Lucas Neill – Captain of West Ham United F.C.
Lucas Neill – West Ham United Football Club – Captain and Defender
Lucas Edward Neill (born 9 March 1978 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player who is the captain of West Ham United, and most often plays at right back or centre-back. He is a regular member of the Australian national team and was a member of the Australian squad which competed in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Personal information
Full name : Lucas Edward Neill
Date of birth : 9 March 1978 (1978-03-09) (age 30)
Place of birth : Sydney, Australia
Height : 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position : Centre Back, Right Back, Captain
Club information : West Ham United
League : Barclays English Premier League Football Club
West Ham United Football ClubHowever in January 2007 Neill turned his back on a un-confirmed bid from Liverpool in favour of West Ham United. The deal was confirmed on 20 January and was formally completed on 23 January following the successful transfer of Stephen Warnock from Liverpool to Blackburn. Neill was accused of his primary motivating factor being money, but he later refuted these claims, stating the move was for purely footballing reasons [11]. Neill later alleged to the media that Liverpool hadn’t made him feel truly wanted, and that he had not even spoken to manager Rafael Benitez. However, media reports suggested that Neill had signed for West Ham on a basic salary of £60,000 per week, double what Liverpool were said to have offered, and that Neill might have spoken to Benitez [12].
On 10 February, 2007 Neill played his first Premiership match for Hammers against Watford, where he picked up a knee injury. [13]
On 4 March 2007 he captained the team for the first time during a 3-4 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur and went on to play every remaining game of the season. His passionate, attacking style of play quickly won over those sceptical about his motives at the club, though he continued to be criticised outside of the club. Eventually he played a key part in West Ham’s escape from relegation that had looked likely when he arrived.
It was announced by West Ham United on 27 July 2007 that Neill had been awarded the permanent position of team captain following Nigel Reo-Coker’s transfer to Aston Villa.[14] Neill made his first appearance as team captain in the 1-1 draw against Wigan Athletic on 25 August 2007.[15]
Neill scored his first goal for West Ham in the 3-2 away defeat to West Brom on 14 September 2008
Source: For more information on Lucas Neill, Captain and Defender of West Ham United F.C., Barclays English Premier League Football Club, visit wikipedia.org
Robert Green – West Ham United Goalkeeper
Robert Green – Goalkeeper of West Ham United F.C.
Robert Paul Green (born 18 January 1980 in Chertsey, Surrey) is an English professional footballer who currently plays for West Ham United as a goalkeeper. He has made one appearance for England.
Personal information
Full name : Robert Paul Green
Date of birth : 18 January 1980 (1980-01-18) (age 28)
Place of birth : Chertsey, England
Height : 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position : Goalkeeper
Club information : West Ham United F.C.
League : Barclays English Premier League Football Club
West Ham United Football Club
Green signed a four year deal with West Ham[5] where he teamed up with former Norwich striker Dean Ashton who had been sold to West Ham in January 2006. Green made his debut for West Ham on 22 October 2006 in a 1–0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.[6] Two of his best performances were when West Ham won 1–0 against Arsenal at the Emirates[7] and against Manchester United where he helped West Ham United to a 1–0 win,[8] which preserved West Ham’s Premier League status. Green kept 9 clean sheets in 26 appearances during the league campaign.
In the 2007–08 season season for West Ham United, Green saved the first three penalties taken against him. The first, against Kevin Doyle of Reading, the second, Benjani of Portsmouth in injury time, the third from Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe, again in injury time and the fourth being from Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United who put his wide. The streak was ended by James McFadden of Birmingham on 9 February 2008. A compilation Video shows some of the saves: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1408301/robert_green/
Despite his good form, Green did not make Fabio Capello’s first England team in February 2008. Green showed a sense of humour about the international situation sporting gloves with ‘England’s No.6′ embroidered on them.[9]
At the end of the 2007–08 season, Green had played in every Premier League game for West Ham that season. In May 2008 Green became the 51st player to be awarded the Hammer of the Year.[10] Despite this fact, Green insists that he feels “completely undervalued” by the management at West Ham. The outburst stems from the fact that he believes he receives considerably less money than other, less prominent players, such as Ljungberg and Ashton, both of whom played very few matches last season. West Ham have rebutted this claim, stating that they “rewarded him with a long-term deal” for being their first-choice keeper. In addition, they state that Summer 2008 “remains the appropriate time to review” his contract. The club state that they have no intentions to place him on the transfer list.
Source: For more information on Robert Green, Goalkeeper of West Ham F.C., Barclays English Premier League Football Club, visit wikipedia.org
Gianfranco Zola – West Ham United F.C. Manager
Gianfranco Zola – Manager of West Ham United Football Club
Gianfranco Zola OBE (born July 5, 1966 in Oliena, Sardinia) is a retired Italian footballer, currently working as the manager of West Ham United in the Premier League, as of 11th September 2008, having been the assistant coach to the Italian Under-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi.[2]
He is regarded as one of the finest players of his generation and arguably one of the greatest free kick takers of all time. Renowned for his technique, skill and dribbling and beheld by many as one of the greatest players to ever grace the Premier League. He spent the first decade of his career in Italy, most notably with Napoli (alongside the legendary Argentinian Diego Maradona and Brazilian striker Careca) and Parma, before moving to English side Chelsea, where he was voted Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 1997 and their greatest ever player. He was also capped 35 times for Italy.
Personal information
Date of birth : July 5, 1966 (1966-07-05) (age 42)
Place of birth : Oliena, Sardinia
Height : 1.66 m (5 ft 5+1?2 in)
Playing position : Deep-lying forward
Current Job : West Ham United F.C. Manager
League : English Premier League Football Club
Managerial career
Italy U21s
In 2006, Zola started his coaching career, being appointed as assistant to Italy national under-21 football team head coach Pierluigi Casiraghi by the Italian Football Federation.[2] The duo, who had been teammates at Chelsea, led the azzurrini to gain a spot at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where they reached the quarter-finals before being defeated 3–2 by Belgium.
West Ham United
On September 9, 2008 Zola agreed a three-year contract to manage West Ham United, replacing Alan Curbishley, who resigned following differences with the board. He was unveiled as club manager on 11 September despite not having the required UEFA A coaching licence.[14][15] Two days later he attended West Ham’s 3-2 away defeat to West Brom, but did not take charge of the team until the following Monday.[16] On September 20, 2008, at Upton Park, he won his first game in charge of West Ham United, beating Newcastle United 3-1.[17] His first cup game a few days later was met by a 1-0 defeat away to Watford in the League Cup.
Source: For more information on Gianfranco Zola, West Ham United Football Club Manager, Barclays English Premier League, visit wikipedia.org
West Ham United Football Club
West Ham United F.C. – English Premier League
West Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London, who have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904.
The club was originally founded as Thames Ironworks F.C. in 1895 and was later reformed, in 1905, as West Ham United. They initially competed in the Southern League and Western League before joining the full Football League in 1919 and enjoyed their first top flight season in 1923, also featuring in the first FA Cup Final to be held at Wembley that year against Bolton Wanderers. The club have won the FA Cup three times: in 1964, 1975 and 1980. They have also been runners-up twice, in 1923 and most recently in 2006. In 1965, they won the European Cup Winners Cup (now defunct), and in 1999 they won the Intertoto Cup. They also won the inaugral Football League War Cup in 1940. The club’s best final league position is third place in the 1985-86 (old) First Division. They currently compete in the Premier League, finishing in 10th position in the 2007-08 season. They are currently managed by Gianfranco Zola.
Full name : West Ham United Football Club
Nickname(s) : The Hammers,The Irons
The Academy of Football
Founded : 1895 as Thames Ironworks , Ground Boleyn Ground (Upton Park) (Capacity: 35,647 [1])
Chairman : Björgólfur Guðmundsson[2]
Manager : Gianfranco Zola
League : English Premier League
Nicknames
The fans and club alike are known as “The Hammers” by the media, partly because of the club’s origins as Thames Ironworks company football team (see club crest) and also (incorrectly) due to the club’s name. However, they are also known as “The Irons” by their own supporters. They are also known as “The Cockney Boys” from their history of being a Cockney team. Yet another nickname is “The Academy of Football”, or just “The Academy”, a nickname given, then adopted by West Ham United, by the London media.
Source: For more information on West Ham United Football Club, Barclays English Premier League Football Club, visit wikipedia.org
Sheff Utd win West Ham tribunal
English Premier League News : Sheff Utd win West Ham tribunal
Tevez’s goals helped West Ham avoid relegation in 2006-07
An independent tribunal has ruled against West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair, says Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe.
United claim Tevez was not eligible to play at the end of the 2006/7 season, yet played a key role in West Ham’s Premiership survival at their expense.
The club is claiming more than £30m in compensation from West Ham.
The tribunal will decide on the amount of compensation to be paid at a later sitting, probably early next year.
West Ham are currently considering their next move, but their options seem limited.
The Football Association’s rule K5c states that by signing up to arbitration, “the parties shall be deemed to have waived irrevocably any right to appeal, review or any recourse to a court of law”. We need to digest the full findings of the arbitration panel and will consult our lawyers on the next steps we might take before making any further comment
West Ham spokesman
This precludes the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and only a very limited ability to challenge the merits of the award in the Commercial Court.
West Ham were found guilty of breaching Premier League regulations in the signing of Argentine duo Tevez and Javier Mascherano in 2006.
A three-man Premier League arbitration panel fined the Hammers £5.5m, but did not dock them points, and they went on to survive the drop on the final day, while Sheffield United were relegated.
Having failed in their attempt to have the original punishment overturned, the Yorkshire club invoked a Football Association rule that allows clubs with a legal dispute to go before an independent tribunal.
McCabe told his club’s official website: “I can confirm that both clubs have been notified of the ruling. The arbitration panel has awarded in our favour.
“The matter is still legally in process so I do not wish to comment any further until we have completed that process.”
A club statement added: “The Blades began their legal fight for reinstatement some 16 months ago, which also included an arbitration hearing against the Premier League.
“This award could now pose a question as to what the Premier League will do.”
Neil Warnock, who was manager of the Blades during the 2006/7 season and is now at Crystal Palace, told BBC Sport: “It’s justice eventually. Thankfully it has gone to an independent tribunal, they’ve listened to all the facts and the truth has finally come out.”
Sheffield United’s claim was considered by former MCC president Lord Griffiths, Sir Anthony Colman, a former High Court judge, and Robert Englehart QC.
For clarity, the FA did not sit in judgement on this case, did not have any influence on the decision and did not appoint any of the tribunal members
FA statement
A West Ham spokesman told BBC Sport: “We need to digest the full findings of the arbitration panel and will consult our lawyers on the next steps we might take before making any further comment.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
The Football Association emphasised that the process had been independent and that it “did not sit in judgement on this case…have any influence on the decision (or) appoint any of the tribunal members.”
Tevez and Mascherano were brought to Upton Park from Brazilian club Corinthians on the final day of the 2006 summer transfer window.
The pair were judged to have been partially-owned by Kia Joorabchian’s Media Sports Investment (MSI) company.
They have subsequently moved on to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively.
With nine matches remaining in the 2006/07 season, West Ham were rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and 10 points adrift of safety, while Sheffield United were two places above the drop zone.
Tevez scored five goals after this, including the winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the final day of the season, to secure West Ham’s survival.
Source: English Premier League football club information at BBC sports news