping stone," continued Noble. "But as players we have to get on with things now. It is important for us to get it sorted out sooner rather than later both for the club and the players.

"The most important thing is that in the game against West Brom the players put themselves about. We have to go out there and do what we have been doing since the start of the season. We have had our best start in nine years so hopefully we can keep that up and carry on."

Labels: England Under-21s, Mark Noble, Premier League, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:51 pm | Permalink | Comments

PEARCE: NO TO WEST HAM AND ANYONE ELSE

Stuart Pearce has no interest in managing West Ham, or any other Premier League club, for the moment and has taken a swipe at owners wanting instant success.

The England Under-21 head coach believes there is too little job security at club level in the current climate.

Following Alan Curbishley's resignation from West Ham on Wednesday over disagreements about the club's transfer policy, the 46-year-old former Hammer has been linked to the club.

But Pearce, whose contract with the U-21s finishes in the summer after the European Championships, said: "I manage this team and am very proud to do so.

"I will not be stepping down from this job because I love the job I do. I said to the FA bosses when I took the job that I would honour my contract.

"My players have got to know that Stuart Pearce is their manager come hell or high water till next summer, all being well."

The former Manchester City manager blasted club owners who opt for foreign managers over Englishmen.

He added: "There are a lot of fantastic English managers about and I think we knock what we've got under our own noses.

"I look at managers that I hold in high esteem and one minute they can be the most chased after people and the next minute they are out of work and unemployable.

"I find that quite sad. There has to be an open relationship between owners and managers where you sit down together as a group.

"You need to say 'What are the financial constraints we're working under as a football club? What sort of players do you need bringing in? And what ones do you need to get out?'"

Labels: England Under-21s, Premier League, Stuart Pearce, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:49 pm | Permalink | Comments

CURBS BACKS CURRENT SQUAD TO PUSH FOR EUROPE

Alan Curbishley will not be dipping into the transfer market this summer as he has backed his injury-hit West Ham to push for European honours next season.

They take on Aston Villa tomorrow afternoon knowing that a win will see them finish in tenth – a far cry from last season when they survived the drop by a whisker.

Having shelled out £29m last summer Curbishley’s squad has been plagued by “an unprecedented amount of injuries”.

He said: “It has been a difficult season. From the second week of pre-season it has been very difficult in terms of injuries. But I have nothing but praise for the players who have featured.

“Last summer we lost an important triangle of players in Carlos Tevez, Yossi Benayoun and Nigel Reo Coker – they played a big part in keeping us up.

“And we replaced them with Craig Bellamy, Julien Faubert and Scott Parker, but they have not featured because of injury.

“It has been a very messy campaign in terms of team selection. The players we have been missing have been the pacy, offensive players, like Kieron Dyer and Bellamy.

“They are the type of players who can unlock a team, especially at home. And they can do much damage away on the break too.”

Curbishley, who meets with Icelandic owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and the other board members on Monday morning for a season review, doesn’t want to make any signings – as his initial buys have not been allowed to have a fair go.

He added: “I am hoping that sometime in June that I can sit down and say, ‘right, I’ve got at least this 20 players’.”

“I wanted a solid season this year so we could lay some foundations this year. But with the injuries it hasn’t turned out how I wanted.

“But once all the players are back we can be confident that we will be better next year, and push on try and attack that top six.”

Labels: Alan Cubishley, England, football, Premier League, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:25 pm | Permalink | Comments

CURBS TO SILENCE BOO BOYS

Alan Curbishley has vowed to silence the boo boys who heckled his West Ham team last week, even after they won! The disappointed manager is convinced that a spectacular win against Premier League form team Newcastle United tomorrow afternoon will get the fans back on their side.

The Upton Park fans made clear their frustrations in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over already-relegated Derby.

But the Hammers are currently tenth in the Premier League – far from the relegation scrap they were involved in at this stage last season.

And having been hit hard by injuries this season, Curbisley believes that his squad have coped extremely well and that the boos are wholly unfair.

He said: “The message to the fans is: We are all frustrated, but get behind the players and the team. We are all in this together, and let’s see if we can finish the season strongly.

“I have never seen a team win at home and then get booed. It was really disappointing and doesn’t do anyone any good booing the players or the manager, because we are all in this together.

“There is a lot of frustration around the club at the moment but we know that the fans were great this time last year – they were instrumental in keeping us up, because of their support. Now we have to get that back.

“Last season we had a lot of bad publicity and we wanted a settling down period this season. The squad have played fantastically well, and we have competed well in the Premier League. With everyone fit we know we can be a lot stronger.

“We have got to stick by each other – let’s not hear booing this weekend. Despite the injures we have managed to get the wins, pick up the points and keep us in a decent position in the league.”

He continued: “We have had constant change, and constant problems. I want a bit of realism and appreciation.

“When Newcastle come to town it makes for a great atmosphere. We want to respond to the boos and get the result and send everyone home happy.

“Coming to Upton Park is always difficult for the away team and we have got to keep it like that. It was disappointing last Saturday but it is up to us to turn it around."

Labels: Alan Cubishley, Newcastle, Premier League, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:15 pm | Permalink | Comments

NOBLE DEEDS DEFEAT LIVERPOOL

It took an injury time penalty from local-boy Mark Noble to break the deadlock for West Ham against Liverpool in a game of woeful profligacy. The 20-year-old midfielder, the heartbeat of the side, cooly placed the last kick of the game beyond Pepe Reina after Jamie Carragher had upended Freddie Ljungberg in the area.

Until then that moment - which took the home side to within four points of Liverpool, who cannot be considered a ‘big four’ club on this evidence - it had looked as though the game would meander towards a goalless draw. Rafa Benitez’s side have now gained only four points from their last five league games.

Either side had chances aplenty to score, but the lack of finishing finesse was indicative of the position of mid-table mediocrity that both teams find themselves in.

As the strings of destiny would orchestrate, these two teams last met at the same venue on January 30 last year. On that occasion Liverpool’s 2-1 victory propelled the Reds to just two points behind second-placed Chelsea and sunk West Ham deeper in the relegation mire.

This time round there was less to separate the teams in the league and it showed in a cagy, blunt game.

Benitez brought back eight recognised first-teamers to his starting eleven, but retained West Ham old boy Yossi Benayoun, who at the weekend netted a 15 minute hat-trick to see off Blue Square Premier South's Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup Fourth Round.

Alan Curbishley sprung off his bench in the sixth minute to berate his slovenly defence who had let in old boy Benayoun far too easily. Luckily for the home side he could only chip over from 12 yards out on the right.

To their credit West Ham’s defence battened down the hatches, and after 22 minutes almost opened the scoring themselves. But Luis Boa Morte could only blaze wastefully over when the ball fell to him eight yards out in a crowed box.

West Ham came even closer five minutes later when Noble’s free-kick clipped Benayoun’s head in the defensive wall and crashed against stranded Pepe Reina’s crossbar.

After the interval Curbishley brought on the double attacking threat of Matty Etherington and Dean Ashton. Etheington came close with a drive on his weaker right foot late on, and Liverpool’s replacement Lucas had two half-chances that both screwed wide.

But Carragher’s foul on Ljungberg in the third minute of extra-time gave the home side the opportunity they needed. From 12 yards Noble made no mistake and sent the Upton Park faithful into rapturous delight.

Labels: football, Liverpool, Premier League, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:42 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM 'TIGERS' TO PLAY EVERY GAME AS THOUGH A 'CUP FINAL'

Roy Hodgson has dismissed the notion that Fulham are too good to go down, and admits that his team must treat every game – starting with tomorrow’s match against West Ham United – like a cup final if they are to retain their Premier League status.

And he takes encouragement from Alan Curbishley’s achievements at Upton Park. The Hammers were second-bottom at this point last season - the position Hodgson finds his new team in now.

The 60-year-old, who has been at Craven Cottage for only a fortnight, said: “I think Fulham is an excellent club, but we have no God-given right to be in the Premier League – you have to play well enough to keep your place.

“Relegation can happen to us – it has happened to a number of quality, traditional clubs. We have got to be totally and utterly focus on working as hard as we possibly can on ensuring that it doesn’t happen.

“West Ham were in a similar position to ourselves last season and they found themselves in the relegation zone and for a long period of time they were concerned that they weren’t going to survive.

“They did, and since then they have pushed on and are now we know that if we are to get a good result we are going to have to be on the ball and at our best.”

The former Inter and Blackburn manager added: “Every game now needs to be seen as a cup final and the players need to prepare as though each game is a final. We need to be at our best and fighting like tigers in every game.”

Labels: Alan Cubishley, football, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:11 am | Permalink | Comments

WEST HAM TO BRING IN DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL

Alan Curbishley has dismissed rumours that Rafael Benitez’s former assistant at Liverpool, Pako Ayestaran, will be joining him at West Ham United. He did admit, however, that the club would be employing someone in the near future to help develop their training facilities and a new stadium.

When asked about the prospect of Ayestaran, who departed Anfield in early September, becoming director of football, Curbishley said: “That is something I know nothing about.

“All I can say is that we have discussed the situation and we are formulating a job description of what the position entails. No one has been in the frame or talked about.”

West Ham’s owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who bought a 95 per cent share of the club for a cool £108m (including club debts of £23m) 12 months ago, is hopeful that his investment is not wasted, and wants to compete with the top Premier League clubs.

Having spent over £45m on bringing players to the club, the Hammers’ owner is now looking to build a bigger stadium as well as a new training complex.

“What you are seeing now is all the clubs trying to compete on a better playing field,” continued Curbishley. “The main reason we are looking to bring someone in is because we are hoping to push on – new stadium, training grounds et cetera.

“If we are talking about a 60,000 all-seater stadium, and perhaps new facilities, we really need someone who has been around that situation.

“We are talking about the long-term development of the club. We know that we have the opportunity to become bigger and to do that we have to plan it, work it out before we go anywhere.”

The West Ham manager was keen to stress that whoever was brought to the club would not have any influence over first team affairs, as has been rumoured to have led to factionalism at Chelsea and Tottenham earlier in the season.

Curbishley added: “I will take control of all first team matters. I don’t have any problems at all in that area. What we are basically after is someone who can come on board and help develop the club.”

Labels: Alan Cubishley, Premier League, Upton Park, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 3:33 pm | Permalink | Comments

'NAIVE' NOBLE OUT WITH HERNIA INJURY

Mark Noble has been forced to have a double hernia operation because of his eagerness to play too much football, his manager Alan Curbishley believes. The West Ham central midfielder, who undergoes surgery tomorrow (FRI), joins ten team mates on the sidelines, and will be out of action for at least two weeks.

The locally-born 20-year-old, who signed to the club as a schoolboy, has been one of the most popular players at Upton Park since his emergence in the team midway through last season.

His grit and passion to the cause – epitomised by his tears when Tottenham hit a late winner in their 4-3 defeat of West Ham last season – earned him a regular spot in the side. His enthusiastic performances, along with Carlos Tevez’s timely goals, were one of the main reasons that his team avoided relegation.

However this enthusiasm may have been his downfall, his manager reckons. Curbishley said: “He has been having a groin problem for a couple of months and he hasn’t cracked on.

“He had been going full pelt for the last five or six months and he has not really had any recovery time.”

Noble, who captained England’s U18s, was called up to the U21s this summer, and made his debut in the European Championships in Holland. As a result he had scarcely any time off to recover.

“He only had two weeks off in the summer,” his manager continued. “I think you’re dealing with a young man, probably thinking all he wants to do is play and he can get through it.

“It was only after the Coventry game, when he came off, he declared how sore it was and that it had been niggling him for some time.

“It’s probably a bit of naivety from a young player that wants to play all the time, desperate to play for his club. We’ll put that down to experience, I think.”

Curbishley is hopeful that the youngster and his team mates – Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton, Bobby Zamora, Anton Ferdinand, Scott Parker, Freddie Ljungberg, Callum Davenport and James Collins – will recover by the time West Ham host Tottenham on November 25, after the international break.

Kieron Dyer and French international Julien Faubert have long term injuries, and are expected to be out for five months and three months respectively.

Labels: Alan Cubishley, Mark Noble, Premier League, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:18 pm | Permalink | Comments

WEST HAM'S CURSE OF THE NEW SIGNINGS

Alan Curbishley hopes summer signing Craig Bellamy's injury problems can be resolved once and for all during next month's international break.

The £7.5m record signing was withdrawn at half-time against Portsmouth on Saturday, and joins forwards Bobby Zamora and Dean Ashton in the physio room, much to Curbishley's frustration.

Bellamy is likely to miss tonight's (Tues) Carling Cup fourth round tie against Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.

"Craig has been playing in a lot of discomfort," said Curbishley. "He is able to play, but his game is restricted.

"It looks like we are going to have to close him down again - we can use the international break. It will give him a decent chance of clearing it up."

The next international break begins after West Ham play Derby away on November 10 Curbishley hopes the 28-year-old Welshman will be ready by the time they host Tottenham on November 25.

"He has an abdominal strain, and it has been creating problems in other areas," Cubishley said. "The groin area was sorted out with an operation in Germany, but the abdominal strain has come back.

"It's frustrating for everyone. We are stopping and starting all the time. It's the continuity we are struggling with."

Last season the West Ham manager lost new signings Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson to injury soon after they arrived.

He added: "I've never known so many new signings get injured. It started last season with Lucas and Matty.

"It's the same with Scott Parker and some of the others. They have come here, desperate to do well and they can't get going.

"We started the season with Bobby and Craig up front and now they are both out injured. It has been the forwards who have taken the brunt of it.

"It's mostly impact injuries though - it's nothing to do with training - and you just can't legislate for that."

Curbishley believes Coventry, with former West Ham player Iain Dowie as manager, will be a stern test.

"I've been to see them, and we know we have a game on," he said. "I think Coventry are like a lot of clubs - they have been relegated and have found it ever so difficult since then.

"We know that if we set about the game in the right way, we will give ourselves a chance."

Labels: Alan Cubishley, Craig Bellamy, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:49 pm | Permalink | Comments

The Observer 21 Oct 2006. Report on West Ham's bizarre training methods. Click here to view.

Labels: football, Premiership, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:28 pm | Permalink | Comments

Eurosport match reports

Blackburn 4 Manchester City 2

Tottenham 0 Fulham 0

West Ham United 0 Newcastle 2

Labels: Blackburn, football, Fulham, Manchester City, Newcastle, Premiership, Tottenham, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:35 pm | Permalink | Comments