wednesday's gossip 23rd feb includes west ham updated

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wednesday's gossip 23rd feb includes west ham updated

Post by cockney hammer »

the sun



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Thomas sets sights on survival


THOMAS HITZLSPERGER believes West Ham can avoid the drop — and go all the way to the FA Cup final.

After six months out with a serious thigh injury, Hitzlsperger finally made his Hammers debut last night at Upton Park.

The German could not have expected his bow to have gone any better as he opened the scoring with a 25-yard strike to set his team on their way to a 5-1 fifth-round victory over Burnley.

Avram Grant's Hammers have struggled this season and Hitzlsperger has cut a frustrated figure watching from the sidelines since picking up a thigh injury in Germany's match against Denmark last August.

They are currently second bottom in the Premier League but Hitzlsperger is confident he will still be playing top-flight football next season.

The midfielder, 28, said: "Our target is to stay in the Premier League. This season has been up and down really but we have to try to stay in the league and remain positive.

"I'm really looking forward to the next few months and if I stay fit, which I will, then we have a good chance of staying up because this is a good group and we all fancy our chances.

"I'm optimistic about our chances of staying in the league and after the performance against Burnley, we have a chance of getting to the FA Cup final too."





the mirror




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Wednesday want Hammers' McCarthy and Ilunga



Sheffield Wednesday boss Gary Megson has launched a shock bid to sign West Ham misfits Benni McCarthy and Herita Ilunga.

Megson is in talks with the Hammers over a surprise deal to take the pair to his League One strugglers on loan.

McCarthy, 33, will be allowed to leave the Boleyn Ground and West Ham are prepared to pay a whopping 80% of his £60,000-a-week salary.

The South Africa striker has struggled with his weight this season and has not started a game since West Ham's Carling Cup win over Stoke in October.

Ilunga, 28, has also been frozen out by Avram Grant and the Congo defender will be offered a chance to revive his career at Hillsborough.

"We are trying to get both players in and the two clubs have been in dialogue for a few days," said Megson, who has seen Wednesday take just one point and score one goal from four games since he replaced Alan Irvine.

"We are obviously facing a battle to convince them to drop down two divisions but we are asking the questions."

Wednesday have not won in the league for two months, slipping from the thick of the promotion battle to the fringes of the relegation picture.

Former West Ham chief executive Paul Aldridge, who is now vice-chairman at Hillsborough, is working with Owls chief Milan Mandaric to complete the deals this week.





the mirror



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Hitzlsperger rejects 'West Ham saviour' tag



All it took was one swing of Der Hammer’s left boot - and the rest, as they say, was histrionics.

Thomas Hitzlsperger is already enshrined in East End legend as the finest thing to come out of the Fatherland since our royal family.

After decorating his West Ham debut with a stunning goal in the FA Cup romp against Burnley, a fan collared the German international midfielder in the tunnel and told him: “You’re going to be our saviour.”

Upon closer inspection, Hitzlsperger may not be the messiah. But as an economist who used to discuss fiscal strategy with Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, he is almost certainly the brightest spark in the Hammers' dressing room.

When he was at Aston Villa, Hitz-a-knockout’s venomous left foot was christened ‘Der Hammer’ by appreciative Holte Enders.

And his weekly chinwags with Mr King - a Villa fan - became such an established part of his routine that nobody would have been surprised if Hitzlsperger had turned up for training in a bowler hat, pinstriped suit and with a copy of the Financial Times tucked under his arm.

It must be a colossal meeting of minds when Hitzlsperger compares notes with team-mates Carlton Cole, whose bling and urban clobber are the stuff of legend, and Wayne Bridge, whose latest squeeze is a warbling pop diva.

Der Hammer, whose English is perfect - with faint traces of his native Bavaria and the strangled vowels of a Brummie - was suitably embarrassed to be cast as West Ham’s saviour.

But after waiting six months for his debut because of injury, he is fit and ready to answer his flock with a touch of “Ich bin ein Eastender.”

Hitzlsperger, 27, said: “It’s not unfair pressure - that’s what the fans are hoping for - but one player can’t just do it all on his own.

“Of course I’m delighted to come in, score on my debut and make a winning start. Hopefully we can transform that performance into the next game and right through to the end of the season because we’re desperate for good games and especially good results.”

In the excitement of scoring on his debut and the Hammers’ biggest win of the season, Hitzlsperger wondered if West Ham’s long-suffering fans would even remember they had signed him.

They won’t forget him now.

He added: “When you are not there, when you’re not playing, it’s only natural that fans are going to concentrate on the players who are on the pitch.

“At the beginning of my rehabilitation, after I had the surgery, I was spending most of my time in Germany, so nobody at the club had seen much of me. I’ve only been back in England full-time since the beginning of January.

“Obviously, until now, I haven’t been able to help the team, but now I’m back and they are hoping for big things from me. All I can promise is that I’ll do my very best and be as professional as I can to help us in both the FA Cup and the Premier League.

“I don’t know why we are in such a lowly position - if you speak to players from the other teams down there, most would say they don’t deserve to be near the bottom, but you have to prove it week in, week out.

“We have some very good players and I see it every day in training, but you have to apply that ability on matchdays, when it really matters.

“The quality of the Premier League is so high that the pressure is huge when you are down there, and it’s hard to get out of trouble again.

“We just needed a boost in confidence, and after a good win against Burnley we’ve got that, but we have some difficult games coming up - starting with Liverpool on Sunday.

“We have to approach that game in a positive manner because it’s very tight in the relegation zone, but I’m very optimistic and I’m sure the other players feel the saem way.

“I scored once with my left foot - what else? - against Liverpool when I was at Villa, but I’ve never finished on the winning side against them and it’s about time I did."

***

OTHER GREAT GERMAN EXPORTS:

The Royal Family - German blood entered the Royal Family when son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince Albert, married Queen Victoria in 1840.

Jurgen Kilnsmann - Joined Tottenham for £2m in 1994 and went on to score 30 goals in 50 games. Became so popular he was inducted into Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

The VW Beetle - Iconic "people's car" came to the UK in 1953.

Christmas Trees - Rhineland tradition introduced into Britain in the early 19th century.

Boris Becker - Entered Wimbledon folklore by winning the tournament as a 17-year-old in 1984.

Becks Beer - Came to Britain in 1985 and now sells over 200m bottles a year. First beer to be sold in green-glass bottles.







the mail



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West Ham could sign Victor Obinna on a free after Inter Milan fail to extend Nigerian's contract



West Ham could sign Victor Obinna on a free transfer this summer after Inter Milan failed to take up an option to extend his contract.

The 23-year-old has scored eight goals during his loan spell at Upton Park but was expected to return to Italy in the summer.
Hammer time? West Ham could land Obinna permanantly

Hammer time? West Ham could land Obinna permanantly

However, Obinna said: 'Inter have no more say about me. I had a loan deal until the end of the season with an option on my contract to be registered before the end of January for 2011 and 2012, but they (Inter) did not register it.' Everton are also interested.




the mail




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Megson offers McCarthy and Ilunga a loan move to Sheffield Wednesday from West Ham



Gary Megson has offered to take West Ham misfit Benni McCarthy on loan until the end of the season.

Sheffield Wednesday's boss has secured clearance from Owls' owner Milan Mandaric and West Ham will pay the bulk of his wages.

McCarthy has not featured since Christmas, making only a fleeting appearance against Birmingham City in the Carling Cup. Megson is also interested in Herita Ilunga.

He said: 'We are trying to get both players in and the two clubs have been in dialogue for a few days.'





the mail




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West Ham's Reid's thoughts turn to home after earthquake hits New Zealand



West Ham defender Winston Reid has spoken of his sadness at the deadly earthquake that rocked his native New Zealand last night.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch just before midnight UK time, hours after the Hammers had booked their place in the last eight of the FA Cup with a 5-1 win over Burnley.

Reid headed home his first goal for the club in a morale-boosting win for the Hammers, but delight turned to despair for the Kiwi after news of the earthquake broke.

'It was a fantastic night for me and for the team, but obviously a thing like this happening puts it all into perspective,' Reid told West Ham's website.

'I heard about the earthquake and then saw the pictures of it all on the news. It is devastating and my heart goes out to everyone back home.

'I would just like to say that I am thinking of everyone back home, especially those who have lost loved ones and have had their lives changed because of this.

'It is not a large country, but the spirit among the people there will be what gets them through. They will all help each other out and will help each other to recover from what has happened. My thoughts are with everyone.'

The earthquake is thought to have killed over 65 people and left countless others trapped underneath the rubble.

Reid, 22, was born in Auckland but moved to Denmark with his mum aged 10 but still has many family and friends in New Zealand.

The young defender desperately tried to get through to his loved ones once he first heard of the quake and was relieved to find out that they were all okay.

'My immediate reaction was to call home to my family and friends - the problem was that because of the quake, the phone lines were all down as you would expect, so it took a bit of time to get through, which was worrying,' he said.


'I had to get messages through and then get them sent on to others and do it like that, but my family and friends are okay.

'Obviously everything is turned upside down, but they are all feeling so fortunate, and so am I, that they are all alive that is the main thing because people have lost their lives and that is the most tragic thing.

'While there are many buildings and houses that have been destroyed, many of the buildings are built strongly and so would have survived, so hopefully many people are also okay.

'It is a very sad time because they have lost loved ones. I have also seen pictures on the news of people on buses with their belongings of what has survived.

'I have not experienced an earthquake myself back home, but I know a few months ago there was a small tremor, so it looks like a bigger one had been building up - there is nothing you can do.

'Even if you live in a country where earthquakes happen, I don't think you are ever fully prepared for it. It is still a shock when it happens as you simply can't stop it or stop what it does.'




the mail



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Upson vows to get fit and return for Hammers survival battle




West Ham defender Matthew Upson has played down talk he will miss the rest of the season with an achilles injury.

Some reports suggested the England man would play no further part in the Hammers' battle to avoid relegation because of the problem.

But the 31-year-old hopes to return to training this week.

'My mum rang me and said "Thanks for telling me you're out" and said she'd read in the papers that I was out for the season,' he said.

'I said "that`s news to me". I've had a problem and it's been a bit complicated.

'I've had several different diagnoses which is always frustrating because, as an athlete, you have to choose what is right and wrong which is not easy.

'We're in the process of sorting it out and I personally feel like I could be training very soon - possibly the end of the week. That's a lot different to being out for the rest of the season.'

According to the London Evening Standard, the Hammers are now considering sending their captain to see top Swedish orthopaedic surgeon Hakan Alfredson, who has also treated Thierry Henry and Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen.





the express




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ANXIOUS WAIT FOR WEST HAM'S INJURED MATTHEW UPSON



West Ham hope to find out in the next 24 hours if Matthew Upson



WEST HAM hope to find out in the next 24 hours if Matthew Upson will need surgery on an Achilles tendon or can play a part in their relegation battle.

The Hammers have received conflicting medical opinion as to whether England defender Upson needs to go under the knife.

They have booked him in to see specialist Hakan Alfredson, the Swedish surgeon who has treated Thierry Henry and Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen in the past.

If Upson is told surgery can be avoided and the problem managed, he is hoping to rejoin training as soon as possible.

After their 5-1 FA Cup win over Burnley, West Ham return to the rigours of the Premier League to host Liverpool on Sunday.

And although they will be without Upson, the return of Thomas Hitzlsperger after six months out with a thigh injury has given the squad a boost

Carlton Cole netted twice on Monday and feels the return of Germany midfielder Hitzlsperger can make a big difference in the last 11 games of the campaign.

“It is fantastic to have Thomas back. He’s a great player, he shows what he can do in training and he’s going to be a massive asset,” he said.

“We always rely on Mark Noble, Robert Kovac and Scott Parker, but now they’ve got support as well from a talented player.”

Hitzlsperger showed no ill-effects in his first competitive action in over six months and expects to be in the starting line-up for the visit of Liverpool.

And he believes there is enough talent in the side to get out of relegation worries. “The quality is there - we just need a boost in confidence,” he said.

“After the Burnley win the fans can see we can finish strongly. It’s so tight in the relegation zone but I’m optimistic.”




the independent




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Hitzlsperger: West Ham have confidence now to avoid drop


Thomas Hitzlsperger described West Ham's FA Cup win over Burnley as the 'boost in confidence they needed'


Thomas Hitzlsperger is confident that West Ham will avoid relegation and even thinks a place in the FA Cup final is not beyond the club's grasp after Monday night's fifth-round hammering of Burnley. After six months out with a thigh injury, Hitzlsperger finally made his Hammers debut at Upton Park. The German could not have expected his bow to have gone any better as he opened the scoring with a blistering 25-yard strike to set his team on their way to a 5-1 win.

The east London side have struggled without Hitzlsperger since he was ruled out after picking up the injury in Germany's match against Denmark last August. Despite enjoying good runs in both cup competitions, West Ham have struggled to stay afloat in the Premier League and have spent the majority of the season in the relegation zone.

They sit 19th in the division ahead of Sunday's match against in-form Liverpool, but Hitzlsperger is optimistic about his side's chances of survival. "Our target is to stay in the Premier League. This season has been up and down but we have to try to stay in the league and remain positive," he said.

"I'm really looking forward to the next few months and if I stay fit, which I will, then we have a good chance of staying up because this is a good group and we all fancy our chances."

West Ham have buckled at times this season but Hitzlsperger insists that the squad will be able to deal with the pressure that will come playing against the likes of Stoke, Tottenham and Manchester United in the next six weeks. "If you talk to the teams around us, I think most of them would say we shouldn't be in that position," the 28-year-old said. "We have some good players here. I see it in training but you have to do it when it really matters. The pressure is huge and when you're down near the bottom, it's hard to escape. The quality is there but we needed a boost in confidence which this win has provided."

The midfielder, who left Lazio for Upton Park last summer, tried to remain positive during his lengthy time out. He said: "It was tough when I first found out the injury would take up to six months to heal but I wasn't frustrated. I tried to be positive and professional to get back as quick as possible. That, I think, was the reason why I was able to come back."

The midfielder received a standing ovation from the home support, who have nicknamed him "Der Hammer", when he was replaced after 72 minutes. The nickname was particularly apt given the ferocious pace with which he dispatched his strike and he was delighted to mark his debut with a goal and a man of the match display.

He added: "I have been waiting for this day for a long time and to start off with such a goal and good win like we had, it couldn't have been better."




the guardian




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I'm not West Ham United's saviour, claims Thomas Hitzlsperger

• German contributed goal and assist on debut
• Hopes to feature against Liverpool in league


Thomas Hitzlsperger celebrates scoring his first West Ham United goal, in the FA Cup Thomas Hitzlsperger celebrates scoring his first West Ham United goal, in the FA Cup. Photograph: Stephen Pond/Empics Sport

Thomas Hitzlsperger has warned West Ham United's supporters that he should not be viewed as the club's saviour after he marked his long-awaited debut with an impressive performance that included a fine goal and an assist in the 5-1 victory over Burnley in the FA Cup.

The 28-year-old, who moved to Upton Park on a free transfer from Lazio in June, has been sidelined since he tore a thigh muscle playing for Germany in a friendly against Denmark in August. Introduced as "Der Hammer" by the Upton Park announcer before the game, Hitzlsperger lived up to his nickname with a long-range goal in the first half, and was told by one supporter after the game that he was "going to be our saviour".

Asked whether he felt under unfair pressure to turn West Ham's dismal season round, Hitzlsperger replied: "It's not unfair. That's what they're hoping for. But you know what it's like – one player just can't do it on his own. I think [against Burnley it] was a good team performance. I'm delighted that I came in there, had a good game and that we won the game easily.

"Hopefully we can transform it and take it to the next game, Liverpool, and until the end of the season because we're desperate for good games and especially for good results."

The former Aston Villa midfielder, who has won 52 caps for Germany, went back to his homeland to undergo surgery and only returned to West Ham last month. "I was speaking to the manager before the [Burnley] game. He said to me: 'Are you fit enough to start and then play for an hour? Or would you rather come on after an hour and play for 30 minutes?' I said: 'I'm feeling good but it's unusual to start after such a long time.' But I said to him, if you put me on right from the start I'll give my best and play as long as I can."

Hitzlsperger, who hopes to make his first Premier League appearance against Liverpool on Sunday, is confident the club can haul themselves clear of the relegation zone. "The quality is there and we just need a boost in confidence, and after the win against Burnley we got that but we have some really good teams coming up, starting with Liverpool on Sunday," he said.

"They are in good form at the moment but we should approach the game in a positive manner and after the Burnley win the fans can see we can finish strongly. It's so tight in the relegation zone down there but I'm optimistic and I'm sure the other players are too."
Last edited by cockney hammer on Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: wednesday's gossip 23rd feb includes west ham

Post by Swiss Pauli »

Cheers, CH :thup:
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Re: wednesday's gossip 23rd feb includes west ham

Post by Maroonmachine »

Cheers CH!

Be good to offload McCarthy, but paying 80% of his wages sticks in the throat a bit.

Just hope to God that Hitz can stay fit, he may well be the catalyst that makes the team gel.
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Post by cockney hammer »

Maroonmachine wrote:Cheers CH!

Be good to offload McCarthy, but paying 80% of his wages sticks in the throat a bit.

Just hope to God that Hitz can stay fit, he may well be the catalyst that makes the team gel.


not wrong gutted hitz has ben out this long just hope we can stay up and build on this it does not look a bad little squad now just needs a bit more fine tuning and we should be ok
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Post by Jameslegend »

Obina on a free? Yes ****ing please!! :thup:

Cheers CH!
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Post by kthammer »

Jameslegend wrote:Obina on a free? Yes f***ing please!! :thup:

Cheers CH!
not sure he'll want to play in the championship...
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Post by Claretdave »

Maroonmachine wrote:Cheers CH!

Be good to offload McCarthy, but paying 80% of his wages sticks in the throat a bit.

Just hope to God that Hitz can stay fit, he may well be the catalyst that makes the team gel.
Either paying him 100% not to play or 80% not to play. If it saves the club £12k per week it is good business.

Cheers cockney fellow :raver:
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Post by loopyludo »

Cheers CH,

Could be just what big Benni needs, I hate Megson but if he is willing to take Benni on even if they would only pay a fraction of the wages I'm fine with that.
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Post by PrawnSandwich »

Cheers CH.
:thup:

Fat Benni isn't on £60k a week.

Have waited along time for Fritz and he seems to have given everyone a lift - just needs match sharpness now.

Obina if true could be a steal but I reckon we will have to fight several clubs for him now.
Hopefully having him here and settled will make the odds tip in our favour.
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Post by Cambs Iron »

Cheers CH.

Obinna on a free would be a nice bonus.
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Post by Bramwell »

Top man CH :thup:

Just what sort of contract is Benni ON? It's gone from £38k a week, to £50k a week last month, to now £60k a week THIS month?! I say either remove this clause from his contract or ship him out!! (not so much a 'piece meal' deal as a 'PIES meal' agreement...dya see what I did there/!)
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Post by rigoberts song »

Thanks CH.I would grab Obinna now then at least make a killing on him if we drop down.
Love all the Hitz talk about being our saviour but its behind him we need help.We have the worst central defensive pairing since rigobert/repka its our defence thats going to take us down.
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Post by k-r-c »

Definitely should be all over signing Obinna on a free!
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Post by Bramwell »

Image

The sun really DOES shine out of Tommy Hitz's arse!
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cheers ch
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Post by Ted Fenton »

OTHER GREAT GERMAN EXPORTS:
The Royal Family - German blood entered the Royal Family when son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince Albert, married Queen Victoria in 1840.
The German Hanoverians took over the throne a century before Albert appeared. Vic was a Hanoverian who 'lost' Hanover because the rules said no female rulers. The house name of Windsor was chosen during WW1 because of anti-German feeling. 'Our' royal family are basically German - one reason why the late Queen Mother used to refer to 'the Hun up the road'.
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1 or 3
:thup:
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Cheers CH :thup:
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Talksport

Exclusive - Grant: West Ham now have the firepower to beat drop

Avram Grant has told talkSPORT West Ham now have the firepower needed to beat the drop.

The Hammers have plundered 15 goals in their last five games and Grant reckons the arrivals of Demba Ba and Robbie Keane in January and the return of Thomas Hitzlsperger has given his squad a huge boost.

Speaking to the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, Grant said: “We are more efficient now. I don’t think we are creating more chances than before but we are more efficient in the other box.

“Maybe the players are more calm now and there are other players who have come in and can score - like Demba Ba, Robbie Keane and Thomas Hitzlsperger. We are trying to play attacking football and I’m very pleased we are scoring a lot goals.”

Grant admits he’s delighted by the return to fitness of Hitzlsperger, who joined the Hammers in the summer but only made his debut in the 5-1 Carling Cup victory over Burnley on Monday.

The German midfielder capped an impressive performance with a goal and Grant said: “He’s like a new signing. He’s a good player, he was with us until three days before the season started and he was very good in our training camp and all the preparation games and then he got injured.

“He’s worked hard to get back. It’s not been easy but he played well [against Burnley] and it’s good for us that a player like him is available now.”

The Hammers boss also revealed he is keeping his fingers crossed Matthew Upson will play again this season despite a recurrence of an Achilles injury.

“I hope we see him before the end of the season,” added the Israeli. “Our main problem this season has been injuries to our players. We have a joke about this - every player that has been playing good gets injured.

“There are mixed opinions about his injury. We will know later but we hope that he will be OK because we need all the players available for the last three months.”









Carlos Tevez is being lined up to rejoin Brazilian club Corinthians, according to the Manchester City's striker agent Kia Joorabchian. Despite the Argentine having over three years left on his Eastlands contract, Joorabchian said: "Carlos would be happy to return to Brazil. I would like the deal to be done swiftly but in reality it will probably take a couple of years."
Full story: Daily Express

League One side Sheffield Wednesday are to make a bid to sign striker Benni McCarthy and defender Herita Ilunga, who are out of favour at West Ham.
Full story: Daily Mirror

West Ham will sign on loan Inter Milan striker Victor Obinna in the summer, when he says he will be a free agent.
Full story: talkSPORT

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp says he may make another bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam, having narrowly missed out on the striker on transfer deadline day.
Full story: Footylatest.com

Manchester United are considering a move for Feyenoord striker Luc Castaignos despite the teenager reported to be close to sealing a £6m summer transfer to Inter Milan.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

OTHER GOSSIP

Barcelona were left bemused when Arsenal recently signed their 16-year-old midfielder Jon Miquel Toral Harper. After losing Cesc Fabregas to the London club in 2003, it turns out the man responsible for securing the latest transfer is none other than Pere Guardiola - the brother of Barcelona manager Pep.
Full story: the Sun

AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso will not be in London for the Champions League return leg against Tottenham. Following his confrontation with Spurs head coach Joe Jordan after the first game, the midfielder said: "I have been told there will be 47,000 people there just waiting to give me a slap, so I will stay in Milan."
Full story: Daily Mail

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has given his strongest hint yet that he would like to return to Chelsea one day. Mourinho left Stamford Bridge in 2007 but says: "I love Chelsea. I was the happiest man when I was there. I was thinking I would be there all my life. So you never know."
Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard will be rested for the club's Europa League game with Sparta Prague on Thursday.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is lining up a lucrative pre-season tour of Japan that could net the club £15m.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Striker Asamoah Gyan may have to be sold to balance Sunderland's books, says Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn.
Full story: Metro

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps says Wednesday's opponents Manchester United are not as attractive to watch as in previous years but remains respectful of Sir Alex Ferguson's men. "Maybe this United team have a bit less fantasy than some of the teams we have seen in the past," he said. "But it is not always the nicest-looking team that wins the titles."
Full story: Daily Express

Plans to introduce goal-line technology have hit a stumbling block after all 10 of the companies taking part in recent trials failed to meet the criteria set by Fifa, football's world governing body. A Fifa spokesman said the results of the tests will be discussed at a meeting on 5 March.
Full story: the Guardian

AND FINALLY

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has treated his star striker Andy Carroll by taking him to a reunion concert by Irish pop group Boyzone.
Full story: Daily Telegraph








The Mill likes a bit of pop, we don't mind admitting. Hey, we want to be a billionaire so frickin' bad and would love to be made to feel like we were the only purveyor of tittle-tattle in the world, the only one that you ever loved. We're down with whatever's in the popular hit parade of the day, make no mistake. But we draw a line, a thick corrugated line with flashing lights and futuristic alarm system, when it comes to sicky sweet, dull as particularly dull dishwater, boyband pap.

Andy Carroll and Kenny Dalglish, though, seem to have less of an issue with such soul-destroying ditties, spotted as they were at a Boyzone gig last night. "Kenny invited Ronan [Keating] to the training ground because his son Jack is a massive footie fan," a source told the Sun. "He had a kickabout with some of the lads and Ronan got chatting to Andy. Andy told him his missus is a big Boyzone fan so Ronan sorted him a pair of tickets alongside Kenny, who was already going."

All of which is all the excuse we need. Arsenal have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Celtic's Emilio Izaguirre. The Gunners are determined to bag the Honduran No Matter What and will offer £8m in the summer.

Liverpool are "reportedly monitoring" Inter striker Goran Pandev, which is about as mealy-mouthed as Words get in the world of speculation. The Reds could also make a £9m move for Barcelona's Ibrahim Afellay, who has made little impact since moving to Camp Nou last month.

Newcastle have offered Joey Barton a new contract, but the midfielder fancies A Different Beat and could move instead to Hamburg. And in other Barton-related news, Liverpool, determined to get involved in any scrap of gossip at the moment, are weighing up a £2.5m bid for Preston's Adam Barton. North End want an unlikely £5m.

Sir Alex Ferguson reckons Asamoah Gyan is So Good he's prepared to make a £20m summer move for the Sunderland striker.

Sheffield Wednesday reckon they're financially Strong Enough for an ambitious bid for West Ham misfits Benni McCarthy and Herita Ilunga.

Look, it's an album track.

Peter Crouch will be offered to Aston Villa at the end of the season. Yes, he's Working His Way Back To Hou.






Newcastle's Joey Barton is being linked with Hamburg, while Liverpool reportedly like the look of young Preston midfielder Adam Barton.
.Kia Joorabchian claims he can convince Carlos Tevez to rejoin Brazilian club Corinthians from Manchester City in the next two years.
Birmingham will discover on Wednesday whether Alexander Hleb will be fit for the Carling Cup final against Arsenal on Sunday.
..Nicolas Anelka has breathed new life into Carlo Ancelotti's reign as Chelsea boss with both goals in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League win at FC Copenhagen.
Liverpool will take a cautious approach with Steven Gerrard and refuse to risk him in the Europa League on Thursday.
Sheffield Wednesday want to sign West Ham duo Benni McCarthy and Herita Ilunga.
Arsenal striker Wellington Silva has been given a dressing down - after overdosing on pizzas and Twitter during his loan spell at Levante.
..Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp labelled his team's misses "unreal" as they lost 3-1 at Blackpool.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger thinks Chelsea paid way over the odds for Fernando Torres.
..Manchester United are set to start a sequence of four successive away games that boss Sir Alex Ferguson says will define their season.
Sol Campbell insists he has no regrets about joining Newcastle.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says that Andrey Arshavin is back to his best after rebuilding his shattered confidence against Barcelona.
..Shay Given could have played his last game for Manchester City after being told his injured shoulder seems certain to need more surgery.
Newcastle could lose Joey Barton to Hamburg after making him a 'take it or leave it' contract offer.
West Ham could sign Victor Obinna on a free transfer this summer after Inter Milan failed to take up an option to extend the striker's contract.
Liverpool could make a £2.5million bid for 20-year-old Preston midfielder Adam Barton.
Arsenal have joined the race to sign Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre.
..Chelsea kept alive their hopes of rescuing a troubled season while easing the pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti with a comfortable 2-0 Champions League victory over FC Copenhagen in Denmark on Tuesday night.
Gabriel Heinze attempted to bury the hatchet with Sir Alex Ferguson on Tuesday by claiming he was wrong to try to force through a controversial move from Manchester United to Liverpool.
..Mark Hateley, the former Rangers and England striker, has revealed he was offered cash to influence the outcome of a decisive Champions League match between the Scottish champions and Marseille during the French side's successful 1993 campaign.
..Ally McCoist has been officially unveiled as Rangers manager-in-waiting - and then insisted he can't wait to get back to helping Walter Smith bow out in style.
Celtic's Beram Kayal has claimed Rangers forward El-Hadji Diouf grabbed his testicles during their unsavoury Old Firm spat.batty boy :shock:







WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

THE TIMES: Chelsea kept alive their hopes of rescuing a troubled season while easing the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti, the manager, with a comfortable 2-0 Champions League victory over Copenhagen in Denmark last night. Also: Gabriel Heinze attempted to bury the hatchet with Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday by claiming he was wrong to try to force through a controversial move from Manchester United to Liverpool.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chelsea emerged from the Big Chill at Ice Station Parken, guided to within touching distance of the quarter-finals of the Champions League by the outstanding Nicolas Anelka. Also: Arsene Wenger believes Andrey Arshavin is over his confidence problem and is adamant that his club record signing will now play a major part in Arsenal's quest for four trophies.

THE INDEPENDENT: Mark Hateley, the former Rangers and England striker, has revealed he was offered cash to influence the outcome of a decisive Champions League match between the Scottish champions and Marseille during the French side's successful 1993 campaign. Also: Nicolas Anelka made a dazzling case last night for the old theory that if form can come and go, if the hopes of a team can crumble in no more than a few days, class tends to be eternal.

THE GUARDIAN: The Champions League, not for the first time, has provided Carlo Ancelotti with his respite. Also: Contingency plans have been drawn up to move World Cup rugby matches away from Christchurch this autumn, with Australia a potential destination.

DAILY EXPRESS: Kia Joorabchian has one again put himself on a war footing with Manchester City over Carlos Tevez's future. Also: Blackpool's season of shocks continued last night as they beat high-flying Tottenham 3-1 at Bloomfield Road.

DAILY MAIL: Nicolas Anelka eased the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti last night as the Chelsea manager hailed his strike options as the best in Europe. Also: Lewis Moody will have to wait to regain the England captaincy as he will be on the bench for the RBS Six Nations clash with France at Twickenham on Saturday.

DAILY MIRROR: Nicolas Anelka last night breathed new life into Carlo Ancelotti's reign as Chelsea boss. Also: Blackpool's DJ Campbell rocked Tottenham and turned Harry Redknapp's men from San Siro heroes to Seaside Zeroes.

THE SUN: Nicolas Anelka saved Carlo Ancelotti's bacon last night. Also: Blackpool put Serie A giants AC Milan to shame last night - by cruising past Champions League-chasing Tottenham.

DAILY STAR: Nicolas Anelka twice got Chelsea's season back on track last night. Also: Manchester United tonight kick off a sequence of four successive away games that boss Sir Alex Ferguson says will define their season.

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