Faubert or Faux Pas?

Hands-up all those who have heard of Julian Faubert. In fact, hands-up (if you dare admit it) all those who actually read the Daily Express. According to this 'esteemed' publication the club are about to complete the £6million capture of the Bordeaux winger, having stolen the prospect from under the nose of Glasgow Rangers, Arsenal and Tottenham. A report yesterday claimed West Ham boss Alan Curbishley was preparing to fly to France and seal a deal within the next 24 hours. Bordeaux have been fighting for several weeks to keep their young star, who is under contract for another four years, but the signs were ominous when the player went on strike this week in a bid to secure a move away. Rangers had originally tabled a bid that fell considerably short of the French club's valuation and Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud confirmed that the Glasgow club had all but run out of time to submit a new bid for the 23-year-old midfielder. "I'm afraid they will be too late" he said. "We have now received another bid for the player. I'm not sure what Rangers want to do about it but if they want this player then they would be better to make their best offer immediately. It makes no sense to wait. Rangers have made one offer which we did not accept. They have not made a second offer. We now have one which is superior to the Rangers offer and we have given the player permission to speak to the club." Declining to name which club was now looking set to sign Faubert - Roma and Fiorentina have been linked - Triaud said: "As soon as we have agreement with the player and the club we will announce it. But the player will have to undergo his medical so it might have to wait until Monday." The article finishes with a quote from a source close to West Ham saying that "we've got Faubert and the deal could be signed and sealed this weekend." This story has not be reported anywhere else in the media so it would represent a significant coup for the paper if it turns out to be accurate.

The rest of the papers seem more concerned with the availability (or not) of Messrs Defoe and Tevez. The Guardian insist that little Jermain intends to start next season with Tottenham despite the possibility of being Martin Jol's fourth-choice striker. In an article bereft of any actual quotes, it is suggested Defoe has been assured he still has a future at White Hart Lane following the completion of Darren Bent's transfer from Charlton for a club record £16.5million. The Times think the situation has become so bleak for the diminutive hitman that Defoe has returned to his Catholic faith in pursuit of the mental strength required to elevate his position at the club. Even so, he remains adamant that he does not want to leave Tottenham, from where he could depart on a free transfer in two years’ time. The article also claims the player has already turned down the chance of a return to West Ham United, the club he left three years ago. Probably not the best time to mention the various rumours flying around the net that West Ham officially tabled a bid for the player late last night then.

The Independent have finally caught up with the rest of the football reporting world with the revelation West Ham striker Carlos Tevez will not make a decision over his future until after the Copa America. The BBC also has the story and quotes representative Kia Joorabchian as saying: "Carlos is playing in the Copa and that is where his prime focus is. It is a big competition and we intend talking more seriously about his future when the Copa is over. At the moment there is no development." The Copa America final is on 14 July.

The Fall-Back Position

I mentioned a couple of days ago that someone with good connections to the club had revealed that Carlos Tevez was very close to signing on for another year at Upton Park. The situation as it is understood now is that West Ham have agreed a deal with Kia Joorabchian and the player will sign it at the completion of the Copa America tournament in Venezuela, as long as no other interested club matches the full valuation (close to £30million) and wage demands in the interim. It appears Tevez's agents are using the new West Ham agreement as a fall-back position and are actively testing the market to see if a prospective buyer may be prepared to make a move. It is in light of this that the recent stories linking the Argentinian to both Arsenal and Inter Milan should be treated with a little scepticism. Both rumours originated from a freelance journalist stationed around the Argentina training camp and both were little more than flirtatious displays from Tevez's representatives. The intention was to elicit some kind of favourable response from arguably the only two clubs who might be remotely interested in taking the player at the grossly inflated asking price. In reality, a further full season of Premiership exposure (such as West Ham are offering) still remains the likeliest route to securing the huge financial pay out that Joorabchian seeks.

That Tevez should be at the centre of so much media speculation is readily understandable. Respected football journalist Gabriele Marcotti recently devised his list of the World's top 50 current footballers and placed the Argentinian at number eight, wedged snugly between Leo Messi and Steven Gerrard. Whatever the merits of such a exercise- a huge debate has been raging across the paper since the article was published- it is hard to imagine that many pundits would fail to include the player somewhere in their top 20. Intriguingly, with the exception of Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon and South America based striker Rodrigo Palacio, Tevez was the only player in the entire list who did not feature in European competition of some description last season. To be mentioned in the same breath as Kaka, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eto'o and Totti without the mass market global exposure of the Champions League is a testament to the man's huge talent, and a major reason why so many people seem keen for the player to move to a bigger stage.

Foe- The Man Without An Enemy

"My strength is my calmness. I believe you are at your best when you are discreet and calm"- Marc-Vivien Foe

Deaths on the pitch are an exceptionally rare occurrence in football, with only a handful of cases recorded around the world over many years. Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe became one of very few players to die during or soon after a match when he collapsed after 72 minutes of a Confederations Cup semi-final clash against Colombia four years ago today. Playing in stifling heat in Lyon, the 28-year-old former Manchester City and West Ham midfield anchor fell to the ground unchallenged in the centre circle. Despite the immediate attention of medical staff, he was pronounced dead 45 minutes later. The tall, powerfully built midfielder represented his country 56 times, scoring eight goals, and was survived by his wife Marie-Louise and three children.

Born in Nkolo, Marc-Vivien Foe started playing for what he later called pocket money, with L'Union De Garoa, but his first major club in Cameroon was Yaounde. He was not unfamiliar with France, having visited it as a youth player, and, in the 1994-95 season, he began his impressive career in Europe, joining Lens, then managed by Gerard Houillier. Foé had just played all three, somewhat ill-fated, games in the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States for a Cameroon team at odds with its officialdom, a mere parody of the brilliant side so unlucky to lose to England in Naples in the previous World Cup quarter-finals. Drawing 2-2 with Sweden, it proceeded to lose 3-0 to Brazil, then to disgrace itself with an abject performance against a Russian team which beat it 6-0.

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A broken leg led Foé to miss the finals of the 1998 World Cup in France. Indeed, it also stymied a transfer to Manchester United, which was under negotiation at the time. But he played all three matches for Cameroon in the 2002 World Cup in Japan - a draw with Ireland, a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, defeat by Germany and consequent elimination, again at the first group stage, though somewhat more honourably.

At Lens, Foé made 85 league appearances, playing four full seasons for them and another five games in season 1998-99, before joining West Ham United. He had scored just 11 goals for Lens, and none in his first spell at West Ham, comprising 13 league games, just one the following seasons when he appeared in 25 league matches.

At Upton Park, he won the admiration of the then manager, Harry Redknapp. After Foé's death, Redknapp reflected that everybody had loved him at West Ham, and had enjoyed having him around. "I don't think," he continued, that "he ever made an enemy in his life."

From east London, Foé moved back to Lyon in the 2000-2001 season, making 25 league appearances and scoring once. The following season, he played just 17 league matches, scoring twice. On loan at Maine Road, however, he was a more frequent scorer, getting nine goals in his last season, making use of his height and power in the air, at set pieces. But he was known chiefly as a solid defensive not an attacking midfielder.

In the 2003 season, he played 35 Premiership games for Manchester City, having made an important contribution to the club's return to the Premiership. In the week that he died, he had obtained a free transfer from Lyon, and City were eager to welcome him back to Manchester. But Redknapp, who had paid £4m for him at West Ham and then sold him to Lyon for £6m, had also faxed Foé, on the day of his death, an invitation to play for Portsmouth, his newly promoted team.

Marc-Vivien Foé, footballer born May 1 1975; died June 26 2003

Further reading: Rigobert Song's tribute; A piece by Keir Radnedge; The hidden timebomb; A woeful way to treat Foe; Obituary in The Independent; Final of grief and memory; Obituary in The Telegraph; Keegan distraught;

Yakety Sax

Who would have thought that Marlon Harewood would turn out to be the hottest of our available properties this summer? Certainly not Nigel Reo-Coker, who must be scratching his head at all the admiring glances being cast in the striker's direction. While our want-away skipper desperately waits for his phone to ring, Harewood seems to have more pursuers than a Benny Hill Show finale. Having being courted by Birmingham, Fulham, Aston Villa, Bolton and Portsmouth, the Mail insists Sven-Goran Eriksson has now added his name to the list. Eriksson is expected to be appointed Manchester City boss within the next 24 hours following the takeover of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last Thursday. According to the article, the Swede is a huge admirer of the 27 year old and even considered taking the 'muscular star' to the World Cup as a squad player last year before he was injured. In Eriksson's eyes, Harewood is seen as an "Emile Heskey clone" (fuck me, of all the players you could genetically engineer) and could be partnered with Michael Owen in a new-look strike force if the Swede gets his way. The story is also in The Mirror, where it is claimed City fans expecting a swoop for Barcelona's Javier Saviola or even a late move for Charlton's Darren Bent, will be in for a shock. As Darren Lewis points out- Harewood, despite his honest endeavours for the Hammers last season, scored only four goals.

There is little else in the way of news, save for the fact that The Guardian have become the latest newspaper to include Carlos Tevez on a list of candidates to replace Thierry Henry at Arsenal. According to the feature, the 23-year-old Argentinian's success in almost 'single-handedly securing the survival of West Ham United' has seen him linked with all of European football's giant clubs, including the Italian champions Internazionale. They say his current market value is £20million. A player worth considerably less (but who probably owes just as much) is Matt Etherington. Reports tonight suggest the troubled winger is close to sealing a £1.5million move to newly promoted Derby. It is said Billy Davies plans to land the flyer when he returns from holiday this week. Lastly, Sky Sports believe West Ham are one of several clubs showing an interest in Le Havre sensation Didier Digard. The 20-year-old would be available for around £1.6million but there is also strong domestic interest from both Paris Saint Germain and Monaco.

Curb's Perfect XI

Ever wondered what Alan Curbishley's ideal Premiership team would look like? What the shape, form and characteristics would be of a West Ham team moulded in our manager's vision by our chairman's ambition; fashioned without the constraints of circumstance, time, personnel and money. In short, the look and feel of the team we could all be watching play Champions League football in a new 60,000 stadium within five years.

Below is Alan Curbishley's 'perfect eleven', hand-picked from the entire back-catalogue of Premiership footballers and manipulated into his system of choice. Interestingly, Curbishley shows himself to be neither an apologist for 4-4-2 orthodoxy nor a slave to 4-5-1 pragmatism. His team would be fluid in movement, physically imposing and possess a goal threat from every area of the pitch. There is an emphasis on 'English backbone' and strong leadership, with organisation rather than pace the key attribute in defensive areas. The central midfield would be combative rather than creative, but pace and creative flair would be allied to a strong physical presence in the final third of the pitch. If everything goes to plan, a version of the following team could be coming to a pitch near you very soon.

Goalkeeper- Peter Schmeichel
He took the Premiership by storm. You've got to be a certain sort of player to go to Old Trafford: you can't play for that club unless you can handle it. He galvanised United at the time and I don't think Alex has ever replaced him successfully. I've never seen anyone warm up for a game like Schmeichel: he's so intense it's unbelievable. He must have needed a shower after his warm-up! He was also the first keeper that would catch the ball and throw it to the halfway line. A major icon for United.

Right-back- Gary Neville
I'll go for Gary because he's been in the Premiership for as long it's been going, and has been very consistent. Most Premiership bosses would want him as their right-back. I think England missed him and Beckham missed him when he didn't play at the World Cup. He's a proper leader - very vocal in the dressing room, and a fantastic ambassador for United.

Centre-back- John Terry
Terry has been fantastic for five years and has become a major part of Chelsea's dominance. He's given Chelsea an English backbone, which is important. He's invaluable as a defender but he also chips in with goals: he gets a fair quota every year.

Centre-back- Tony Adams
Tony pulled Arsenal through their successful years, single-handed sometimes! I've recently read Tony's book, and I found it interesting when he says he challenged Dennis Bergkamp when he arrived at Highbury. He asked Dennis why he'd come, whether he had what it takes to win trophies. That's the kind of determination he had. Tony was very defensively solid and - like John Terry - he chips in with important goals.

Left-back- Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin: a right-footed player playing left-back. He never got exposed, he was always driving forward, he got goals. You either sink or swim at Old Trafford, and he was a local boy, he was hungry and he grabbed his chance. I think the back four I've picked would produce 15 goals a season.

Right-midfield- Steven Gerrard
I went for Steven because over the last three or four years he's dragged Liverpool along on lots of occasions. He roams around, playing wide right, wide left; wherever he goes, he's influential. He's the backbone of the team and he can defend, he can score fantastic goals and he can make goals. A real winner.

Centre-midfield- Roy Keane
My captain. I don't think there has been a better player or captain at Old Trafford. He would sit there in the middle controlling things, put in great tackles, get his fair share of goals and create chances, too. He was a real catalyst. Roy never hid, and he got things going all round him: when it wasn't going well on the pitch, he would step up and sort it out.

Left-midfield- Ryan Giggs
Ryan is unbelievably consistent. He must have played in the last 11 or 12 Premierships, so he probably goes unnoticed now. He'd give this side some balance, and he's such a good footballer. Alex is playing him wide right, wide left, centre midfield, up front, all over, and Ryan can do it all. Just the perfect footballer. The injuries have slowed him up, but when we used to play against him, he was a massive threat.

In the hole- Eric Cantona
I wanted to fit in two forwards in, so I'd have Cantona in the hole. His period of dominance was when the Premiership really took off. He had his faults but what a player. United dominated when he was on his game, he really imposed himself. I think Eric would probably ideally like to be one of a front two dropping off, but I can't leave the other two forwards out, so I'm being very offensive.

Striker- Alan Shearer
His ability to score goals is second to none: headers, right foot, left foot, he'll score it. He makes goals, too. And if a game wasn't going well, he'd still give you 90 minutes and battle away for you. He wouldn't ever go missing. His record speaks for itself: he is the ultimate British and Premiership centre-forward.

Striker- Thierry Henry
Henry is unstoppable when he's in full flow. He can turn a game in seconds, and he's brought a new dimension to the Premiership because he's a centre-forward that doesn't play like a traditional centre-forward. He'd drift out and around, making the side a 4-3-3 or a 4-5-1. He can isolate a defender, and you can turn defence into attack so quickly with him, because a simple ball over the top becomes very dangerous.

Manager- Alan Curbishley
I'd love to manage this team. It's a physically imposing side, and it's got goals. When I think about the last 10 years, I've come up against all these players, and they've hurt me in all sorts of ways. I could pick a team that would have a bit more balance and shape, but as individuals, these players stand head and shoulders above the rest. I think they could probably manage themselves though! You've got captains all over the pitch.

Substitutes- Ashley Cole; Dennis Bergkamp; Frank Lampard; Steve Bruce; Robbie Fowler

Hot Gossip

It is usually an arduous task sifting through the detritus of the Sunday tabloid gossip pages so before I start I am going to relay a couple of West Ham related snippets that come from a far more reliable source. Someone with a good connection to the club has let it be known that Carlos Tevez is now extremely close to signing on for another year. According to the inside information the player has always been content to stay at the club but will ultimately be compliant to the machinations of Kia Joorabchian. The West Ham management have been trying to reach an agreement with Tevez's representatives for some considerable time but the demands have constantly been changing. It is now thought that a deal is very close. The second piece of information surrounds Shaun Wright-Phillips. The club have firmed up their interest in this player to such an extent that a fee has been agreed. The player is currently on holiday but is aware of the situation and will be talking to us on his return. All this information is passed on in good faith and comes from someone who has an unblemished record in this kind of thing.

Now onto the fictional stuff! The News of the World are following the Shaun Wright-Phillips story but they quote a 'Blues insider' as saying the proposed figure of £11million would not be nearly enough to persuade Chelsea to sell. The article states West Ham United would also find it tough to persuade the diminutive winger to make the switch as he is not keen on surrendering the chance of playing in the Champions League. Although a wage packet of ££,000 (make up your own figure here) is on offer, no deal would take place before the result of the arbitration hearing is known. The same paper claims four Premiership clubs are chasing out of favour Hammers striker Marlon Harewood. Birmingham City have already had an offer rejected by the club for Harewood but it is claimed Fulham, Aston Villa and Portsmouth are also preparing bids. The 27 year old former Nottingham Forest forward is valued at £3.5million by Alan Curbishley and Harewood's agent, Mick McGuire said: "Marlon is keen to secure his future and we are hopeful of sorting out a deal".

The Star have picked up on The Sun story from yesterday and suggest Alan Curbishley wants Chelsea left back Wayne Bridge after missing out on Reading's Nicky Shorey. The Mirror have a different idea and insist the club are lining up a £5.5million swoop for Wigan's England Under-21 star Leighton Baines. The article states that Hammers boss Alan Curbishley wants the left-back to bolster his defence and is ready to match the Latics' asking price for Baines, who starred in the European Under-21 Championship. JJB chairman 'Honest' Dave Whelan would be reluctant to sell to the Hammers after the Carlos Tevez affair, but he has a policy of informing his players about transfer interest. At least he has integrity in one area of his professional life then.

The Sunday People has eschewed tawdry transfer speculation in favour of an update on the arbitration hearing. It is claimed that Sheffield United believe 'silence is golden' in their bid to regain a Premiership place or win a big cash pay out. Apparently, the Blades are taking the delay in a decision on the Carlos Tevez affair as a positive rather than a negative sign. The wait has raised the prospect of a least a hefty compensation award if the panel finds fault with the Premier League for refusing to dock West Ham United points for fielding Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.


The last word goes to The Observer who are running a story that Nigel Reo-Coker's proposed move to Aston Villa is in jeopardy because West Ham value the midfielder at far more than the £7million the Midlands club are prepared to offer. James Stirling writes that Reo-Coker cost only £500,000 when he moved to Upton Park from Wimbledon as a 19-year-old in January 2004, but his career has flourished until recently. He captained West Ham to promotion in 2005 then the FA Cup final a year later. He also led the England side that reached the semi-finals of the Uefa Under-21 Championship in Holland last week and sources close to Villa indicate the Hammers want as much as £12million for him. However, the player was the subject of widespread criticism from fans as West Ham struggled last season and is believed to have spoken to the board in a bid to get them to reduce the fee they require. An Aston Villa source said: "Reo-Coker wants to come to Aston Villa but in terms of agreeing a price, the two clubs are poles apart." When you consider the £10million fee paid by Aston Villa in January for the services of Ashley Young, a player with far less Premiership and international experience, you can certainly understand Eggert's Magnusson's position.

Nicky, A Shore Thing?

The Independent is not usually a paper for spurious transfer tittle-tattle and this morning they claim West Ham United are closing in on the signing of Reading's Nicky Shorey, with the intention of announcing a £6million deal for the left-back as early as next week. Jason Burt states that Shorey has two years left on his present contract at the Madejski Stadium but has been promised that he can re-negotiate it and become one of the club's highest-earners. With Reading's strict wage structure that would see him earn around £20,000 a week, although West Ham are prepared to offer far more. Shorey, who has been a virtual ever-present since signing from Leyton Orient for just £25,000 in 2001, has also interested Newcastle United but it is thought that West Ham are favourites to secure him should he decide to move on. The Hammers have a long-standing interest in the player and have grown increasingly confident that a deal could be struck. Hayden Mullins is central to any move as he is a Reading target and would be a makeweight in any proposed transfer. The article also claims that Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips are still very much on Alan Curbishley's shopping list.

The Sun has a different take on the West Ham left-back situation. According to Andrew Dillon, West Ham management have now targeted Wayne Bridge after growing frustrated in their pursuit of Reading's Shorey. Bridge, 26, has overcome two major hurdles to establish himself in the team at Stamford Bridge, having battled back after eight months out with a broken ankle. Although holding his own against Ashley Cole in the fight for a first-team place, the ex-Southampton defender privately admits Cole is Jose Mourinho’s first-choice. Dillon speculates that Bridge’s £26,000-a-week wages would easily fit in with the Hammers’ pay structure.

Elsewhere, The Mirror have become the first to spark the 'Tevez to Arsenal' speculation in the wake of Thierry Henry's belated decision to join Barcelona. Darren Lewis claims Arsene Wenger will now turn to Tevez as he has become one of the most sought-after strikers in European football following his success in almost 'single-handedly' dragging West Ham to Premiership safety from the jaws of relegation. At 23 Tevez - who plays in next week's Copa America for Argentina - would be a sound long-term investment for the Gunners who have registered their interest with the player's advisors. Lewis states Manchester United and Inter Milan are also interested in the pint-sized hitman, who recently admitted he would be more than happy to stay at Upton Park if the right package could be put together, but Arsenal's need now appears greatest. The Gunners are desperate to prove to their fans that there is life after Thierry Henry.

Finally, it wouldn't be Saturday without the regular piece of anti-West Ham bluster from the Daily Mail. Today it is the 'explosive' news that Sheffield United are closing in on 'new explosive evidence' which threatens to 'explode' the Carlos Tevez affair wide open again like a very big 'explosion'. According to Sportsmail there are three contracts are in existence which prove that Kia Joorabchian and MSI maintained third-party 'influence' over Tevez — even after West Ham had been fined £5.5million having pleaded guilty to not holding exclusive ownership of the Argentina striker. Lawyers working on behalf of Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe are, even as I type this, supposedly pressurising lawyers of Joorabchian to make the documents available to the Premier League. Rather meekly, the article adds the caveat that these three contracts cannot actually influence the decision of the arbitration tribunal as no new evidence is now admissible. However, claim the Mail, the League will be under pressure to act if these documents are made public and prove West Ham continued to play Tevez illegally.

Radio Eggert

So don't become some background noise
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour

Eggert Magnusson has always had a tendency to give insightful and honest interviews to the Icelandic media and today he was a guest on a Reykjavík FM radio show. The Footbolti website provided details of his appearance in which the West Ham chairman discussed his hectic life at the football club. "I'm usually up before half past six. We have to start early and I'm off to bed pretty late also. There is plenty work to be done," said Magnusson, who expects more players to check in at West Ham in the coming weeks. "I think at least two world class players will be added to the squad. It's also certain that there will be players leaving, like our captain Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood. Other players could also depart." On the subject of incoming talent, Magnusson categorically denied the club is about to make a move for Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. "The player gets constantly linked to the club but we are not looking to sign any Icelandic players," he said. "We are looking for a speedy striker and we all know that Eidur isn't the quickest. He’s not a player we’re interested in at the moment. We are focusing on bringing in a striker with lots of pace."

A lot has been talked about the future of Carlos Tevez at West Ham and Magnusson is optimistic the player will remain at Upton Park. "We sincerely hope so. He’s our player to keep for the next three years. We are currently in the process of renegotiating his salary and contract and without giving too much away I am very hopeful that he will remain at the club." With reference to the latest arbitration hearing, the Chairman revealed he has few concerns. He said: "I have no worries over that matter. We are a Premiership club and we earned that status by getting more points than the relegated sides. Therefore the hopeless battle of a few relegated clubs is ridiculous."

Back-Page Splash

The 'super soar-away' Sun has a back page splash claiming Liverpool will increase their bid for Yossi Benayoun to £4.5million — after West Ham pulled the plug on his new contract. Andrew Dillon believes Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson has finally lost patience with Israeli midfielder Benayoun and withdrawn his offer of a new £13million five-year deal, a contract that has remained unsigned for several weeks. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has long been an admirer of the player and now plans to cash in on the rift, possibly offloading misfit striker Craig Bellamy in the process. Benayoun said: "I’m honoured a club like Liverpool is interested in me. I’m contracted to West Ham so we will have to see what happens." West Ham insist the player has not submitted a formal transfer request, although the Israeli's feelings have been made clear that he fancies a move to Anfield. The Independent are a little more circumspect and claim West Ham United are only willing to do a deal if they can persuade Craig Bellamy to move in the opposite direction. The paper claim the revised offer from Liverpool, who had initially offered £3million, comes close to the £5million that West Ham hoped to receive for the Israel international. Interestingly, most of the media seem to believe that if a swap deal was effected between the two clubs then there would be a cash adjustment in Liverpool's favour. This is in direct contrast to what I have been told by people this end who are adamant that it would be the Hammers who receive the supplementary funds.

The Mail has yet another Carlos Tevez story, having kept a dignified silence on the matter for an impressive 48 hours. This time it is claimed Real Madrid are in talks with Carlos Tevez's owner Kia Joorabchian over a 'controversial' £30million deal. The Spanish champions have held a meeting between top negotiator Predrag Mijatovic and Joorabchian, who still claims to have the rights to West Ham's Argentina striker. It is suggested that the player's future could be decided in the next two days, with Inter Milan also keen, but both Liverpool and Chelsea are reluctant to meet Joorabchian's asking price. While Eggert Magnusson insists his club own Tevez, the article states that Joorabchian continues to blatantly hawk the striker around Europe. Real are thought to be the most likely buyers as they are happy to pay the fee demanded by Joorabchian and the investors behind MSI, who took Tevez to Brazilian side Corinthians. It is intimated that should Tevez be sold against the wishes of West Ham then it would provide serious food for thought for the deliberating Premier League arbitration panel. This rumour has also been picked up by the people over at The Telegraph. Charles Carrick states that Spanish newspaper AS reported that a deal could be imminent and that Tevez is keen to play in the Champions League. Madrid are currently on an end of season tour to Israel, but are already putting plans in place for the next campaign after the departure of David Beckham. Carrick suggests that the Spanish champions will face strong competition for Tevez from Inter Milan but now look the favourites to sign him and a deal could be reached over the weekend.

The same paper features a story that Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been given the green light to bid £8million for West Ham skipper Nigel Reo-Coker, as well as make a move for long-time Hammers target Shaun Wright-Phillips. On the same page there is a another article, this time insisting Sven-Goran Eriksson is set to become the Premiership's highest paid manager on an £8million package at Manchester City- and will begin the rebuilding task at Eastlands by launching a bid of his own for Reo-Coker. It is rumoured that the midfielder is seen as a perfect replacement for Joey Barton, who left City to join Newcastle, and is likely to be available for around £8million after an impressive series of displays for England Under-21's at the European Championships in Holland.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports are reporting that a quartet of Premiership clubs are chasing striker Marlon Harewood. West Ham are ready to let Harewood move on and the news has alerted Birmingham, Fulham, Portsmouth and Aston Villa. The player's representative, Mick McGuire confirmed there are no shortage of admirers for Harewood. "There are four Premier League clubs who have expressed an interest in signing Marlon," he said. "Birmingham have already seen one bid turned down by West Ham for Marlon. Fulham, Portsmouth and Aston Villa are also keeping tabs on the situation. Marlon is keen to secure his future and we are hopeful of sorting a deal out." Also on Sky Sports is the news that Preston have given two unnamed clubs permission to talk to highly-rated striker David Nugent. It is said Everton, Portsmouth, West Ham, Derby County and Sunderland have all been linked with the player in the last few months and the two clubs who have matched Preston's valuation are thought to be among this group.

Finally, Ghana defender John Paintsil admits he might have to leave West Ham United to save his international career. Paintsil joined the Hammers from Hapoel Tel Aviv last year but has endured a miserable spell at the club, playing just five times in the Premiership. Paintsil told BBC Sport: "I want to play, it's as simple as that. It is a difficult situation for me. I want to be playing for Ghana in every game and fight for the red, gold and green colours. But I know that club form is important so all I can hope is that I can rectify that in the coming season. My future is important and I can't end up like this. I am hoping that everything works out well even if I don't get the opportunity at West Ham." Despite enduring a difficult first season in England, Paintsil has the dignity to resist a personal attack on either the club or the manager. "Alan Curbishley talked things over with me and has assured me the club will take my interest into great consideration in whatever decision they make about me," Paintsil said. "He set my mind at ease with that conversation but it is has been a very difficult situation for me. The money I earn at West Ham is about a 1,000 times what I had in Israel but that means nothing if I am not playing. Sometimes I sit on the bench watching games and wonder why I do well at training and never get to play. I just chose to focus and keep training so that when the chance comes, I won't disgrace myself. I can't sit down and complain all day so I rather put more hours into training and make sure when I get the opportunity I won't blow it." He may not be the most technically gifted player but with a first class attitude like that you would hope things work out for him.

Odds And Ends

Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again

The guns have fallen silent on the arbitration front today so it provides a timely opportunity to catch up on a few of the lesser reported West Ham stories, many of which have been overshadowed by the events of the last few days. The Citizen carries an interview with Mark Noble in which he admits he is already dreaming of the day when he will captain the club. "I've captained the youth teams for West Ham and it would be a dream to captain them in the Premier League and to take us onto better things," he said. "We've got the chairman, players, manager and staff to kick on this season and show what we can do. I really think we can go on to be a top-five team in the next few years if we sign the players who all the talk has been about. We've now got Scott Parker who is a fantastic player and I'm really looking forward to playing with him. I'm hoping I come back from Holland fully fit and I'll be firing for my place in the team."

While Noble aims to be a future captain, Lucas Neill has more immediate ambitions. Journalists in the Australian media seem convinced the Aussie will skipper West Ham when the new season kicks-off after impressing boss Alan Curbishley with his leadership qualities during the Hammers' miracle escape from the drop. With incumbent, Nigel Reo-Coker, seemingly on his way out of the club and new arrival Scott Parker the second choice for the job, it is predicted that Neill will take the captain’s armband when he arrives back from Asian Cup duty with Australia in early August. Neill is not taking things for granted though. "It would be an honour to skipper a club with such a proud history,” he said from Bali, where he is on holiday before linking up with the Socceroos at their Singapore training camp. "But I'm certainly not counting my chickens. It goes without saying that I enjoy being a leader. I've only been at West Ham a short time but I'm feeling right at home now and with the ambition of the chairman I know we can make massive strides next season. It's exciting to be a part of it all."

The transfer rumours have died down quite dramatically this week but there have still been a few stories floating about. The Times revealed how Birmingham City have had a £3million bid for striker Marlon Harewood rejected by the club. City made an offer of an initial £2million plus add-ons for Harewood, who is surplus to requirements at Upton Park, but the Hammers are looking for something near £5million for the former Nottingham Forest player. Harewood played a major role in the Hammers regaining their Barclays Premier League status two years ago when he scored 16 goals, but he has gradually slipped down the pecking order and last season netted only four goals. Birmingham, who are also interested in defender Paul Konchesky, could consider the asking price to be unrealistic as Alan Curbishley is looking to recoup the majority of the £6million he paid Birmingham for defender Matthew Upson in January. The bitter nature of the transfer negotiations involved in that particular transfer will doubtless be fresh in the minds of both clubs.

The Daily Mail insist West Ham have been offered Argentina striker Javier Saviola to replace Carlos Tevez. World Cup star Saviola is being touted around Europe after a bitter end to him time in Barcelona. He will not cost a penny in fees as he it out of contract, and the paper believe West Ham could offer him the £80,000 a week that would attract him to the Premier League. There are two striking things about this report. Firstly, it makes the assumption that Tevez will actually need replacing, and secondly it makes an outrageous claim about the kind of wages on offer, even though Eggert Magnusson has already stated our highest wage bracket is around £55,000 a week. It seems the message is still not getting through. Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy admits he is pleased to be linked with both Chelsea and West Ham as speculation mounts with regards his future.

A story on the Sky Sports site quotes the South African striker as saying: "I am very flattered to be linked with clubs like Chelsea and West Ham, with great history and both are great teams in the Premier League. Like I said, I've got a contract and I am here to serve a duty to my club that I am contracted at. But if the opportunity does come to go and play for a team where you can move up a level and play Champions League football, that will always be my dream. That is always what I strive towards as a player, to play at the highest level. If that opportunity occurs to go and play for a team like that, then I would love for my management to look at the possibility and look in their heart to make it possible to make a move like that." Of course, those quotes would seem to suggest Stamford Bridge as a far more likely destination for McCarthy. The Hammers have been credited with a strong interest in the player in the past, namely under Alan Pardew, when only a last minute intervention by McCarthy's club Porto prevented his switch to Upton Park.

Finally, Javier Zanetti has become the latest player in and around the Argentina national squad to encourage Carlos Tevez to leave West Ham. It seems that there is no-one outside of East London who thinks the player would benefit by staying at the club. The Inter Milan captain believes Argentinian compatriot Tevez would be the ideal signing for the Italian champions. Zanetti said: "It would be a great signing for us because he is a player that never gives up. He would be ideal for Inter, he has great talent and we really hope he will join us."

No News Is Good News?

Sheffield United have been informed that they may have to wait for another ten days before the result of their arbitration hearing will be known. The arbitration panel considering the South Yorkshire club's complaint about the league's handling of the Carlos Tevez affair - the Blades contend that West Ham United should have been docked points rather than fined £5.5m - yesterday deferred its verdict, possibly until the end of June. "It's been a very complicated case, and the panel are going away to review the evidence and submissions," said the Bramall Lane club's plc chairman, Kevin McCabe, in a statement yesterday. "We have been told to expect a decision by the end of the month, hopefully sooner." The Premier League's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, would not comment, but he is understood to be interpreting the delay as a positive sign. As David Bond, writing in The Telegraph, points out, with less than two months until the start of the new season, any delay should be seen as a blow to Sheffield United's chances of victory. There is unlikely to be sufficient time, he concludes, for a new commission to re-examine the Tevez case before the campaign kicks off.

The Guardian also pick up on this point. Matt Scott insists any delay will present logistical difficulties for the Premier League if it must reconvene the initial hearing, which is the most extreme verdict available to the panellists if they find in Sheffield United's favour. If that is the outcome of the panel's deliberations it will leave the league with only six weeks before the new season in which to hold a new tribunal that would have the power effectively to relegate one of its member clubs. The situation is further complicated by the news that Sheffield United could face their own disciplinary inquiry over the transfer of Steve Kabba to Watford, after claims that United insisted on the striker not playing against them in a Premiership fixture between the two teams at Bramall Lane in April.

The Premier League said yesterday they would be looking into the claims to see if there is any evidence of a formal agreement having been in place. Such clauses are not permitted in transfers between Premier League clubs and, although a similar situation occurred with Everton keeper Tim Howard against his old club Manchester United, those clubs escaped disciplinary action as there was no formal agreement between them. The Mail insist that little should be read into this latest development. They claim that there is no mention of an agreement that could be a clear breach of Premier League rules in the contract and no separate written agreement. There may have been a gentlemen’s agreement, but as has already been shown, this would be unlikely to lead to the Premier League taking disciplinary action.

West Ham have so far remained silent on Sheffield United's bid to have their £5.5 million fine for breaking third-party ownership rules overturned and replaced by a points deduction. But they went on the attack last night after growing increasingly irritated at what they believe to be United's deliberately misleading claims that the current arbitration panel could order West Ham to be relegated to the Football League and replaced by the Yorkshire side. Last night a statement from Upton Park said: "West Ham United are and remain a Barclays Premier League Football Club. There is no scope for this to be changed by the Premier League's arbitration panel and West Ham United's status cannot be called into question in relation to next season. West Ham United were not and are not a party to the arbitration and our standing as a Premier League Club is not in doubt as a result of the panel's hearing. The Club are well advanced in preparing for the new season and are taking further steps to strengthen the playing squad over the summer. We will not be deflected from our goal of achieving success in the Premier League next season."

First Day Review

The majority of the morning papers are concerned with the sudden appearance of Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, as a witness at the Premier League tribunal hearing yesterday. Nick Harris, writing in The Independent, states Parry was called to the stand because he was the first chief executive of the Premier League in the 1990s, and Sheffield United wanted him to answer questions about the establishment of certain League rules. Harris claims that it is purely incidental that Parry first drew attention to West Ham's rule breaches over the signing of Carlos Tevez when Liverpool signed Javier Mascherano from them in January. It is a stance supported by David Bond in The Telegraph who reiterates Parry's purpose as a witness was solely as someone who was instrumental in drawing up the Premiership regulations.

The people at the Mirror have a slightly different interpretation and believe the Anfield official was called by the Blades to answer questions over legislation on player ownership after being the Premier League's first chief executive from 1992-1998. In typical sensationalist fashion, The Sun insist league chiefs were amazed and astounded when the 'Kop bigwig' apparently supported the Blades’ argument that West Ham’s punishment was wrong. Premier League supremo Richard Scudamore was aware of Parry’s presence but it was assumed he would merely 'follow the party line' that justice had been done.

The Times offer the most detailed break-down of events from yesterday's proceedings. It is claimed Sheffield United focused primarily on why the Premier League cleared Tévez to play within just a few hours of an independent commission’s judgment in April that the registrations breached Premier League rules, when it took Liverpool several weeks to get clearance to play Mascherano. The club want the panel to consider whether the Premier League acted unlawfully by not removing the player registration of Tévez once West Ham were found to be guilty of the breaches. There were three matches of the season left at that point, with Tévez playing a significant role in each of the wins that ultimately rescued them from the drop. In addition, they have asked the panel to determine whether the decision taken by the commission to fine West Ham, rather than deduct them points, was legally flawed.

As a footnote, it also emerged yesterday that Fulham have been granted permission by the Premier League to sit in on the hearing although they will not be able to give evidence in support of United. Fulham, who also protested at the verdict in the West Ham case, had called for the League to set up a separate arbitration into their grievances and they were invited last week by the panel to give submissions.

Half-Time Report

It is half-time in the arbitration process and both sides have retired for a cigarette and a cup of tea. The first big surprise of the day was the appearance of Rick Parry. The Mail report that the Liverpool chief executive took the stand for Sheffield United as the relegated Yorkshire club launched a desperate late bid to get back their Premiership status. Surprise witness Parry has intimate knowledge of Premier League rules as its first chief executive, and he also handled Liverpool’s difficult signing of Javier Mascherano from West Ham in January, which needed special FIFA approval. It was Parry who first drew attention to the rule breaches which emerged during the process of signing the Argentinian. Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe also appeared as a witness, with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore and general secretary Mike Foster appearing for the other side.

It is in the remit of the panel to order a new disciplinary hearing against West Ham, or award compensation be paid to Sheffield United. An official statement released this afternoon read: "An arbitral panel, made up of Sir Philip Otton, Mr David Pannick QC and Mr Nicholas Randall, is sitting in central London to hear the dispute between Sheffield United and the Premier League board. Sheffield United are represented by Ian Mill QC; the Premier League by Paul Goulding QC. Fulham are represented by Michael Beloff QC.

Sheffield United are asking the arbitral panel to determine two matters. The first is whether the decision by the independent disciplinary commission on April 27 to fine West Ham, rather than dock points, was legally flawed such as to require the issue to be determined afresh by a disciplinary commission at some point in the future. The second is whether the Premier League acted unlawfully by not de-registering Tevez. Fulham are seeking similar relief.

The arbitral panel have no power to decide what the penalty to be imposed upon West Ham should be. This will be within the exclusive remit of the disciplinary commission, if one is convened as a result of the arbitral panel's decision. The arbitration is scheduled for two days and it is expected that proceedings will run into tomorrow. It is not yet known when a decision will be reached."

Upon leaving the hearing today, McCabe said he remained hopeful the panel will make a decision tomorrow. "It's been a busy day," he told Sky Sports News. "Tomorrow there will be further evidence and then the panel will opine and decide. The arbitration is going well and I think the panel recognise all the points of the case. It's about writing the wrongs from the first decision. That's really part of the arbitration proceedings and why we served the notice on the Premier League back in mid-May." Asked whether he was hopeful of a decision tomorrow, the plc chairman said: "I hope so, yes, but it still rests with the panel." Questioned as to whether Parry's appearance as a witness was due to Liverpool's signing of Javier Mascherano from West Ham, McCabe said: "Not particularly. Rick is an experienced football guy. He's a good witness."

Arbitration Day

Sheffield United take their fight to regain Premier League status to an arbitration panel in London this morning. The relegated club maintain that West Ham should have been deducted points by an independent commission in April rather than being fined £5.5 million for breaching transfer regulations over the signings of Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano. According to The Telegraph, the heart of Sheffield United's case is that the penalty imposed on West Ham by the Premier League's independent commission was "irrational". The commission said that points would not be deducted because it was so late in the season that any such penalty would almost certainly lead to the club's relegation. The commission's chairman, Simon Bourne-Arton, publicly admitted that had they met in January, rather than April, they might have come to a different conclusion.

Although West Ham cannot be relegated from the Premiership as a direct result of today and tomorrow's arbitration proceedings, the panel could order a reprise of the initial hearing, but only if the first tribunal's panellists were regarded as remiss in their legal duty. The Premier League and Sheffield United have submitted witness statements to the new panel detailing their observations of the process and how it was conducted. These are open to cross-examination but there will be no league or club officials present at the hearing. The two-day arbitration means the door is still open to Sheffield United eventually being reinstated, but, according to The Guardian, it is only one step on a long road. Even if the new panel finds in their favour and orders a new hearing, a subsequent panel would have to be persuaded that a points penalty was appropriate. The Premier League is confident that the panel will agree that it acted strictly according to its regulations. Should Sheffield United persuade Sir Philip Otton, a former Court of Appeal judge, David Pannick, the leading QC, and Nicholas Randall, a sports and employment law specialist, otherwise, it still is the opinion of The Times that their best hope would be for compensation rather than reinstatement.

While both parties to today's process must agree that the verdict is "final and binding", there is a feeling at Bramall Lane as well as at Fulham and Wigan Athletic - two more of the so-called gang of four, Charlton Athletic being the other - that there is legitimate recourse to civil action. McCabe has suggested that his club would accept the panel's verdict, unless further points were raised which were thought to be worth pursuing. "I'm sure the arbitration panel will be the key people to make a decision and a full decision, so maybe by the close of play on Tuesday we will know, " he said. "I think we will know by then [whether] we are back in the Premiership or playing in the Championship next season. I think the panel is a strong panel that will make their decision properly." He did not, however, rule out the option of pursuing West Ham for £20million in damages. "If the arbitration fails, we go to court," said Fulham's chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed. "I just don't let people get away with unfair and unjust practices. Especially the Premier League." There have already been dark intimations from the West Ham camp that a protracted legal challenge would ensue if the decision is eventually reversed. As is pointed out in today's Telegraph, if West Ham are eventually deducted points it would have to be a very specific deduction - three or more - for Sheffield United to regain their status. Only one club, Leyton Orient, have ever lost three points or more for fielding ineligible players. And if West Ham become the second, the only certainty is there will be more work for the lawyers.

There is an article in The Sun that reiterates the point. Ian McGarry claims West Ham would plunge the Premier League into chaos if Sheffield United win their appeal in the Carlos Tevez affair. He states that the Hammers are facing an eventual points deduction that could see them relegated if the Blades succeed in the hearing which is held today and tomorrow. But the Upton Park club have already vowed to go to court if the arbitration committee rules against them — and that would have a knock-on effect for fixtures. The Premier League schedule for next season was published last week with West Ham included. If the Blades are officially re-instated with legal action pending, however, both clubs could start the season in the top flight. It is a nightmare scenario for League officials but having been fined £5.5million, West Ham feel they have been punished enough. A senior Hammers source informed the paper: "The Premier League made its decision and we were fined and we accepted our punishment. If that is overturned then we will go to court and fight our case there and no one should think otherwise." If that came about, it is highly unlikely the case would be heard and resolved before the opening weekend of fixtures on August 11.

Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe insists that the fight to be reinstated in the Premier League is more a matter of principle than profit. "I think we are very confident of winning,” the chairman said. "We have a compelling case that’s based upon an irrational decision given by the first independent commission that was set up. We would not have pursued going to arbitration unless we thought we would win. It’s not so much the money, it’s the fact one club that has not breached the rules has been relegated whilst another club that has breached the rules has retained its Premiership status." Despite the bullish words of McCabe, as well as the lobby of Parliament led by the actor Sean Bean, there was still not a lot of optimism in this corner of Yorkshire yesterday. "I don't think anyone is anticipating a reversal of the decision," said Neil Warnock. "But I think it is right that Sheffield United carry on the fight to arbitration because most people at the time thought it was an injustice."

When the appeal was launched by the 'gang of four' - Wigan, Sheffield United, Fulham and Middlesbrough - Portsmouth manager, Harry Redknapp, predicted that United's support from the others would quickly fade away "because that is how football is". It is certainly true that Fulham and Wigan have won no friends with their active support of the Blades. At the recent AGM 17 of the Premier League's 20 member clubs tried to persuade them to drop the fight, with only Middlesbrough abstaining. Indeed, Sheffield United may be feeling rather lonely this morning. Neither Middlesbrough nor Fulham have been especially vociferous and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan's gut feeling that unless Sheffield United forced a quick decision they would lose, may be correct. It is more than a month since their relegation and the Premier League fixtures have already been issued without them.

Ironically, The Times believe it is the release of the fixtures than sustains what little hope that remains for the Blades. A 'quirk' of the fixture computer ensured both Sheffield United and West Ham have identical home-and-away commitments next season, suggesting that it would be easy for the clubs to switch divisions if the panel rules in Sheffield United’s favour. Conspiracy theorists are suggesting collusion between the Premier League and Football League, but the top flight’s ruling body said yesterday that the mirroring of fixtures was coincidence. It is just one of many controversies to surround this case. Yesterday, it emerged that the Yorkshire club had breached regulation U18 by insisting that Steve Kabba could not play against them after his sale to Watford. However, Kevin McCabe, Sheffield United’s plc chairman, argued that this had been down to a gentleman’s agreement rather than any contractual matter. "The contract transferring Steve Kabba was one that was open, was honest and was properly looked at by the Premier League and registered," McCabe said. "There is no grey area on that whatsoever." When asked if the Kabba deal had contravened Premier League rules, he replied: "Not at all. There are a few incidents, there must be dozens and dozens, these last few years where there may be gentleman's agreements between managers that in fairness the clubs probably know nothing about. I think there have been one or two instances this season of players between Premiership clubs."

Noble Cause

Noble Cause: The West Ham midfielder has changed his playing style and is proving a vital player in England's European under-21 bid
By Duncan Castles

Twenty minutes to play at Arnhem’s stiflingly roofed-over Gelredome and England are headed out of the Euro under-21s. Italian opponents seemingly intent on setting a national record for shots on goal have erased a 2-0 advantage and are sweeping through England’s hurriedly reshaped five-man midfield.

Newly moved into a solo holding role, Mark Noble watches Alberto Aquilani trick the ball past a teammate and decides it is time to intervene. He races towards the Italian, lunges almost horizontally at the ball and sends it and Aquilani over the touchline. The Italian just about evades the worst of the tackler’s mass, rises slowly to his feet and offers a handshake. Noble wants none of it, striding away with not a glance back.

Mark firmly laid upon him, Aquilani visibly withdraws from the contest, Italy’s attacks diminish in frequency, and the match ends in a draw that leaves England best placed to reach the semi-finals when they meet already-qualified Serbia in tonight’s last Group B tie. In his first start for the under21s, Noble had proved himself an enforcer capable of intimidating men accustomed to winning hard yards in Serie A and the Champions League.

"It was just one of those things where the referee kept giving silly free kicks for nothing," reflected Noble the next day. "I thought, if he’s going to book me he’s going to have to book me for something proper. What goes through your mind in a moment like that? Loads of things. It’s just the passion and the emotion. I don’t like when players do tricks and try and take the mickey out of you. I don’t go in to hurt, I go in to win the ball, but I think my tackles look a lot worse than what they feel for me. Everyone says, ‘You’ve got to calm down sometimes, you’re going to get sent off tackling like that’. But that’s me, that’s the way I tackle and, touch wood, I ain’t missed one yet."

Whatever lumber Noble has been tapping of late should be kept close, for he has developed an enviable knack for turning fortunes these past six months. Feted as a free-running creative in his debut season at West Ham United in 2004-05, a year and a half later Noble’s career had hit a brick wall graffitied with loan moves to Hull City and Ipswich Town. "He had a bit of a lull," said Trevor Brooking, the FA’s Director of Football Development. "The year West Ham went up through the play-offs he came in the last three months and lifted the team, but then he hit a little bit of a wall. He went out to Ipswich and did quite well there."

As West Ham’s new owners, panicking at the spectre of relegations, pumped money into a January squad overhaul, Noble refused to accept a further Championship loan, electing instead to battle for a place at Upton Park. Alan Curbishley overlooked him until the after the 4-0 loss to Charlton, when a gamble on youthful enthusiasm seemed as reasonable a throw of the dice as any other. Noble came in, scored in March’s bizarre 4-3 defeat by Tottenham, and remained there as West Ham won seven of their last nine fixtures to survive.

The Mark Noble who helped West Ham “do the impossible” and avoid dropping into the Championship was a very different beast from the one who’d contributed to getting them out of it two years previously. "When I originally broke into the first team I was more like a creative player, a tricky player," he said. "Now I know I haven’t got the pace for those kind of skills any more. I changed my game, I played to my strengths and that’s what I'm all about now. It was Alan Pardew, the West Ham manager at the time, who suggested it to me. He said: ‘I think you’re going to end up as a holding midfielder, dictating games because you’ve got the passing ability, the bite and the will to win’. That’s what every team needs. I think I looked at myself and I’m not saying I changed overnight, but it’s just what suited me the most."

Suited Noble and suited England. Buffeted by David Bentley’s infuriatingly late withdrawal from the squad for the finals, Stuart Pearce had been struggling to balance his central midfield. Tom Huddlestone, Ashley Young, James Milner, Kieran Richardson, Reo-Coker and Noble were used in six different permutations of triangular three or flat two in the friendly victory over Slovakia and group-game draw with the Czech Republic. Only when England sat the West Ham pair ahead of the defence against Italy did a chance-laden half-hour emerge during which the team looked capable of challenging to win this tournament.

While part of that early success owed to Leroy Lita’s embarrassing dominion over central defender Marco Andreolli, Noble is entitled to his claim that "England looked sharp, powerful and strong".

"I’m sure if we play like that against other teams we will really cause them problems," he added. "I think it’s been long overdue for us to win one of these. I’ve lost in the final of the under-19s, against France, lost in the semi-finals of the under17s, against Spain. I think it’s about time that we step up to the plate and prove to them that we’re not just a quarter-final, semi-final team; we can go all the way and take the trophy home."

If the 14-year wait since England Under18s were European champions is ended here, there will be significant irony in Noble’s role.

The 20-year-old would have been half the globe away had Bentley, in a move redolent of his on-field decision-making, not placed self-interest over national honours nine days ago.

"I’d booked Mexico and I wanted to go away, lay on the beach and chill out," said Noble. "I was supposed to go the day the squad was announced. But I got the phone call for this and I was delighted. I was in, the suit-case got unpacked and I put the football boots in instead of the flip-flops." Even his sandals, you suspect, are more dangerous than most.

Sunday Times

The Sound And The Fury

The Sun carries a two-page 'exclusive interview' with Eggert Magnusson that is ostensibly a verbatim reprint of the statement released by the chairman on the official site late last night. In this respect, the piece by Andrew Dillon is neither an exclusive nor an interview but it does at least put some much needed positive quotes from our club into the national press. Magnusson admits that he was left frustrated by the collapse of Darren Bent's proposed signing this week, but insists he has already moved on and is busy working on other plans to strengthen Alan Curbishley's squad this summer.

"The whole situation has left me very frustrated," says Mr Magnusson. "We were so close to signing Darren and thought everything was in place to conclude what would have been the biggest transfer in West Ham United's history for a player. I was really looking forward to making an announcement to our fans as we continue with our plans to take this club forward and to challenge the best teams in England. The deal we put in place seemed to work for everybody concerned. Throughout the negotiations all the signs were positive. Therefore I was surprised when I learned that Darren had decided not to join us. I feel let down and disappointed. But it is time to move on. In the aftermath of this I have been encouraged by the reaction of our supporters." Dillon extrapolates from this that Magnusson is a reader of certain internet chat sites, which is a nice thought. If he is, then it is little surprise that the feedback he received revealed a general consensus among the fans that Bent was grossly over-priced. "They appreciate the efforts we made and some of the feedback suggests they are less disappointed than I thought they might be. The view seems to be that perhaps this wasn't the best deal we could do at this stage. I'd like to think the experience will eventually stand us in good stead and there's no doubt about it, lessons have been learned."

Magnusson, 60, is eager to put behind him one of his most challenging periods at the helm of the Hammers and continue with his mission. "Our interest in Darren Bent is over," he admits. "It is time for West Ham to move on. We have been considering other options and will be looking at those over the next few weeks. This summer period is an important one for the club. Working very closely with Alan Curbishley, the board of directors want to get the best possible squad for next season. We ended last season in great form and want to build on that. I’m very excited about the potential at this club." Boss Alan Curbishley hoped England rookies Bent, 23, and Hammers striker Dean Ashton, 23, would spearhead his front line next season. But now the search moves on to new targets, with Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips once again linked with a move across London. Magnusson has successfully rubber-stamped the signing of seven players by West Ham at a cost of around £25million and says he is fiercely committed to transforming West Ham into a team capable of sustaining a serious challenge for the Champions League. At the same time, he has also expressed his dismay at some of the media speculation surrounding player wages, and has moved to reassure supporters that all transfer negotiations are carried out with the best interests of West Ham United at heart.

"West Ham United is very much in the spotlight at the moment," he says. "I totally accept that as chairman of a Club with ambition and drive. However, I am disappointed that there is a widespread belief that the Club has a bottomless pit of money to spend on transfer fees and player wages. This is a great football Club which will be run on sensible business lines to build a secure, long-term future. That includes our policy on players wages, set at a ceiling of £55,000 a week. Despite figures being circulated in the game, no player at West Ham United earns more than that at present. Of course, as an ambitious club we will react to the marketplace, in common with most other football clubs. If the right player comes along at the right price, then we will look at that, but we want players who want to play for West Ham United."

Alan Curbishley has until the first Premiership match of the season at home to Manchester City on August 11 to get his plans in place. According to Dillon, there are ambitious long-term plans to move to a new stadium at a defunct ParcelForce site in Canning Town, West Ham’s original home in the East End. The club are also considering moving their training ground lock, stock and barrel to a new hi-tech sports complex in Barking. Curbishley even took a tour of Ford United’s old ground as a possible location. What is apparent, is ingredients on the pitch must be right to complement those off it. After beating relegation on the last day of last season, drama is never far away. With Bent thought to have been lured by a move to either Liverpool or Tottenham, there is also continuing uncertainty over midfielder Yossi Benayoun’s future after Liverpool lodged a £3m bid, which was rebuffed. Magnusson added: "I believe we are bringing together a team on and off the pitch which will bring success to West Ham United. It’s been a tough week but you don’t get involved with a Premier League football club in order to have a quiet life."

The Shaun Wright-Phillips story is featured in greatar detail elsewhere in the paper. In a separate article, it is claimed the player has been told he can leave the club this summer as part of Chelsea's cost-cutting plans. It is said West Ham agreed a fee of £10.8million for Wright-Phillips in January and that we remain one of the only clubs who can match his salary and allow him to stay in London. On the Benayoun front, The Guardian state the Israel midfielder has indicated to the West Ham that he wishes to leave the club, having been unsettled by confirmation that Liverpool have made a bid of around £3million for him. Rafael Benítez hopes to add Benayoun, whom he has tracked since his days at Racing Santander, to his ranks as he seeks further midfield options with Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, confirming that a formal approach was made to West Ham last week. That offer was immediately rejected, claims the paper, as the Londoners value the 27-year-old at nearer £5m. It has also been mentioned in certain circles that a swap deal involving troubled striker Craig Bellamy has been mooted.

Finally, the Mail are sustaining their rabid ant-West Ham stance by featuring a sycophantic interview with 'Honest' Dave Whelan in which he professes: "Football needs justice, it must change or die." To paraphrase Macbeth, it is a piece (like most journalism in this paper) that walks like a shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing. I'm not going to give it any more space than it deserves on this blog but it is there if you want it.

Bent Out Of Shape

Darren Bent last night pulled out of a £17m transfer to West Ham United in a shock 11th-hour decision. A deal involving £16m plus Hayden Mullins - the former Crystal Palace midfielder who was the first signing of Charlton's manager, Alan Pardew, during his time at West Ham - had been set out between the clubs as early as Tuesday and the 23-year-old striker was expected then to sign personal terms. Bent's decision came as a shock to both clubs. West Ham's Icelandic chairman, Eggert Magnusson, had released an official statement just hours earlier in which he said: "We are making progress in our plans to strengthen the squad over the summer period. We are hopeful of making an exciting announcement soon and Alan Curbishley and the Board will continue to work to get the right balance in the team for next season." By midnight, a second message appeared on the club site confirming an agreement with Charlton Athletic on a transfer fee for Darren Bent had been agreed. It stated: "Discussions today took place with the player and his representative. Unfortunately, we were unable to agree personal terms and have therefore ended our interest in the player."

Charlton chief executive Peter Varney said: "We set a valuation for Darren and West Ham were the only club prepared to meet that valuation. This morning we gave them permission to speak to Darren, which he did, and he has decided not to join West Ham. We therefore look forward to Darren starting with us in the Championship next season, which is a massive boost to our chances of returning to the Premier League." That Bent should remain in the Championship is an unthinkable prospect for the player according to the Guardian. It is suggested that Tottenham Hotspur has always been Bent's preferred destination, and the north London club have been monitoring developments. Whether the player has had some form of informal contact with a club to spark his sudden change of heart last night is open to speculation. What is clear is that Tottenham are now expected to formalise their interest in the coming days; although they have always been unwilling to match the fee that Charlton now believe to be set in stone by West Ham's offer. The Mirror claim that while Tottenham remain interested, it was actually a last minute intervention by Liverpool that scuppered the deal. It was so late in the day that Eggert Magnusson only discovered the player had changed his mind after being alerted to it on the TV news.

Gary Jacob in The Times believes Bent had been offered a five-year contract worth about £75,000 a week during talks at Upton Park yesterday — which would have made him the joint-highest paid player at the club with Scott Parker, the midfield player, who joined from Newcastle United last week. Bent’s decision now raises several issues, none of them good for Charlton. Tottenham are believed to be willing to offer only £12 million and Liverpool have at least four other preferred targets. Those two clubs will not be willing to pay Bent more than £55,000 a week, which is double his wage at The Valley. The Independent say that given the disparity of the wages on offer for the 23-year-old, by holding out for Tottenham's bid it reveals the degree of Bent's conviction that they are the right club for him. Tottenham are understood to be offering personal terms of £30,000-a-week, around half of what West Ham are prepared to pay. The knock-on effect of the deal falling through is that it delays the anticipated burst of activity in the transfer market. Bent's transfer holds the key to a number of players' futures including Craig Bellamy, Jermain Defoe and Andy Johnson. Sean Wallace concludes that West Ham will now have to target Bellamy, who is also sought by Aston Villa.

An article in The Sun insists Bent's main motivation for turning down West Ham was a personal dislike for Alan Curbishley. They state the Charlton striker, 23, does not want to work again with the Hammers boss and that he would rather play in the Championship than move to Upton Park. That is, of course, a laughable suggestion but still not quite so amusing as the screaming hysteria being whipped up over at the Mail; with Matt Barlow suggesting the 'West Ham effect' has put the fear of God into football. The anti-Irons bias of this particular publication has reached a new low with claims the club's conspicuous spending power is inflating the game's finances to breaking point. So no mention of Sky television money then? Or parasitic agents? Or avaricious, self-serving players? Or the bloated, egregious, nauseating experiment in capitalism that is the Champions League? Or the countless millions the 'Big Four' as well as others have spunked away on overseas players? No, it is West Ham spending a few million on English talent playing for English clubs that epitomises the cancer of the modern game!

Barlow argues there is general fear and unrest within the game and that many are shifting uncomfortably but very few are willing to go public. One leading agent told Sportsmail of his fears that the West Ham effect was a symptom of a wider problem which is leading the game into meltdown. He said: "It’s 'think of a number and double it' time. Transfer fees are going up in leaps of £5m, salaries are going up in leaps of £10,000. It’s dangerous, it’s unsustainable. People with no football knowledge and no industry acumen are sailing this ship on to the rocks." Clubs may be aware of this but eating away at them from a different direction is the fear of relegation. What is an extra £20m on the wage bill compared with the drastic losses incurred if they slip out of the Premiership? Eggert Magnusson remains unrepentant. "I know we are moving in the right direction and I also know the fans share our ambitions for the future," he said. "This is an ambitious club with a very sound financial base and we are determined to move forward. As we do that, we can expect criticism, but the most important thing is delivering the potential of this great club."

The Fixture List

West Ham United will face Manchester City at The Boleyn on the opening day of the 07/08 season. The Irons will begin the new campaign against managerless City on August 11th before travelling to Liverpool for their first away game of the season four days later. Then follow a run of games which will no doubt please Alan Curbishley; following the Anfield clash (which looks likely to be postponed as Liverpool are in Champions League action that week) United face newly-promoted Birmingham (a), Wigan (h), Reading (a) and Middlesbrough (h).

Other big games to look out for are the home fixtures with Tottenham (24th November), Manchester United (29th December) and Chelsea (1st March). The usual busy Christmas period offers a chance for festive revenge against Reading (26th December) and a New Year's Day clash with our whipping boys Arsenal. Once again the Hammers face a trip to Old Trafford at the end of the campaign; the two clubs meet on May 3rd, with the Hammers hosting Aston Villa at the Boleyn on the final day of the season (11th May) a week later.

Tevez Wranglings

Most of the press have picked up the pieces from the 'Tevez to Manchester United' story that exploded yesterday. The Guardian say the Old Trafford club hope to discover this week whether they have successfully negotiated a way through the intricate process necessary to make Carlos Tevez the fourth high-profile signing of a summer of heavy transfer expenditure. United's chief executive, David Gill, has frantically been trying to find a way to lure the Argentine striker away from Upton Park and has been given heart by the fact that Javier Mascherano was allowed legally to move to Liverpool in January. Tevez’s registration is currently held by West Ham, with whom he signed a four-year deal. Technically that agreement still exists but the repercussions of the tribunal could mean Tevez is no longer bound by it and is, therefore, available on a free transfer. In this case, United would seek to take the player on an initial year-long loan that would cost them in the region of £12million.

According to the Independent, even that sum might not be enough. It is thought that the Italian champions, Inter Milan, would be prepared to pay up to £34million for Carlos Tevez, effectively ruling everyone else out of the race. Peter Edwards in the Express agrees, and states the player has told sources he is not keen on a temporary switch to United and would prefer to join the Italians. Kia Joorabchian is said to have already spoken to officials at Inter. They are prepared offer the player a four-year deal worth around £75,000-a-week, while both Real Madrid and Chelsea continue to monitor the situation closely. The Mail say the player’s immediate future will be thrashed out at a meeting this week between his lawyer, Graham Shear, and West Ham’s legal team. Kia Joorabchian has yet to meet West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson and is currently in Buenos Aires on business with the striker, who is preparing to play for Argentina in the Copa America. Joorabchian has appointed Shears to negotiate on his company’s behalf after a planned meeting with Magnusson was cancelled last week. MSI will demand that West Ham reinstate the now-notorious clauses in Tevez’s contract which give the company rights over the striker’s transfer.

Also in the Mail is a story that Jermain Defoe will enter contract talks with Tottenham in a bid to extend his stay at White Hart Lane, despite interest from West Ham, Portsmouth and Aston Villa. The article claims Alan Curbishley would be happy to splash out £12million to take the player back to Upton Park, although it is understood Defoe has serious doubts about returning to a club he left in such acrimonious circumstances only a few seasons ago.

Don't Blink!

"Don't turn away, don't close you eyes and don't blink!"

I was strolling round the Whitechapel area this morning when I passed by the old statue of William Booth. There was something a little different about it that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Having watched the excellent 'Weeping Angels' episode of Doctor Who last night I was probably paying a little more attention than usual. Anyway, I was staring at it for a few moments and then it suddenly came to me... it used to say 'Moore 6'. I guess it is a sad indictment of modern society that such a venerable old name could be defaced in such a thoughtless manner. I mean Carlos is good but Bobby's a legend!

Like Father, Like Sons

I was leafing through the paper this morning and came across the following article. It's an interesting article about two possible stars of West Ham's future.

Like father, like son as Rob's boy wonders look the part
By Paul Fielder

Just because a footballer has a famous dad it doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to reach the same heights. But if the evidence so far is anything to go by, Rob Lee could be outdone by both his boys.

Oliver, 15, and Elliot, 12, are making an impression at one of their dad’s former clubs, West Ham, with the elder having already played for the reserves at a younger age than his footballing father. "He keeps telling me that I never did it, so he’s got one up on me," said Rob, who was capped 21 times by England. He keeps ribbing me about it. It’s fantastic, he came on for the last 15 minutes. I spoke to Steve Brown, the West Ham reserve-team manager with whom I used to play at Charlton, and he said he did very well and didn’t look out of place. He’s only 15 so he’s making good strides, but there’s a long way to go yet."

Attacking midfielder Oliver has just signed a two-year scholarship at West Ham, while Elliot, a centre-forward, has been with the club since he was seven and is a natural finisher despite his tender years. Rob said: "Elliot’s been there a long time but Oliver was a late starter. He’s about to leave school, but he’s got his scholarship so we’re very pleased with him. Ninety-nine per cent of young boys and girls these days want to be footballers, but he’s taking his first small step really. West Ham are really pleased with both of them. Oliver’s a tall athletic midfielder player. He passes well and can get about the pitch and score the odd goal and, as a midfielder, he’ll be the one that’s compared to me the most."

Rob enjoyed his best period at Newcastle where he played in Kevin Keegan’s free-flowing side that thrived on the goals of Alan Shearer. The former Newcastle team-mates are still great friends and Rob sees something of the legendary England striker in his son. Rob said: "Elliot’s doing very well. He’s just a natural goalscorer. He reminds me a lot of Alan Shearer. Alan gives both of them advice and rates Elliot highly, but Elliot’s favourite player is Wayne Rooney. He plays similar to Rooney, in that he is strong and holds the ball up and he’s got a knack of being in the right place at the right time, which is a very hard thing to do. If he runs into the box 10 times, then eight times out of 10 the ball’s going to come to him. When I used to do that it used to be two times out of 10!"

For all the talent the boys possess, both have a long way to go if they are to avoid the trap of being another footballer’s son to have failed to live up to a famous name. The list of those who have fallen short include Gavin Strachan, Darren Ferguson, Alex Bruce, Kevin Bond, Paul Dalglish, Danny Greaves, Kaspar Schmeichel, Stephen Clemence and Jonathan Gould. Rob is well aware of the potential pitfalls ahead. He said: "It [sons emulating dads] doesn’t happen often. There’s very few, with Frank Lampard being the prime example. Jamie Redknapp is another, but I can’t remember his dad Harry as a player too much — he’ll probably dispute that. Harry will probably think that he’s better than Jamie. "But Frank’s the obvious one who comes to mind, his dad was a good player but Frank has turned himself into a world-class player."

I can testify to the ability of the brothers Lee, having played against both Oliver and Elliot at our weekly five-a-side sessions in South Ockendon in Essex on a Monday night. Unstoppable when in full flight, Oliver packs plenty of power in both feet while having as many tricks as Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, while in 15 years of our regular five-as-sides, no one has come close to matching Elliot’s outstanding haul of 17 goals in one game a couple of months ago. The following week, Rob was due to turn out but he failed to show up. The relief of the bunch of thirty- and fortysomethings that the former England international wasn’t going to torment us was short-lived, however, when Elliot stepped in to fill his boots. "They love it, especially Oliver, because he’s got the skill and enjoys nut-megging people," said Rob. "Elliot’s not bothered about nutmegs and taking the mickey out of players, all he’s worried about is scoring goals. They love playing over there. They enjoy it, I enjoy it and all the lads enjoy it."

Rob had better watch out as, in the not-too-distant future, despite his 21 England caps, he could be just the third best player in his own home.

Zizou And The Art Of Speculation

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Alan Curbishley is adamant that West Ham will not be held to ransom this summer despite having a £50million transfer budget. An article in today's Telegraph states the West Ham manager has the full financial backing of Eggert Magnusson but remains insistent that he will not pay over the odds for any player or break the club's rigid pay structure. Curbishley said: "There is a lot of stuff being said about us; how much we are paying for players, how much we have offered them. If there are players who can improve us, we will try to get them. People look at us as new kids on the block. We are not. A lot has been exaggerated. If you look at what we are spending it is not outrageous. We are fair game at the moment. Most of the team who played and won at Old Trafford on the last day of the season were here before I arrived. It showed what talent was at the club. I am not saying that I am going to sign 11 players and everyone is out. If nothing else happens until we kick off, I still have a lot to work with." This is, perhaps, a not particularly subtle message to Charlton Athletic who have escalated the asking price of prize asset Darren Bent to something approaching £20million. It is also the clearest sign yet that the overarching aim for this summer is to improve the quality rather than the quantity of the current squad.

The club's interest in Darren Bent is well-publicized. According to a story in the Mirror, West Ham and Tottenham were actively locked in a bidding war for the Charlton striker last night. In an 'exclusive' by Darren Lewis, it is claimed Bent is the prime target of both clubs and that the Hammers are prepared to offer him £60,000 a week in wages - double the sum Spurs had banked on paying. Twenty-three-year-old Bent, who has bagged well over fifty goals in the last three seasons, is currently on holiday and expected back towards the end of next week. Charlton supremo Peter Varney last night warned all interested clubs that they won't land the south Londoners' prize asset unless they match the Addicks' valuation. Varney said: "Darren Bent will only leave Charlton if the price is right for Charlton. If it is not then he will be going nowhere." The Daily Mail complicate the picture further by insisting Liverpool have also entered the race for the player within the last 24 hours.

Speaking of the Mail, John Edwards has written a speculative piece in which he insists the club are ready to include Yossi Benayoun in a package aimed at persuading Liverpool to part with £9million-rated striker Craig Bellamy. The article claims Alan Curbishley identified the newly-appointed Wales skipper’s pace and movement as the qualities he will need if Carlos Tevez makes his expected departure, and Benayoun is emerging as part of an equation that could end with Bellamy moving to Upton Park in a £70,000-a-week deal that would virtually double his earnings. Benayoun is said to have left the door open for a move to Anfield by stalling on the signing of a five-year, £50,000-a-week contract with West Ham. There were even claims in Israel, after their 2-0 win over Andorra, that his representatives had agreed personal terms with Liverpool. Benayoun, himself, stated: "I still haven’t signed with West Ham because of some small differences. They are my first aim but if another team want me we will consider it. If it is good for everyone, why not?" Of course, this has to be countered by Alan Curbishley's comments from yesterday, when he revealed: "Yossi phoned up yesterday (Wednesday) to reiterate that he is coming here tomorrow (Friday) to sign the contract. He is a terrific player and one who wants to be here. It is not a bad commitment, five years. It is the same as Scotty and we are delighted." It is also my understanding that Craig Bellamy has never been on the West Ham radar as a possible target so, all-in-all, this rumour would seem to have little credence.

A report in the Argentinian press has linked the club with a £6million bid for goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo. The story suggests it would be impossible for River Plate to turn down such an offer, despite manager Daniel Passarella's entreaties for the player to stay one more season. The president of River, José María Aguilar, is said to have received the offer in person from his West Ham counterpart after taking advantage of a trip to Europe with the Argentina national side, and he will seriously consider it. Passarella had asked Aguilar to retain at least four of the five footballers that he considers essential to the ongoing success of the club, and the first on the list is Carrizo. The others are Leonardo Ponzio, Paulo Ferrari, Eduardo Tuzzio and Ernesto Farías. If the offer is accepted, it would be a record amount paid for an Argentinian goalkeeper.

Finally, for a moment of levity, have a look at the BBC 606 board. Somebody on there has surpassed themselves with the following message:

Very strong suggestions around the training ground this morning that Magnusson has agreed a MASSIVE deal that will shock football, but more importantly will push us into Europe next year. A year since his retirement, Zidane Zidane has been persuaded my Eggert Magnusson to sign a 12-month deal (with a 1 year extension), worth £6m! He has been promised that Tevez will be at West Ham come August and that "significant" signings will be made before the start of the season. Expect Zidane to sign for us by the middle of July!

Expect to read this in the Daily Mail as early as Monday morning.

Is Beckham Really The Equal Of Sir Cliff Richard?

What is the best way to reward David Beckham's resurgence, a knighthood or re-naming him Big Ben?
By Russell Brand

I've not done my column for a couple of weeks on accounts of me workload here in Hawaii, making this film. I still read the Guardian, though, even when I'm not in it (what dedication) and got off on reading "Russell Brand is away" at the bottom of the page, like "Jeffrey Bernard is unwell". It conjured in me a reverie in which I were a wandering correspondent slumped in a Kasbah having traded my typewriter for gin.

It's been interesting to view the latest instalment of the Beckham saga from American soil, his reinstatement first to the team then to his position of national darling and soccer-Christ. I didn't see the game against Estonia but he was predictably instrumental setting up the second two goals and I bet he looked dashing into the bargain.

But, remotely viewed, the ensuing hyperbole becomes evermore preposterous - I've read in English papers, honestly, HONESTLY, that he should be knighted and ought now be emblazoned on banknotes. Where do we go from here? What if we qualify for the championships, will we make him head of state? And if we reach the final ought we demand scientists flood the globe with his oiled and shaven clones craving as a nation just a moment at his teat, an army of unctuous, bald, genetically engineered gods lactating ambrosia into our awed Pac-man gobs?

Now I yield to no man in my adulation for David Beckham: he's handsome, vain, talented and from Essex, all the things a man ought be, but can he replace Dickens on a tenner? Or be Sir Cliff Richard's equal in the title league? Perhaps he can. Our opinions oscillate as regularly as the mechanism within Big Ben (which I'm campaigning to have renamed "Big Beckham Clock"), a fact from which Frank Lampard is said to draw solace having been relentlessly harangued throughout the friendly against Brazil.

'Tis said that it's an accepted part of international football, the ol' vilification and victimisation of a selected player and as a West Ham fan (have I mentioned that?) "Lamps" ought be the very kind of player I'd delight in loathing: he's an ex-Hammer, he's moved to a bigger club and gone on to be a successful member of the England set up; he's detested at Upton Park and was sporadically despised even before he left, initially because of Frank senior's presumed influence and then because of perceived inconsistency and for some barmy reason being fat. It must be really horrible, I'm sure he's trying his hardest.

It's a daft element of the game and I just did a quick scan of the ol' noggin to see if I'd ever been involved. The scan results were positive. I joined in this season with a chorus of "Jermain Defoe is a c**t" against Spurs, but he's on an opposing side and, again, is ex-West Ham. I yelped approvingly when, last time West Ham were relegated, a bloke behind us viscerally screamed "Roeder you c**t, you've killed West Ham", but Roeder had appallingly mismanaged the club. And I have been complicit in the awkward silences that have greeted Nigel Reo-Coker's name over the course of the season, but he was adored and wanted to leave.

In all three examples I can think of justification and Lampard has said in his case it's probably because he's stopped scoring. I think it might also be because people think he oughtn't be automatic choice to partner Gerrard in the middle and that there is a perception that Steve McClaren has "undroppable" players of which he is one.

I've been reading Boys of '86 by Tony McDonald and Danny Francis, which documents the season in which West Ham achieved their highest league position and I almost drowned in nostalgia. The book is lovingly compiled and a joy to read, especially if you witnessed Frank McAvennie, Tony Cottee and Alan Devonshire play. What is astonishing is how the game has changed in such a short period of time; top-flight football was seemingly founded on egg and chips, beer and travelling to matches on the tube.

The players interviewed within speak of camaraderie and loyalty, which is anathema in the game just a few years later. I was touched by the testimony of Alan Dickens who I remember as a very skilful good passer of the ball (my mate Jack said he liked how he played with his head up like a giraffe, I said Thomas Hearns) who now drives a cab and kind of drifted out of the game after an unfulfilling move to Chelsea.

After the tremendous season that the book covers, West Ham's fortune, along with Dickens' form, dwindled and I can remember being at Upton Park, aged about 12 and feeling antipathy towards Dickens. I don't recall if there were any hollering but had there been, I would certainly have meekly joined in. I felt a bit guilty when I read that he was actually a very sensitive man and that it had really hurt him when the crowd turned. Of course today's players are all billionaires who can purchase glee by the barrel if they so choose but they are still human, with sparks of divinity glowing beneath the layers of Prada and Bentley and I for one will be offering compassion to the c**ts.

Guardian column

What A Year For Jordan

I never got a chance to feature this yesterday so here is a nice little article about the latest young talent from Tony Carr's academy production line. Jordan Spence is captain of the England U17 side and is due to sign professional terms next month.

What a year for Jordan
Guardian-series

A little over a year ago Jordan Spence sat down in front of the home West Ham crowd before a Premiership match at Upton Park to sign on as a full-time youth Academy player at the east London club. That was a moment to savour, watched by his proud parents. A moment he had dreamed of since the age of five when he started kicking a football in earnest. Now aged 17 and not far short of six-foot tall, Jordan Spence is captain of the England U17 side and a regular in the West Ham U18 team. He will sign as a full-time professional player with the Hammers in July.

He has certainly fulfilled Hammers Academy Director Tony Carr's prediction of a year ago: "If he continues to progress and show the same dedication and enthusiasm he is definitely one for the future." Spence has followed in the footsteps of another former Ridgeway Rovers youth player, David Beckham, in successfully making the step up from park pitches. A former day boy at Chigwell School, Spence who lives at Woodford Green, demonstrated his commitment to schoolwork over football by gaining eight GCSE passes. "With that academic side of my life completed I was able, last year, to fully concentrate on football," said Spence.

He moved on from being the England U16 captain to taking over as skipper of the England U17 team, which has just celebrated its most successful period in international football for 14 years. In the recent UEFA European Championships, held in Tournai, Belgium, the England side progressed through to the final, narrowly losing 1-0 to Spain. But the best is still to come. Jordan explained: "Although we didn't win in Belgium we qualified, as a finalist, to play in the U17 World Cup in Korea, the first English team to do so." The mantle of an England captain also has an off-the-field role as Spence found out when the new Wembley Stadium was opened to VIP groups recently. Spence found himself rubbing shoulders with members of parliament and even sharing a joke with Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown.

Taken from the Citizen

Stalling For Time

The Independent have picked up on the Yossi Benayoun 'contract controversy' that reared its head yesterday. Jason Burt believes the player is now actively stalling on the signing of the paperwork in the hope that Liverpool are about to make an offer for him. The article claims Benayoun has told friends that he expects Rafael Benitez to make a move for him by the end of this week, although it is unlikely West Ham would be interested in selling. Benayoun was linked to Liverpool and Arsenal last summer but decided to stay at West Ham and was offered a new contract, which he did not sign. At the end of this season he again sought talks with the club's directors and threatened to submit a transfer request but, instead, was offered a deal that more than doubled his pay to £50,000 a week. So far the new contract has not been signed with sources at West Ham believing that Benayoun is hoping to give himself more leverage in any further negotiations.

The same paper claims Reading want to bring Hayden Mullins "home" and are ready to launch a bid for the West Ham midfielder. The 28-year-old's future at Upton Park looks increasingly bleak as Alan Curbishley plans an overhaul of his squad, having been promised a multi-million pound budget by the club's Icelandic owners. Mullins was born in Reading and the former West Ham manager Alan Pardew tried to take him to the Madejski Stadium from Crystal Palace when he was in charge. Mullins was virtually an ever-present for West Ham after Pardew - now with relegated Charlton - made him his first Upton Park signing.

According to a story in the Mail, Nigel Reo-Coker is still waiting to hear whether he will be given permission to speak to Aston Villa about a £7million move from West Ham. The club are still considering this week's initial bid from Villa for Reo-Coker, who cost them £500,000 from Wimbledon in January 2004. "A bid has been made and it's up to the businessmen to come to some sort of arrangement," Reo-Coker said on Sky Sports News. "If I'm given permission to go and speak, I'm given permission. But I've no control." The 23-year-old midfielder insists handing in a transfer request was a difficult decision. "It's not something that any player will do lightly," he said. "It's a very difficult decision. I've handed in a transfer request because I don't believe my future is at West Ham." Whether or not the Villa bid is accepted, it appears only a matter of time before Reo-Coker leaves Upton Park. At today's press conference, Alan Curbishley said "Reo-Coker is away with the [England] Under-21s at the moment with two of our other boys. I have heard nothing in respect of any activity. There are lots of rumours about our club at the moment. We can't go around answering it all. It has been indicated but, as of now, he is still a West Ham player."

News From The Press Conference

Scott Parker today enjoyed his first visit to Upton Park as a West Ham United player and spoke for the first time about his £7 million move from Newcastle. At a press conference attended by the player, Alan Curbishley, Eggert Magnusson, Dean Ashton and a representative from XL Airlines, Parker stated: "I had some good times up at Newcastle and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But once I knew there was interest from West Ham, I spoke to the manager and the Chairman and my decision was made." On the subject of his much publicised fall-out with Alan Curbishley, Parker was keen to stress that there is no longer a problem. "These things happen," he said. "Now, when I look back, it obviously showed how much the manager thought of me. There's no doubting that under Curbs it was probably the best football I've played in my career. I'm really looking forward to playing under him again and being at West Ham. I think we're going to bring in some more signings. There's a foundation here at the moment and the Club are going in the right direction. You can see that from today with the new sponsorship deal. I think we can really go and push on."

Curbishley also expressed his delight at rekindling his successful working relationship with the 26-year-old England international. "I think that Scott brings so many qualities to the Club, one of them is leadership," said the manager. "He was captain at Newcastle. When he played for me at Charlton, even as a young boy, he was captain out there. But he's got lots of qualities. His energy and enthusiasm are going to endear him to the West Ham fans. Plus his other qualities, he can score goals, he can make goals. He sees the pass as well. When we had a chance of trying to sign Scott we went for it and we're really pleased that it's come through and we've got our man."

Eggert Magnusson informed the waiting press that he was optimistic about keeping Carlos Tevez at West Ham United next season. "Tevez has a contract with West Ham for three more years and I am confident he will be here next season," he said. "He's a great player, a great lad, everyone loves him around the club - and I think he'll be playing here next season." The Chairman also revealed that he and Alan Curbishley were looking to sign 'three quality players' during the summer. "It takes time to build a side to reach the top six - it does not happen over night," insisted Magnusson. "But we will do it within a few years. We are hoping to bring in three more quality players. We want quality players, but for quality players you have to pay a price." When questioned about the forthcoming arbitration hearing, Magnusson demurred to comment but promised he would have a lot to say after it is concluded.

It was also great to see Dean Ashton sat next his manager at the conference. Having spent ten months on the sidelines following an injury sustained whilst training with England in preparation for his international debut last August, Ashton said he was 'excited' about the prospect of returning to Premier League football. He told reporters that he was improving rapidly and set to return to action in time for the new campaign, which kicks off on August 11th. "My rehab is going well," he said. "I am more than hopeful I will start the season well. Last season was the hardest time of my career, to see the club go through so many ups and downs. But I was delighted it ended well. It seems like a fresh start as I feel I have got to prove myself again. But we have a Chairman willing to back the club and new players like Scott Parker - so for me it is really exciting to be at the club. I want to prove I am not a forgotten man and show how good I am. I've had a little break so I am more than happy to work all the way through to pre-season and beyond. It is hard work but I am trying to get back to full fitness. I am enjoying it - and it is nice to be back."

The other point of business was the official unveiling of XL Airlines as the new club sponsor. The travel company will succeed Jobserve as United's new sponsor after signing a three-year-deal with the club thought to be worth around £2.5m per year. As part of the deal, the company's giant logo is set to cover the entire East Stand roof whilst United's new Umbro kit, set for release next weekend, will also feature XL branding. An internal memo sent to all XL employees by CEO Phil Wyatt this morning reads:

I am delighted to announce to you all that today the 7th June, XL will be officially announced as the principle sponsor of West Ham United Football Club. This represents a significant step towards developing XL as a household travel brand in the UK. The deal includes all the players club shirts will carry the XL.com logo, and we will also have a heavy presence in all West Ham advertising. This ranges from regular advertisements in the match day programs and on the clubs official website (www.WHUFC.com), (which has over 500,000 visitors monthly) to having the entire East Stand (roof at 110 metres x 14 metres high) at Upton Park branded with an bespoke XL.com design.

West Ham have had a remarkable season, culminating in them retaining their Premiership status by beating Manchester United at Old Trafford 1-0. In the last 2 months, their upturn in results has been nothing short of outstanding and they are sure to be one of the Premiership’s ones-to-watch next season. Last season, they generated the biggest audiences on Sky television for games involving teams outside of the ‘big 4’; Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool

We see this as a great opportunity for us to raise our profile and feel that XL will only benefit from the kudos that being associated with a Premiership club brings. There is also plenty of scope for our other brands, such as Aspire, to get involved. This is an exciting time for the XL leisure Group, and we see this link-up as another important step towards becoming one of the worlds most well-know travel brands.

Official press release attached for information.
Phil Wyatt
CEO XL Leisure Group

Sing When You're Winning

The following post is an interview with Nick Frost. It is the latest in an occasional series about West Ham supporting celebrities.

Sing When You're Winning With... Nick Frost
By Matt Allen

When it comes to football, comic actors Nick Frost and Simon Pegg don't see eye to eye. Frost, star of comedy cop flick, Hot Fuzz and obnoxious sidekick in zombie move Shaun Of The Dead (opening line: "Any of you cunts want a drink?"), is a hardcore West Ham fan first, England loyalist second. His co-star, meanwhile, only stirs during major international tournaments. Frost pulls a face. "It's not about that though, is it?" he says. "I keep telling him. We went to Belgium for his stag do last year and it was the same weekend as the FA Cup Final between West Ham and Liverpool. We found a bar that we could all sit in- we had the whole place to ourselves. Then Simon says, 'Oh, I'm going for a little walk around the town.' And so he fucks off for two hours, buying comics and action figures. Fucking hell, it's the FA Cup Final. Even if you don't like football, you can enjoy the FA Cup Final."

Frost's incredulity is understandable: his West Ham cherry was popped at the age of eight. The fact that this first experience of the Irons came during an FA Cup clash against London rivals Leyton Orient makes the tournament more sacred than any other. And under the guidance of dad and Uncle Brian, a love affair with Upton park began. "I was from Dagenham and Barking, so it was only natural that I supported West Ham," he says. "My family were fans, too. But that game was important because it was my first telly appearance- West Ham were taking a corner and I was in that part of the ground. We got back that night to watch Match Of The Day and i was there, in my duffel coat, giving it the trademark double thumbs up."

As a kid, Frost was wowed by tales of the Hammers' World Cup heroes- Moore, Hurst and Peters- but Frank Lampard Senior became his favourite player because "he was great and had tremendous hair". But a change was in the offing. During his teens, Frost's appearances at Upton park became limited, mainly due to his blossoming rugby talent. "I played for Barking in the same team as World Cup-winning prop Jason Leonard," he says. "Then I ended up being the only white player at London Nigeria and they fought like fuck, even during training sessions. I was at an age when I was into girls and I didn't want to get into fights all the time. I thought, fuck this, I'm not getting beten up by a Lagos powerhouse." So, he says, "I really fell in love with football again".

But what followed was years of yo-yoing as West ham flitted between flair football in the Premiership and lower-league mediocrity. "It's always the same," he sighs. "Even now. Last season they were brilliant, this year they've fallen apart. I've never gone into a season with as much excitement and promise as this one. I thought, we can fucking do this! Especially with the way everyone played last year. We even signed Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez from Corinthians. But before you know it, Nigel Reo-Coker was unsettled, Alan Pardew had been sacked and we were deep in a relegation scrap."

For Frost, the season was encapsulated in one match: the 3-4 defeat to Spurs at Upton Park in March. West Ham were cruising at 2-0, then lead 3-2 with a minute to go before throwing away the match with the final kick of the game. "It was incredible," he says, ruefully. "When Tevez scored his first goal for the club in that game, we thought we were on the up. Then we collapsed. If that game were in a film, Spurs would never have won. But it's West Ham and it's football so it doesn't work out like that." This, as Frost knows too well, is a self-destructive streak familiar to West Ham. "I say to my girlfriend sometimes, I wish I'd been born in Rio or Manchester," he says. "But I'm from the area, so West Ham is in me. I'll even say to her, 'Oh fuck it, I hate West Ham', because they're playing so badly. This season it's got to a point where I couldn't even watch Match Of The Day- it hurt me too much to watch them getting beaten again. But there are other times when they make me so happy. Winning the Play-Off Final in 2005 was amazing. I was watching it on the telly. I remember my girlfriend coming into the front room and I was there, on my own, crying my heart out. She said, 'What's wrong with you?'"

Despite relegation being avoided at Old Trafford in the season's final act, Frost fears Curbishley's first full season in charge, backed by the new owners, may signal a close-season exodus. "You're fucked if that happens," he says forlornly. "I loved Tevez, but it must have been very frustrating for him here. He came from Corinthians and the sun. Then he got to Upton Park. I mean, it's a great stadium when it's full, but he must have thought, 'Oh. My. God'. Tevez leaving wasn't my biggest fear though," he concludes. "My biggest fear was that we'd turn into Leeds. I tried to imagine myself in Curbishley's shoes in front of that lot saying, 'Come on, let's give it another year. Let's stick together! Let's get up together!'"

Supporting West Ham is clearly a labour of love. Maybe Simon Pegg has got it right after all.



Quick Questions
Best West Ham moment? Winning the Play-Off Final in 2005. It was like winning a proper cup final, when the players run around the pitch with the cup and everything.

Worst moment? I thought we were down after losing 4-3 to Spurs in March.

All-Time West Ham hero? Frank Lampard Sr. I always liked John Hartson and Paolo Di Canio too- they gave their all. And recently, Tevez. I think he's brilliant, although when he arrived it was a bit like Are You being Served? You know, like a superstar turning up at Grace Brothers.

Stand up if you hate... Personally, it's got to be Tottenscum. I was always a big hater of Arsenal, but as soon as they got into the Emirates i didn't mind them. I think it was the stadium I hated. You've got to have a London rival and it's Spurs, up there at their 'lovely White Hart Lane'. I don't like Robbie Keane either- he's so angry. You can imagine him being the mad bastard who gets into a fight at a wedding.

Would you make your kids support West Ham? Absolutely. At the end of the day it's up to them, but I'd make sure they thought about it long and hard.

Taken from FourFourTwo magazine

Parker Signs

Scott Parker has become the first piece in the club's summer rebuilding plans when he finally completed his £7million transfer from Newcastle United. Talking on the official site, Alan Curbishley said: "I'm delighted Scott has agreed to sign for us. Our relationship goes back some time to when he first joined Charlton as a schoolboy. He's coming to the Club knowing full well that we're trying to push forward and he wants to be part of that. Firstly he wants to improve our team; then he wants to improve his chances of forcing his way back into the England scene. He has been captain of Newcastle over the last couple of seasons and he is exactly the type of player that I wanted to bring to the Club. He's very experienced but still young and I'm sure he's going to be a big asset to West Ham." It is interesting that Curbishley should mention the relationship between manager and player. It is something that deteriorated drastically during Parker's final fractious days at Charlton. In his book, Valley of Dreams, Curbishley wrote:

"He [Parker] said it over and over again. He told me that at Charlton we were never going to win the Premiership and probably never going to get into the Champions League. We may not even win a cup. He wanted the chance to be involved in all of those things and he wanted to be in the England team. As far as he was concerned I was denying him the chance to do all of that."

It is not something lost on the player. In a piece in the Independent it is insinuated Parker had some misgivings about rejoining Curbishley, given the bad blood that existed between the pair. Speaking in the Mirror, former team-mate Jason Euell admitted he is stunned over the reconciliation. "Their working relationship ground to a halt so I'm shocked Scott has gone from Newcastle to West Ham to work under Curbishley," said ex-Valley star Euell. "But they must have sorted out their problems for Scott to have signed."

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On the bright side, at least it shows that we have signed an ambitious player who's hunger to achieve far outstrips petty personal grievances.


Scott Parker was born and raised in Lambeth, South London and has represented England at every level from Under-15s to senior. His talents first came to the fore when, as a 13-year-old, he displayed his keepie-uppie skills in a TV advert for McDonalds, before graduating from the FA's national school of excellence at Lilleshalle. He signed for Alan Curbishley's Charlton Athletic as a trainee and made his senior debut against Bury in August 1997. Two months later he was offered a professional contract by Charlton. He enjoyed a brief loan spell with Norwich City in 2000 to gain more experience and returned to the Valley, immediately establishing himself as an assured first team player. He made 145 appearances for the Addicks, scoring ten times.

Parker's skills soon caught the eye of then-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and he was given his international debut in January 2003 against Denmark, when he came on as a substitute. He joined Chelsea for £10m a year later, in January 2004, and was named PFA Young Player of the Year at the end of the 2003/4 season. In December 2004, Scott suffered a setback when he broke the metatarsal bone in his foot and was sidelined for the remainder of the season. He joined Newcastle United for £6.5 million at the start of the 2005/6 season and scored his first goal for them at Cheltenham in the FA Cup in January 2006 on his 200th career appearance. He was awarded the captaincy by Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder on the eve of the 2006/7 season.

A Timely Statement

I started something, I forced you to a zone
And you were clearly never meant to go
Typical me, typical me, typical me
I started something... and now I'm not too sure

Rather predictably, the furore over the Daily Mail's recent transfer speculation has snowballed into other areas of the press. Jason Burt, writing in today's Independent, reiterates the club will have to pay as much as £20million if they are to land Andrew Johnson this summer. He says that although Everton have made it clear that the striker is not for sale - and the manager David Moyes remains vociferous in his opposition to any deal taking place - West Ham are considering an offer that would be hard to refuse. The article suggests that Johnson's wife is unsettled on Merseyside and is keen to move back to London. West Ham have been interested in Johnson, 26, for some time with Alan Pardew having attempted to sign him from Crystal Palace before the arrival of Dean Ashton. Burt believes the intention is to pair the two in a new-look strike-force, on the understanding that Carlos Tevez will almost certainly leave for a club in Spain this summer. He also repeats Ashton's story from yesterday that Alan Curbishley has £70million at his disposal, breaking it down as £45million coming from television revenue and a further £25million expected to be generated from the sale of players.

Neal Ashton, having laid the groundwork for the Johnson rumour, has now moved on to yet another revelatory story. In the Daily Mail he states Alan Curbishley faces a massive fight to hang on to Yossi Benayoun after it emerged that the West Ham midfielder has turned down a five-year contract at Upton Park worth £50,000 a week. He insists the Israeli is a firm favourite at the club but has declined the chance to treble his £18,000-a-week wages because he wants to play for one of the top four sides in the Premiership. While the article is correct that the contract extension Benayoun agreed terms on last month remains unsigned, the implication is very misleading. The player's agent, Ronen Katzav, explained: "He has not rejected the contract. He still plans to sign the contract, but there has been such much happening with his new baby and him being on international duty. Obviously in football you never know, and whilst it is unsigned there is always a chance of something else. But the deal is agreed and we intend to sign it."

As one agent talks his client into the club, another talks his player out. Nigel Reo-Coker's representative Tony Finnigan told Sky Sports today that the player has his heart set on a move to Aston Villa. "He will be signing for Villa once that bid is accepted," he said. "Nigel is over the moon to be linked with Martin O'Neill and a club of that calibre and size. I'm just happy a bid has been put in by a massive club." That is, of course, an amusing piece of spin/deception from a man who promised his client a move to a team in the Champions League... there was a crap agent called Tony Finnigan, he stroked the whiskers on his chinnigan.

Elsewhere, Eggert Magnusson has released a timely official statement pleading for patience in the face of a deluge of stories linking the club to new signings. "This is an important time for the Club," he said today. "The Board are working very hard with Alan Curbishley to identify what we need to do to strengthen our squad for next season. We are involved in negotiations but it would not be appropriate to comment on those discussions until they are finalised one way or another. Of course, throughout this period there will be a great deal of media speculation about players, transfer fees and even salary levels, much of which will not reflect reality. Wherever there is progress to report and real decisions made we will announce that via our official website. In the meantime I believe that our supporters know that we are seeking to take the Club on to the next level as we prepare for next season and will always act in the best interests of West Ham in the decisions we take." On the specific issue regarding discussions between West Ham and Everton, Mr Magnusson added: "I've had a very positive discussion with my good friend Bill Kenwright, the Everton Chairman, and can confirm that West Ham have not and are not bidding for any Everton player at this time."

Finally, the club has been linked with a move for another Scandinavian starlet in the shape of Norwegian striker Tarik Elyounoussi. Chelsea and other top clubs have been monitoring the Under-21 international but Alan Curbishley is thought to be in pole position to sign him. The West Ham manager will have to pay about £3million for the 19-year-old who turned down trials at Chelsea and Portsmouth last season.

Joey Bartering

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has been promised a transfer kitty of £70million to spend this summer, according to the latest piece of sensationalism from Neil Ashton. The man responsible for the ludicrous Andrew Johnson story yesterday, now claims the club will attempt to hijack Mark Viduka's move from Middlesbrough to St James' Park this week with the offer of a £60,000-a-week, three-year deal. Also on the shopping list are Shaun Wright-Phillips, Luke Young and Brazil winger Elano, who currently plays for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. The article also says that Scott Parker broke off his holiday to have a medical at West Ham and seal a £7million reunion with his old Charlton boss.

There has been much speculation as to why the Parker deal is taking so long to be concluded. One report suggested that West Ham's secondary interest in Joey Barton had caused a stand-off between the two clubs because Newcastle are also pursuing the player and have no wish to release Parker if they are unable to secure Barton as his replacement. The actual truth is slightly more prosaic and is related to the absence, through ill-health, of Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd. It is now understood that Scott Parker's transfer will be concluded as soon as the player's registration is signed off by Newcastle. This does not mean, however, that we have dropped our interest in Barton. A statement released on the Manchester City site confirmed that the player has requested permission to speak to both Newcastle United and West Ham United, both of who have submitted bids of £5.5million or more for the player’s services.

According to the BBC, Barton has already undergone a medical on Tyneside. They suggest the Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is hopeful of stealing a march on his West Ham counterpart Alan Curbishley, but also say the Hammers officials are still hopeful of speaking to the player. A story in the Mail states Barton's preference would be to take up the challenge of life at St James' Park, despite West Ham offering him a more tempting financial package. The player's agent Willie McKay confirmed talks with Newcastle are progressing well and that the player has been impressed by what Allardyce's plans for Newcastle. "Joey is up here at Newcastle at the moment having a look around the club," McKay told Sky Sports. "He is currently undergoing a medical and he has been impressed by what Sam Allardyce has told him what he plans to do at Newcastle. Newcastle are a massive club and Joey is happy that they are so interested in him. I am currently in negotiations with Newcastle now over a possible five-year deal." McKay also revealed they are waiting to hear from West Ham and that he is hopeful of sorting Barton's future quickly. "We are waiting to talk to West Ham and I am hoping to have everything sorted soon," he said.

Meanwhile, there are two players who could be leaving very shortly. Various news sources are reporting Aston Villa have made an official bid of £7million for want-away captain Nigel Reo-Coker, although the club is believed to be looking for a fee in the region of £8million. Also, Marlon Harewood has been told he can leave if an appropriate bid comes in. The former Nottingham Forest striker has been informed he does not figure in Alan Curbishley's plans and the player is now looking for a new challenge. "I think it's time for me to leave West Ham," said Harewood. "I've had four good years at the club but now it's time for me to find a new challenge. I've had a chat with the new manager and he obviously wants to bring his own players in, it happens everywhere. I want to be playing football, I love it. I had a great season before last for West Ham playing 43 games and scoring 16 goals but last season wasn't the best for me. But I'm so up for next season. I just can't wait to be scoring again and winning games for a team, that's what I want to be doing."

Road To Recovery

Probably the most heart-warming article you will read all summer...

Ashton next in line for the physio who fixed Owen
By Lee Clayton

Jumping, sprinting, stretching, pushing, recovering. A new, improved Dean Ashton will soon appear at a football ground near you. Remember Ashton? The FA Cup Final of 2006, 13 long months ago, was his last game. It's a whole season since he was picked in the England team to play against Greece in Steve McClaren's first international. New England coach, new centre forward to lead the line. Then, the day before his debut, Ashton broke his left ankle on the training ground. Last Friday, as England were preparing to face Brazil, Ashton was completing his sixth day of intense training in a week.

There will be no summer holiday and while Saturdays are currently his day off, he's not keen on the rest. "I've had a season-long holiday," he said. "Now I just want to get back to work, doing the things I have missed, like shooting. You don't realise how much a striker enjoys shooting, until he can't." Hired to restore him to the front line is freelance physio John Green, the man responsible for the new-look Michael Owen and Kieron Dyer. Now Ashton is his patient and they will work one-on-one throughout the summer to give West Ham back their centreforward.

So Ashton's pre-season is under way now, in early June, and he has great faith in his personal physio. "You only have to look at how fantastic Michael looks, considering the injuries he has had. I have massive confidence in John, too, and that he will get me back a better player than before. "I want to come back quicker, stronger, fitter. People have labelled me a bit slow, a bit big; I want to come back and show that I'm strong, quick, fit and add that to my technical game and my footballing brain. I want to be a better athlete."

Green, who was West Ham's physio for 15 years, added: "It's not just a case of rehabilitating the ankle. Dean wants me to work with him holistically, he wants me to make him quicker and stronger while maintaining his mobility. We are also working on nutrition, as well as upper body strength. Things are looking good."

Some positive news, then, for West Ham after a season packed with misfortunes. "I've been like the Invisible Man around this club, ghosting in and then ghosting out again. I've read some books, watched some games. I stopped coming to the matches because it was so very difficult, feeling helpless," recalled Ashton. "There has been a hell of a lot going on around here. Since I last played everything has changed — the board, the manager, the players. The lads joke that there is so much going on, this club is a bit like EastEnders."

Ashton, with a broad northern accent that echoes around the empty dining room at Chadwell Heath training ground, is grateful for Green's company in the lonely struggle to return to fitness. "It's hard to cope when you are injured long-term," said Green. "You are often left to yourself because the nature of a medical team within a football club is that they are under pressure. I've been through relegation and promotion. I know it is easy to be distracted. The board want a medical update, the manager wants to know if his midfielder will be fit in time, a training injury may require instant treatment. I've been affected by that and regretted the impact it has had on a player's health and care. You can't help it, because the short-term injuries are the priority. Can you get the player fit for Saturday? The long-term injured suffer as a result of that. It happens at all clubs. That's where a nomadic physio works. He can come in and fight fires — and then disappear. It worked for Newcastle, with Kieron and Michael, where I was able to give them that one-on-one attention, to help them recover fitness and hopefully to prevent future injuries. It's great to see them both back, now it's time to concentrate on Dean."

Green describes his new patient as ‘absolutely first class, very driven and interested in what we are doing.' Ashton, who required a second operation to clear scar tissue around the injured ankle, now has his goal in sight. "I don't remember much about the tackle that injured me, I wouldn't place any blame on Shaun Wright-Phillips. I was devastated, it was my dream to play for my country and I was feeling the best I had ever felt. To go from that to not being able to walk . . . There is no secret to trying to cope with a long-term injury. It's horrible, simple as that. Some days you feel fine, other days it's the worst thing in the world. You have to keep away from the thought of not playing."

Ashton could not watch the relegation scramble unfolding but hopes that he can one day play alongside Carlos Tevez. "I hope he can stay. He was fantastic, hungry, showed a great desire, that is what pulled us out in the end. It would be a shame if he goes after just half a season of playing like that. Personally, I just want to get back for the love of playing football, the joy of going out and kicking a ball. I'll be so grateful to get back to that. I want to be part of a West Ham team that could be really special. It's brilliant for me that I will be playing Premiership football again next season. I wouldn't have been looking to leave even if we had gone down; clubs don't sign injured players, do they? I also hope to try to get back into Steve McClaren's thinking. Hopefully, he still sees me as part of his plans."

Owen back, Ashton on his way as Dean and Green work in harmony. With McClaren short on forwards and goals as he heads for Estonia tomorrow morning, he will surely be pleased to learn about this latest story of recovery.

Wild Proclamations

The strange people over at the Daily Mail have plugged in their random name and number generator and have come up with a convoluted rumour about our supposed £13million plus £90,000- a-week interest in Everton striker Andrew Johnson. Neil Ashton insists the England striker is aware of the interest and although West Ham expect Everton to rebuff their opening bid, the London club are prepared to go as high as £18m, which could prove too good to turn down. The deal would not only double the player's earnings at Everton, but would also make Johnson the highest paid player in Hammers history if the bid is successful... and if you are thinking that these figures seem more than a little high then you are not alone. It seems that whenever West Ham get involved in a transfer story these days it has become de rigueur for the press to wildly inflate the money involved. Hence, Lucas Neill chose the Irons over Liverpool because of an 'obscene' weekly wage packet, estimated at the time to be any where between £60,000 and £90,000. When Scott Parker eventually signs it will be for a fee in excess of £8.5million and for wages of £72,000. None of these figures are actually close to being right, but then I can't recall the last time such things were ever reported accurately in conjunction with this club. It certainly wouldn't be in the Eggert Magnusson era, where the faint suggestion of an unspecified financial muscle seems to make even the most respected journalists go giddy with wild proclamations.

In any event, Everton have been quick to rubbish this particular story. In a statement released on their official site this morning, David Moyes said: "AJ was a top player at Everton last season and he will be again next season. The West Ham consortium wouldn't have enough money to buy Andrew Johnson or any other Everton player, and for them to think they could shows a lack of understanding of our game." Everton chief executive Keith Wyness is equally as adamant Johnson will remain at Goodison Park. "We have had no contact from any club with regard to Andrew Johnson - nor would we welcome any," he said. "Whilst I feel certain there will be many Premiership clubs who will covet a player of Andrew's skills and abilities, he is an Everton player and, as he made perfectly clear on several occasions last season, he is very happy to be an Everton player."

Lucas Neill- Question Time

There is an interview with Lucas Neill in this month's Australian FourFourTwo magazine. Most of it covers various aspects of international football, and some of it is pretty facile, but it is still worth a read if you can snag a copy. I have included an abridged version for your perusal.

Lucas Neill- Question Time
By Richie Young

There was some footage shown here recently on Total Football after West Ham's last game of the season. You were speaking on it, and had quite an English accent, which raised a few eyebrows. So people were thinking, “Hey, what’s going on?”
[Laughs] When you start hanging around cockneys every day of the week, you start trying to fit in with them and speak their language. When there’s a lack of Aussies around you sometimes forget how to keep your Aussie twang! But it’s back now and hopefully we can get a few Aussies in camp next year and I won’t sound like a cockney anymore.

Okay, what’s the main thing that you have to do when you get back here? Anything you love particularly about Australia?
Just catch up with as many friends and family as possible, and just generally live the lifestyle, soak up as much of it as you can while you’re here. Even now it’s winter and the weather’s amazing. The food’s always great, the people are always friendly, and I just like to soak all that up. Spend a little bit of time at the beach, and have a bbq; all the things you used to grow up on. The Minties, the Twisties, the meat pies. You feel like you’re an Aussie again, even if it’s only for two or three weeks. Even my dad, he’s originally Northern Irish but he’s an Aussie. He’s an Aussie with a mixed Aussie-Irish accent. My mum and brother wouldn’t let him have it any other way! He’s Australia’s Nonumber one supporter when we go on tour. Always at the games, always wearing the bright yellow shirt and making sure that everyone knows he’s singing!

How'd you feel back after the World Cup and being nominated as a Batchelor of The Year? These are all little things that go with the profile that we’ve been given now as Socceroos. It doesn’t really mean anything to me; it’s not a title that I was looking to win. I’d much rather be Captain of the Year or in the Team of the Season... Professional of the Year. All those off-the-field activities are irrelevant. It’s nice though, it’s nice that people put you in competitions like that, but the outcome isn’t important.

Have you seen yourself on any billboards yet?
No, not yet. Everyone keeps talking about the Rooney and Ronaldinho photo, and it’s amazing to be in a poster with those two, because they are truly world class and I was just a little bit lucky. The time was right for me. I was probably Nike’s only Australian footballer that was available at the time so I feel very privileged to be on that poster! Haven’t seen it yet, so I don’t know how many there are.

You’re left handed, but you kick with your right boot. What’s the story there?
A bit weird there, I play golf on my right, kick with my right, play snooker and tennis with my left, table tennis with my left, throw with my right, write with my left and try to kick with both.

You’re ambidextrous?
I’d have to be pretty close, but I used to train with my right boot off and practise with just my left to try and get better with that, so I’m quite balanced that way. I guess people probably see it as a bit weird.

You've told us before that beating Uruguay was the best atmosphere you’ve ever experienced. Even more so than the World Cup itself?
Yep. Because there was so much more riding on it, don’t get me wrong, the World Cup was a fantastic journey, but there was no pressure. Whatever we got was a bonus. In the last 10 minutes of the Japan game, it got very, very close to that atmosphere, but that was more of an emotional feeling; the fact that we were almost out but we weren’t. But to get to the World Cup, in a fairy tale scripted way we did it, in front of 80,000 Aussies, knowing that millions more were watching. Knowing we hadn’t been to the World Cup for 32 years, it gives me tingles talking about it, and it went to penalties. You could hear the emotion and see the emotion of every single person in the crowd, kicking every ball, running and tackling every tackle with you, it was amazing, truly amazing. The lucky ones got to see it live.

The young players that are in camp with you currently, you’ve had a few days with them now. How are they looking?
The arrogance and confidence of some of them, you’d never know this was their first time in the squad. There’s such a great belief, and it’s great that they’re showing so much confidence in the training ground. It’s good to see that they get good education on their careers through their respective clubs and it’s such a massive bonus for the national team. What we’ve got to do now is to project their profiles and send a message out here because they’re a little bit unknown, and people want to see the guys they are used to seeing, but these guys are the future. And the future is bright.

The issue of the captaincy hasn’t really disappeared; it’s still there. Mark Viduka hasn’t stated his intentions and obviously everyone wants the job, but no one wants to push anyone out of it. Have you been given assurances?
No, as ultimately it falls down to the manager and his decision, and I suppose he is in a difficult, but good position where he has a few leaders to rely on. One’s in camp, one’s not in camp. It’s a great honour. I just hope it doesn’t look like we’re cheapening the honour of captaining the country by having to hand it from one to the other every now and again. Every time I get a chance to get it I’ll take it, and it’s difficult to give it back. It’s all about respect and timing, and hopefully I’ll continue to play well for my country and continue to be a leader on and off the pitch and I’ll get more chances, a more permanent chance.

Pre-game rituals. Do you have any?
No. Well, I do drink two litres of fluid with salt sachets.

Do any of the Socceroos have weird rituals?
Yeah, there’s the left foot before the right foot with your boots and some people have to listen to a certain song before they go out. Other people like to sleep shortly before they have to get ready, some people have to have a 20-minute run, there’s all sorts of things.

Where would you take a visitor to in Sydney?
I’d walk them over the harbour bridge, catch a ferry to Manly, have lunch, come back and eat at one of the top restaurants at Australia...

The part of Australia you most want to see, but haven’t yet?
I’d like to see Kakadu and Uluru.

Your favourite meal of the day?
It’s got to be dinner!

The biggest joker in the Socceroos? Timmy Cahill is up there!

The fastest you’ve been in a car?
I got to test a car on the racetrack, so I got to go 150 miles an hour.

Your second favourite sport?
Probably golf.

Your favourite holiday destination?
Las Vegas.

The most goals you’ve scored in a match? You started out as a striker...
In a match? When I was young I think I scored about 10 in a game but I must have only been 7 or 8.

Your favourite ground that you’ve played on?
Old Trafford, because I’ve won twice there and we always play well there. It’s the Theatre of Dreams.

Taken from Australia FourFourTwo

News From The AGM

There hasn't been a great deal of coverage of the two-day Premier League AGM. I can only guess that the fact nearly every team in the Premiership overwhelmingly accepts the disciplinary decision taken over Carlos Tevez doesn't make particularly good copy, especially for all those media hacks with an axe to grind. Still, The Telegraph carries an article today that clarifies things a little bit. According to David Bond, Premiership clubs will have to hand over every document relating to third party ownership of players after chairmen yesterday agreed to tighten their regulations following the Carlos Tevez affair. Despite the ongoing row with the so-called 'gang of four' over the West Ham controversy, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore was given the backing of the rest of the clubs over his handling of the case. A statement issued last night by the League said: "In light of the independent commission's West Ham United judgement, the clubs have reiterated their commitment to the principle of the rule. It was felt that, given West Ham United had pleaded guilty, the independent commission had not had the opportunity to fully test the rule. It was decided, for the sake of clarity, to adopt a rule making the disclosure of all documents relating to the transfer of a player's registration and any other relevant third party contracts or arrangements explicit."

With Charlton and Sheffield United relegated to the Championship, Fulham and Wigan are now the only Premiership clubs opposed to the decision by an independent commission to fine West Ham £5.5million for the Tevez affair instead of docking them points. But the League refused to debate the issue in depth, claiming it to be sub-judice after they agreed to Sheffield United's call for an arbitration hearing into the case on June 18. Yesterday Fulham called for their own arbitration hearing into the affair, but the League said other clubs urged them to withdraw the appeal.

On the transfer front, The Sun have pulled one out of left-field with the claim West Ham will bid £4 million for Manchester United winger Kieran Richardson. There must be something in the water over there as the same paper also believe we will make a £10 million bid for Shaun Wright-Phillips as well as make a move for 35 year old striker Andrew Cole. The Mirror also has the Shaun Wright-Phillips rumour and in line with just about everybody report West Ham have agreed a fee with Newcastle for Scott Parker. Just to be obtuse, the Daily Star say we are set to bid for Everton duo Andrew Johnson and Tim Cahill. They also say that Charlton are expecting a £20million bidding war over Darren Bent between Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham.

News From The Inside

The following is an interesting and very insightful glimpse into the thoughts of West Ham's inner sanctum, as provided courtesy of a well-placed source. Obviously, no names or clues that could compromise the person's anonymity can be provided but the details are known to be pretty reliable.

1. The Icelandic owners are very ambitious, very committed and apparently absolutely loving the experience of being involved at West Ham, especially Eggert Magnusson. They were saddened by the prospect of relegation last season but always presented a confident air to all staff throughout and never flinched from the 'just a setback' line.
   
2. The backing for Curbishley is unflinchingly resolute and £30million gross (of sales) is not an unrealistic assessment of our fire-power if required. However...
3. It seems that the investment in the team is being prioritised for this year only and the new ground will become priority from next year- there is a very big commitment to this. So there will be an extensive overhaul of the team this term but then more of a 'one or two here, one or two there' approach thereafter.
4. The impression is that Curbishley (and Day) are tough characters and have very principled views on how the players should act and what they should be responsible for. Neither are keen on 'individuals' and 'flash types'.
5. The transfer activity this summer will attempt to build the nucleus of a top 6 side for the next 2-3 years.
6. There is a very positive feel about all aspects of the club and staff now. Investment will be made in the academy and there is an intention to broaden the overseas scouting resource.
7. The priority is to slim down the overall size of the squad and only bring in quality. Curbishley believes that there are too many 'average' players. It is maybe worth saying that Anton Ferdinand has got a stay of execution until January at least. This is due to an improvement in form at the tail end of the season, and the fact we would be unable to get maximum value for the player due to the impending court case. The player also wants to stay. Of all the central defenders at the club, it is Gabbidon who it is believed to be the most expendable. Curbishley sees him more as a rightback and does not believe the player has the physical presence to play centrally.
8. We should not be surprised to see a net reduction of about 7-8 players this summer.
9. The Tevez situation is still unclear. Kia Joorabchian still has a big hand to play in what happens and we are probably at the mercy of how Barcelona and Real Madrid proceed this summer. We are committed to fighting hard to keep the player though, but if we do then probably just for another year on effectively a loan-fee basis.
10. There are no concerns over the impending Arbitration. Magnusson seems to have assurances fron FIFA that we will be fine.
    
11. Our priority for team strengthening is in midfield. Reo-Coker is obviously leaving and we want two central midfielders and a right-sided player, or one that can play either flank.
    
12. Scott Parker was always Curbishley's first choice and the deal is virtually sealed- terms agreed with both Newcastle and the player in principle. He will sign after medical this weekend, in the early part of next week.
    
13. Joey Barton is not really a target and if we have approached then it is via his agent. There has been no contact with Manchester City over the fee etc. It is believed Barton would not be the type of player Curbishley is seeking in terms of his attitude.
    
14. Yaya Toure is a name that has been mentioned in-house but this one would be down to Magnusson first and foremost. Interest could well have been registered but it is felt the player is likely to stay in Europe with a top Spanish or Italian club.
    
15. Claude Makelele is a possible option. We have asked to be kept informed should Chelsea give the green light. The fee is no more than £1million but the wages are very high.
    
16. We are looking at a Scandinavian kid (u-21s) to be brought in and groomed for 1-2 years time. He's currently playing in Sweden but no name was given.
17. Tim Cahill is believed to be of interest and Lucas Neill is said to be keen on getting his compatriot into the club. Our stance seems to revolve around Reo-Coker and our hope that Everton might want him.
18. The wide player we targeted was to be Giles Barnes but now it is unlikely since Derby made it up. We could go again in January if Derby are struggling. We have dismissed Koumas and have been offered Chris Eagles. The names still on the list are Barnetta (agent informed), Routledge (as a stop-gap) and surprisingly Ashley Young, who still crops up. We are prepared to look outside of UK to fill this slot.
19. We also want a leftback to take over from George McCartney. Nicky Shorey has been approached and Reading contacted. Mullins may be bait here. The fee would be between £4-5million and we will talk with player & agent within the next 10 days. A deal is not imminent but we remain hopeful. If that fails then there is a target in Germany - no name given. Baines is a not an option due to our relations with Wigan at the moment, plus Curbishley is not a big fan. Paul Robinson of WBA is also on the list as an option.
20. The striker situation is confused by Tevez. Ashton should be ready from August but it is hinted all is not yet 100% with him. Bobby Zamora will stay but Cole will leave and Harewood is viewed as dispensable. There is absolutely no interest in Bellamy at all and Viduka will not uproot his family from the NE, though we were very keen.
    
21. Darren Bent is Curbishley's first choice striking option and this is regardless of whether Tevez stays or not. We are trying to tie up a deal before the Tevez situation clears so as not to be held to ransom. Delegations from clubs meeting next week (Tuesday) to discuss formal offers. Agent and player are aware and behind the scenes terms have been discussd already. We would offer a choice of players from Mullins, Harewood, Gabbidon, Walker, and Davenport. We are in poll position on Bent but Charlton may play hard ball. Liverpool are thought to have bigger targets and Tottenham are only interested if Defoe goes. It is even possible that Bent could join Spurs and Defoe come to us. Bent's fee for cash is £12million minimum, probably more.
    
22. Yakubu is our second choice and he is thought to be available. We were interested in Gudjohnnson, but he has no interest in joining us.
    

Confusion And Nausea

There was some confusion this afternoon when an Agency story broke confirming the signing of Scott Parker. The report, as featured in the Guardian, says the Newcastle midfielder has signed for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £7million. It is also states that the prospect of teaming up with his former manager was a major factor in the player's decision to opt for the East End club ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, who were also interested in securing his signature. Sky Sports News then carried the story but still without any confirmation from either club involved. Later in the day the Daily Mail also picked up on the news but insisted that, while a fee had been agreed, the transfer would not actually be completed until next week when Parker returns from holiday in Portugal. The article contained a quote from West Ham deputy chief executive Scott Duxbury, who confirmed: "We have not yet spoken to the player. I will be speaking to the agent but, in the meantime, nothing will happen until early next week."

Also featured on Sky Sports News this afternoon was a nauseating interview with Nigel Reo-Coker. The West Ham skipper told of the "hurt" and "heartbreak" which has prompted him to hand in a transfer request, saying he has decided on a move after he was not given the right assurances over his future by the club's board. Reo-Coker said: "I don't think I have been supported at the club. There has been a lot of negative press which was very hurtful - I was proud to be at West Ham regardless of what was in the press. I thought I should be with the club and I enjoyed my time there, so it's very disappointing and heartbreaking to see I'm not wanted there." Of course, there was no mention of the player's terrible attitude, woeful performances, disrespectful behaviour and general lack of heart for two thirds of a calamitous season. At least he was more forthcoming about his future plans. "There's no progress - I don't know where my future lies. Until I know something it's all about the England Under 21s, preparing mentally and physically for this summer's tournament (the European Championships). I don't pay attention to the clubs I am being linked with. It's just about being professional and concentrating on the Under 21s. I've always been a team player and that's one of the things I believe in. It's very sad, to leave a club under these circumstances - but it's part of football and part of life."

Lastly, there was news from Carlos Tevez after almost a week of silence. As the Argentine striker continues preparations for this summer's Copa America, Tevez told TyC Sports that he was still in the dark over his future but he could very well stay at West Ham. "Regarding what I am asked every day, I still don't know what I am going to do in the future," Tevez stated. "West Ham has the priority for keeping me in the team. It has been said that there are several offers for me but West Ham has the first choice on me. I speak all the time with my agent about what I will do in my career and for the moment I am still a player of West Ham."

West Ham's New Signing?

The hysteria surrounding the summer transfer window escalated today when somebody posted the following message and accompanying photo on WHO and then KUMB.

Missus just phoned, curbs is in waltham abbey hotel at this very moment with a player. She is useless but says the player looks foreign. Have told her to go and ask curbs who the f*** t is. This is no bullsh*t !!

If anybody recognises the 'player' in question then they should head on over to the conversation and put the lads out of their misery. Best guesses so far include Mikel Arteta, Joao Moutinho, Harry Kewell and er...Kaka! There's a serious amount of work not being done around the offices of East London at the moment so any insight would be appreciated..

The Window Opens

The summer transfer window officially opens for business this morning, and the gentle waft of transfer rumours drifts slowly through, warm and full of promise, like vapours from a Bisto boat. The rest of the written press to finally catch up on the Scott Parker story. Alex Lowe, writing in The Independent, confirms West Ham were last night holding discussions with the Newcastle United captain over a proposed £7m move to Upton Park. It is understood that West Ham's chief executive, Scott Duxbury, was involved in talks with Parker's representatives after Spurs had also shown interest in the England international. Parker would be Alan Curbishley's first signing of the summer and the article claims the West Ham manager has been given significant funds, thought to be more than £40m, to ensure there is no repeat of last season's relegation battle and to spearhead a challenge for Europe. It also reports that the Hammers' list of targets include Charlton Athletic striker, Darren Bent, and Everton's Australian midfielder, Tim Cahill, but the club have not revealed whether they will retain Carlos Tevez.

A story in The Guardian claims Aston Villa have emerged as favourites to sign Nigel Reo-Coker and are expected to agree a deal worth about £8million with West Ham United for the England Under-21 captain next week. Martin O'Neill returns from holiday today keen to complete the deal, which would take his spending since arriving at the club last summer beyond £20m. The piece insists that Villa's financial strength in the transfer market and Scott Parker's anticipated arrival at West Ham should ensure that the deal goes through smoothly. While Parker was last night on the verge of completing his £7million switch from Newcastle to West Ham, Reo-Coker was said to be 'excited by the prospect' of playing under O'Neill.

Interestingly, The Sun has a different take on events and claim Reo-Coker has 'begged Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce to end his West Ham nightmare'. The article states that Allardyce, who continues to track Manchester City bad-boy Joey Barton, tried to land the England Under-21 skipper for Bolton last season but Hammers boss Alan Curbishley refused to let him go. Now, the player's increasingly desperate and incredibly inept agent Tony Finnegan has said: "Sam Allardyce knows how to get in contact with Nigel and we would welcome a call. If Sam said he wanted to speak, Nigel would be on the train in a shot. It would be very interesting to see what his plans are for Newcastle."

There are a couple of other transfer rumours. The Daily Star claim West Ham aim to complete the most combative midfield in the Premiership by signing Manchester City star Joey Barton. They insist the Hammers have started talks with the England international and aim to team him up with Newcastle's Scott Parker. West Ham are willing to stump up the £5.5m needed to activate a get-out clause in Barton's contract and hope to tie up a move by next week. Ordinarily, a rumour in the Daily Star would not be given too much credence but this story actually chimes with things I have heard from other well-placed sources. Finally, it is reported in several places that Derby County are close to agreeing a £1million deal for Tyrone Mears. "Tyrone is a young player who has plenty of potential, as we saw in the play-off final, and we are now trying to tie up the deal," said manager Billy Davies. "He is raw at times, he makes mistakes and his concentration level can dip. But with the athleticism and pace he possesses, the tackles he is capable of making and the way he can get forward, I think he is a player who, given time and support, can be a very good right-back."