West Ham United Blog

Scott Parker to West Ham

Seems like it is only a matter of time before Scott Parker completes his move from Byker Grove to Eastenders.  Negotiations went on into the night last night and pending a medical the deal is as good as done.  Scott represents a cracking signing for the Hammers and a good replacement for Real-Honker who wishes to be Emirates bound but may have to lower his standards to life down the lane.

Scott has worked with Curbs before and had his best years under him.  A creative and hard working midfielder, he has been beset by injury and a lack of first team opportunities in the past couple of years.  A fresh start in his hometown could be just what he needs and if it means Nigel Quashie does not pull on a Hammers shirt again, it's all good!

Carlos Tevez set to leave West Ham

According to the Guardian newspaper, Tevez is set to head for the door marked exit but it's not about money.  Apparently Little Carlos has not forgiven Alan Curbishley for his treatment earlier on in the season, when he was left out of the team and Curbs clearly did not know his best position.  However, to me, this is not a good enough reason to leave the club and merely sounds like a way to move out.  Curbs was out of his comfort zone when he first joined the club, not just with Tevez but with all of the players,  he did not even play Mark Noble until almost 3 months into his tenure.  Sounds like Carlito is on his way.....

Yossi signs new deal....and I'm delighted....

Yossi Benayoun has signed a new 5 year deal with the Hammers.  One of the most talented and creative players to grace the Upton Park turf, Yossi's signing has signalled some real strength for the Hammers.  This shows we are no longer a stepping stone club, it is a real indication that the Hammers are going somewhere.  In spite of interest from various clubs, Yossi has put his flag in the ground and seen that West Ham are a very ambitious club, it's great news.

In other transfer news, Nigel Reo-Coker has been told he can leave as long as we get a bid of £8 million.  I might have slapped a tag of £10 million on him myself but 8 is possibly more realistic.  And Roy Carroll has been given a free transfer, for anyone that wants him.....

Statement from West Ham's Eggert Magnusson

Eggert Magnusson has made a statement on our transfer dealings and Carlos Tevez....I'm not going to analyse too much, needless to say I like Eggert's attitude alot at the moment and it's great to have such a Chairman in charge of us right now.  The full statement can be read by following the link....

Want to see it again? Of course you do....

West Ham don't like bids of £3million

West Ham have turned down bids of £3million for both Matthew Etherington and Paul Konchesky from Wigan Athletic and Birmingham City.  Turning down the first bid is a principled stand from Eggert Magnusson, Wigan are no friends of ours and I see no reason to help them enhance our squad.  However, I would like to think if someone else came in for him, we'd take the cash.  The second seems slightly odd, again I don't see an average left back like Konchesky being worth more than 3 million.  Perhaps the Upson deal in January it still stinging in Eggert's mind here as well.  As a wiseman once said, principles are only good if you can afford them, it seems at the moment, we can....

Chelsea win FA Cup final at new Wembley

Chelsea have won the first FA Cup Final at the new Wembley.  In a very tight game which never really got going, Didier Drogba socred the winner in the 25th minute of extra time.  Former West Ham players Rio Ferdinand, Fank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole were involved in the game.

Hammers in for Bellamy?

A number of reports are suggesting that West Ham are set to make a move for Liverpool's Craig Bellamy for 7 million pounds.  Bellamy has had an unsettled season at Anfield, culmintaing in the golf club incident during a team building trip in Spain.  Is he the kind of player West Ham need?  At the top of his game, he has lots of fight (chanelled the right kind of way), can score quality goals and is a hard worker.  On the other side, he has a habit of falling out with team-mates, can go a number of games without scoring and his head can go down when things don't quite go his way.  Frankly, I'd much rather see a player like Eidur Gudjohnsen or Darren Bent at Upton Park.  I think Bellamy is too big a personality for a team that finally looked united at the end of the season.  I hope it's just a rumour.

Something else for a change

Crikey, with all the Tevezzzzz talk, it's possible to forget that we have a new season to look on to, one where West Ham can really push on.  So, let's focus on some transfer gossip for a change.

The names certain to leave are Mullins, Konchesky, Sheringham and Etherington.

The ones who could possibly go are Reo-Coker, Harewood, Cole, Walker, Ferdinand, Benayoun and Dailly.

If you look at that list, how many we will really miss?  Of the ones certain to go, it's likely only Matty will draw some debate.  He is one of those players that splits crowds.  I for one am a fan and although I don't think he's going to set the Premiership alight, for me he is what Championship Manager would call 'a useful member of the squad'.  The jury is still out on LBM as a replacement and I'd rather Mattie hung around, but he himself has asked to go and he'll go and do a useful job for another Premiership team, so good luck Mattie.

A major loss would  be Yossi Benayoun.  Yossi was a great signing for £2.5million from Racing Santander.  He has great vision and creativity but can also roll his sleeves up for a battle (witness the goal line clearance agains the Mancs).  I really like Yossi and seriously hope he stays, he is the type of midfielder you can build a team around.

Reo-Coker would also be a loss but I think he needs to move on for the sake of his development as well as the club.  His fractitious relationship with the fans will remain on a knife edge and it would only take a couple of poor performances from him for them to turn once again.  I hope he has learned from his experience and pushes on with career.

Ferdinaned and Harewood are two players who have seriosuly dissapointed this season and although the reasons we loved Anton started to show themselves at the end of the season, it was bit too little too late.  Another who needs to leave in order to freshen up his career.  As for poor Marlon, by all accounts a nice guy, but in my honest, only good enough for the Championship.

We've been linked with quite a few signings and I'll pass my view on them in another post.

And not a word about  Tevez, doh! 

The Carlos Tevez affair part 4....

What steps can be justly be taken to rectify the perceived ‘injustice’?

Sheffield United have today requested that a new independent panel preside over the case.  Will that be a panel which will agree with their request for points to be deducted rather than the original panel’s decision?  And what would West Ham’s right of appeal be, for yet another panel which will agree on the original decision?  When would this stop precisely?

The English court could only intervene in a case where the Premier League has done something procedurally wrong or acted in an incorrect manner.  This is simply not the case in this instance.

I could go on, but if someone can give me exemplary responses to the above, I’d be only too delighted to read them.  At the end of the day, no one really cared about Tevez or Mascherano until it actually affected them, and I’m afraid that is simply not how justice works.  Well, this is the opening case for the defence, will the prosecution care to respond?