OK, I got a little too excited yesterday about Adriano. He's not coming to West Ham. Adriano favors a move to Lazio, which made the group stages of the Champions League, and doesn't want to leave Italy. This is where these transfers all get tricky for West Ham. To reach European football, West Ham have to improve their team, but, at least in the transfer market, to improve their team, West Ham have to be able to hold out the prospect of European football. Offering lucrative wages isn't enough on its own.
The Irons are renewing their efforts to acquire younger midfielder Giles Barnes from Derby County, upping their bid to £5 million, according to the Independent. Left-back Nicky Shorey seems likely to come to West Ham from Reading, provided the Irons increase their offer by a million pounds, to £6 million. Shorey is the likeliest to happen before the summer window closes on Friday. Barnes is close to being fit and that deal could happen this week, too, with the Hammers probably motivated by Kieron Dyer's broken leg. Adriano will have to remain on the wish list for January.
I'm going out of town Friday, so I probably won't be able to write about the conclusion to the summmer transfer window in a timely fashion. I expect to be able to watch the match away to Reading, however, and will follow up with a post on that, although perhaps not until Monday.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A good run spoiled
A cup run is an admirable goal for a side like West Ham. Looking to consolidate their relegation escape by moving into mid-table this season, a good run in either the FA Cup or the Carling Cup would give supporters something to make them believe that West Ham are headed for bigger and better things eventually. The Hammers' first step in the Carling Cup brought a 2-1 win away to Bristol Rovers, but came with another terrible injury blow, too. Midfielder Kieron Dyer was stretchered off inside of a quarter hour with what is believed to be two broken bones in his lower leg.
"I think from us we see the League Cup as a competition we can do well in," Curbishley said. "We have seen Middlesbrough, Bolton and Wigan get to the final in recent years so we attacked it with that in mind. But at the moment we feel the luck is against us." It's no wonder Curbishley feels that way. West Ham signed four midfielders this summer, and all four (Dyer, Julien Faubert, Freddie Ljungberg and Scott Parker) are out with injuries right now, with Dyer and Faubert (Achilles tendon) being the most serious. One of Curbishley's major signings in January, Matthew Upson, was injured nearly the entire time after he came to Upton Park from Birmingham City. (As an aside, notice, too, that Curbishley called it the League Cup, rather than use the sponsor's name -- West Ham has a sponsorship deal with Carlsberg, not Carling, after all.)
The Telegraph described the challenge from Joe Jacobson as innocuous. Curbishley ripped Jacobson's challenge:
I have watched Dyer play twice for West Ham and once for England (in the June friendly against Brazil), and even with that limited exposure to him, this injury hits me hard. I thought Dyer was off to a nice start for the Hammers, and I liked his interactions with Craig Bellamy, reprising their work together with Newcastle.
The injury understandably overshadowed Craig Bellamy's first two goals for West Ham. Both were scored in the first half in West Ham's 2-1 win over the Rovers. Striker Dean Ashton's return to the starting lineup also was expected for the Carling Cup tie, but his girlfriend went into labor, so Ashton stayed behind and will be available for Saturday's fixture away to Reading.
"I think from us we see the League Cup as a competition we can do well in," Curbishley said. "We have seen Middlesbrough, Bolton and Wigan get to the final in recent years so we attacked it with that in mind. But at the moment we feel the luck is against us." It's no wonder Curbishley feels that way. West Ham signed four midfielders this summer, and all four (Dyer, Julien Faubert, Freddie Ljungberg and Scott Parker) are out with injuries right now, with Dyer and Faubert (Achilles tendon) being the most serious. One of Curbishley's major signings in January, Matthew Upson, was injured nearly the entire time after he came to Upton Park from Birmingham City. (As an aside, notice, too, that Curbishley called it the League Cup, rather than use the sponsor's name -- West Ham has a sponsorship deal with Carlsberg, not Carling, after all.)
The Telegraph described the challenge from Joe Jacobson as innocuous. Curbishley ripped Jacobson's challenge:
"I think the Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed with his tackle. As far as I can see he has lashed out after losing the ball and caught Kieron in a difficult area."I saw the play on Fox Soccer Report, but they insisted on having a big "Carling Cup" logo with the team names that obscured the challenge, basically. All I can tell is that it appeared that Jacobson hit Dyer on the back of the leg. A free kick was awarded, but no card was shown. The Times noted the effect of Dyer's injury on England's Euro 2008 bid.
I have watched Dyer play twice for West Ham and once for England (in the June friendly against Brazil), and even with that limited exposure to him, this injury hits me hard. I thought Dyer was off to a nice start for the Hammers, and I liked his interactions with Craig Bellamy, reprising their work together with Newcastle.
The injury understandably overshadowed Craig Bellamy's first two goals for West Ham. Both were scored in the first half in West Ham's 2-1 win over the Rovers. Striker Dean Ashton's return to the starting lineup also was expected for the Carling Cup tie, but his girlfriend went into labor, so Ashton stayed behind and will be available for Saturday's fixture away to Reading.
Intriguing transfer news
Brazilian striker Adriano has been linked to a move to West Ham from Inter Milan. The Independent reports that a £15 million transfer fee is close to being agreed. Adriano wants a permanent move if he's going anywhere, not a loan deal, as Manchester City was interested in. The Guardian is still reporting that Inter and West Ham are discussing a loan deal. The club statement on Adriano acknowledged that discussions are taking place, that a loan deal is a possibility and that "the figures that have been quoted in the media are inaccurate," as the deal is not far enough along for the money to be agreed. Adriano isn't the biggest Brazilian name being linked to the Premiership as the Ronaldinho-to-Chelsea rumors are hot.
Adriano, 25, has been criticized by club and country, with accusations that he parties too much. Yet, he has been a force for both Internazionale (43 goals in 99 appearances) and Brazil (25 goals in 36 appearances), the Independent's Jason Burt notes. I was unfamiliar with Adriano (I'm really regretting that I didn't start following football before the 2006 World Cup finals -- I would be familiar with a lot more players) so I took a look at some video of him on YouTube. I saw a magnificent finisher with the left foot, a deft touch on the dribble and a talent in the air. The longest compilation features highlights from both club and country. Two shorter complilations also offer a mix of highlights, this one weighted to Inter clips and this one a little heavier on Brazil footage. This last one is devoted to his work for Inter and possibly Parma, where he went out on loan in the past. There's one amazing play that is featured in several of the videos. I can't even find the words to describe it. You'll know what I'm talking about if I just tell you this much: The clips show Adriano and a defender running to the goal line to the keeper's left, near the edge of the 18-yard box.
Adriano, 25, has been criticized by club and country, with accusations that he parties too much. Yet, he has been a force for both Internazionale (43 goals in 99 appearances) and Brazil (25 goals in 36 appearances), the Independent's Jason Burt notes. I was unfamiliar with Adriano (I'm really regretting that I didn't start following football before the 2006 World Cup finals -- I would be familiar with a lot more players) so I took a look at some video of him on YouTube. I saw a magnificent finisher with the left foot, a deft touch on the dribble and a talent in the air. The longest compilation features highlights from both club and country. Two shorter complilations also offer a mix of highlights, this one weighted to Inter clips and this one a little heavier on Brazil footage. This last one is devoted to his work for Inter and possibly Parma, where he went out on loan in the past. There's one amazing play that is featured in several of the videos. I can't even find the words to describe it. You'll know what I'm talking about if I just tell you this much: The clips show Adriano and a defender running to the goal line to the keeper's left, near the edge of the 18-yard box.
The final touch lacking
I finally got to watch West Ham's 1-1 draw home to Wigan Athletic on Monday night. I went to the Globe Saturday morning, but was soon informed that West Ham-Wigan was the one fixture that morning that wasn't available on satellite. I stuck around for a little over an hour, and then I left to meet TMG and her friend for brunch.
Frustrated that I had gotten up early on a Saturday and not seen my side play, I decided to take the plunge with Setanta Broadband. I was disappointed to find out that the matches are not available on demand. I could not watch the match when it first aired late Saturday afternoon, so I had to wait till Monday night. The set up, at least on my two Apple computers, was poor. I have a cable modem broadband connection, but the site seems to rely on Flash, and Flash is poor on Apple computers. I will have to try watching on TMG's PC. If you're seen The Bourne Ultimatum, with its shaky, hand-held cameras and quick cuts, you'll get a decent idea of what the broadcast looked like. Occasionally, the screen looked like a LeRoy Nieman painting. Still, I was glad to be able to see the match, finally.
The biggest play of the first half was a no-call inside Wigan's six-yard box. It appeared that Mark Noble was hauled down around the 27th minute. The defender definitely got his arm around Noble a bit, but the midfielder also seemed to lean into the Wigan player. With the picture quality, I can't say whether it was deserved or not. A few minutes later, Craig Bellamy thought he had his first goal for West Ham, but he was called offsides. Again, it was too hard to tell with the video quality that I was watching. Wigan's Jason Koumas beat Robert Green in the 41st minute, but his shot hit the upright.
Early in the second half, West Ham continued to have the better of the chances, but just couldn't finish any of them. Lucas Neill, making his season debut, received a pass from Kieron Dyer and had a shot, but he hesitated. Instead, he returned the ball to Dyer, but he was now offsides. A couple of free kicks and a corner kick also provided some opportunities in the first quarter hour of the second half. Dean Ashton came on as a substitute for Bobby Zamora around the 60th minute -- I was forced to play with the video options occasionally to reset the sound, and each time, I would lose a bit of the action -- and Lee Bowyer came on for Hayden Mullins in the 65th minute. The final substitution saw Luis Boa Morte replace Bellamy. I must acknowledge that this troubled me. Moments later, Wigan struck first, with a circus bicycle kick by Paul Scharner leaving no recourse for Green. Two minutes later, some good play by Boa Morte and Bowyer -- and no one could have been more surprised by that than I was -- nearly brought the equalizer. Then, even more stunning, a minute later, they combine for the first live-ball goal for the Hammers this season, by Bowyer. Boa Morte also had some nice play the rest of the way with Ashton. West Ham had a few decent chances the rest of the way, although they almost conceded in the 90th minute with a weak back pass to Green.
Through three matches, the Hammers have won four points and sit 14th on the table. It's an OK start, nothing more. The six teams below West Ham on the table have all played four games, so that's a positive. A negative is taking only one point from a possible six at home so far, but that's balanced a bit by taking all three in their only away match.
Frustrated that I had gotten up early on a Saturday and not seen my side play, I decided to take the plunge with Setanta Broadband. I was disappointed to find out that the matches are not available on demand. I could not watch the match when it first aired late Saturday afternoon, so I had to wait till Monday night. The set up, at least on my two Apple computers, was poor. I have a cable modem broadband connection, but the site seems to rely on Flash, and Flash is poor on Apple computers. I will have to try watching on TMG's PC. If you're seen The Bourne Ultimatum, with its shaky, hand-held cameras and quick cuts, you'll get a decent idea of what the broadcast looked like. Occasionally, the screen looked like a LeRoy Nieman painting. Still, I was glad to be able to see the match, finally.
The biggest play of the first half was a no-call inside Wigan's six-yard box. It appeared that Mark Noble was hauled down around the 27th minute. The defender definitely got his arm around Noble a bit, but the midfielder also seemed to lean into the Wigan player. With the picture quality, I can't say whether it was deserved or not. A few minutes later, Craig Bellamy thought he had his first goal for West Ham, but he was called offsides. Again, it was too hard to tell with the video quality that I was watching. Wigan's Jason Koumas beat Robert Green in the 41st minute, but his shot hit the upright.
Early in the second half, West Ham continued to have the better of the chances, but just couldn't finish any of them. Lucas Neill, making his season debut, received a pass from Kieron Dyer and had a shot, but he hesitated. Instead, he returned the ball to Dyer, but he was now offsides. A couple of free kicks and a corner kick also provided some opportunities in the first quarter hour of the second half. Dean Ashton came on as a substitute for Bobby Zamora around the 60th minute -- I was forced to play with the video options occasionally to reset the sound, and each time, I would lose a bit of the action -- and Lee Bowyer came on for Hayden Mullins in the 65th minute. The final substitution saw Luis Boa Morte replace Bellamy. I must acknowledge that this troubled me. Moments later, Wigan struck first, with a circus bicycle kick by Paul Scharner leaving no recourse for Green. Two minutes later, some good play by Boa Morte and Bowyer -- and no one could have been more surprised by that than I was -- nearly brought the equalizer. Then, even more stunning, a minute later, they combine for the first live-ball goal for the Hammers this season, by Bowyer. Boa Morte also had some nice play the rest of the way with Ashton. West Ham had a few decent chances the rest of the way, although they almost conceded in the 90th minute with a weak back pass to Green.
Through three matches, the Hammers have won four points and sit 14th on the table. It's an OK start, nothing more. The six teams below West Ham on the table have all played four games, so that's a positive. A negative is taking only one point from a possible six at home so far, but that's balanced a bit by taking all three in their only away match.
Monday, August 20, 2007
A first step
Lee Bowyer and Luis Boa Morte were kept off the field. Alan Curbishley managed to keep out of his team's way. And Mark Noble ranged all over the pitch at St. Andrew's and buried a penalty shot, as West Ham left Birmingham with its first points of the seaon in a 1-0 win.
Bowyer and Boa Morte sat in favor of the players who came on at halftime of the Manchester City loss, Hayden Mullins and Matthew Etherington. Scott Parker and Lucas Neill remained out of the lineup with injuries. Jonathan Spector again filled in for Neill.
For me, it was my first visit in nearly four months to the Globe. TMG dropped me off around 8:45 a.m. With Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United playing on Sunday, it wasn't as packed as it was in the final weeks of last season, but there was a solid crowd on hand. The Irons were on the front TV with the sound on. I gave the Reggina scarf that I bought in Italy to the manager, and then I sat down to await the kickoff.
The first half was not pretty to watch. A couple of the accounts that I read described it as awful or dreadful or something similar. The first 15 to 20 minutes were poor for West Ham, but it was clear during that interval, too, that Birmingham weren't going to provide the fluid opposition that Manchester City did. About midway through the half, however, West Ham started to put some pressure on the Birmingham goal. New Hammer Kieron Dyer could have won a penalty in the first half when he was taken down in the box by a Birmingham defender around the half-hour mark. He darted in on a deft pass from Craig Bellamy. Noble hit the upright on a free kick taken just outside the penalty area.
West Ham continued its pressure in the second half, but they were having trouble finishing any of the chances that they created. It took a penalty call in the 70th minute to break the deadlock. Dyer returned the favor from the first half and sprung Bellamy for the run that led to the penalty with a nice diagonal ball. As Bellamy closed on the ball, Birmingham keeper Colin Doyle came off his line and slid in Bellamy's path. The disagreement is whether he got a touch on the ball before taking Bellamy out of the play.
Colin Malam in the Telegraph questioned the penalty call. (He also described Dyer's debut as "disappointing." I'd say it was a decent debut, especially for a player who signed just a few days before the match. Dyer, as I think he's always done when fit, showed great pace and creativity.) Another Telegraph writer, Martin Smith, was more complimentary of Bellamy and Dyer, noting that they picked up where they left off when both played at Newcastle. The Independent called the penalty rightly granted, and noted that "the home side survived a host of bad misses while creating precious little." John Ashdown in the Guardian also found the penalty properly granted, and he called Dyer's debut "impressive." Ashdown noted that with Dyer, Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and Julien Faubert joining, West Ham has added an entire midfield and said Noble may have to work for his place in the lineup. Dyer, Ljungberg and Faubert all play on the wing, or at least prefer playing there; only Parker plays central midfield as a first choice.
Curbishley made only one substitution, bringing on Danny Gabbidon in the 82nd minute for Spector. One report last week -- in the Times, I think -- noted that Curbishley perhaps tinkered too much against Man City. The Hammers played their best football at the outset of the second half, and their improved play was keyed by Etherington, who subbed in for Boa Morte. The flow was disrupted, however, when Etherington was shifted to the backline when Dean Ashton came on. On Saturday, with his lineup clicking and the Hammers playing an opponent who played in midweek while West Ham were resting, Curbishley was wise enough to leave things alone.
Duncan Mackay in the Observer reported that Bellamy allegedly was involved with a scuffle with some Birmingham players who accused him of diving on the penalty. I did notice Bellamy having words with a few of his opponents as he left the pitch. "Just keep walking, Craiggers," I said. (I have found myself referring to him as "Craiggers" during both games so far. I don't recall whether I heard that somewhere else.) Whatever happened after they were out of camera range, West Ham were able to walk out with a win, ultimately.
Bowyer and Boa Morte sat in favor of the players who came on at halftime of the Manchester City loss, Hayden Mullins and Matthew Etherington. Scott Parker and Lucas Neill remained out of the lineup with injuries. Jonathan Spector again filled in for Neill.
For me, it was my first visit in nearly four months to the Globe. TMG dropped me off around 8:45 a.m. With Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United playing on Sunday, it wasn't as packed as it was in the final weeks of last season, but there was a solid crowd on hand. The Irons were on the front TV with the sound on. I gave the Reggina scarf that I bought in Italy to the manager, and then I sat down to await the kickoff.
The first half was not pretty to watch. A couple of the accounts that I read described it as awful or dreadful or something similar. The first 15 to 20 minutes were poor for West Ham, but it was clear during that interval, too, that Birmingham weren't going to provide the fluid opposition that Manchester City did. About midway through the half, however, West Ham started to put some pressure on the Birmingham goal. New Hammer Kieron Dyer could have won a penalty in the first half when he was taken down in the box by a Birmingham defender around the half-hour mark. He darted in on a deft pass from Craig Bellamy. Noble hit the upright on a free kick taken just outside the penalty area.
West Ham continued its pressure in the second half, but they were having trouble finishing any of the chances that they created. It took a penalty call in the 70th minute to break the deadlock. Dyer returned the favor from the first half and sprung Bellamy for the run that led to the penalty with a nice diagonal ball. As Bellamy closed on the ball, Birmingham keeper Colin Doyle came off his line and slid in Bellamy's path. The disagreement is whether he got a touch on the ball before taking Bellamy out of the play.
Colin Malam in the Telegraph questioned the penalty call. (He also described Dyer's debut as "disappointing." I'd say it was a decent debut, especially for a player who signed just a few days before the match. Dyer, as I think he's always done when fit, showed great pace and creativity.) Another Telegraph writer, Martin Smith, was more complimentary of Bellamy and Dyer, noting that they picked up where they left off when both played at Newcastle. The Independent called the penalty rightly granted, and noted that "the home side survived a host of bad misses while creating precious little." John Ashdown in the Guardian also found the penalty properly granted, and he called Dyer's debut "impressive." Ashdown noted that with Dyer, Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and Julien Faubert joining, West Ham has added an entire midfield and said Noble may have to work for his place in the lineup. Dyer, Ljungberg and Faubert all play on the wing, or at least prefer playing there; only Parker plays central midfield as a first choice.
Curbishley made only one substitution, bringing on Danny Gabbidon in the 82nd minute for Spector. One report last week -- in the Times, I think -- noted that Curbishley perhaps tinkered too much against Man City. The Hammers played their best football at the outset of the second half, and their improved play was keyed by Etherington, who subbed in for Boa Morte. The flow was disrupted, however, when Etherington was shifted to the backline when Dean Ashton came on. On Saturday, with his lineup clicking and the Hammers playing an opponent who played in midweek while West Ham were resting, Curbishley was wise enough to leave things alone.
Duncan Mackay in the Observer reported that Bellamy allegedly was involved with a scuffle with some Birmingham players who accused him of diving on the penalty. I did notice Bellamy having words with a few of his opponents as he left the pitch. "Just keep walking, Craiggers," I said. (I have found myself referring to him as "Craiggers" during both games so far. I don't recall whether I heard that somewhere else.) Whatever happened after they were out of camera range, West Ham were able to walk out with a win, ultimately.
Man City interest in Anelka rises
With striker Valeri Bojinov out till February, at least, with a knee injury, Manchester City is interested in Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka. West Ham have had some interest in Anelka as well. I'd love to see him splitting time with Craig Bellamy and Dean Ashton and squeezing out the playing time of Bobby Zamora, who didn't play well in either match. Zamora still has his uses, but it would be a much stronger club if he were a substitute striker only.
Bringing the Academy stateside
I meant to write about this when it was announced a few weeks ago, but it slipped my mind. West Ham have formed a partnership with United Soccer Leagues, which includes the second and third divisions of men's professional soccer in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean and also young adult and youth soccer. The parternship starts with some coaching and training initiatives and eventually envisions a West Ham USA youth academy and professional team competing in the USL.
I see this as a positive development for both West Ham and the U.S. men's national team. Given the Academy of Football's reputation for developing players, it has to be a good thing for the national team that American players will be exposed to their methods and personnel at the youth level. For West Ham, it's a chance to pick up on promising talent at an earlier stage and perhaps nurture and develop a few players who make their way to the first-team squad eventually. West Ham can't be splashing out cash for players indefinitely, no matter how much the TV networks are paying. A mix of in-house development and purchases in the transfer market is necessary for a team that wants to build into something much bigger. This could provide a conduit for Latin American players to have a connection to West Ham and possibly enable the club to snag players who would otherwise drift to teams with bigger profiles.
I see this as a positive development for both West Ham and the U.S. men's national team. Given the Academy of Football's reputation for developing players, it has to be a good thing for the national team that American players will be exposed to their methods and personnel at the youth level. For West Ham, it's a chance to pick up on promising talent at an earlier stage and perhaps nurture and develop a few players who make their way to the first-team squad eventually. West Ham can't be splashing out cash for players indefinitely, no matter how much the TV networks are paying. A mix of in-house development and purchases in the transfer market is necessary for a team that wants to build into something much bigger. This could provide a conduit for Latin American players to have a connection to West Ham and possibly enable the club to snag players who would otherwise drift to teams with bigger profiles.
Imagine the concession lines
A reader pointed this out to me: Pitchinvasion.net is starting a historical series on famous pitch invasions with a look at the 1923 FA Cup final, which featured West Ham. The Irons took on Bolton and lost 2-0 in that first Cup final at Empire Stadium, later to be known as Wembley Stadium. It's an interesting read.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Bristol in Carling Cup draw
West Ham has drawn Bristol Rovers from League One in the second round of the Carling Cup. The match will be played in Bristol during the week of Aug. 27. Depending on the day, I may be able to sneak away from work to watch this match, assuming that it is a mid-week clash. The Elephant & Castle bar near my office advertises that they air Premiership games, so perhaps they will show this match, too. I have my doubts.
Kieron Dyer is in the squad away to Birmingham City tomorrow, according to various media outlets, but Scott Parker and Lucas Neill are still doubtful, according to Sky Sports.
Kieron Dyer is in the squad away to Birmingham City tomorrow, according to various media outlets, but Scott Parker and Lucas Neill are still doubtful, according to Sky Sports.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Once more unto the breach
Sheffield United has brought another case against West Ham, this time seeking monetary damages of up to £50 million. Sheffield United alleges that West Ham's current ownership misrepresented their "clean hands" before the Premier League panel that reviewed the Carlos Tévez case. The Yorkshire club also contend that West Ham's actions regarding Tévez's transfer to Manchester United this summer prove that he should have been ineligible for the final three games of the season. The Telegraph estimates that the new three-member panel could take up to six months to rule on Sheffield United's claim.
In a statement, West Ham said Sheffield United's claim lacks "legal merit" and is based on a mistaken belief that West Ham withheld documents from the Premier League, in particular the amended third-party agreement that West Ham presented to Kia Joorabchian in December. West Ham contends that that agreement was never executed, and it was submitted to the league panel. The club also warned that it "will not permit these repeated slurs to go unchallenged" and are considering legal action. The Times quoted a legal expert who backs West Ham's position on the new challenge:
Added 18:30/8/17/07: The Times also published this submission from another lawyer with a sports law background, and he, too, is very doubtful about Sheffield United's case.
In a statement, West Ham said Sheffield United's claim lacks "legal merit" and is based on a mistaken belief that West Ham withheld documents from the Premier League, in particular the amended third-party agreement that West Ham presented to Kia Joorabchian in December. West Ham contends that that agreement was never executed, and it was submitted to the league panel. The club also warned that it "will not permit these repeated slurs to go unchallenged" and are considering legal action. The Times quoted a legal expert who backs West Ham's position on the new challenge:
Peter Coyle, an expert in sports litigation, who is a partner at Coyle White Devine, the legal firm, said that Sheffield United do not have a case. “I think they are on a hiding to nothing,” he said. “Sheffield didn’t beat Wigan on the last day. That is a bigger reason for their relegation than Tévez and West Ham.”I don't have much more to add. As I've said in the past, West Ham can rip up, or breach, the contract, but they never bought Tévez in the first place. A columnist in the Telegraph a few weeks ago wondered if he could just rent a car and decide not to turn it in. Wouldn't that be a great way to obtain a car? He reasoned that he would be sued. Right. West Ham claimed to own Tévez, but they were sued. They breached, and they settled. What is so hard to understand about this? I guess that's easy for me to say. It's not millions of pounds of my money.
Added 18:30/8/17/07: The Times also published this submission from another lawyer with a sports law background, and he, too, is very doubtful about Sheffield United's case.
Dyer could play Saturday
Kieron Dyer posed for pictures at Upton Park yesterday holding up a Hammers shirt. Dyer said that he and midfielder Lee Bowyer get along fine now, and that their April 2005 on-field fight in a game against Aston Villa was a one-time deal that has been smothed over.
FA Cup kicks off
A record 741 teams have entered the FA Cup, which begins with 171 ties this weekend. I think the open nature of the FA Cup is one of the coolest things about English football. It's the oldest Cup competition in the world, not surprisingly, and this is the 127th edition.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Birmingham concedes late, draws
Birmingham City has gotten their first match back in the Premiership and their first home match back before West Ham travel to St. Andrews to meet them on Saturday. I think that is an advantage for West Ham, as I imagine that newly promoted teams are really hyped up for those two games. Birmingham appeared to be on their way to victory Wednesday night against Sunderland till Stern John equalized late for a 2-2 draw. Birmingham took its second lead of the game when Garry O'Connor scored eight minutes from time.
West Ham was scheduled to meet Liverpool Wednesday night, but that match has been postponed as Liverpool were away to Toulouse in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie. Liverpool prevailed 1-0, lining them up for entry to the group stages barring a shocking result at Anfield in the second leg. Former Hammer Yossi Benayoun made his Liverpool debut. John Arne Riise substituted for Benayoun in the 59th minute.
After Saturday's disorganized loss to Manchester City, it was fortunate for West Ham to have a full week of training. Of course, that probably means that West Ham will have a rescheduled match with Liverpool sometime when it is inconvenient.
The Guardian followed up the Telegraph's story yesterday about Kieron Dyer's transfer from Newcastle being back in play. The Guardian writes that Newcastle upped its demands from £6 million to £8 million because the club heard that West Ham personnel were bragging that they were getting the midfielder on the cheap. The report states that West Ham believe that they will nab their man for the original £6 million and will be able to spread the transfer fee over the course of Dyer's contract. That deal, the Guardian adds, is heavily based on incentives for the oft-injured midfielder.
West Ham was scheduled to meet Liverpool Wednesday night, but that match has been postponed as Liverpool were away to Toulouse in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie. Liverpool prevailed 1-0, lining them up for entry to the group stages barring a shocking result at Anfield in the second leg. Former Hammer Yossi Benayoun made his Liverpool debut. John Arne Riise substituted for Benayoun in the 59th minute.
After Saturday's disorganized loss to Manchester City, it was fortunate for West Ham to have a full week of training. Of course, that probably means that West Ham will have a rescheduled match with Liverpool sometime when it is inconvenient.
The Guardian followed up the Telegraph's story yesterday about Kieron Dyer's transfer from Newcastle being back in play. The Guardian writes that Newcastle upped its demands from £6 million to £8 million because the club heard that West Ham personnel were bragging that they were getting the midfielder on the cheap. The report states that West Ham believe that they will nab their man for the original £6 million and will be able to spread the transfer fee over the course of Dyer's contract. That deal, the Guardian adds, is heavily based on incentives for the oft-injured midfielder.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Dyer transfer back on?
The Telegraph seems to be the only paper reporting in Wednesday's editions that West Ham and Newcastle are taking another stab granting Kieron Dyer's wish for a transfer out of Tyneside to be closer to his children. The Telegraph said that the initial fee for the 28-year-old would be £6 million, with up to £1 million more contingent on Dyer's appearances. The article notes that previous reports were of a £5 million transfer fee with the same £1 million contingent on appearances, so the clubs are compromising after Newcastle upped their requirements by £2 million pounds at the last minute. This is probably the most good that former Magpie Lee Bowyer has ever done Newcastle United.
Transfer speculation continues regarding Dyer's Newcastle teammate and fellow midfielder, Nolberto Solano, who turns 33 in December. The Peruvian also wants to move to London for family reasons. At the very end of the Telegraph article on Dyer's probably-on-again transfer, there is a mention of striker Eidur Gudjohnsen's possible move to Upton park. Gudjohnsen's wage demands continue to be £100,000 a week.
Transfer speculation continues regarding Dyer's Newcastle teammate and fellow midfielder, Nolberto Solano, who turns 33 in December. The Peruvian also wants to move to London for family reasons. At the very end of the Telegraph article on Dyer's probably-on-again transfer, there is a mention of striker Eidur Gudjohnsen's possible move to Upton park. Gudjohnsen's wage demands continue to be £100,000 a week.
Not keen on WAGs
I don't know there is a group like America's National Organization for Women in the United Kingdom, but if there is, I feel certain that Roy Keane won't be invited to speak at their next conference.
The Sunderland manager and former Manchester United star ripped into some "soft" players who let their wives or girlfriends dictate where they play based on the shopping. Keane, it seems, was venting his frustration over several players who turned down his pursuit over the summer transfer window. He criticized players for being willing to go to lesser London clubs -- he didn't name them, but excluded Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham ("perhaps") from this -- instead of working for Keane on Wearside. He also raked unnamed "star" players for participating in photo shoots because of their partners.
I have not been to the Northeast of England, so I cannot say whether it is an attractive place to live. I have been to London three times, however, and I know it's an unbelievable city. It must be all the more attractive to footballers who are making the kind of money that opens up an immense world of possibilities in a city like London. Moreover, many factors go into where a player chooses to sign on. All other things being more or less equal, why not sign with a London-area club if it makes your wife happy? Despite his harsh comments, Keane, deep down, must know that a player will perform better with a happy home life. Besides the sexism inherent in his comments, there's also an element of "back in my day, everything was better"-style old fogeyism. I am the same age as Keane (36). We're far too young to start being nostalgic for the old days, Roy.
The Sunderland manager and former Manchester United star ripped into some "soft" players who let their wives or girlfriends dictate where they play based on the shopping. Keane, it seems, was venting his frustration over several players who turned down his pursuit over the summer transfer window. He criticized players for being willing to go to lesser London clubs -- he didn't name them, but excluded Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham ("perhaps") from this -- instead of working for Keane on Wearside. He also raked unnamed "star" players for participating in photo shoots because of their partners.
I have not been to the Northeast of England, so I cannot say whether it is an attractive place to live. I have been to London three times, however, and I know it's an unbelievable city. It must be all the more attractive to footballers who are making the kind of money that opens up an immense world of possibilities in a city like London. Moreover, many factors go into where a player chooses to sign on. All other things being more or less equal, why not sign with a London-area club if it makes your wife happy? Despite his harsh comments, Keane, deep down, must know that a player will perform better with a happy home life. Besides the sexism inherent in his comments, there's also an element of "back in my day, everything was better"-style old fogeyism. I am the same age as Keane (36). We're far too young to start being nostalgic for the old days, Roy.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Midfield didn't look mid-table
Scott Parker can't make his Hammers debut soon enough. West Ham were outclassed in the midfield, particularly when Lee Bowyer played, in their Premier League opener, losing 0-2 to Manchester City at Upton Park.
Elano, a Brazilian midfielder that City signed in the close season, ran roughshod through the midfield on a counterattack to set up the first City goal, in the 18th minute. Luis Boa Morte, another midfielder who had a rough day, had lost possession about 35 yards out from the City goal. Elano received a pass near the half line and then burst toward the goal. At the edge of the box, Elano feinted to his left and then darted to his right, going around Matthew Upson like the defender was nailed to the pitch. Elano slid a diagonal pass to the left side of the net for a tap in by City's new Italian striker, Rolando Bianchi. Another new signing, Geovanni, scored late to salt away the match for City.
Bowyer was poor throughout the first half, his passes errant and his possession poor. He kicked one long ball that was "aimless" in the words of one of the announcers. Bowyer also had a handball in the City box on a free kick. He was replaced at halftime by Hayden Mullins. Boa Morte was replaced by Matthew Etherington, also at halftime, and then he moved to left back later in the game. Lucas Neill joined Parker on the sidelines. Jonathan Spector filled in for Neill.
Freddy Ljungberg, making his Hammers debut, wore the captain's armband in place of Neill. I was encouraged by Ljungberg's play. I don't know if he will stay healthy and still have that kind of spring in his step as the season wears on, but Saturday, Ljungberg had good pace and still looked to have plenty of quality and creativity to offer West Ham. In the 61st minute, Bobby Zamora found Etherington with a lob on the left side of the box, and Etherington got to the goal line and slid the ball across for Ljungberg. The boot on his sliding leg seemed to catch on the grass, unfortunately, and the ball went untouched and out of play. That should have been Ljungberg's first Hammers goal.
Another new signing, Craig Bellamy, had a decent day. I had not watched him play before. He showed the great pace that I had read about. He is energetic and similar in height to Carlos Tévez, so he reminded me a bit of Carlos as he chased the ball all over City's end. Bellamy made a great run in the 28th minute, winning a corner from the left. Bobby Zamora screwed up an excellent diagonal ball in just after that corner, failing to get his header online for Bellamy, who would have been alone with the keeper in the box if the header had been on target.
The appearance that was most anticipated, of course, was Dean Ashton's. Shortly after Ashton began warming on the sidelines -- first shown on TV around 52 minutes -- the Hammers faithful began serenading him, "¡Ooo-lé! ¡Olé! ¡Olé! ¡Olé! Dean-o! Dean-o!" As the clock ticked over 63 minutes, Ashton came on for George McCartney with Etherington moving to left-back. Ashton and Zamora played up front, with Ljungberg shifting to the left side and Bellamy playing on the right side. Zamora and Ashton just missed connecting on a chance, and then, in the 78th minute, Ljungberg reached Zamora for a decent one. Just after that, Etherington found Ashton in the box on a brilliant diagonal ball, and Ashton's shot off the volley went over the bar, unfortunately.
The other really good chances for West Ham that I haven't mentioned came at the outset of the second half. Mark Noble, who had some trouble with possession himself, won a corner, taken by Ljungberg, and Upson headed over the bar in the 49th minute. The Irons had a couple of nice chances in the 50th minute, too, thanks to good work from Etherington and Ljungberg, who put a ball to the far post for Bellamy, but defender Micah Richards headed away, as he did several more times when West Ham had chances in the air. A moment later, Zamora and Mullins had it at the top of the box, with Zamora ultimately shooting wide. They sort of got in each other's way, unfortunately.
Like the match that I went to see in February, I had a lot of excitement in the build-up to Opening Day, and I am somewhat deflated by the loss this time, too. At least this time, however, there are 37 fixtures remaining. I'm already looking forward to next Saturday's match away to Birmingham City.
Elano, a Brazilian midfielder that City signed in the close season, ran roughshod through the midfield on a counterattack to set up the first City goal, in the 18th minute. Luis Boa Morte, another midfielder who had a rough day, had lost possession about 35 yards out from the City goal. Elano received a pass near the half line and then burst toward the goal. At the edge of the box, Elano feinted to his left and then darted to his right, going around Matthew Upson like the defender was nailed to the pitch. Elano slid a diagonal pass to the left side of the net for a tap in by City's new Italian striker, Rolando Bianchi. Another new signing, Geovanni, scored late to salt away the match for City.
Bowyer was poor throughout the first half, his passes errant and his possession poor. He kicked one long ball that was "aimless" in the words of one of the announcers. Bowyer also had a handball in the City box on a free kick. He was replaced at halftime by Hayden Mullins. Boa Morte was replaced by Matthew Etherington, also at halftime, and then he moved to left back later in the game. Lucas Neill joined Parker on the sidelines. Jonathan Spector filled in for Neill.
Freddy Ljungberg, making his Hammers debut, wore the captain's armband in place of Neill. I was encouraged by Ljungberg's play. I don't know if he will stay healthy and still have that kind of spring in his step as the season wears on, but Saturday, Ljungberg had good pace and still looked to have plenty of quality and creativity to offer West Ham. In the 61st minute, Bobby Zamora found Etherington with a lob on the left side of the box, and Etherington got to the goal line and slid the ball across for Ljungberg. The boot on his sliding leg seemed to catch on the grass, unfortunately, and the ball went untouched and out of play. That should have been Ljungberg's first Hammers goal.
Another new signing, Craig Bellamy, had a decent day. I had not watched him play before. He showed the great pace that I had read about. He is energetic and similar in height to Carlos Tévez, so he reminded me a bit of Carlos as he chased the ball all over City's end. Bellamy made a great run in the 28th minute, winning a corner from the left. Bobby Zamora screwed up an excellent diagonal ball in just after that corner, failing to get his header online for Bellamy, who would have been alone with the keeper in the box if the header had been on target.
The appearance that was most anticipated, of course, was Dean Ashton's. Shortly after Ashton began warming on the sidelines -- first shown on TV around 52 minutes -- the Hammers faithful began serenading him, "¡Ooo-lé! ¡Olé! ¡Olé! ¡Olé! Dean-o! Dean-o!" As the clock ticked over 63 minutes, Ashton came on for George McCartney with Etherington moving to left-back. Ashton and Zamora played up front, with Ljungberg shifting to the left side and Bellamy playing on the right side. Zamora and Ashton just missed connecting on a chance, and then, in the 78th minute, Ljungberg reached Zamora for a decent one. Just after that, Etherington found Ashton in the box on a brilliant diagonal ball, and Ashton's shot off the volley went over the bar, unfortunately.
The other really good chances for West Ham that I haven't mentioned came at the outset of the second half. Mark Noble, who had some trouble with possession himself, won a corner, taken by Ljungberg, and Upson headed over the bar in the 49th minute. The Irons had a couple of nice chances in the 50th minute, too, thanks to good work from Etherington and Ljungberg, who put a ball to the far post for Bellamy, but defender Micah Richards headed away, as he did several more times when West Ham had chances in the air. A moment later, Zamora and Mullins had it at the top of the box, with Zamora ultimately shooting wide. They sort of got in each other's way, unfortunately.
Like the match that I went to see in February, I had a lot of excitement in the build-up to Opening Day, and I am somewhat deflated by the loss this time, too. At least this time, however, there are 37 fixtures remaining. I'm already looking forward to next Saturday's match away to Birmingham City.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Magnusson Opus
West Ham Chairman Eggert Magnusson has certainly been chatty this week. It started with this interview in the Guardian in Tuesday's paper. Magnusson spoke about the damage that the Carlos Tévez affair did to the reputation of West Ham and how the Argentinian himself was damaged, through no fault of his own. Magnusson ripped Newcastle for agreeing a £6 million fee for midfielder Kieron Dyer and then boosting that fee by 33% at the 11th hour, scuttling the deal entirely. Magnusson revealed that he reads online fan forums, although he does not participate in them. He said that he has known his West Ham partner, banker Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, for nearly 50 years, and the two bring a passion and desire for bigger and better things at West Ham: a new stadium with 60,000 capacity and regular European football.
Magnusson had more to say about the stadium in Friday's Guardian, repeating that he has offered a significant investment in the Olympic stadium for 2012 if it can then be downsized to 60,000 seats for West Ham's use after the games. If not, Magnusson wants to build a stadium across from the West Ham underground station on a site formerly used by Parcelforce, which I believe is sort of a UPS equivalent. To the Independent, Magnusson described the undesirables in the club that he and manager Alan Curbishley wanted to send away from Upton Park. He praised Curbishley's abilities, but also noted that the manager has to prove that he is the one to lead West Ham up the table and, eventually, to Europe. Magnusson said that West Ham will donate £500,000 from the £2 million proceeds from the Tévez sale to establish "mini-pitches" for youth football in the team's home borough of Newham. The rest of the proceeds are going to the lawyers. He also said that he hopes that UEFA and FIFA will do something to ban third-party ownership in football.
West Ham's £5.5 million purchase of Luis Boa Morte from Fulham last January led off the story in the Times that featured Magnusson, who revealed that Fulham wanted an agreement that Boa Morte would not play against the team from Craven Cottage. He also took on the critics, such as Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn, who allege that West Ham's willingness to spend has inflated wages:
Only about 35 hours to go and we can leave some of this off-pitch stuff aside and concentrate on the first match of the season.
Magnusson had more to say about the stadium in Friday's Guardian, repeating that he has offered a significant investment in the Olympic stadium for 2012 if it can then be downsized to 60,000 seats for West Ham's use after the games. If not, Magnusson wants to build a stadium across from the West Ham underground station on a site formerly used by Parcelforce, which I believe is sort of a UPS equivalent. To the Independent, Magnusson described the undesirables in the club that he and manager Alan Curbishley wanted to send away from Upton Park. He praised Curbishley's abilities, but also noted that the manager has to prove that he is the one to lead West Ham up the table and, eventually, to Europe. Magnusson said that West Ham will donate £500,000 from the £2 million proceeds from the Tévez sale to establish "mini-pitches" for youth football in the team's home borough of Newham. The rest of the proceeds are going to the lawyers. He also said that he hopes that UEFA and FIFA will do something to ban third-party ownership in football.
West Ham's £5.5 million purchase of Luis Boa Morte from Fulham last January led off the story in the Times that featured Magnusson, who revealed that Fulham wanted an agreement that Boa Morte would not play against the team from Craven Cottage. He also took on the critics, such as Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn, who allege that West Ham's willingness to spend has inflated wages:
“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."Both the Times and the Independent reported that former West Ham Chairman Terrence Brown is not welcome at Upton Park and that the club is still considering legal action against the former ownership.
Only about 35 hours to go and we can leave some of this off-pitch stuff aside and concentrate on the first match of the season.
More signings talk
The Independent reports that West Ham and Barcelona have agreed a £6.8 million transfer fee for Eidur Gudjohnsen, but it is up to the Icelandic striker to decide if he wants to move to Upton Park. If a deal doesn't get done during the close season, the Irons would consider it during the January transfer window, the Independent said. West Ham, Manchester City and Bolton are all interested in Reál Madrid forward Antonio Cassano but Sampdoria vows that it will fight them off for the Italian. West Ham are also trying to buy Palermo midfielder Mark Bresciano, an Australian international who plays for Serie A's Palermo. He will cost £4 million. He was expected to move to Man City, but that move has stalled. Another striker would bring some much-needed depth, and Brescio would fill a need as a midfielder who can play on the right while Julien Faubert heals his Achilles injury.
As a life-long baseball fan who is following football for the first time, the level of player movement in the days leading up to the start of the season is astonishing. Baseball has a ton of player movement during the winter, but by the time teams begin training in the third week of February, there's not very much movement left. Partially, that's because baseball teams have deep player reserves in the minor leagues. I think it's also because only the Japanese leagues are close in stature to Major League Baseball, and the movement between them is limited contractually. (The level of play in the Japanese leagues is similar to the top minor league in America, but that league consists of players who are, essentially, forming the reserve side for the big-league clubs.) In football, however, there are multiple leagues that are comparable, and there is world-wide player movement. Not all the leagues start at the same time, so it's no surprise that there's movement right up to the first match of the season, because other clubs are in the early part of their training.
As a life-long baseball fan who is following football for the first time, the level of player movement in the days leading up to the start of the season is astonishing. Baseball has a ton of player movement during the winter, but by the time teams begin training in the third week of February, there's not very much movement left. Partially, that's because baseball teams have deep player reserves in the minor leagues. I think it's also because only the Japanese leagues are close in stature to Major League Baseball, and the movement between them is limited contractually. (The level of play in the Japanese leagues is similar to the top minor league in America, but that league consists of players who are, essentially, forming the reserve side for the big-league clubs.) In football, however, there are multiple leagues that are comparable, and there is world-wide player movement. Not all the leagues start at the same time, so it's no surprise that there's movement right up to the first match of the season, because other clubs are in the early part of their training.
Tévez fallout brings rules changes
Premier League rules are tightening in response to the uproar over Carlos Tévez. Clubs will be required to provide all documentation to the league regarding transfers and ownerhship. Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore acknowledged that third-party ownership can't be completely stamped out, but the issue also will be taken on eventually. Clubs also will be limited to loaning out only one goalkeeper within the Premiership. Manchester United loaned out two goalkeepers, to Everton and Watford, leaving those clubs to start second-choice keepers in four games against United. The Guardian noted it wasn't just in Premiership matches that Manchester United opponents had to hold back their first-choice keepers, as Man U also played Watford sans Ben Foster in the FA Cup semifinal.
Scudamore swung away at the league's critics, saying that there was no favoritism in the Tévez situation. He also predicted that Sheffield United's expected £50 million commercial challenge won't go anywhere because previous court rulings have upheld the Premiership's handling of the case. Therefore, Scudamore said, Sheffield United will be unable to show that they have the right to be in the Premiership, something he believes that they would need to prove to be successful.
Meandwhile, West Ham haven't finished their close season shopping, even as the Kieron Dyer transfer foundered because Newcastle raised their demands from £6 million to £8 million at the last minute. Reading left-back Nicky Shorey and Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen are still the top targets. The Irons may wait till January if necessary to acquire the two players. Iceland international Gudjohnsen is reportedly a personal project of West Ham Chairman Eggert Magnusson, who also is an Icelander.
The season will kick off at Upton Park in just under 57 hours. Can't wait.
Scudamore swung away at the league's critics, saying that there was no favoritism in the Tévez situation. He also predicted that Sheffield United's expected £50 million commercial challenge won't go anywhere because previous court rulings have upheld the Premiership's handling of the case. Therefore, Scudamore said, Sheffield United will be unable to show that they have the right to be in the Premiership, something he believes that they would need to prove to be successful.
Meandwhile, West Ham haven't finished their close season shopping, even as the Kieron Dyer transfer foundered because Newcastle raised their demands from £6 million to £8 million at the last minute. Reading left-back Nicky Shorey and Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen are still the top targets. The Irons may wait till January if necessary to acquire the two players. Iceland international Gudjohnsen is reportedly a personal project of West Ham Chairman Eggert Magnusson, who also is an Icelander.
The season will kick off at Upton Park in just under 57 hours. Can't wait.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Almost there
West Ham and the companies owned by Kia Joorabchian are poised to settle the Carlos Tévez affair once and for all Friday, although the £2 million pound settlement could fuel a further challenge from Sheffield United.
The deal would send the cash to West Ham in return for the Irons dissolving their registration of Tévez. Joorabchian also would agree to end his suit in the High Court against West Ham. For the Irons, well, Tévez wasn't going to play for Upton Park again any more, unfortunately. This settlement should largely end the affair altogether, and do so before anything embarassing to the Hammers or the Premier League has been revealed. That said, I don't know that there was anything new that could be revealed that was embarassing, frankly. It doesn't seem like there is anything that has been left uncovered with this story.
Sheffield United's Kevin McCabe is quoted near the end of this story as saying that West Ham withheld important documents from the Premier League, but other reports earlier this week indicated that that is not the case, that the league had a copy of the second contract, one which was never executed, according to West Ham.
McCabe has more of a point in his quote in this Telegraph story in saying that West Ham presented themselves as having "clean hands" to the league because the agreement came before Eggert Magnusson's group took over. Yet, let's face it, there would not have been an agreement of this nature between West Ham and Joorabchian's companies if the previous owners hadn't entered into this arrangement. Furthermore, while the second agreement appears to have granted Joorabchian's companies the right to buy Tévez out of his contract in July, that's a far cry from an agreement that would have allowed Joorabchian to move Tévez during the January transfer window. Yes, it appears to still fall afoul of Premiership rules on third-party ownership, but that deal would have lessened the third-party influence over the player, and made it much like a one-year loan deal, essentially.
The Guardian reports that the FA and the Premier League are expected to give their nod of approval to the deal tomorrow. The sooner this situation is finished, the better, at least for us fans.
Also, a final note: It looks like the transfer of Kieron Dyer is going to go through, with West Ham paying Newcastle £6 million.
The deal would send the cash to West Ham in return for the Irons dissolving their registration of Tévez. Joorabchian also would agree to end his suit in the High Court against West Ham. For the Irons, well, Tévez wasn't going to play for Upton Park again any more, unfortunately. This settlement should largely end the affair altogether, and do so before anything embarassing to the Hammers or the Premier League has been revealed. That said, I don't know that there was anything new that could be revealed that was embarassing, frankly. It doesn't seem like there is anything that has been left uncovered with this story.
Sheffield United's Kevin McCabe is quoted near the end of this story as saying that West Ham withheld important documents from the Premier League, but other reports earlier this week indicated that that is not the case, that the league had a copy of the second contract, one which was never executed, according to West Ham.
McCabe has more of a point in his quote in this Telegraph story in saying that West Ham presented themselves as having "clean hands" to the league because the agreement came before Eggert Magnusson's group took over. Yet, let's face it, there would not have been an agreement of this nature between West Ham and Joorabchian's companies if the previous owners hadn't entered into this arrangement. Furthermore, while the second agreement appears to have granted Joorabchian's companies the right to buy Tévez out of his contract in July, that's a far cry from an agreement that would have allowed Joorabchian to move Tévez during the January transfer window. Yes, it appears to still fall afoul of Premiership rules on third-party ownership, but that deal would have lessened the third-party influence over the player, and made it much like a one-year loan deal, essentially.
The Guardian reports that the FA and the Premier League are expected to give their nod of approval to the deal tomorrow. The sooner this situation is finished, the better, at least for us fans.
Also, a final note: It looks like the transfer of Kieron Dyer is going to go through, with West Ham paying Newcastle £6 million.
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