The Art Of The Lowball

It is almost perverse that having filled this blog with a relentless efflux of sensationalist news stories during the dead days of pre-season, that I should now be scratching around for even the merest hint of a story on what is supposed to be one of the most colourful days in the football calender. So the final 24 hours of this transfer window begins with just one half-story concerning Reading defender Nicky Shorey, and one could-be story concerning Derby County midfielder Giles Barnes. Even more perverse is that the club who stood arraigned of wilfully damaging the football finances in this country this summer, of over-spending and inflating the domestic market, now stands accused in the final hours of making 'derisory' lowball offers for two players who hardly warranted a mention when the names of Bent, Gudjohnson, Anelka and Adriano were being bandied around.

So Reading have confirmed they have rejected a £4million offer from West Ham United for England left-back Nicky Shorey. Royals boss Steve Coppell described the offer as "nigh on derisory" and insisted the 26-year-old was still on course to play against the Hammers on Saturday rather than for them. He said: "I cannot deny there was a written offer made. Given the price of players today we thought it was nigh on a derisory offer. We turned it down immediately and we have had no contact since." Shorey has established himself as a first team regular since moving from Leyton Orient for £25,000 in 2001 and made his England debut against Brazil at Wembley at the end of last season. Although he has also been linked with Newcastle United, The Times state that West Ham remain favourites to sign him after talks on a new Reading contract stalled.

Elsewhere, The Sun think West Ham should seal the signature of Derby's Giles Barnes for around £5million today. It reports: "The clubs were last night thrashing out a fee — around £5million — for the left midfielder, 19, who is on standby to complete talks." This is a story repeated in several different places today and always in the vaguest of terms. Lastly, you can read an interesting overview piece in The Independent about all this summer's transfer activity, where amusingly it cites two recently departed West Ham players among its list of most over-priced acquisitions. Just maybe those market inflating accusations had some truth to them after all.

Adriano, Bresciano, Mancini, Barnes, Shorey And Cole

Despite rumours circulating last night that West Ham United had tabled a £15million bid for Adriano, the majority of this morning's press have concluded that the club's chances of landing the Inter Milan player are slipping away fast. According to the Guardian, Hammers officials have privately conceded that their pursuit of Adriano is proving "complicated" with the player understood to favour a move to Lazio, recently qualified for the Champions League, if he is forced to leave Internazionale. Dominic Fifield states that the club's deputy chief executive, Scott Duxbury, was in Milan on Tuesday to speak to Inter officials in the hope of smoothing a 12-month loan for the 25-year-old forward. Yet, despite agreement in principle between the clubs, Adriano has refused to countenance a loan move abroad and remains in dispute with Inter over his future. Inter would rather loan the player, but the Brazilian is more keen to make a permanent move if he does not feature in the San Siro club's plans, with Lazio his preferred destination.

The Express think West Ham United have made a £10million bid to sign Adriano – but are not confident of netting the Inter Milan striker before the transfer window closes tomorrow. They believe that Duxbury negotiated the fee after it became clear a loan deal was not an option. He then reported back to chairman Eggert Magnusson yesterday, but any transfer could be held up by a dispute between Adriano and Inter. Jason Burt is also convinced that West Ham changed their offer and but he insists a fee closer to £15million was agreed for the services of the Brazil striker. The article in The Independent claims West Ham are also willing to meet Adriano's wage demands but believe their prospects of landing the player have been harmed because of the fractious relationship between Adriano and his club, Internazionale, although it also appears that the player has now rejected the move. It may be a deal that West Ham return to in January as with their continued interest in Eidur Gudjohnsen- a player currently the subject of an audacious bid from Portsmouth according to some reports. There are also suggestions that Inter are less keen to let Adriano go, claims Burt, because Alvaro Recoba, another striker deemed surplus to requirements, is close to agreeing a move to Torino. Inter had tried to do a deal with Arsenal – with the Italian club wanting to take midfielder Mathieu Flamini in return but the proposal was dismissed by Arsène Wenger. Manchester City, however, do remain interested in Adriano.

The same piece has Alan Curbishley re-doubling his efforts to sign Giles Barnes before tomorrow's transfer window deadline but the club may have to pay more than £5million for the talented 19-year-old midfielder. West Ham officials have contacted Derby County again to inquire about Barnes, despite having at least two previous bids, of £2.5million and £4million, rejected. The player has missed the start of the season through injury but is now believed to be close to fitness. Although the double fracture to Kieron Dyer's right leg, which will see him out of action for at least six months, is said to not have influenced the interest in Barnes, the fact that Julien Faubert, another right-sided player, is also suffering from a long-term injury has somewhat sharpened minds to the situation. The Mirror go one further and claim an improved bid was officially tabled last night.

While Barnes and Palermo's Mark Bresciano remain on the Hammers shopping list, the people over at the Guardian feel the most likely new arrival at Upton Park before tomorrow night's deadline remains Reading's England left-back, Nicky Shorey. Reading have rejected a £5million bid from West Ham, but they suggest an improved offer of some £6million and the utility player Hayden Mullins could do the trick. Given the club's current shortage of midfield players it would seem unlikely that Mullins would be sacrificed. The Independent makes no mention of a player exchange but does state that Shorey has told the Royals he wants to leave and has no intention of signing a new contract.

The Daily Mail also has the Barnes story but have decided to throw Roma's Alessandro Mancini in to the mix as another possible West Ham United target. Mancini's name was briefly linked to the club about a month ago but that talk was quickly dismissed at the time. The same paper has also taken a speculative flier on a story about Joe Cole's supposedly strained relationship with Jose Mourinho. According to Neil Ashton, Cole's long-term future at Chelsea is back in doubt after a fiery exchange with Mourinho following last weekend's 1-0 win over Portsmouth. The pair reportedly clashed following Cole's 15-minute cameo appearance against Pompey and their dispute has left the England midfielder wondering if he is still part of the manager's plans. West Ham, who are aware of Cole's position, have apparently been exploring the possibility of asking to take him on loan before the transfer window closes, but Kenyon will not allow one of their best players to leave. Ashton believes the Hammers, who sold Cole to Chelsea for £6.6million in August 2003, are one of the few teams who could take on the player's £80,000 a week salary.

Adriano Agita

While Alan Curbishley was last night denying any knowledge of a move for Inter Milan striker Adriano, the club decided to release an official statement that confirmed that talks were already taking place. It read: "Following speculation in the press West Ham can confirm we are holding talks with Inter Milan over striker Adriano. The figures that have been quoted in the media are inaccurate as the possible deal is in its early stages and money has not yet been discussed. The club are investigating the possibility of a loan deal at this stage." As confusing as this contradictory stance may be, it is nothing compared to the wildly conflicting reports of the situation in this morning's papers. The Guardian claim West Ham officials were in Milan last night to discuss with their counterparts the possibility of a loan deal, which Inter are known to favour. Adriano is under contract to the Serie A club until 2010 and they are not yet ready to give up on their investment. The player has struggled for the past two seasons, partly because of injuries, and Inter believe that regular football elsewhere would be beneficial in returning him to top form.

The sticking point for Inter and any interested party, claims the article, is the player's reluctance to go on a temporary transfer. "When I could have left the club, I didn't do it," said the 25-year-old, referring to the moves he turned down, to Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona, when he was in top form three years ago. "Now, if I have to leave, I would only do it on a permanent transfer. But my wish is to remain at Inter. I don't want to go on loan again. I already went once to Parma when it was right for my career. Now, if I must really leave, I'll go and that's it." Speed is of the essence for West Ham and not only because the transfer window closes on Friday night. Manchester City and Lazio are also interested but not Arsenal, whose manager, Arsène Wenger, revealed yesterday that he had turned down the opportunity to take Adriano on loan.

The Mail claim the Premier League's Brazilian recruitment drive stepped up another gear last night as Manchester City were preparing to see off competition from West Ham with a £12million bid for the Inter striker. The paper reveal that City were originally weighing up a loan deal for the 25-year-old powerhouse, and that West Ham yesterday sent a delegation to Milan to discuss a similar package. Now City boss Sven Goran Eriksson, who has already held talks with Adriano's representatives, is aware the player does not want to go on loan and City are trying to stretch their budget to pull off what would be a remarkable coup at wages of around £70,000 a week. Adriano has been at Inter for four seasons and has scored 43 goals in 99 games to add to the 25 goals he has struck for Brazil in just 36 internationals.

Jason Burt, writing in The Independent, has a slightly different take. He insists West Ham officials were in Milan last night but with the intention of negotiating the permanent signing of the Brazilian striker. Although talks initially started over a season-long loan for the 25-year-old, both he and the Italian champions have made it clear they would prefer a permanent transfer and West Ham have been encouraged to push ahead, although they face competition from Lazio. Burt claims Adriano's £80,000-a-week wage demands are not regarded as a problem by West Ham, although they were still trying to agree a fee last night, with Inter hoping to receive more than £15million for a player who has fallen dramatically down the pecking order. "We are not rushing into anything," a club source said. "There are conversations taking place. He is a great player and we would like to sign him." If Adriano signs it will fulfil Eggert Magnusson's ambition of landing a spectacular transfer deal this summer – something he privately promised after the departure of Carlos Tevez. It will also act as a statement of intent for the club.

Adriano, who joined Inter six years ago, has endured a difficult time in recent months with accusations that he enjoys the party life having affected his prospects for club and country. He was dropped from the Brazilian national squad with coach Dunga saying he had to "change his behaviour". West Ham moved for the player, states Burt, after finally dropping their interest in Nicolas Anelka, despite being willing to pay more than £10million for the Bolton Wanderers striker. It appears he will now either move to Portsmouth or remain at the Reebok. West Ham have also accepted defeat, for now, in their hunt for Eidur Gudjohnsen, despite having a bid of £6.76million accepted by Barcelona. Gudjohnsen's knee injury is proving troublesome and he may have to undergo surgery. West Ham are likely to bid again for Gudjohnsen in January with the striker, who has come round to the idea of moving to Upton Park, saying he wants to get himself fully fit before he decides his future.

Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham United 2

Victory Marred As Dyer Joins Hammers' Horror Run Of Injuries by Stuart James

West Ham United could take little consolation from their passage into the third round of the League Cup last night as Kieron Dyer suffered a suspected double fracture of the leg that is likely to rule him out for the rest of the season... The Guardian

Another Cruel Break For Dyer by George Caulkin

With his job on the line and England’s hopes of qualifying for the European Championship finals at stake, Steve McClaren did not require another bad break, but the head coach’s misfortune was meagre in comparison with that of Kieron Dyer last night... The Times

Kieron Dyer Break Hits West Ham by Martin Smith

West Ham, removed from the competition by Chesterfield last season, ensured there was no Carling Cup repeat last night at Bristol Rovers, though at the loss of Kieron Dyer, who may miss the rest of the season... The Telegraph

Curbs Fury At Dyer Despair by Ivan Speck

For once, West Ham made it past lower league opposition, but they will still view the Carling Cup as a cursed competition after Kieron Dyer was carried off in agony with a suspected double fracture of his right leg... Daily Mail

Dyer Injury

The Club confirmed tonight that Kieron Dyer has suffered a double-fracture to his lower leg following the results of a series of x-rays. Following a late challenge by Bristol Rovers defender, Joe Jacobson in tonight's Carling Cup tie, Kieron was stretchered off the pitch and rushed straight to hospital where it was confirmed he had fractured both the tibia and fibula of his right leg. A statement reveals it is too early to say at this stage how long the player will be out for as this will become clearer once the first stage of surgery is completed.

Speaking after the game, Alan Curbishley said: "We think that Kieron Dyer's broken his leg and we're so devastated for him. I just can't put it into words. The game was just immaterial after that and I think that the Bristol Rovers' player has got to be very disappointed with his tackle because, as far as I could see, he lashed out after losing the ball. The players could see what he did and that's why they were so angry. Obviously, we're delighted that we got through to the next stage of the competition but the game was irrelevant after Kieron's injury. I'm really down because he was looking sharp out there, playing in his favourite position in the middle of the park. Everyone in the dressing room's really flat but we've just got to get over this. After all, that's the reason why we've got a squad and now we've got to push on and look forward to Saturday's game at Reading."

The 2-1 win that was marred by Joe Jacobson's 10^th minute challenge on his England midfielder but Curbishley added: "Although you sometimes wonder why you put such a strong team out for these games, it still won't make me think twice about putting out a similar strength side in the future. Here at West Ham United, we see the League Cup as a competition in which we can do well. I said to the players before the game that Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic have all made the final in recent years, so it's an opportunity for us to get into Europe. That's why we attacked the game against Bristol Rovers but I guess the luck's against us right now. It's delicate and we're treading on eggshells. Things had already conspired against us before the game, when Dean Ashton's girlfriend went into labour and he had to miss out because he's so desperate for a game. Craig Bellamy had come off with a niggling groin injury against Wigan Athletic on Saturday and we were wondering whether we did the right thing in playing him instead of Deano but, fortunately, he got his first couple of goals for us and he's really pleased with himself. Looking around, though, I've got £20 million-worth of injured players - Julien Faubert, Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and now Kieron Dyer - all on the sidelines."

Hammers captain Lucas Neill, reflecting on the game, stated: "We allowed them back into the game after executing a very good first half of total football, but when you don't score the third goal and you give them a sniff in front of their home crowd, they're going to raise their game. In the end I thought we were quite resilient but it was our mistake that allowed them back into the game and we put ourselves under unnecessary pressure. When you play in the Cup, it's not so much about the performance. It's being in the next round that's important. If you win five games ugly and get to the final, eventually you're going to play really well but no one remembers the performance, just the result up until that point. We're in the next round, we can stay positive and there's an opportunity to get into Europe if we're successful in this tournament so we'll be taking it seriously."

Taking much of the gloss off an important win was the injury sustained by Kieron Dyer after a late tackle six minutes into the match. "It wasn't an overly aggressive challenge or full of malice but it was a foul," said Neill. "Everyone is devastated that it has happened to the poor lad. We really feel for him. We're all going to go and visit him and hope that he as a speedy recovery. It's the scariest time for a footballer and no one likes to see it. He's only been here a couple of weeks and after all the activity that went on trying to get him as well. He was starting to look really good, he was hungry, he was determined to do well and he was looking sharp in training. He has great experience, both internationally and domestically and it's a big lost. But we've got players in the squad who now, through his unfortunate circumstances, will get an opportunity to replace him and hopefully push on."

Lee Bowyer was the first player to tend to Dyer as he went down following a late challenge by Joe Jacobson. "It was a nightmare," he recalls. "I was standing right there. Kieron came straight towards me and I thought he was going to pass me the ball because he took a touch and it came my way. But the fella went in after and it looked like a slash to me. I said that to the referee. I heard a crack but I was hoping it was just his shin pad. Obviously it wasn't and it's a big loss for us. We're just not having much luck at the moment with Julien and his Achilles and Kieron being another new signing with his leg, both on the right side. I've played with him before so I know how he plays and I thought he did well against Birmingham and again on Saturday against Wigan. Hopefully he gets better sooner rather than later."

West Ham United 1 Wigan Athletic 1

West Ham Are Calling On Ashton To Advance by Simon Burnton

This was a three-minute thriller. It was as if, some time deep into the second half, the players had been informed of a contractual obligation to provide Match of the Day with a minimum amount of useable highlights and met the basic obligations... The Guardian

Bowyer Late Show Leaves Wigan Short Of Revenge by Conrad Leach

Given that Wigan were one of the gang of four who had wanted West Ham relegated last season over the Carlos Tevez affair, presumably winning here would at least have come as a decent second prize... The Observer

Hammers Defy Odds by John Aizlewood

A MOST curious encounter: one where West Ham United had most of the possession, yet Wigan Athletic had most of the clear-cut chances. After 90 fascinating minutes, the spoils deserved to be shared but Wigan headed back up the M6 regretting a lapse of concentration... The Times

Curbishley Searches For Elusive Hammers Spirit by Jason Burt

Bust-ups with players have plagued Alan Curbishley's time at West Ham. Some have been real, others down to malicious gossip. The rumour circulating at the moment is that the manager has a problem with Dean Ashton... The Independent

West Ham Left Waiting For Dean Ashton To Fit In by Oliver Brown

As West Ham's supporters grew restive at this static spectacle of a match, a steady chorus of "Deano" began to spread through their ranks. Quite what it is about Dean Ashton that inspires such devotion is difficult to fathom, but with his peroxide blond hair projecting an image more of a surfer than a footballer, he seemed content to ride the swell of expectation... The Telegraph

Wigan Defy Doubters At Upton Park by Andrew Warshaw

Chris Hutchings and his Wigan team may have been everyone's fall-guys when the season started a fortnight ago, but after narrowly avoiding relegation in May the Latics are challenging the assumption that they have little chance of survival this time round... Sunday Telegraph

The History Boy

The History Boy
By Russell Staves

With a cultured swing of his right boot, Jordan Spence made history at the Goyang Stadium on Friday night. With England and Brazil locked at 1-1 in injury-time, the Three Lions skipper cleverly diverted Henri Lansbury's shot past Marcelo's outstretched right hand before embarking on a joyous celebration. Not only did the West Ham's defender's goal ensure his country topped Group B, it meant England beat Brazil for the first time ever at a FIFA Finals.

"It's a blur now," said Spence as he tried to recall his moment of history. "When the ball fell to Henri I was pleased as of all the people it could have landed to, he has scored some great goals from the edge of the area. But he did not seem to catch it right. I managed to stay onside, I just wanted to direct it towards goal. I did not see the ball hit the back of the net. As soon as I made contact I was gone. It was the biggest buzz. Crazy. Just one of those feelings where I wish I could hit a rewind button and go through it all again."

Spence has enjoyed much success since taking the captain's armband at U16 level but, for a pure adrenaline rush, his goal against Brazil takes some beating. "There are a few highlights - The European Championship Final and how we got there, and qualifying in Bosnia, but for a sheer moment of joy, this is up there," he added.

Like the rest of his team-mates, Spence was always confident England would emerge victorious from their meeting with Brazil. While the small contingent of England fans feared the worst when Tales' 40-yard free-kick deceived Alex Smithies in the England goal, Spence remained unruffled. "It was a freak goal," he insisted. "But football can change in a matter of seconds so we never thought it wouldn't be our day just because that went in."

England equalised through Lansbury's penalty at the end of the first half, but there was another twist to the tale when Brazil won an 82nd minute penalty. But Smithies guessed right, diving to his left to parry Lulinha's penalty and keep England in with a chance of victory. "Alex has got a great record at saving penalties," said the captain. "I think he's saved five for England - that's ridiculous. He got us out of trouble. That gave us a big boost. I thought 'let's go and win it now'."

And England did just that, with Spence's instinctive finish the difference between the sides. "Hopefully we have sent a message out to the other teams and to the public who doubted us at the start of the tournament that we are here to win it," said the captain. "We have the capabilities to do so. We will enjoy the moment, but we will push this to one side and concentrate on who we will play in the next round."

Spence was adamant that the bar of expectation has not been raised in light of the win as the team were always aiming to reach the top of the mountain from the moment they left for Korea. "The aim was always to win the World Cup," he said. "If you are not here to win it then there's no point being here. We set the initial objective of winning the group and we have done that. The next objective is to win our game in the last-16. But ultimately the goal is to win the World Cup. If we play to our potential there is no reason why we can't do that."

Taken from The FA.com

Barnes Brewing

Someone over at the Mail got bored and so naturally decided to run yet another Carlos Tevez story. According to Alan Biggs, West Ham United will face at least one new inquiry into the Tevez affair after being told that the FA will conduct their own arbitration hearing into Sheffield United's case. A spokesman at Soho Square confirmed that the Yorkshire club, who claim new evidence in their High Court action for up to £50million in damages, have 'served notice of arbitration' on West Ham. The FA have given the Hammers' board 14 days to respond and to nominate a representative on a three-man panel. FA sources explained that there is an automatic trigger mechanism for such a hearing when one club acts against another. Sheffield United and West Ham will each chose a delegate to answer their case, while the identity of the key independent third member of the panel is to be thrashed out by agreement between the clubs.

The article states Blades chairman Kevin McCabe will push for any panel to be made up of football figures rather than the legally-orientated Premier League tribunal who sat in June. Presumably, this is in the hope that such people might not have such a solid grasp on the points of law that saw the previous tribunal back the League's decision to spare West Ham a points deduction. The Mail claim that Sheffield United have since compiled evidence that Tevez was still owned by Kia Joorabchian's MSI Group when he fired West Ham clear of relegation at the Bramall Lane club's expense. McCabe is also pressing the League to mount a fresh inquiry after sending a letter to chief executive Richard Scudamore expressing the fear that his board wanted the matter 'swept under the carpet'. Copies have been sent to all Premier League clubs. McCabe believes his latest three-pronged offensive will force a compensation settlement from West Ham.

Elsewhere, a surprise story broke today that West Ham United had agreed terms with Derby County for midfielder Giles Barnes. It was reported on a local radio station in Derby that the two clubs finally agreed a fee for the 19-year-old nephew of former Hammer Bobby Barnes following several weeks of negotiations. The deal was said to be worth in the region of £7million and sparked several further rumours that the player was locked in negotiations with Eggert Magnusson this afternoon. Some time later, the Derby Evening Telegraph moved to distance itself from the claims that were originally attributed to its chief football reporter Steve Nicholson. "Not only am I annoyed but I'm also disgusted that my name can be used without me knowing anything about it and without me having said anything about Giles Barnes' possible move to West Ham," he said. "I've got absolutely no idea where this has come from. If fans want to keep in touch with the Giles Barnes position with Derby, they should read the Evening Telegraph and This is Derbyshire."

While the Barnes story was catching fire, reports that Stephen Appiah has once again been linked with a move to Upton Park became somewhat lost in the smoke. The Ghana midfielder is in the country today with the national squad as they prepare to face Senegal in a friendly at Millwall's New Den. Despite currently carrying an injury which should rule him out of the game, Appiah has reportedly travelled to London with the team - fuelling rumours that he is set for talks with the Hammers, with whom he was first linked at the start of the transfer window. The link resurfaced in some of this morning's papers after Appiah's proposed move from current club Fenerbahce to German outfit FC Schalke fell through at the weekend. While the Hammers are said to be closely monitoring the situation there has never been any direct confirmation from the club about interest in the player.

Finally, West Ham United defenders Danny Gabbidon and James Collins have both signed contract extensions. The pair joined from Cardiff two years ago on four-year deals. They have now each signed two-year extensions. Gabbidon missed much of last season due to groin injuries and has only been on the bench for the Hammers this campaign. Collins, who was outstanding in West Ham's relegation battle last term, is currently struggling with a groin injury that has stopped him fighting for his position at Upton Park. Gabbidon said: "I am disappointed not to be in the side, but at least the new contracts show that the club wants both me and James around. We will both now work hard and fight to prove we are worthy of a place in the side."

The Bourne Hammer

I was flicking through the papers this morning and stumbled across this little snippet buried away in The Sun's football gossip section...

Just when you thought megastar Matt Damon couldn’t get any cooler, it turns out that he’s a closet West Ham fan. We caught up with Damon at the premiere for The Bourne Ultimatum earlier this week — and he was only too keen to admit he’s Hollywood’s only Hammer.

The Bourne Ultimatum — which took £70million on its first weekend in the States — looks set to be the smash hit movie of this summer.

"When I was in the UK for Saving Private Ryan, the only team they showed on TV consistently was Manchester United," said Damon. "But everyone on the crew assured me that was just like rooting for the New York Yankees, who I hate because I’m a huge Boston Red Sox fan. I don’t like supporting teams like Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United. There was this one poor, sad bastard on that movie who supported Leeds, so I would watch the Leeds games with him to try and cheer him up. But it didn’t work — they were terrible. I liked West Ham, though. I always try and catch one of their games when I’m over here."...

Of course, Damon isn't the only Hollywood Hammer. In recent years Elijah Wood, Keira Knightley and Nicholas Cage have all sworn allegiance to the colours.

Birmingham City 0 West Ham United 1

Noble Relief For Curbishley by John Ashdown

Today is the beginning of week 37 of Alan Curbishley's reign as West Ham manager
but it must seem an awful lot longer. Last week's home defeat by Manchester City
brought a bout of unwanted headlines... The Guardian

Bruce Fumes As Bellamy Eases Pressure by Duncan Mackay

Few players appear to thrive on conflict and controversy quite like Craig
Bellamy, who started yesterday by making one of his regular appearances on the
back pages of a tabloid and ended it by allegedly getting involved in an
incident in the tunnel... The Observer

Noble Penalty Gives Hammers Result by Kaveh Solhekol

If life was fair, West Ham United supporters would be waking up this morning and
reading about how their team bounced back from losing to Manchester City on the
opening day of the season. Life is not fair and Alan Curbishley knows that
better than most managers... The Times

'Baggage' Won't Weigh Down Alan Curbishley by Martin Smith

Craig Bellamy and Kieron Dyer come with enough baggage to fill a jumbo jet's
hold. However, where everyone else sees serial recidivists, Alan Curbishley sees
players turning over new leaves and enhancing a team he is trying to build - if
not exactly in his own image, then on his own terms... The
Telegraph

Noble Noble Strike Earns Curbishley Relief by David Instone

So busy is Alan Curbishley with putting out fires these days that it is a wonder
he had time to orchestrate a victory of such calm and conviction as this... The Independent

Birmingham Fall To Noble Effort by David Instone

Suddenly, West Ham United's supposedly troubled world looks a whole lot sunnier.
All it took to start lifting the latest East End storm-clouds was a contested
but justified Mark Noble penalty 22 minutes from time, an enterprising,
committed performance actually warranting a considerably bigger victory... Independent on Sunday

Bellamy The Belligerant In No Mood To Be Tamed by Colin Young

Alan Curbishley spent £7.5million on Craig Bellamy and challenged him to clean
up his act. On the evidence of the season so far, there appears more chance of
hell freezing over... Daily Mail

A Pitch-Perfect Ending

A pitch-perfect ending to a sadly familiar song
By Russell Brand

Sven-Goran Eriksson's Manchester City commanded play at Upton Park last week with such assurance and grace that far from seeming a hastily assembled squad of mercenaries from around this dirty little circle we call "world", they appeared to be afloat in a transcendental love affair with each other and the randy boffin who compiled them.

Flicks and dummies, winks and one-twos, it had the gleeful complicity of a well-administrated orgy at a hostel for handsome backpackers. What's a bit annoying from the perspective of an Englishman is that now Sven can utter the damnation that secretly we all suspected to be true; he can manage perfectly well once liberated from the tiresome obligation to select only sons of Albion. As he said himself: "There was no Elano to pick for England." Blast.

Rolando Bianchi, who got City's first, ran directly over to the dugout to give Sven a cuddle, publicly consummating the Manchester love right in front of the embarrassed West Ham fans. We didn't know where to look; most people opted to rest their disillusioned peepers 'pon Dean Ashton, warming up on the sidelines for most of the match with a peculiarly erotic, slow-motion, sexy karate-robot dance.

For me the opening day of the season was an oscillating mind waltz of conflicting emotions. The Irons were pretty shoddy, disorganised in midfield, lacking in imagination up front and a nerve-jangling ballet of tipsy confusion is what passed for a defence. Only Robert Green in goal and Mark Noble looked comfortable.

The ignominy was exacerbated by the prior knowledge of an after-match meeting with Noel Gallagher in Christian Dailly's box. Most people are aware that the Gallagher brothers are arrogant as a default setting, a feat they performed whilst supporting an unreliable and often risible football team. Well let me tell you that all the swagger and bluster we endured as discs went platinum and Brits were won were as nought compared to the gloating, showboating, puffed-up rhubarb I had to silently tolerate in a senior player's box after Saturday's misdemeanour.

I'd rather hoped that it would be me bragging and strutting, perhaps whilst chuffing on a cigar, consoling a tearful Noel that the season is yet young and that he'd made some jolly good records. Instead me, my Dad, my mate Jack and Robin the hippy black cab driver (there's an anomaly - if you leap into his carriage unawares it's like a magical mystery tour as he recites poems and demands a more lax immigration policy) moped about, overjoyed to be amongst adored West Ham players (James Collins was also there like a big, twinkly beefcake) but irked by the unanticipated defeat.

Then something magical happened. Dailly, who was about to take his adorable trio of wee Daillys to have a kick-about on the pitch, turned to us and said "Do youse wanna come down an' all?" None of us have ever been on the pitch at Upton Park. I'm not a man who is much at ease in any arena designed for physical activity but to walk on to the turf of the team you've supported all your life, were deigned to support, even before birth, is like climbing into the telly or being given the keys to Wonka's chocolate factory and being told, "Here, just take it, I'm dispensing with all these bonkers tests and riddles - too many children have died. Poor, dear Augustus Gloop."

Although, retrospectively, running a chocolate factory is probably a pain in the arse, whereas strolling on to the eternity lawn at the Boleyn makes my brain stop gurgling and my eyes do crying. On the way we sneakily looked into the away dressing room - which looked like it had played host to a tea party for giant toddlers. There were bottles and grass and fruit scattered about the room like Jackson Pollock working in litter. You could still feel the echo of the departed, triumphant City players, you could envisage them conga-ing out behind Sven, covered in victory and streamers.

Then we were in the tunnel. A mural of West Ham legends adorned the walls; Brooking, Dicks, Moore, Devonshire, lit by the glare from the end of the tunnel, the light reflecting green. A few more tentative steps with the opening notes of Bubbles played by a phantom orchestra (or possibly covers band) and there it was, Upton Park, scene of misery and celebration, venue for rites of passage for hundreds of thousands of men, barely an hour before fizzing with hope, then saturated in defeat, now silent, empty, and Bagpuss was just a soppy ol' stuffed cat . . .

But there amidst the burgeoning nothing, chatting to Dailly, all normal, stood Dean Ashton, radiant with health, which is odd 'cos he's a few weeks off full fitness. My mate Jack stuck out a hand. "All right, Deano." Dean being, in reality, a bloke rather than the subject of an unrelenting sonnet rolling around the mouths of 30,000 even before he'd kicked a ball, simply replied: "All right." I scuttled over like a ninny and accosted Dean. I don't remember what I said but it can't have been great because I felt the necessity to impersonate Dean's warm-up dance routine which, looking back, strikes me as an act of desperation.

Dean laughed. As did the few people remaining in the ground, mostly in the directors' boxes. Then I met Alan Taylor, scorer of two Hammers goals in the 1975 FA Cup final, while my dad, Jack and Robin the hippy cabby kicked a ball around the Bobby Moore Stand end of the pitch with Christian Dailly's kids. "Come on Russell, join in," someone shouted. I declined; I could only have tarnished perfection.

Guardian column

History Repeating

The Premier League are ready to side with West Ham over a key aspect of the claim for substantial damages by Sheffield United against the East London club. Sheffield United suspect West Ham of failing to disclose a "critically important" additional third-party agreement - which was dated Dec 1 2006 - from the Premier League and the original independent disciplinary commission who took the decision to fine the Hammers for breaking League rules. Yet an article in today's Telegraph claims that the League will say they received a copy of the document in January and that it was subsequently available to the disciplinary commission. The Premier League, therefore, are satisfied that the new West Ham board did provide them with the relevant documentation and it is thought their evidence will form a central part of West Ham's defence.

Sheffield United remain confident of their position and are expected to question why the existence of the new third-party agreement publicly came to light during a hearing at the High Court between West Ham and the companies who brought Carlos Tevez to English football. Having followed the original disciplinary commission and then taken the matter to arbitration, they will want to know why they were not previously aware of this agreement. Sheffield United believe they would have a strong case for damages following their relegation even without the Dec 1 document, given West Ham's admission of breaking rules over third-party influence and not acting in good faith. West Ham have made clear their intention to defend themselves and have 14 days to formally respond to the proceedings which were launched against them on Thursday. They say that the Premier League were aware of the Dec 1 document and the disciplinary commission knew of its existence.

Elsewhere, hopeless recidivist Craig Bellamy has had a 'spectacular fall-out' with Alan Curbishley only a month into his West Ham career. It is gleefully reported in the Mail that Bellamy slipped back into his old ways in the wake of West Ham's opening day defeat to Manchester City and exchanged harsh words with his new manager. Curbishley, it is claimed, is said to be infuriated by his £7.5million striker's show of petulance, having earlier insisted the time had come for Bellamy to do his talking on the pitch. There are no further details in what is an empty shell of a story. Bellamy has obviously not infuriated Curbishley enough to be dropped from the side for today's game, while the bigger concern is how these dressing room stories continue to get leaked to the press.

Finally, Jason Burt in The Independent claims West Ham United have rekindled their interest in Nicolas Anelka and are preparing to submit a bid of around £10m for the Bolton Wanderers striker. The Hammers have turned to Anelka despite having an offer of £6.8million accepted by Barcelona for their No 1 target, Eidur Gudjohnsen. Burt states West Ham first inquired about Anelka last month but, at that time, decided against a bid. They also considered a move for Middlesbrough's Aiyegbeni Yakubu but believe he is worth half the £11million being demanded. Instead Yakubu, who is not expected to feature for Boro today against Fulham following the signing of Mido, is expected to move to Everton. Although Portsmouth remain interested in Anelka, they will not be able to meet the salary that will be offered by West Ham who, claims the article, will pay up to £80,000-a-week. If Anelka is signed it will take West Ham's spending to almost £40million this summer although the club has also recouped £21million in sales. West Ham would also be the 28-year-old's eighth major club and his fifth in English football.

Dyer Signs

West Ham United finally announced the signing of Kieron Dyer yesterday with a sharp one sentence message. It was the minimum fanfare for a transfer that seems to have dragged on weeks. Speaking on the official site, Dyer talked about his delight at having finally put pen to paper on a four-year contract. "A couple of weeks ago I thought it was the end of the move and I was devastated," he said. "But thankfully the two clubs have come to an agreement and I am finally a West Ham player. I think it was well documented that I wanted to be nearer to my family, but I also see West Ham as a Club that is really going places, they have shown great ambition with the other players they have brought in and I just love the clear hunger of the Club to be successful. A lot of the players that have signed have a bit of a point to prove as have the players who came so close to relegation last season so everyone shares that hunger which can only be a good thing. I already know a few of the lads here like Wrighty (Richard Wright) and Bellars (Craig Bellamy) so I obviously did talk to them before I made the decision to join as it was never going to be a decision I was going to take lightly. They all had great things to say about the Club and the manager and all in all once I had spoken to them I made my mind up straight away."

Dyer will train with the team tomorrow then be included in the squad to travel to Birmingham for Saturday's match, but potentially being thrown straight into the team is not something that phases the 28-year-old midfielder and he adds he would be happy to play in whatever position is chosen for him. "It is probably one of my strengths - my ability to hit the ground running, so even though I have had a bit of a stop start pre-season if the manager asks me to play at Birmingham on Saturday I would be totally up for the challenge. I think the gaffer sees me as quite a versatile player who can play through the centre whether that be off the strikers or as a central-midfielder that is obviously up to him but if I am required to step in to cover for any of the wide players that would be okay because I am comfortable on the left or the right and I am happy at full-back as well."

Keiron Dyer has won 32 full senior caps, making his debut for England against Luxembourg at Wembley, September 4, 1999. He was considered one of England's brightest young stars when he joined Newcastle United from Ipswich Town in July 1999 and quickly demonstrated the talent which made him such hot property. Although only 20 at the time Dyer quickly added full England caps to the collection of youth, U-21 and B caps he had built up at Ipswich and only narrowly missed out on Kevin Keegan's final squad for Euro 2000. Dyer was part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2002 World Cup squad and made three substitute appearances during the tournament. He was made captain of Newcastle for the first time in a competitive game, and scored twice, against Everton in the Worthington Cup on November 6, 2002 and was named in the PFA Premiership team of the season in 2002/03. Kieron also played a part in the England squad for Euro 2004, making a substitute appearance against Switzerland. The midfielder scored seven goals for Newcastle last season.

Alan Curbishley proclaimed his club "delighted" to have secured the 28-year-old. The player's arrival takes his summer spending to over £30million and reunites the England international with his former Newcastle team-mates Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy and, most intriguingly, Lee Bowyer. During Newcastle's 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa in April 2005, Dyer and Bowyer were involved in one of English football's most notorious brawls. "I've spoken to both players on that and I've been assured it was a one-off and that they both speak regularly to each other anyway, so I don't think there'll be a problem," said Curbishley. "It was an incident that happened between two players that were desperate to do well, not lose the match and their frustration boiled over." Speaking about the protracted negotiations, Curbishley added: "Common sense has prevailed, and Kieron is looking forward to joining us. If you look at his history over the last couple of years he missed a lot of games with his hamstring – but once he got it sorted, he played 33 games and scored eight goals."

Joining Dyer at Birmingham could be club captain Lucas Neill. The 29-year-old full-back sustained a knee injury during training on 6th August and was expected to be out until early September. But according to the player himself, he is ready for a return to action - and could be named in the squad tomorrow. "I'm almost fit," Neill told Skysports. "The manager's got a tough decision now whether to possibly risk me at 95% fit. Maybe if I got injured again I could be out for a month, or does he wait until I've got a full week of training in so I can be 100% fit for Wigan? I'll leave that down to him, but either way I won't be disappointed." Neill also expressed his delight over the capture of Kieron Dyer. "The guy's got great attributes, he's pacy and very skillful - but more importantly, he'll have a point to prove and that'll only benefit West Ham," he said. "He's had a frustrating period in his career where he's probably been on the sidelines more than he's played. Some people have questioned his ability, some people have doubted him. But for us to have him, and for him wanting to put the record straight and get his career back on track can only be a good thing for West Ham - and I'm looking forward to it."

They Pull Me Back In

Kieron Dyer was said to be optimistic last night that his £6million transfer to West Ham United will be resurrected after officials from the London club held discussions with their counterparts at Newcastle United. The England international wants to leave Tyneside to be nearer to his partner and two children in Suffolk, and finally appears close to securing a move to West Ham. Dyer has already had a medical at Upton Park and agreed personal terms almost two weeks ago only for the deal to fall apart at the last moment, when Newcastle, to West Ham's anger, hiked up the fee by £2million. Eggert Magnusson, the West Ham chairman, went public with his disgust, claiming he had never seen business conducted in such a fashion but Newcastle's stance is reported to have been motivated by "West Ham bragging about signing Dyer on the cheap". A stand-off ensued but conciliation is now in the air.

The Guardian claim Newcastle are now resigned to cutting their losses on Dyer, who has been undermined by a succession of injuries, and in the absence of further offers from elsewhere, have opted to go back to West Ham. According to the David Hytner, the Londoners believe that they will be able to conclude the deal at the original £6million fee. Indeed they now hope to spread the payments over the term of the midfielder's contract, with Dyer's personal terms heavily based on incentives. The Sun think that after two days of continued negotiations both clubs are closer to agreement, and yet still remain £800,000 apart in their valuations. The Telegraph take a slightly different view of the financial package, with Jeremy Wilson insisting the compromise will involve an initial fee of £6 million with the final £1 million dependent on appearances. That is also the picture over at The Independent with Michael Walker predicting a deal will be finalised within the next 48 hours.

Dyer was reportedly due to be on his way to London last night, even though yesterday morning the 28-year-old midfielder featured in a behind-closed-doors game at Newcastle's training ground against Gretna that was arranged to aid Michael Owen's return to full fitness. According to reports, Dyer also looked sharp and enthusiastic during Newcastle's friendly against Blue Star on Monday night and, as he passed a West Ham medical last week, which included a blood test because of Dyer's medical history, he could be thrust into the West Ham midfield for their game at Birmingham City on Saturday. Walker states that Dyer's match fitness will also be of interest to the England manager, Steve McClaren. The player is expected to be named in the squad for next week's friendly against Germany and is considered by McClaren to be one of the players who can play behind a main striker in a role comparable to Wayne Rooney.

Just When I Thought I Was Out...

Sheffield United have announced they plan to sue West Ham for the cost of their relegation from the Premier League. The Blades failed last month in their high court bid to force new Premier League disciplinary action against West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair; they had hoped to pave the way for a retrospective points deduction that would send West Ham down while keeping United in the top flight. Once that avenue of attack was cut off, they revealed they would consider suing West Ham for compensation of between £30milion and £50million, the equivalent of the club's estimated share of the Premier League television rights money. Paul Stothard, Sheffield United’s solicitor, had said at the time: "You can be fairly confident that the issue won’t rest here. Sheffield United are not precluded from taking further action against the Premier League or West Ham. The compensation would be top of the agenda because there are significant consequences financially for being relegated wrongfully, as we believe we have been."

It is reported in The Times that Sheffield United are expected to argue that each club enters into an agreement to act in good faith with other clubs and that agreement was broken when West Ham admitted breaching the rules in the transfer of Tevez and Javier Mascherano. They may also argue that West Ham breached their contract with the Premier League. The BBC think the Yorkshire club will claim West Ham gained an unfair advantage by signing an illicit player and also that they may possess new evidence concerning West Ham's termination of Tevez's third-party ownership. In reports emerging this morning, a member of the Sheffield United legal team is quoted as saying: "After consideration and discussion with our legal advisers Sheffield United are today initiating legal proceedings against West Ham United as we seek substantial compensation for our relegation from the Premier League."

Irascible Rams

Derby County are considering reporting West Ham United to the Premier League following the east London club's attempt to sign Giles Barnes. Peter Gadsby, Derby's chairman, revealed yesterday that they are in the process of gathering evidence after West Ham submitted an unsolicited £3.5million bid for the England under-19 international. "We're watching the Barnes situation very closely," said Gadsby. "If we have any evidence that things are going on, we'll look at it. We have formed an opinion and we'll wait a little while to confirm that opinion. We're waiting for some facts before we decide where to go with this. We had an approach that was followed by an unacceptable bid, a derisory offer, which can mean one or two things: one, there's some business we don't know about; two, it's an unrealistic bid, with the level it came in at, that might have been made to pacify the manager."

Barnes is Derby's most valuable asset and Gadsby insists that the club will not easily sanction his departure. "There is a history of this club being pillaged," he added. "With the Barnes situation, we've got a particular club that has been very busy - his father's very influential in his life - but they'd be mistaken if they thought Derby County were a soft touch. We are interested in Derby County first and Giles Barnes second. The lad must be unsettled. Because he's not playing, you can see he's frustrated." According to The Guardian, Derby manager Billy Davies held talks with the player yesterday morning during which he sought to explain to the teenager that he can play a key role this season. "Although we've had several inquiries or offers, we've told him we want him to stay at Derby County and to continue his development here," said Davies.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph claims West Ham and Newcastle were last night poised to agree a compromise deal to bring Kieron Dyer to Upton Park for £7 million. The on-off transfer appeared to have collapsed almost two weeks ago when Newcastle upped their asking price from £6 million to £8 million at the 11th hour after Dyer had a medical. The article states that the new deal, which West Ham hope to conclude today, will involve an initial fee of £6 million with the final £1 million dependent on appearances. It is reported the player will receive wages of £60,000 a week. In the same piece, it is also mentioned that West Ham and Barcelona have agreed on a price of £7 million for Eidur Gudjohnsen, although the Iceland striker is believed to be holding out for a salary of close to £100,000 a week. According to the Mail, West Ham are prepared to offer £80,000 but are demanding a quick answer. It is stated that if no deal can be agreed then Alan Curbishley may step up his interest in Middlesbrough's Yakubu as another option.

Finally, Anton Ferdinand has offered his services to Steve McClaren. Speaking in The Sun, Ferdinand said: "It’s always been my dream to play for England. I can’t play for the Under-21s any more because I am too old and the next step is the senior squad. It’s down to me and my performances on the pitch. I would like to think I’ve done well at U-21 level. I’ve shown that I can play at international standard and I hope the England manager has been looking at that. One of my dad’s biggest dreams was to see both of us make it. He saw Rio make it and was not going to stop until he saw me do the same. It is also a big dream that Rio and all my family are hoping for — that we can one day play together for England. We would probably need a section of the ground for friends and family if that was to happen."

West Ham United 0 Manchester City 2

Take A Bow, Sven The Revolutionary by Martin Samuel

There was only one certainty about Sven-Göran Eriksson’s revolutionised Manchester City. Four. Four. Two. It was his touchstone in more than five years as England head coach. Great players, such as Paul Scholes, were sacrificed to it; tournament campaigns drifted listlessly, lost in his thrall to it... The Times

Sven's Foreign Legion Shine by Brian Glanville

Fresh from their recent tribulations, a mischievous computer decreed that West Ham should play Manchester City on this opening Premier League day. And City won at a canter... Sunday Times

Eriksson Follows Gambler's Instincts by James Lawton

The verdict on Sven Goran Eriksson as coach of England has been in for some time – but what about the resurrected, big-league club manager, the winner of Italy's scudetto and the new messiah of Manchester City?... The Independent

Eriksson Purrs As City Slickers Click Instantly by Nick Townsend

In those words we came to love, and expect, from Sven-Goran Eriksson in his England days, it was a case of: first half good; second half not so good. But no matter. It was a convincing enough victory on his debut as an England club manager and will have swiftly assuaged doubts, both over the Swede's appointment and over his wholesale import of foreign talent on judgement apparently made largely on the basis of videos... Independent on Sunday

Eriksson's Man City Give West Ham Run- Around by David Miller

That renowned brand of West Ham football was alive and well at Upton Park: the anguish for home supporters was that it was being played exclusively by Manchester City, to the unrestrained delight of their travelling band... The Telegraph

Fantasy Football From Eriksson's New Man City by Patrick Barclay

Strange things happen when Sven-Goran Eriksson comes here. Franny Jeffers scores for England (albeit in a 3-1 defeat by Australia) and Manchester City achieve instant success with a scratch team... Sunday Telegraph

Eriksson's New Look City Deal Hammers Early Blow by Jamie Jackson

'Hello everybody.' With a couple of words, a laidback - even by his standard - Sven-Goran Eriksson announced his second act in the sharp end of English football to a packed Upton Park press room. Most of the nation's top sporting scribes were here to witness the return of the man from Torsby. Well, neither he nor his football team disappointed... The Observer

Riding The Snake

This year I'll ride the snake like a soccer shaman
By Russell Brand

Today I am going to watch West Ham v Man City for the first game of the new calendar. The season's commencement feels all fresh, lovely and new. We've rinsed away the horror and regret of last season; I suppose that's another of the sublime delights entailed within the game - a terminable, manageable existence within defined parameters. Regardless of how spectacular or drab your term has been it'll all begin again next August. That's comforting. Better than actual life where if you hijack a bus and drive it into old folks home yawping slogans and hurling fireworks the consequences will haunt you to your grave.

I shall make my way to Upton Park all virginal and brimming with innocent expectation with a couple of chums, perhaps singing "three little maids from school are we" from the Mikado. Noel Gallagher will be there in his capacity as a City fan elevating further the jeopardy for this already thrilling encounter as football kindly provides a context for good-natured banter and playful threats - again within defined parameters.

The close season, or anti-season - a kind of negative un-time that exists only in relation to the Platonic, pure season - has been a fiscal torrent with cash flooding the Premiership and now buoyant corpses bloated with expectation bob towards the first whistle.

There has been much condemnation of the way in which the influx of money has poisoned the game and it's difficult to dispute that recent events have tarnished football's romance. But the effects of rampant capitalism are not confined to peculiar transfers and boardroom espionage - it's ballsing up the entire planet. I saw in a red top that cocaine was found in the lavvies at 25% of Premiership grounds, implying that the clubs are somehow culpable. People take cocaine; people go to football, that is all that's been proven in that barmy cistern survey. Similarly the whole world is governed by an ideology that demands that the acquisition of money must subjugate all else: morality, spirituality and good old-fashioned sexiness are secondary to commerce, and this cannot be blamed on Carlos Tevez, Malcolm Glazer or even Thaksin Shinawatra, although he might've been closer to the nub of the problem in his last job.

When caught up in the magic of live football it's easy to believe that the power of the crowd is what ultimately matters; the inherent unity feels like socialism but each of the screaming 34,000 has been taxed on entry and however loud they may sound their voices are seldom heard. It is apparently futile to resist progress although tiny victories are occasionally achieved: disenchanted Manchester United fans have established FC United, a collectively financed club that truly belongs to its supporters. Presumably, though, were the club to clamber through the multitude of leagues to penetrate the national consciousness and challenge for trinkets the inevitable tide would also consume this idealistic vessel.

Myself, I get all caught up in the rhubarb, I'm intrigued by escalating transfer fees and bonkers wages, I enjoy the soap opera. How can United fail to win the title this year? They've assembled a terrifying gang of world-class players, and quaint idealism aside I'm tantalised by the prospect of seeing Tevez hook up with Rooney. Chelsea's current injury problems may impair them early on but that Malouda bloke looked good in the Community Shield and they know how to scrap. I'd like Liverpool to do well - Torres is a handsome devil and I'm sure he'll cause all sorts of bother. Arsenal have a stability which oughtn't to be underestimated and were coping without Henry for the majority of last season. And I suppose we'll all be interested to see what Spurs do with their panoply of strikers.

There's been more diverse transfer activity than in recent memory but I'll still be surprised if the top four in May ain't the typical blend of red and blue. Newcastle, Villa, Pompey, Blackburn, West Ham and Sunderland will be shuffling around the Uefa places and I think Reading, Bolton and Wigan might be auditioning for the fizzy pop league.

Apart from the obvious top four element I'll be interested to see how those predictions pan out because I have an unscientific mind fuelled chiefly by emotion and whimsy. I shall be utterly agog if come next August the above paragraph doesn't appear to be the result of a drunken, myopic pianist being deceived that my keyboard is a futuristic Steinway and told to "just go nuts".

I shall enjoy this year's football; I'll ride the snake, like Jim Morrisson as a soccer-ball shaman. I'm not going to focus on the incremental erosion of the essence of the beautiful game because it is symptomatic of a much larger problem. I'd like to suggest that we enjoy the football then come late May, in the un-season, instead of watching the to-ing and fro-ing and the "I'd rather not go-ing" we unite under one glorious banner march down Whitehall and kick off a proper revolution.

Guardian column

Steely Determination

Magnusson faces life after the storm with steely determination
By Martin Samuel

In the post Carlos Tévez era, West Ham United will not be garnering much sympathy from neutrals this season. Eggert Magnússon, the club’s chairman, chose the eve of the new campaign, however, to offer an insight into how modern football works and a tale to suggest that his was not the only club to lose their moral compass last time around.

Luis Boa Morte joined West Ham from Fulham for £5.5 million on January 5. Yet when the teams played each other in the league on January 13, Magnússon said that West Ham were under pressure not to select the new signing. Fulham demanded that Boa Morte did not play against them, but they could not make this a written condition of the deal because it would have broken Premier League rules on third-party interference. Instead, it was to be framed as a gentlemen’s agreement, the same form of private understanding that kept Tim Howard out of the Everton team against Manchester United and stopped Steve Kabba playing for Wat-ford against Sheffield United. Fulham were not happy that West Ham reneged on the arrangement and Mo-hamed Al Fayed, the club’s chairman, joined a legal campaign against West Ham led by Sheffield United, who were relegated. That campaign was for fairness.

So what does this say about Magnússon? First, that behind the elf-like exterior he is capable of playing hard-ball. Secondly, that anyone who thinks that only one top-flight club failed to act in good faith last season is probably the sort who falls for that line about gullible not being in the dictionary. After a season of confrontation, Magnússon is doing his best to be diplomatic, with varying levels of success. "It seems to me that things have happened to suggest we were not the only club that was wrong," he said. "Yes, Fulham asked us not to play Luis Boa Morte against them and we played him, of course. How can you sign a player for £5.5 million and not play him? Come on, it’s crazy. I cannot comment on why other clubs accepted those arrangements, but the Premier League will deal with these things now because it has been brought into the daylight. Fulham attempted an outside influence on our team, of course they did." January 12, 2008, is their next meeting, if you are interested.

Before that, Magnússon will welcome Dave Whelan, the equally vocal Wigan Athletic chairman, to Upton Park, on August 25. "Some of my colleagues have been trying to damage the image of my club," Magnússon said. "But they were not there when I attended the Premier League AGM this summer. Not Dave Whelan, not Steve Gibson, of Middlesbrough, the critics did not show, I was surprised. So I did not feel that West Ham were not welcome, not at all. And Al Fayed was not there. But I got a letter from him that said it all anyway. He didn’t need to be there." There will inevitably be a hangover of ill will, but Magnússon is hoping to draw a line under the Tévez affair before tomorrow’s match against Manchester City.

Terence Brown, the former West Ham chairman who entered into the infamous third-party agreements, is no longer welcome at Upton Park and Magnússon will not rule out legal action against him. The £2 million bona fide litigation settlement paid by Media Sports Investments, the owners of Tévez’s economic rights, went through on Wednesday and, having settled all legal bills from a variety of claimants, the club intend to place the remaining £500,000 with the Football Foundation, ring-fenced for the development of mini-pitches in the London Borough of Newham. Some will say that it is the least they can do, others that they did not have to do anything. Either way, inner-city children get football pitches. Make of it what you will.

What concerns Magnússon more is the accusation that West Ham have interfered with football’s financial bio-rhythms with their forays into the transfer market. There was an outcry last season when Lucas Neill, the Blackburn Rovers full back, chose Upton Park ahead of Anfield and while this summer has been marked as much by high-profiles failures, Darren Bent and Kieron Dyer, as successes, the club were still accused by Niall Quinn, the Sunderland chairman, of recklessly inflating wages and fees. This was before he paid £9 million for a Scottish goalkeeper, naturally. "It is very easy to blame foreign owners for all that is wrong with English football," Magnússon said. "But I think it is strange when people say we are spending a lot of money and then they complain there are the same four clubs in the top places all the time. How will that change unless a club has ambition? Everybody should be pleased that somebody is trying to stop it because this is not a healthy situation for the Premier League.

"It would be good if you could just get up there with effort, but that is not possible. It costs money because the teams that are already there receive money each year from Uefa for playing in the Champions League. We will run the club in a healthy way, combining business and ambition, but you have to invest. It will take time, but I think it is possible to challenge the top four. You need a big stadium, though, because maybe in ten years it will even be difficult to be in the Premier League if you do not have a ground for at least 50,000.”

What remains to be seen is whether Alan Curbishley, the manager, getting his first opportunity at a club with financial clout, has the presence to match Magnússon’s ambitions. Masterminding the great escape has bought him at least one season, but the underlying message is that the manager has to adapt quickly to a financial change of circumstances, too. "Alan has to show he has got what it takes to go the next step," Magnússon said. "I think he has. At Charlton Athletic he did not have the money, so he has to prove a lot of new things with us. But there must have been a reason he was in the reckoning to be the England manager, a lot of qualities that I hope will come through with West Ham. Tomorrow is the first time we can say we are putting our team out. It was no secret there was a lot going on in the dressing-room last year, players we needed to get rid of. Whether it was down to individuals or the group as a whole, changes had to be made. There was unrest and things that should not have happened, and that was not good for team spirit. It is a happy dressing-room now."

A happier boardroom, too? "I feel very healthy," Magnússon said. "But when I go back to Iceland for a day, people come up to me and say, 'Eggert, you look very tired, you should get some holiday.' "No time for that now. Maybe a weekend away later in the year. January 12 looks nice.

Season Preview- Guardian

Hammers fans may welcome a season that will probably end with the club in mid-table
By Tom Lutz

Prediction: 9th
Odds: 1250-1

If there's one thing that West Ham do well, it's seeing out the season with a bang. In the last four years, their final games have consisted of three finals (two play-offs and an FA Cup) and an escape from relegation. After a campaign last year pregnant with player discontent, biscuit-driven takeovers and the Carlos Tevez saga, Hammers fans may welcome a season that will probably end with the club grounding on the gentle shallows of mid-table.

True, in their first full season without Terry Brown in charge, West Ham finally look like they may be turning into a buying rather than a selling club, with over £20m invested in the likes of Scott Parker, Julien Faubert, Craig Bellamy and Freddie Ljungberg. But to balance that out, they've lost Nigel Reo-Coker (admittedly his contribution to dressing-room harmony won't be too sorely missed), as well as the creativity of Yossi Benayoun and Carlos Tevez.

What may be more crucial than any of the players that have moved in or out of Upton Park though, are those returning from injury. Matthew Upson played so rarely after his arrival from Birmingham in January that his return can almost be treated as a new signing. Upson will not be able to sail straight back into the team though. James Collins and Anton Ferdinand established a solid central-defensive partnership towards the end of last season and West Ham's player of the year in 2005/06, Danny Gabbidon, has also come back from injury to provide competition for places.

But it is Dean Ashton's recovery from the ankle injury that kept him out of the whole of last season that is the biggest boost for West Ham. His link-up play, aerial prowess and goalscoring ability should gel well with Bellamy's speed and flair. Bobby Zamora managed 11 goals in a struggling team last season, and should provide decent back-up, but Carlton Cole is still to score more than five goals in a season and Alan Curbishley should bring in another striker.

Another area that Curbishley might want to keep an eye on is youth development. While Anton Ferdinand is established in the first team and Hogan Ephraim and James Tomkins look like decent prospects, it's been a while since the academy produced a Carrick, Lampard or Joe Cole. Mark Noble is probably the closest to emulating those names, after finally fulfilling his promise last year. He can use both feet, is a snappy tackler and can even score the odd decent goal.

Eggert Magnusson has said he intends to invest in youth development, but one of his biggest concerns before the season starts is how the Tevez affair has affected the club's reputation. "It does hurt me because the club has been dragged into this in a negative way by some of my colleagues," he says. "West Ham has been dragged down and I don't think this is correct." Magnusson is right, of course, there's no doubt that West Ham have been tarnished over the last few months, but that may be no bad thing. Maybe they can use this as an opportunity to ditch their image of affable also-rans and develop a siege mentality. With the likes of Lee Bowyer, Bellamy and Lucas Neill in the squad, they're certainly nasty enough.

Curbishley will be the man responsible for developing that mentality - whether he is nasty enough is debatable - and certainly a them-and-us mindset could be the difference between a side that ambles along and one that challenges for Europe. Although Curbishley deserves credit for keeping West Ham up, his first season was far from perfect. It was far too long before he finally trusted Tevez, the player who effectively kept the Hammers up, and his safety-first approach doesn't fit in with the flowing football of West Ham's traditions.

So it looks like being a season of consolidation for West Ham then, maybe not as thrilling as recent times, but it beats the hell out of the intricacies of football contract law.

Ins: Scott Parker (Newcastle - £7m); Craig Bellamy (Liverpool - £7.5m); Fredrik Ljungberg (West Ham - £3m); Julien Faubert (Bordeaux - 6.7m); Richard Wright (Everton - free).

Outs: Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool - £5m); Paul Konchesky (Fulham - £2m); Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa - £3m); Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa - £7.5m); Tyrone Mears (Derby - £1m); Shaun Newton (Leicester - free); Roy Carroll (Rangers - free); Teddy Sheringham (Colchester - free).

Season Preview- About A Ball

The Road To Redemption Starts Here
By Walter Townsend

In: Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal), Richard Wright (Everton), Julien Faubert (Bordeaux), Scott Parker (Newcastle United), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool)
Out: Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa), Paul Konchesky (Fulham), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool), Roy Carroll (Rangers), Shaun Newton (Leicester City), Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa), Teddy Sheringham (Colchester), Tyrone Mears (Derby County)

After avoiding relegation on the final day of the season West Ham have lived to fight another day in the Premiership but after all the shenanigans and fuss over whether they should even be taking part in this seasons Premiership they have a lot of bridges to build. West Ham were once many of the neutrals favourites and even as recently as 2005/06 when they got to the final of the FA Cup final and played their part in easily the best final in the last 15 years winning over many more fans with their exciting style their reputation has been tarnished by their part in misleading the authorities. Consequently they have a lot of unhappy football fans to win over.

West Ham looked to be headed towards the Championship by Christmas last season and those observers uncertain of their fate made up their minds after the 3-4 defeat to Spurs, certain that The Hammers were headed for the trapdoor. Curbishley though miraculously turned the situation round aided and abetted in no small part by the very player at the centre of all the controversy; Tevez.

Whatever your opinion of the punishment meted out to West Ham by the Premier League for their complicity in the decidedly dubious transfer of Tevez most couldn’t help but be impressed by the way that United clawed their way from a seemingly hopeless position. Despite the major overhaul of the squad that has taken place this summer Curbishley will be hoping to maintain the momentum that saw West Win 7 of their final 10 league matches last season.

The arrivals this season at West Ham are all direct replacements for departed players and despite the fact that some transfer fees haven’t been disclosed I wouldn’t be at all surprised if West Ham have made a profit in their dealings this summer. In to replace Sheringham, who amazingly continues his career at Colchester, is Ljungberg, who will be under pressure to show that the reason Arsenal released him was wrong. Benayoun’s departure will be compensated for by Faubert, although the unlucky Frenchman has been ruled out for the first half of the season after suffering a severe injury in training. Bellamy will be replacing the departed Marlon Harewood and finally for £7 million Scott Parker will come in for Reo-Coker who joins Harewood at Aston Villa. The only player who hasn’t been directly replaced is Konchesky who made the trip across London to Fulham but Matthew Upson comes into the squad after being injured for nearly the full 8 months he has been with West Ham.

Another new arrival of sorts will be Dean Ashton who after a whole season out after arriving from Norwich City for £8.5 is fit and ready to go. Having Ashton in the team will give West Ham a physical presence in the team and the pace of Craig Bellamy should compliment Ashton’s quality.

The truth is last season the squad should never have been dragged into such a relegation scrap but presumably unsettled because of the arrivals and then later by the furore that surrounded them none of the players achieved the sort of form they had the season before. The puzzling thing about West Ham’s season last year was that they were capable of beating top 4 teams, Arsenal and Manchester United both lost at Upton Park yet they were also thrashed 6-0 by Reading. Rumours that several of the players had got a little to big for their station were underlined by such topsy-turvy results and Curbishley will have to dispel that notion and quickly . A good start will be crucial and the fixture list has been kind to West Ham with games against Manchester City, Birmingham, Wigan and Reading to start off with, although Curbishley will have to make sure that his team starts picking up results against the teams they will be competing. They don’t play a top 4 team until the end of September, which depending on the success of Curbishley on stamping out such high self-opinions of the players may be a good thing or it may not be.

The squad now bears the hallmark of Curbishley on it and he will be looking for an improved performance collectively. After such a traumatic season it is difficult to set exact expectations although one feels that given the quality in the squad West Ham should be at least capable of achieving a top half finish. However, first priority has to be to gain the mythical 40 points total before looking to kick on and improve from there. The team still posses the sort of quality to produce a good cup run and a UEFA Cup spot may not be entirely out of the question.

Taken from About a Ball

Lucas Knee-Knacked

Derby County's highly-rated midfielder Giles Barnes is again a target for West Ham according to several newspaper reports this morning. The Independent claim the club have already failed with one bid of £2million and the collapse of the Kieron Dyer transfer has now strengthened West Ham's resolve to capture the versatile midfielder. The player, who has four years left on his deal, would, in the current market, be valued by his club at around £4million-£5milliion. The article states West Ham have proposed a deal that would involve cash plus a player but that would depend on the individuals in question, as Derby are still in the hunt for a striker. David Hytner, writing in The Guardian, insists the improved offer is unrelated to the pursuit of Dyer and that Barnes impressed for Derby as they won promotion to the Premier League last season. He declared his intention to stay in the Midlands for at least another season before they beat West Bromwich Albion in the play-off final last May. One option open to a buying club would be to sign the player and then loan him back to Derby in order for him to play regularly in the Premier League.

The Mail think West Ham will today step up their interest in Nicky Shorey despite the England full back's insistence that he is happy to stay at Reading. The left back, who forced his way into the England senior squad at the end of last season, said earlier this week that he remained fully committed to Reading, although he stopped short of completing a new deal. He said: "It would be wrong to start talking about moving on and going to a big club. I'm just keeping my options open. Nothing is set in stone." Reading manager Steve Coppell has said he is resigned to the fact that Shorey, who began his career at Leyton Orient, will not sign a new deal. He has just two years left on his current contract and the likelihood is that Reading will be forced to cash in now, should they receive a decent offer of around £5million.

In the same article, there is speculation that Lucas Neill could miss at least a month of the new season after damaging a medial knee ligament in training on Monday. West Ham are already without French midfield player Julien Faubert until Christmas with an achilles tendon injury while Scott Parker is also likely to miss the opening match of the Premiership season against Manchester City with a knee injury. The news concerning Neill follows reports from yesterday that the player was seen leaving the West Ham training ground with his leg in a brace.

Elsewhere, Martin Samuel states Premier League rules will be tightened to prevent a repeat of the Carlos Tévez fiasco. Additional regulations are expected to be passed at a Premier League board meeting next week that will have a direct impact on transfers, player registration, loan deals and notorious gentleman’s agreements. Richard Scudamore, the governing body’s chief executive, revealed: "On the back of the Carlos Tévez situation, we have changed the rules so that all documentation relating to player registration and employment has to be submitted in advance of signing the player. Among West Ham United’s defences was that they believed the third-party agreement did not have anything to do with the player’s registration and that is why it was not shown to the Premier League. Our policy now is: let us be the judge."

He added: "In our rulebook we have also directly linked player registration with rules U18 and U6, which govern third-party interference and dual ownership between clubs. We have said we will look at all registrations with particular reference to those rules. Then there will be changes in the rules regarding loans. We can see that under the old rules a club could technically have 19 goalkeepers out on loan, which would not be healthy [Manches-ter United had two goalkeepers, Tim Howard and Ben Foster, loaned to Everton and Watford respectively last season, a guarantee that the club would play four of their 38 matches against second-choice goalkeepers]. It would be like having a plant in the camp, so we are proposing that no more than one goalkeeper can be on loan from one club. When any loan deal becomes permanent, the conditions of the loan will apply to the end of the season. That wipes out the need for gentleman’s agreements [Sheffield United sold Steve Kabba to Watford but admitted publicly that a private arrangement prevented him appearing against his former club]. Also, by linking rule U6 so strongly to registration, we are saying that all agreements have to be declared."

Finally, Scudamore states that he is not worried by the possibility of a huge compensation claim from Sheffield United. A figure of £50 million has been mentioned in certain quarters. "The High Court and the Court of Arbitration have looked at it and found no legal reason why Sheffield United should be in the Premier League," he said. "They could only be entitled to the money if they were entitled to be in the league and nobody has supported that argument."

Season Preview- Sky Sports

West Ham 2007/08

Predicted Position: 11th

Star Man: Dean Ashton - It's impossible to tell what difference a fit Dean Ashton could have made last season, but the talented striker will be hungrier than ever to prove his importance after a year on the sidelines.

One To Watch: Mark Noble - The young midfielder played a significant role in the club's relegation escape last season and will be hoping to firmly establish himself in the first team this season.

Manager: Alan Curbishley - Having had the time and money to build his own squad, Curbishley will expect a substantial improvement on last season.

INS: Scott Parker (Newcastle), Julien Faubert (Bordeaux), Richard Wright (Everton), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal)

OUTS: Tyrone Mears (Derby), Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa), Shaun Newton (Leicester), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool), Paul Konchesky (Fulham), Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa)

Best signing: Scott Parker

Sky Bet Odds: 500-1

Likely top scorer: Craig Bellamy

Possible best XI: (Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Faubert, Parker, Ljungberg, Boa Morte, Ashton, Bellamy)

Following the false dawn at the start of last season, there will be mixed feelings at West Ham as the Magnusson era looks set to finally begin in earnest. The signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano had looked to be the icing on the cake for Alan Pardew's FA Cup finalists, and his young, hungry squad were expected to challenge for a top-six spot as well as making a decent bid for the Uefa Cup. None of that happened. The deal for Tevez and Mascherano was shrouded in confusion and both players, lacking the fitness for the Premier League, took time to settle in to English football.

But, whatever distractions the Argentinians provided, there were other problems at the club. Dean Ashton sustained a long-term injury, new signings Lee Bowyer and Carlton Cole failed to make an impact, young stars like Nigel Reo-Coker and Anton Ferdinand could not live up to their performances of the previous season, and West Ham found themselves in a relegation scrap. When Eggert Magnusson took over in December, his immediate task was to stop the rot. He soon replaced Pardew with Alan Curbishley, and the former Charlton boss immediately began spending, bringing in the likes of Lucas Neill from Blackburn, Matthew Upson from Birmingham and Luis Boa Morte from Fulham, while Mascherano was shipped out to Liverpool.

Spearheaded by Tevez, the revolution began very late in the day and, in the last game of the season, the club escaped relegation with victory at Manchester United. Since then, of course, the Tevez controversies have continued, and the player has subsequently left the club for the champions. But Curbishley has been given the funds to rebuild the squad, bringing in high-profile stars while shipping out many of those deemed to have underperformed last year.

Scott Parker has come in from Newcastle to replace Reo-Coker at the heartbeat of the midfield following the latter's £8.5m move to Aston Villa. Curbishley knows Parker well from their together at Charlton, where the England man was involved in everything from defence to attack, and he may well return to that all-action role at Upton Park. The signing of Fredrik Ljungberg from Arsenal, too, will provide a midfield boost. There may be a feeling that the 30-year-old's best days are behind him, but a change of scenery could be all it takes to reignite the form of a midfielder who, just five years ago, was among the best in the game.

Julien Faubert was another major signing, arriving from Bordeaux in a £6.1m move. The once-capped France international reportedly turned his back on Rangers to move to Upton Park in a switch that his national coach, Raymond Domenech, described as 'unspeakably stupid'. The merits of moving to a club outside the chosen few notwithstanding, it speaks volumes of the player's quality that his national coach deems a nouveau riche Premier League side unworthy of his talents. Sadly, the winger picked up a long-term injury that will rule him out of the first half of the season. Given that, it will chiefly be Ljungberg's task to add creativity to the midfield, particularly given the departure of Yossi Benayoun to Liverpool.

But the most substantial changes so far have come up front. Ashton has returned from injury, while Teddy Sheringham went to Colchester and Marlon Harewood joined Reo-Coker at Villa. Yet the biggest news is the arrival of Craig Bellamy from Liverpool: the Wales striker will, more than anyone else, be expected to fill the void left by Tevez. Bellamy will be looking to prove himself once more after failing to capitalise on an opportunity that he termed 'a lifelong dream come true' last summer. There is little doubt surrounding Bellamy's talent, but he has only thrived in the past when all the conditions have been right: to what extent West Ham will be able to provide those conditions remains to be seen.

Goalkeeper Richard Wright has joined on a free transfer from Everton, while Roy Carroll made the move north of the border to Rangers. Wright has never been able to make good on his early potential at Ipswich, and he perhaps hit rock bottom when Everton boss David Moyes chose to recall Iain Turner from Sheffield Wednesday rather than field him against Manchester United in April. Nonetheless, he has ability, Curbishley insists he is 'dedicated, hungry and also a little bit angry', and he is expected only to deputise for Robert Green.

There have been three more departures: Tyrone Mears to Derby, Paul Konchesky to Fulham and Shaun Newton to Leicester. That may force Curbishley to enter the market for a defender, but, with Upson and Neill having arrived in January, he may consider his options sufficient, although a replacement left-back should be a priority if not. The squad may continue to change, but the foundations look to be in place. Yet, while lessons will have been learnt from last season and there will be no room for complacency, the new players could take time to gel and only time will tell if the Tevez saga will prove a distraction once more.

Competition at the top of the table is fierce, and a European spot may well be beyond West Ham this year, but a healthy top-half finish could and should be the aim.

Taken from Sky Sports

Dragged Down

Eggert Magnusson is the subject of The Guardian's 'Big Interview' as speaks candidly for the first time about the Carlos Tevez affair. It is his biggest ever interview in the British media and makes for interesting reading.

'West Ham has been dragged down. This hurts me most'
By Donald McRae

I am a busy, busy man," Eggert Magnusson says animatedly as, on the threshold of a new Premier League season, the West Ham United chairman reaches for his favourite adjective to underline his place at the heart of a footballing soap opera. During his "busy" nine-month tenure at Upton Park, trouble and strife have stretched from a bitter relegation battle and miraculous last-day escape to dubiously tangled transfer deals and High Court writs. A few other time-consuming factors - including deceit and dissent from overpaid players and a threatened points deduction - have ensured that the Icelandic multi-millionaire has never felt bored since switching his trade from biscuit-making to Premier League wheeler-dealing.

"I like to be busy," he says. "This is why I am always so upbeat at West Ham. Every morning I wake up there is a tough new challenge. Even these last few months, where there has been so much pain with the Tevez saga, there have been moments of joy. It has been a great time."

Off the field it has been impossible to detect any trace of greatness in the row over the ownership of Carlos Tevez, whose outstanding contribution as a footballer was symbolised by the goal he scored at Old Trafford to confirm West Ham's salvation last May. After Sheffield United's subsequent failure to overturn a Premier League decision merely to fine West Ham £5.5m for breaking the rules with regard to third-party ownership of players, rather than strip them of points, Magnusson has been embroiled in a legal squabble with Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian, over which party had the right to sell the Argentine striker to Manchester United. The controversy offered a definitive snapshot of football's murky business.

"I was never concerned that the ruling would go against us," Magnusson argues. "In this affair it has often been forgotten that the player was always registered with West Ham. There was so much [speculation] that was never correct."

He is preparing himself for a final public statement on Tevez this Thursday. Until then, citing legal restrictions and the need "to make a fresh start", he chooses instead to address the view of his manager, Alan Curbishley, that West Ham have become "public enemy No1". Magnusson winces at the changed perception of a club once regarded as a noble academy of English football. "It does hurt me because the club has been dragged into this in a negative way by some of my colleagues. West Ham has been dragged down and I don't think this is correct. This hurts me most, because what a few people decide should not be a burden to the whole club.

"The other sad thing is that Tevez got caught in the middle. He's a great lad, so enthusiastic about football and success, and I would have loved to have seen him [again] in a West Ham shirt. I really tried to make that possible but, as a great player, he had ambitions to play in the Champions League."

West Ham received only £2m for Tevez - with Joorabchian netting a healthy profit for himself - but the club have spent heavily during the off-season. Having paid a possibly inflated £23.5m for Craig Bellamy, Scott Parker, Freddie Ljungberg and the now injured Julian Faubert, Magnusson has been accused of bringing an overheated economy to boiling point. Niall Quinn, Sunderland's chairman, has claimed that, as a result, "agents are having an absolute beano . . . what horrifies me is people who've made money out of property or biscuit tins telling a class act who's managing their club who they should be signing . . ."

"I was very surprised to see this," Magnusson says. "He has done some great things at Sunderland but I think there was more frustration in those remarks than blame on us. I know better - but I have a high regard for Niall Quinn."

In also rejecting criticism of the wages paid at West Ham, Magnusson insists that "the figures have been totally distorted. I don't understand it". The discrepancy arises when reputable sources claim that Parker, Bellamy, Ljungberg and, most astonishingly of all, Lucas Neill are paid £70-72,000 a week whereas Magnusson has said in the past that his top players earn £55,000. He hesitates when asked about that £55,000 ceiling: "Well, we have a basic wage structure and we are there or thereabouts and we don't want to surpass that. That is still the case."

Darren Bent was reputedly offered more money by West Ham than Tottenham Hotspur, for whom he signed in the summer, but the £17m transfer fee offered by Magnusson was truly startling. Is Bent worth £2m more than Thierry Henry? "It's difficult to estimate that. Players like Darren Bent - young, English and with a proven track record that they can score goals - will always be highly prized. If he keeps scoring goals he will still be worth a lot in three years' time. And of course my manager knew all about him. Darren Bent is a very good young man."

Kieron Dyer has a more complicated persona, yet Newcastle United exhibited their own wayward streak last week when the club's new owner, Mike Ashley, scuppered the midfielder's transfer to West Ham by raising the fee from a generous £6m to a bizarre demand for £8m at the last minute. Magnusson is plainly angered.

"It was very unexpected. We thought we had agreed everything with the club and when he'd had a medical everything was finished but we then just got a message from the owner that he wanted a higher price. This is something I have never experienced before in football, because they had already given us permission to speak to the player. So of course I was very disappointed."

Curbishley, at least, has been spared the prospect of reuniting Dyer and Lee Bowyer after their mid-match fisticuffs while team-mates at Newcastle in 2005. He already has enough to cope with in managing a group of players who often appear as interested in their Baby Bentleys and mid-season holidays as Premier League survival.

"Several factors made us pay last season," Magnusson agrees. "I had to do some drastic things to change them." Yet Curbishley's appointment was far from an immediate success. After one victory in eight games, Magnusson concedes that "I was very worried then. I could tell there was something wrong with the club and it took Alan some time to get it right. But I never allowed myself to give up hope and say, OK, we are going to be relegated. When you are chairman the last thing you want to show is desperation or despair. I might have had my own bad feelings during some nights but I always looked optimistic."

One of the more endearing facets of Magnusson's character remains his footballing passion. He regularly visits West Ham internet chat sites - as an observer rather than a participant - in an effort to "grasp the mood of the fans. It is very important to know what people are thinking. In football you deal with people and emotions. It's a much more sentimental business than biscuits or money-market shares.

"That's why the win at Old Trafford on the last day was my sweetest moment. But at the time I was like a deflated balloon. I couldn't even enjoy it until some days had passed because it was unbelievable. It took almost a week for the joy to sink in and understand what we had done."

Everything was different a year ago. "Last August I had no idea I would become involved in the Premiership," the 60-year-old says. "That only started in September and until then I had been thinking of retiring in America. I have some properties there and while I'd been very involved with Uefa and Fifa, and also the Icelandic Association, I was thinking about [retirement] then."

Yet when Magnusson was approached by a consortium led by Tony Cottee he was transfixed. The prospect of entering a high-profile business as consuming as Premier League football swamped the charms of a quiet retreat to America. Cottee and his original partners were replaced by an Icelandic double act in Magnusson and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, the former footballer turned billionaire banker, as they completed an £85m takeover last November.

"I have a very good partner in Bjorgolfur [who owns 95% of the controlling company, WH Holding]. We have known each other for almost 50 years and this is very important for West Ham to understand - we are together and we have this drive for football.

"It takes time but in two years I think we will be fighting for Uefa and even Champions League positions. The fantasy is that in 10 years we will see the team playing Champions League football regularly in our new stadium. We want to model ourselves on clubs like Barça and Madrid who have great marketing aspects. I think it is possible to compete with this kind of club."

Magnusson barely blinks at the suggestion that a 60,000-seat stadium in London would cost in the region of a quarter of a billion pounds. "That figure is not so far away if you take into account transportation costs. We are waiting at the moment for a decision over a certain piece of land and we will have a decision by the end of the year - but I am sure we will build a new stadium. We have the fan-base to need this capacity."

Magnusson's excitement is palpable. If it sometimes looks as if his bald dome will explode with passion, he insists that "I am in good health because I run whenever I have time. I run for an hour, maybe more. I could run a marathon but I won't - I am so competitive that I would hate it if some youngster passed me. I am going to concentrate instead on being busy with West Ham. This is just the beginning."

Season Preview- Goal

West Ham: Ready To Usher In A New Era
By Max De Luca

With the Carlos Tevez saga - haunting the club like a midsummer nightmare - finally having drawn to a close, the focus at Upton Park can finally shift towards what Alan Curbishley has been up to. The former Charlton miracle worker has efficiently built a squad well capable of finishing in the top half, and with some luck, even in the top six. Or perhaps have a good Cup run like two years ago!

The Tevez saga has stolen all the headlines from the plethora of signings made by the club during the summer transfer window. Enigmatic chairman Eggert Magnusson must have wondered what he got himself into last year, just barely surviving the plunge into the Championship, but he has opened up his chequebook and the players have been flocking to Upton Park. The club had a few envious glances cast towards them when they plucked midfield maestro Julien Faubert from Bordeaux for 9 million euros. He was bought as a direct replacement for Yossi Benayoun who left London for the comforts of Anfield. Unfortunately, Faubert tore his Achilles tendon on July 17 in a friendly against Czech side Sigma Olomouc and will miss up to six months of the coming season.

West Ham further strengthened themselves in the middle of the park by signing the tenacious Scott Parker, who will be reunited with his old manager. West Ham fans will hope that Parker can rediscover his old form when he was with Curbishley at Charlton. He will fill the void left by former captain and English U-21 star Nigel Reo-Coker, who was offloaded to Aston Villa. Most Hammers think Parker will be an upgrade over Reo-Coker, who in their minds did not perform to his potential for most of the year. Curbishley then pulled off a real 'coup d'etat' when he convinced Freddie Ljungberg to stay in London after being wooed by a variety of European teams. Freddie is a proven winner and will bring a veteran presence to the dressing room which should help offset the antics of misfit Craig Bellamy who was deemed to be surplus to requirements at Liverpool.

Curbs hopes that the inconsistent yet wildly talented Bellamy will settle down and make headlines on the pitch rather than off it, like he did for much of the season two years ago at Blackburn. If anyone can handle such a character, Curbishley can. The boss will be counting on him to more than replace the goals scored by Marlon Harewood who left Upton Park and will reunite with Reo-Coker at Villa Park. Goalkeeper Richard Wright was brought in to provide cover for Robert Green, but is considered a gamble as he carries the reputation of an underachiever.

They lost the versatile Paul Konshesky to city rivals Fulham, and the imminent arrival of Kieron Dyer would have offset fears, but that has fallen through as well, and remains the one real worry for West Ham. The defence is in good shape with Matthew Upson, Anton Ferdinand and new skipper Lucas Neill. The middle of the park will have a different look to it with Ljungberg and Parker leading the charge, along with Faubert when fit. However, in the likes of Lee Bowyer, Luis Boa Morte, Etherington, Mark Noble and Nigel Quashie, there are options aplenty.

Up front Bellamy and local boy Bobby Zamora will be counted on to score the goals. However, there is an ace that we have sorely missed: in fit-again Dean Ashton, who will hand Curbs added bite in his attack. Ashton will probably be a regular first team player, and could strike a good partnership with Bellamy if the Welshman can get it right. Carlton Cole will provide much needed cover.

Ever since the controversial yet grand escape, Curbishley has worked closely with Magnusson during the close season to put together a squad that blends the physical with the technically gifted - one that should be able to stay in the top half of the table this coming season.There might be another midfield signing given the bizarre failure of the Dyer move, but all in all, this is a team ready to ruffle a few feathers. Magnusson got the fans involved brilliantly last season, and that will also pay dividends. All in all, a few heads should turn!

Taken from Goal.com

Season Preview- Setanta

With the start of the new season less than a week away, every media outlet will be producing their season preview guides. Below is Setanta's view of the season ahead for West Ham United, doubtless the first of numerous such efforts to appear over the next few days...

"I hope I never have to go through that again," sighed West Ham manger Alan Curbishley after keeping his side in the Premiership on the final day of last season. West Ham already possessed a squad that shouldn't have been flirting with relegation, and after buying half a new team in the last six months they should have even less to worry about. Expect to see the Hammers hovering between sixth and 10th this season.

Strengths: He was never likely to rival Billy Bonds' appearance record, so Carlos Tevez's expected departure (to be confirmed as we went to press) shouldn't cause too much concern, especially as stepping into the breach is the potentially exciting new partnership of Dean Ashton, back from injury, and Craig Bellamy, the new £7.5million signing from Liverpool. The presence of England midfielder Scott Parker, once again playing under the manager who got the best out of him, should fortify the team.

Weaknesses: The West Ham defence could be walked through with little resistance for most of last season- they gave away an alarming 59 goals. While Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson were brought in during January, the back four still looks flimsy, staffed by James Collins and Anton Ferdinand. And for all West Ham's new-found riches, there is the nagging belief they are neither signing the right players nor getting anything like value for money.

The gaffer: After arriving at Upton Park in December last year Curbs looked a beaten man through most of the spring, seemingly resigned to relegation. But a run of seven wins from their final nine games saved both West Ham and his reputation. The decline of his former club Charlton merely confirmed Curbishley's powers.

A lesson from last season: Keep humble and make sure the 'Baby Bentley' culture does not rear its head once again. And confiscate Anton Ferdinand's passport.

One to watch: Julian Faubert. A graduate of the same AS Cannes youth academy as Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, the 23-year-old midfielder was signed from Bordeaux for £6.1million during the summer. He has so far won one cap for France, scoring on his debut in August last year, a goal his wife celebrated by diving fully clothed into their swimming pool. "It was a bet between us," he explained. "If I scored for les Bleus, she had to take the plunge." What will she do this season if West Ham win a trophy?

Any other business: It's not all signings: West Ham have sold keeper Roy Carroll to Rangers, striker Marlon Harewood to Aston Villa and defender Tyrone Mears to Derby, while Yossi Benayoun has completed his dream move to Liverpool.

Odds to win: 500-1

Ashton Muscles In

Sam Allardyce has hit back at Alan Curbishley over the breakdown of Kieron Dyer's move to West Ham United. Curbishley criticised Newcastle officials for the way the deal collapsed at the 11th hour on Friday, insisting he had never seen anything like it in football after the price for the 28-year-old was pushed up late in negotiations. In several of today's papers, Allardyce has blamed West Ham officials for the farce. "If Curbs started it, then we are more upset than they are, that is a fact," he said. "Why? That is confidential. He is not as upset as we are about West Ham. In the end, we decided he was undervalued. We escalated the valuation to what we thought was realistic and West Ham did not want to roll with it. "Kieron is back with us, a top player with a squad who are growing. Will it be difficult for Kieron? It's life, isn't it? He has got a contract. You sign it. The length of the contract means you are employed by an employer, something happens, it doesn't work, you come back and get on with it. If anything else happens in terms of West Ham increasing their offer, then great. If they don't, then clearly they don't value him as highly as we do."

Dyer’s house and car were vandalised after last week's friendly with Juventus by angry Magpies fans. Allardyce added: "The attacks on his car were out of order completely, that is the first thing. Nobody should have allowed that to happen, certainly not the parents of the people involved. He has got to put that behind him and get on with his football." To that end, the club expect Dyer to return to Tyneside to pick up the pieces of his Newcastle career. The player missed yesterday's friendly victory over Sampdoria and is said to be deeply unhappy at the recent turn of events. The Times claim Allardyce held weekend peace talks with Dyer but the England midfield player remains furious with Mike Ashley over the Newcastle United owner’s involvement. While Allardyce pleaded with Dyer to "get on with it", on Tyneside, the article insists it is a deeply unlikely prospect. Dyer had explained to Allardyce that he wished to leave Newcastle for “family reasons” and is understood to have told his two children last week that he would be moving south. One possible escape route could be Portsmouth after Harry Redknapp last night revealed a previous interest. He said: "I was interested in him before but he was on big money. On his day is as good as anyone."

Another player under fire is West Ham's very own pants model. The Arsenal forward Robin van Persie has described his former team-mate Freddie Ljungberg's recent criticism of the Gunners as "a bit weak". Ljungberg accused Arsenal of lacking ambition in the wake of his move to West Ham United, citing the departure of Thierry Henry. And Dutchman Van Persie admits his comments were not well received in the Emirates Stadium dressing room. Speaking in The Independent, van Persie said: "If you play nine years at a club like Arsenal, you can say some nice words. If you're coming up with excuses about Thierry's departure and about promises from the club, it's a bit weak. I was disappointed and I know a few others were as well. He had a fantastic period, he was once the best player in England, so come on and say some nice things for this club."

Over at The Guardian, Dean Ashton has been talking about his excitement ahead of the new campaign. "We want to put everything behind us, start a new season and get the fans excited with that," he said. "Everyone wants a fresh start and the players we've brought in have given us an extra buzz. There has been a lot of changes at the club and it feels like a decent place to be and that shows." This brings me nicely to the last item of this post. I'm reproducing the following Daily Mail article in full, as not only is it a decent read, it is also the first time in months that this particular paper has printed a remotely positive West Ham United related story.

Ashton Muscles In On Fresh Start With Hammer
By Matt Barlow

Dean Ashton is the embodiment of a new sunny mood at West Ham with his surfer's blond rinse, bright eyes of intent and a pre-season goal to remind 25,000 fans what they have been missing.

A storm cloud has been whisked from the skies above Upton Park with the exit of Carlos Tevez, allowing the club to finally enjoy football once again. And chairman Eggert Magnusson agreed it was nice to see his team beat Roma 2-1 without worrying about Tevez, who will join Manchester United this week after severing ties with the Hammers on Friday. "Everyone wants a fresh start," said Ashton. "It would be very sad if the fans just carried on singing about Tevez and weren't singing about the players in the team. We want to put that behind us."

Ashton has been out for a year after breaking an ankle in an England training session ahead of what should have been his international debut. He never played alongside Tevez and his return from injury reinforces the illusion that the relegation scare, the disciplinary charges by the Premier League, accusations of conspiracy from Sheffield United and a legal battle with Kia Joorabchian were merely scenes from a bad dream.

The striker came on at halftime with the Hammers one down. George McCartney equalised with a powerful header before Ashton collected a ball on the right, skipped past his marker, forged into the penalty area and fizzed a low shot into the net. He forced two more acrobatic saves from Roma keeper Gianluca Curci. "It's a massive step for me," he said after the game. "Back in the dark old days I was struggling through, not able to walk, and to go out and play in front of everybody and play well, even for 45 minutes, is really pleasing. I had faith in my ability but when I first came back and was training, I wasn't the best. It was a case of getting that confidence back. I've seen a different side to football and I'll never, ever take it for granted again. I appreciate what I've got. I'd play for nothing if it meant getting out there again. That doesn't matter to me — I just want to play football for years."

Ashton has honed a more muscular frame after months of gym work to maintain his fitness levels, but his smooth link-up play suggested he had lost none of the subtleties that impressed England coach Steve McClaren. He said: 'I've put on a bit of muscle during my recovery but I've lost a lot of fat. It's not about how heavy I am or how big I look, it's about how I transfer it on to the pitch in terms of speed and endurance. I feel like I'm a stronger runner. I'm strong upper bodywise. My legs feel great. I don't feel particularly sore, so that's a credit to the work I've done. It's coming up to a year since the injury but it doesn't scare me, it's gone. I've forgotten about it. I feel fine now. I don't cringe when I'm tackled. That doesn't bother me. It's just that fact that I've had to limp for a year. I just want to make sure I'm right. I really haven't thought about England to be honest. At the moment, I've got to get back in the West Ham team."

And the new blond hairdo?

"I'm obviously in the last chance saloon with my hair, so I thought I might as well do something for a change, for a new start," he said.

West Ham United 2 AS Roma 1

Ashton Returns With Style by Kaveh Solhekol

It is debatable whether West Ham United should be kicking off the season in the Barclays Premier League this weekend, but Alan Curbishley’s team proved to be more than a match for one of the best teams in Serie A on Saturday... The Sunday Times

Ashton's Finishing Touch Lifts Hammers by Richard Gillis

West Ham may have had a more interesting close season than they would have liked, but the long queues for season tickets, which delayed the start of this match, are testimony to the rising expectations in east London... The Observer

Dyer's Hammers Deal 'Definitely Off' by Ronald Atkin

The news for West Ham from this niggly friendly is that Deano is back. Having missed last season with a broken ankle, Dean Ashton thumped the impressive, brute force winner which destroyed Roma's earlier, classy domination... Independent on Sunday

Winner Ashton Ready To Take Tevez Mantle by Malcolm Brown

Dean Ashton put his injury torment behind him and showed West Ham can live without Carlos Tevez by scoring the match-winner against Roma. Ashton suffered heartbreak last August when he broke an ankle on the eve of his first senior call-up for the England team... Mail on Sunday

Casino Turmoil

A quick glance at the Sunday gossip sections reveals a few interesting items. The People claim Real Madrid mentalist Antonio Cassano is being offered to various Premier League clubs as new boss Bernd Schuster makes changes. West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers are said to be the main ones interested in a loan deal for the 25 year old striker, although Real would prefer a permanent transfer. In the same paper, it is claimed we will step up our £5million bid for Nicky Shorey after Reading boss Steve Coppell finally admitted defeat in trying to persuade the England left back to sign an extension on the two years left on his contract. The Mirror has the same story and state that Coppell is now resigned to cashing in on his highly regarded defender. Reading do not want to be left in a situation where players run down their contracts and leave as free agents, like Steve Sidwell who joined Chelsea in the summer. Coppell said of Shorey: "He's not going to negotiate any more with us. He's got two years left on his current deal and whether that sends out a message to other clubs - it probably does."

Also in the Mirror, is a story that West Ham United will table a £9million bid for former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen this week. It states that prolonged negotiations aimed at getting permission to talk to the Barcelona marksman appeared to be faltering as the Spanish giants made it clear they didn't want to sell. But on Friday evening they performed a U-turn and decided to cash in on the Iceland international. The deal is far from secured, though, with Gudjohnsen, 28, happy to stay in Spain until the January transfer window to weigh up whether he has a future at Barcelona. The articles suggests that the arrival of Thierry Henry from Arsenal has put Gudjohnsen's place under increasing threat. A partnership of Henry and Samuel Eto'o is likely to be first choice for coach Frank Rijkaard. Alan Curbishley has made Gudjohnson his primary target after Carlos Tevez moved to Manchester United. As one forward could be arriving, so another might be leaving. The Star believe Crystal Palace want Hammers starlet Hogan Ephraim on a season long loan deal. Alan Curbishley is keen for him to gain more first team experience at a championship club and Palace boss Peter Taylor has made an enquiry. He is quoted as saying: "Hogan is a player that I like and who is on my list". Ephraim reportedly said: "It does not look like I will be in West Ham's first team so I am hoping for a loan move."

The Star also has a piece about Anton Ferdinand. The troubled defender has apparently vowed to become a model professional this season after the 22 year old played a significant part in West Ham's problems last term as they struggled to avoid the drop. He was jeered by his own fans for partying in America mid season and was also charged with assault after an alleged nightclub fracas and, says the article, appeared to symbolise the Baby Bentley culture at the club. Even though he faces an autumn trial, Ferdinand insists his troubles have helped him to reform. "The toughest game for me was against Tottenham when all the stuff had come out about me going to America," said Ferdinand. "It was a learning curve when I came out for the warm up. I could hear some fans saying things about me, this and that, and that was the toughest game mentally that I have ever played in. We went close to winning it but we did not quite pull it off and at the end. Quite a few of our fans clapped me off the pitch and I really appreciated that." Ferdinand accepts that he has been his own worst enemy and admitted no one is perfect. "If you do not make mistakes you do not learn," he admitted. "All that I have been through has made me mentally stronger."

Several of the papers insist Kieron Dyer has gone on a one-man strike after his transfer to West Ham United fell through at the last minute. The player was last night at home in Ipswich and showing no signs of returning to Newcastle United after his move collapsed in bizarre circumstances. An insider close to the deal claimed Newcastle's millionaire owner raised the asking price for Dyer because he was so incensed at the arrogance of the Hammers board. "I have heard all the stories that Dyer was tapped up by West Ham United and that was the reason that Ashley raised the price by £2million, but that is not true," said the source. "What really happened was that Ashley found out how West Ham was boasting that they had landed the player and he was not impressed by that attitude so he just increased the price. Kieron is now back at home and everyone is talking to him but at the moment he shows no sign of leaving Ipswich. He might be contracted to Newcastle United but he is a very wealthy boy, a player in the Robbie Fowler league with huge investments in property, and he is not going to be pushed around. However, Mike Ashley is not a man to be messed with and he has been messed with, so the only way out is for West Ham to increase the transfer fee." Dyer was virtually signed and sealed on a £5million transfer which would have increased to £6million if the Hammers got in to Europe. According to one press report, it was an unspecified episode in a casino night club, between representatives of both clubs, that so incensed Ashley and caused the unheard of hike in the transfer fee for a player once a deal had already been agreed.

Also in the nature of gossip, but not anything to be found in the tabloids, is one fan's account of a meeting yesterday with Deputy CEO Scott Duxbury. It is probably as valid as anything else that has appeared in this post so here goes...

Today, I had the pleasure of attending the game in corporate hospitality. As I walked in I saw SD (Scott Duxbury) and asked him about a few things, this is what he said:

DYER: All the papers are right. He is desperate to join the club after agreeing terms and passing a medical. They thought the deal was done and now Ashley wants a further £2million. We won't be held to ransom and unless Ashley drops his request we'll go elsewhere. I asked him if he was worried that someone else would come in for him and he said that no-one else will match the salary we are offering.

GUDJOHNSEN: We are desperately trying to sign him. We are working very hard and he is hopeful we can pull this off.

SHOREY: When I asked him about this he smiled nervously; he said you'll have to see on this one. I reckon this is definitely happening from the way he reacted.

He also said that we are still in the market for a lot more players and that we a 'building a great side'. He said that the Darren Bent transfer was the most frustrating one and they have learnt never to approach a player that has no interest in joining the club. He also said that he hasn't had a weekend off in 4 months! He was a really good bloke and filled me with quite a lot of confidence."

The Cockney Deepthroat

West Ham Spy Failed
By Patrick Barclay

West Ham had a saboteur in their dressing room last season, the source of the continual leaks that left the club on the cusp of foundering. Robert Green, the West Ham goalkeeper, does not know the identity of the perpetrator. All he is sure of is that it cannot be allowed to happen again. "The stuff that was getting out was very strange," Green said. "It was obviously coming from within because it was happening every week. It wasn't one person listening in at a changing room door. It was from somewhere within. I'm sure now that this season has come about it will change."

The dressing room is supposedly a privileged forum, where managers and players can say exactly what they think of each other. It is a bit like the Cabinet only, perhaps, more civilised. Green was the victim of one such leak himself, when it was reported that he had rowed with manager Alan Curbishley in the aftermath of the 6-0 defeat at Reading on New Year's Day. "That was a low point for me, that game," Green said. "Later on I went to see the manager and he said to me, 'What's this about us having an argument?' It was news to me as I try not to read the papers - especially after losing 6-0. I mean we're all professionals and passionate about the game. Of course the manager gave us what-for when we came in after that performance. But there was nothing personal directed against me. The stuff that was getting out was very strange. It was one of those bizarre things, and you start thinking 'who said that? No one really knows. Whoever it was looking at the paper was generally mystified as to how it got there. You couldn't start to think who would do that."

The repercussions of these repeated betrayals could be seen in the despairing demeanour of Curbishley, who was having a difficult enough time getting his players to do their jobs on the field with being undermined with stories of dressing room unrest. "The stuff going on around the club, off the field, the stuff coming out of the dressing room mystified him as much as everybody," Green said. "It didn't break him but it could have broken a lot of people." Having taken over from Alan Pardew in December, Curbishley found himself dealing with the melodrama that is inevitable at West Ham, even before the scandal of Carlos Tevez's illegal registration broke.

His captain, Nigel Reo-Coker, had been the subject of hate mail from fans who blamed him for the club's abject form and it was of little surprise that he left this summer, joining Aston Villa for £8 million. Reo-Coker believes he was "hung out to dry" by the club. Marlon Harewood, Paul Konchesky, Yossi Benayoun and Teddy Sheringham have also left as West Ham reportedly made 14 players available for sale at the end of the season. Curbishley's determination to have a thorough overhaul of personnel - including the backroom staff - makes all the more sense after hearing Green's account.

Still Curbishley is not beyond forgiving indiscretion. Anton Ferdinand will be an important part of the squad this year despite going to South Carolina to celebrate his 22nd birthday, having told Curbishley he was off to visit his sick grandmother on the Isle of Wight. That lack of respect was something that Curbishley was not used to and Green believes that, after 14 years of relatively sedate work at the Valley, the intensity of the West Ham job came as a surprise. "I think he walked into something that I don't think he fully anticipated, with the frenzy surrounding the club," Green said. "He was used to press conferences of about 12 people at Charlton, the same people every week. You come to West Ham and it's a media frenzy."

Curbishley has survived and grown stronger. A series of ambitious signings, Kieron Dyer may become the latest - has instilled a hunger for success and Curbishley has reintroduced a code of discipline. "There's a whole new feel," Green said. "He's got his own backroom staff and he is bringing his own ideas and way to train. The players he's brought in are used to winning. In that respect it will be a more solid, professional outfit. As a manager and person he looks more comfortable, building up his team now rather than working with someone else's. It's a different regime. You get the feel that everyone knows their job. It's a lot more structured. I'd be very surprised if there were leaks from the dressing room this season."

Team-mate Mark Noble, the emerging England under-21 midfield prospect, agrees that West Ham will prove to be an entirely different entity this season, far from last season's perpetual troubles, particularly now the protracted Tevez saga has reached a conclusion. Noble said: "Carlos is a great player and above all, a great person, meaning it was a credit to play with him. But with all the new players we've now got here at the club, it's important that we improve on last season's showing and really push on in the league. The yo-yo days are certainly over at West Ham. Last year, everyone thought we were gone but in typical West Ham spirit we dug in deep and proved that we deserve our place in the Premier League. Now, the sky's the limit here."

Taken from Sunday Telegraph

A Circle Squared

Carlos Tevez is free to begin his new life as a Manchester United player after the Premier League ratified the Argentina international's drawn-out transfer last night. Tevez underwent a routine medical examination at the club's practice ground yesterday and the paper- work regarding his signing will go through next week. With a mixture of relief and elation, United then intend to unveil Tevez , confirming him officially as their latest recruit in an extensive period of summer buying. That is possible because of an agreement that has been struck between West Ham United and Tevez's management company, Media Sports Investment, that will see the London club receive £2million in compensation following the protracted and messy row about the player's ownership. The impasse was gradually broken during extensive talks over the past 72 hours and with the dispute finally settled, United will pay MSI around £10million for a two-year loan arrangement with the option to buy Tevez permanently at the end of that deal.

Kia Joorabchian, who fronts Media Sports Investments (MSI) and Just Sports Inc (JSI), the companies that own the economic rights to the player, confirmed that he has withdrawn the writ issued against West Ham last week in an attempt to force the club to release Tevez. A statement issued his behalf said: “We are delighted that a settlement has been reached between all parties to secure Carlos Tevez’s move from West Ham United to Manchester United. The agreement brings an end to the legal proceedings started by us against West Ham United in the High Court last week. Our primary concern has always been to resolve this issue amicably and to allow Carlos to pursue his ambition to play for Manchester United. Carlos is looking forward to being a Manchester United player and his ambition is close to being achieved. We would like to thank Manchester United for all their patience and support throughout."

West Ham said in a statement: "West Ham United can confirm that a settlement has been reached today with the representatives of Carlos Tevez which will allow the player to leave the club. The settlement ends the current litigation taking place between the respective parties and provides for a £2 million fee to be paid to West Ham. The agreement confirms that West Ham do have a valid player’s contract with Carlos Tevez and hold the registration of the player. This will be released once the agreed fee has been paid to the club. The terms of the settlement are consistent with undertakings given by West Ham United to the Premier League and the rules of The Football Association."

The Premier League confirmed it was satisfied West Ham had behaved in line with their undertakings when they terminated deals with Joorabchian in April. Their statement reads: "The decision of the [Premier League] board, having received leading counsel's opinion, is that the agreement reached is compliant with the rules of the Premier League and consistent with the undertakings given by West Ham United to the Premier League board at various times since 27th April 2007. This will lead to the cancellation of Tevez's registration, thereby releasing him to join another club in due course."

The Guardian state that financially the big winner is Joorabchian, who stands to make a fortune from his association with Tevez, but also West Ham will be relieved to have brought the matter to a close after several weeks of fractious negotiations. Tevez was the club's player of the year last season as he inspired their late run to avoid relegation to the Championship but ever since United expressed an interest in the attacker at the start of summer it has been obvious that he would sever his ties with Upton Park. "I am obviously pleased that we have finally reached the end of this saga through agreement and common sense," said the West Ham chairman, Eggert Magnusson. "All parties involved can now move on and focus on the new season. I wish Carlos Tevez well for the next stage of his playing career. He is a fine player and I am sure he will be successful wherever he plays football. Personally, I am looking forward to the next stage of our development as a club and for what I hope will be a very exciting new season in the Premier League."

Sue Mott, in her column in The Telegraph, argues that the even bigger winners are actually the lawyers, the ones who tossed the dispute and then crossed it, examined and poked it, and decided that, all things considered, to let things lie. Then they submitted their bills. 'It used to be that football caused excitement at the bar. Now football causes excitement at the Bar', writes Mott. 'With the joyful termination of the Tevez case, the lawyers can celebrate the fact that their input - not to mention arguments, trades, affidavits, accusations, defences and, of course, bills - has vastly contributed to the reputation of something we once called The People's Game. Only if those people are wearing wigs. And how perspicacious of the legal eagles to discover that there was a way round the Tevez affair that threatened to embarrass the Premier League.'

As the most controversial, drawn-out and unedifying transfer of modern times appears to have reached its conclusion yesterday, the fall-out from the Carlos Tevez affair may not be over yet insist The Independent. Speaking in the paper, Neil Warnock poured scorn on the £2million fee the Hammers have received for the Argentine striker and revealed his former club, Sheffield United, are still considering further legal action. Warnock, who left Bramall Lane in the wake of the Blades' relegation, said: "I'm astounded that a £30million player can be transferred for £2million. I'm sure everyone in football knows why." There was no official comment from Sheffield United but Kevin McCabe, the plc chairman, was known to be consulting the club's lawyers. A statement is likely today.

Further reading: Carlos Tevez factfile; Carlos Tevez timeline;

Dyer Situation

Kieron Dyer's proposed £6million transfer to West Ham United collapsed last night after sources revealed that Newcastle United inflated the fee to £8million at the 11th hour. Although Dyer, who nurses an undisclosed liver complaint and has a history of hamstring and shin trouble, passed a day-long medical at a London hospital on Thursday, West Ham sent the England midfielder away unsigned yesterday, complaining that Newcastle had reneged on an agreement reached on Wednesday by increasing his price at the last minute. The two clubs had agreed that West Ham would pay £5million plus a further £1million related to appearances but that basic outlay was raised to £7million shortly before the player was due to put pen to paper. The Guardian claim sources close to the player first suspected a hitch when Newcastle failed to return West Ham a signed copy of the originally mutually approved transfer forms.

George Caulkin, writing in The Times, says that Newcastle United dramatically raised the asking price at the behest of Mike Ashley. The new club owner is said to be unhappy with the way he believes West Ham have conducted business. According to The Mail that includes directly approaching the midfielder and being accused of unsettling the 28-year-old before they were given permission to speak to him, which West Ham deny. There appeared to be pessimism that the deal could be revived last night although The Express quote sources close to Dyer as saying a compromise will be reached. The Guardian think there will be no movement on the price from West Ham, which could force an unwilling Dyer to start the new campaign at St James’ Park. Dyer, who desperately wanted a move south for family reasons, is sure to alarmed at the prospect of returning to the club where he has recently been the victim of a hate campaign from Newcastle supporters.

In further bad news for Hammers fans, Eidur Gudjohnsen has denied reports linking him with a move to Upton Park. The Independent states the Icelandic striker has been pushed down the pecking order at Barcelona but he says he has not been in contact with the Premiership club and is determined to fight for his place at the Nou Camp. "My first priority is to stay and so far I am not thinking about anything else. I remember when I was at Chelsea and manager Claudio Ranieri said that as he had Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Adrian Mutu and Hernan Crespo, I was going to be the fourth striker. I accepted that and in the end I ended up playing many games. I know that you always get chances and I am not going to give up."

KUMB Q & A: Alan Curbishley (part three)

Here is the third part of an exclusive interview given by Alan Curbishley on the recent pre-season tour of Austria. It is taken from KUMB and credit goes to Gary Jones and Colin Wells for their excellent work in making this happen...

KUMB.com: This is your team now?

Alan Curbishley: It’s my backroom staff - and I feel all the players here today want to be here. At the end of the season I asked the players if they wanted to be here or if they wanted to go. If they didn’t want to be here we did something about it - simple as that. There were no big bust ups; football is not that way now - it’s a totally different game altogether. The only one who was a disappointment was Yossi, because he had agreed to stay. He agreed a five year contract - I was on holiday when he agreed it and I was happy as could be. Then Liverpool changed his mind, so that was a disappointing one.

Nigel [Reo-Coker] intimated [that he wanted to leave] at Christmas, after Christmas and at the end of the season. So end of season was the time to sort it out. Paul Konchesky - contrary to what people might think I’ve never had a bust-up with Paul. He felt he wanted to leave, I said, ‘let’s get to the end of the season and we’ll sort it out’. The same with Marlon, he was that way inclined as well.

All I said to the club was, ‘if you get the right money and they don’t want to be here, then the decision …’ I want players that want to be here, but they gave their lot in the run-in, all of them. Nigel played all the games for me, Marlon played games and was on the fringe of it - and scored an important goal up at Wigan. Yossi was totally committed. But I’ve got 20-odd players now that want to be here, and if we can bring a couple more in before the window closes I think I’ll have players focused at the right age with the right enthusiasm and the right ingredients for the Premiership.

KUMB: What areas are you trying to fill now? Obviously the right-hand side looks short?

AC: Yeah, we’re a bit skinny in certain areas and I’ve got to make sure that we don’t get left a little bit bare when the window closes. But it’s difficult because we are looking for certain qualities.

KUMB: Is it the midfield you’re focusing on?

AC: No, anything can happen - things change as you go along. I know the areas where I think we’re a bit skinny and we need to improve on that, so if we can we will. But I’ve said to the club, ‘this is what I think we need to do, can they go and do it’ - but we’re not irresponsible. I think that a lot of the press is negative, I don’t know why.

KUMB: I'd like to speak about the youth team set-up. Obviously, Tony Carr and his staff have done a fantastic job in recent times. Eggert said when he came in that he wanted to rebuild the Academy - do you know what he meant by that?

AC: I think he said he’d want to invest in it because it’s renowned for the players that have come through - like a lot of clubs. I had Bowyer, Parker and other young players coming through regularly at Charlton, then we had a bit of a void. But I think most clubs in London have had that, because the players have got to be of such [high standard] to get in Premiership first teams as the competition is so great. You find that if a young English player gets in his team then within a season or two he’s being pushed for the full [national] squad because that is the nature of it now. West Ham have had a little bit of a void but they’ve not done too bad - Anton, Noble …

But first thing’s first. Eggert’s come in a month before me, the club is in a relegation battle, that’s gone now and we’re looking to establish ourselves as a decent Premiership side. I think that the next step is to invest in the academy. I’ve spoke to Tony and I know everybody there - Jimmy Anderson was my youth development officer at Charlton before he left to come over to West Ham. I’ve only been here for six months and I’ve been concentrating on the first team, as we sit here now. I’ve got my staff [in place]. I’m happy, I think the players are happy with the people we’ve got, the physics and fitness people - and I hope they’ve enjoyed the pre-season.

KUMB: The buzz amongst the players and the staff … to compare this to before …

A: Yeah, well I don’t know what went on before. I don’t know how things were done except to say that once it all settles down is it up to you to impose what you want. So we’ve had a little bit of a change around and the people that have left - funnily enough - have gone to Charlton! I wrote to them all personally thanking them for their efforts - I’ve got no problem there.

KUMB: Do you ever feel as if you’ve not been given enough credit for last season?

A: No, I’ve got some good friends who are West Ham fans and they were suffering as well, as I said earlier. I didn’t realise how great the responsibility of being West Ham manager was, but I do now. What I’ve said to these players this year is that if you work for West Ham you work for us - and it means everything. It means on the field, off the field; it means signing balls, signing shirts; it means doing all the things that mean a lot to people. Whilst it may not count too much for them it counts for every fan that gets something, or a fan who feels they’ve been treated right.

Perhaps the players have got to mend a few bridges? I don’t think that is the case because I think the fans, if they think their team is trying, that’s enough for them - but we got a lot of bad press last year and I include off the field. I’m part of it, we got a lot of bad press for all sorts of things and we’ve got to change that - we’ve got to be talked about for football. We [had that] near the end [of the season] and we have got to carry on. As I say, with off the field activities they’ve got to be very careful.

KUMB: One last question Alan. Moving away from Upton Park - is that something that you are aware of?

AC: Yeah. I was brought up a mile from West Ham station, in Gainsborough Road. I went to Gainsborough Road primary school, I then went to South West Ham Tech on the Barking Road which was called Trinity, now it might be something else …

KUMB: I’m not sure …

AC: And the piece of land that we’re talking about is directly opposite the house I lived in Gainsborough Road …

KUMB: Is that that Parcel Force?

AC: Parcel Force, yeah - it’s exactly opposite where I used to walk over Star Lane to go to school every day.

KUMB: By our original ground?

AC: Yeah. I lived in the flats that backed onto that, they’re called Kimberley Gardens now but they were called Manor Road Buildings when I lived there. Things have changed. I said to Eggert, ‘I can't believe the piece of land you’re being given, it’s just half-a-mile from where I was brought up’. I think he was quite impressed by that because although he thought I was a West Ham boy I don’t think he realised how [much of a] West Ham boy.

My brother has bought four season tickets; I get tickets, but he still bought four - he wants to go and sit where he wants to sit and I’ve got a lot of other pressure put on me. My wife comes from Wilshaw Road, which is down the side of the statue, all the family come from East Ham. It’s a big thing, every day is a West Ham day.

KUMB: I did my research on that because a friend of mine is Nick Hollings - he used to support Charlton. I asked him ‘what’s Curbishley like?’ and he said ‘he’s proper West Ham.’ Nick worked with you for years when he was at Charlton, didn’t he?

AC: Yeah. I always enjoyed going back to Upton Park - I had a good record actually!

KUMB: Yeah you did when you were with Charlton - for a bit …

AC: Yeah, I loved it. It was great for me and Merv, we come from an era which I think a lot of fans relate to - you know, the players that they talk about now. People talk about the boys of ’86 - fine, great, you know. But a lot of them talk about the Brookings and the Bonds.

KUMB: ’75 onwards for us …

AC: The Lampards and the Hollands … David Cross is one of our scouts now. It was my era. It’s great that the Chairman’s got Bonzo back, he’s come to the games near the end and felt at home so obviously he’ll take it on. Trevor’s still around. But there’s a lot of fans now that don’t remember that - we’ve got a lot of fans wanting. We’ve got to give them something else now and I like to think that the least we are going to give them is a competitive team. If everyone stays fit, and we get off to the start I would like, we’ll give them a competitive team.

So we move on. We can't forget what happened to us - I don’t think that anyone should forget that you’re one game away from going down, you know, but the way I look at it is that a season starts now and ends there - and we got 41 points. We may have got 41 points in a rather peculiar way but you still need 41 points. When I came in I knew we had to get over 38 - I looked at it and thought we need 38 or more to stay up. So it needed eight or nine wins, and we ended up doing it the wrong way - we ended up beating the top teams and lost to the smaller ones. I’m saying to the players, ‘sort out the little ones because I know you can compete with the big ones’. I don’t go overboard, I don’t jump up and down etc. etc. but I know what’s going on and I do feel that the team last year was very young and needed a bit of direction.

KUMB: But they learnt from it?

AC: I hope so. I think they’ve learnt from the last three years. At Old Trafford, for the last game, I didn’t see any nerves because they’ve been to finals. They’ve been to a play-off final and lost, they’ve been to a play-off final and won, they’ve been to an FA Cup Final and lost - so that wasn’t a problem. You know, we got a bit of luck - as you say, the Blackburn game, [we had] a bit of luck there. But something happened in that game, as it happened in the Spurs game. I think we had a bit of a surge in that game - we were one down and had a surge where for 20 minutes or so we were kicking down that end and got the two goals and held on. I thought something came back to the team and it was different from then on. So as far as I’m concerned, we start afresh and everyone starts afresh - the people that wasn’t in the side at the end, I’ve not got any favourites, I’ve not picked a side. My immediate concern is to get through tomorrow night.

KUMB: Are you going to ask that it goes back?

AC: I’m going to try - my idea was to play two separate teams so everyone gets 90 minutes.

KUMB: Like at Dagenham?

AC: Well, no - one team will play for 90 minutes at Orient and one team will play for 90 minutes at MK Dons. No favourites, because I think by then they’ve all had three half games but then they get a full 90 minutes in and we start pushing on. After three weeks of work you need a 90 minute [run out]. I tend to work hard in pre-season. We trained hard before the Dagenham game and we’ve trained hard before the Sigma game. I must admit that the injury [to Faubert] done us a little bit because we all knew what he’d done, and it was a bit deflating in the end. But we’re looking to get fit, and I will know by Tuesday/Wednesday night if we’re on our way because I know what the fitness levels were at Charlton. But I think we’ve got a fit bunch of boys. So we’re looking forward to it. I don’t know if it’s any different from last year, I don’t know if anyone was out pre-season.

Last year after the final there were three or four people who had to have operations, so they had them during pre-season - I think that’s the way it went. Anton done his hamstring, Dean done his ankle and I think Etherington done his knee. You couldn’t say at any stage last year what that team was going to be and that was a big problem. If Alan [Pardew] had been lucky enough to have kept it like that he may still be at West Ham - but that’s what happens. For me, I see it as a challenge. I’m looking forward to it and I want to do well for all sorts of reasons. But I mainly want to do well because I’m a West Ham boy. We’ll go from there.

KUMB: Alan - thank you for your time.

Last Minute Talks

Hopes were rising yesterday of a negotiated settlement to the Carlos Tevez affair as West Ham executives met representatives from Media Sports Investment and Just Sports Inc. According to The Guardian, the talks are thought to be the first held in person between executives of the two sides since a writ was served on the club by MSI-JSI last week. Eggert Magnusson was not involved in the negotiations because he is expected to be called as a witness if the case reaches the high court for a three-day hearing from August 22. Although the meeting broke up last night without an agreement, a positive outlook was being maintained by both sides as they look to secure a last minute deal. A compromise must now be reached within the next 24 hours before Joorabchian and his company Media Sports Investment are compelled to lodge all their papers with the High Court.

Speaking in the Mail, Carlos Tevez has pleaded for his move to Manchester United to be speeded up to prevent his performances suffering in the early part of the season. The delay is reported to be demoralising the 23-year-old striker, who said: "We need a solution quickly so that I can get on with my career. To play for a super club like Manchester United without any preseason work behind me is going to be a real handicap. I am a fighter and am prepared for any challenge. In my career I have demonstrated this many times. But this is going to be very difficult. I desire a swift solution and demand now that all parties arrive at an agreement because I just want to play. I am not responsible for all this bureaucracy. Mentally I am prepared for to play for United at any moment, but physically it may be more difficult the longer this goes on. My hope was I'd be involved in the Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday. That I am not is very painful."

The Smoking Gun

The Carlos Tevez saga took a dramatic twist in the high court yesterday when West Ham United's lawyers challenged the authenticity of a document presented by Media Sports Investment and Just Sports Inc. The document, filed at a depositions hearing, was sent by Eggert Magnusson to Kia Joorabchian on 1 December after he had examined the nature of the Tevez deal which would ultimately end in a record £5.5million fine for its "third-party" element that broke Premier League rules. The West Ham chairman, who had then only gained control of the club 10 days earlier, drew up the contract. It made amendments to the original third-party deal agreed last summer when Tévez and Javier Mascherano arrived at Upton Park. The new agreement was signed by Scott Duxbury, the club’s deputy chief executive who was legal director at the time, and proposed that on July 1 Tevez would be released from the club and stipulated that, if he remained at Upton Park, MSI-JSI would have to make payments that would effectively cover his wages.

The emergence of the new document is potentially explosive as West Ham, under pressure from Sheffield United's claims that Tevez should not have been allowed to continue playing for the club at the end of last season, insisted in a statement on July 19 that no other contracts relating to his ownership were in existence. The Premier League’s independent commission also said that one reason for not deducting points from the club was because the new owners should not be penalised for the misdemeanours of a previous regime. MSI-JSI consider the document central to their breach-of-contract case against the Hammers, in which they demand that Tevez be freed from his obligations with West Ham and permitted to move to Manchester United. Joorabchian's lawyers say the Dec 1 contract proves Magnusson and the club agreed to let the player go once the season ended. West Ham say the document was rescinded and its terms were never executed because it was not countersigned by Tevez and they had not received copies of the countersigned agreements. But the copy of the document filed at yesterday's hearing was furnished with dates and signatures, prompting West Ham's challenge over its authenticity.

West Ham insist that, although the document has now been signed by Joorabchian and Tevez, it was not signed in December, meaning it was invalid. West Ham add that the unsigned document was sent to the Premier League in February, and that the signed version of the contract only emerged in June. Their line is backed by the Premier League, who say they received an "unexecuted" copy of the contract ahead of the independent commission which fined West Ham £5.5 million for breaking rules on third-party ownership in April. West Ham are to call graphologist and forensic experts to try to prove the Dec 1 contract was not signed at the time it was drawn up. Acting for West Ham, Michael Bowsher QC, said: "The signatures of these individuals other than those signatures from West Ham were not made on the date purported to be made and that is relevant. The date purports to be Dec 1 2006 but it seems to be very much later and likely to be a recent development." Joorabchian's lawyers are expected to argue that it is irrelevant when it was signed and that the contract was "active".

The court's decision could come down to the exact date that the December 1 deal was signed by Tevez. It was confirmed yesterday that the 23-year-old player will himself be called to give evidence in the case. He is expected to be cross-examined on exactly when the contract was signed. After the independent commission handed down their judgement, Tevez was switched to a four-year deal and the original illegal third-party agreement was discarded. West Ham have claimed that this would entitle them to any transfer fee generated.