Results tagged “Avram Grant”

West Ham United have asked the Italian Football Federation to suspend Alessandro Diamanti's player registration with Brescia Calcio spa with immediate effect.

The Italian international was transferred to Brescia in last August for €2.2m, but Brescia have failed to pay the latest instalment fee.

Sam Allardyce is set to be unveiled as the new West Ham manager this week.

The 56-year-old former Bolton and Blackburn boss will take over the Upton Park hotseat vacated by Avram Grant, who was sacked following the Irons relegation from the Premier League last season.

West Ham bowed out of the Premier League with a whimper but thoughts at the club have already turned to mounting a promotion bid next season.

Sources at the club have indicated that a successor to sacked manager Avram Grant will be appointed within the next week, with Chris Hughton the bookies favourite.

No doubt there are many West Ham fans scratching their (hungover) heads this morning over quite how their club slipped so tamely out of the Premier League.

Yesterday's 3-2 defeat at Wigan sealed the Irons relegation from the top flight after a six year stay, and saw manager Avram Grant promptly sacked.

West Ham have the chance to bounce back from the disappointment of their Carling Cup semi-final defeat when they meet Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The fourth round FA Cup tie is likely to see Avram Grant make several changes from the side who surrendered to Birmingham in midweek.

Avram Grant was left to reflect on a host of missed chances that condemned West Ham to defeat in the Carling Cup semi-final.

Despite taking a first half lead through Carlton Cole's stunning long-range strike, the Irons were outplayed by a committed Birmingham side, who won the tie in extra time.

West Ham head to St Andrews this evening looking to secure a place in their first Wembley cup final for 30 years.

New signing Gary O'Neil goes straight into the matchday squad but Avram Grant will have to do without two strikers for the Carling Cup semi-final second leg clash.

West Ham captain Matthew Upson has admitted it would be a "huge achievement" for the Irons to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.

The Hammers stayed rooted to the foot of the table despite last Saturday's 2-2 draw at Everton, and Upson - who is enduring his third relegation dogfight since joining the club in January 2007 - said this is the most difficult one of the lot.

West Ham have strengthened their squad by signing midfielder Gary O'Neil from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old England under-21 player signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Irons this morning, and is eligible to play in tomorrow night's Carling Cup semi-final against Birmingham.

West Ham manager Avram Grant branded Frederic Piquionne's sending off at Everton as a "joke" as his side were held to a draw that did little to ease their perilous league position.

The Irons boss was left fuming after the striker was shown a second yellow card for celebrating his 84th minute goal with the travelling fans.

Where do West Ham go from here?

After a chaotic week or so, mainly with the speculation surrounding manager Avram Grant's future, the Irons have to get their minds back on picking up important points in the Premier League.

West Ham probably thought their week couldn't get any worse but it has, with defender Manuel Da Costa charged with sexual assault following an alleged nightclub incident.

The Portuguese defender, who has been out injured recently, has been charged over allegations relating to an incident on October 17 last year.

New signing Wayne Bridge could make his West Ham debut in tomorrow evening's clash against Arsenal.

The loan signing from Manchester City is likely to take the problem left-back berth against the Gunners, as Avram Grant looks to shore up his leaky defence.

West Ham will take a slender advantage into the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final against Birmingham thanks to a huge blunder by Blues keeper Ben Foster.

He allowed Carlton Cole's weak 78th minute shot to slip through his grasp to give the Irons a 2-1 win in an entertaining and incident packed game at Upton Park.

Which West Ham will turn up for tonight's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Birmingham?

Will it be the entertainers who swept aside Manchester United in the last round, or will it be the no-hopers ruthlessly exposed in at Newcastle last week. Irons fans will be praying it's the former as the club enters its biggest game in this competition since 1990.

West Ham's excellent cup record this season continued as they enjoyed a relatively comfortable passage through to the fourth round of the FA Cup against Barnsley.

Goals from Jon Spector and Frederic Piquionne saw the Irons progress at the Boleyn on Saturday, but did little to quell the speculation over the future of manager Avram Grant.

West Ham found themselves back on the bottom of the Premier League after their recent good run came crashing to a halt at St James's Park.

Leon Best hit a hat-trick as the hapless Hammers were thrashed 5-0 by Newcastle, and it could have been worse had the home side converted all their chances.

More of the same will be Avram Grant's instruction to his players when they go in search of more Premier League points at Newcastle tonight.

The Irons have enjoyed a four match unbeaten run, getting the new year off to the best possible start with a convincing 2-0 win over Wolves last Saturday.

West Ham face a make-or-break Christmas and New Year programme.

Tradition dictates that the team bottom of the Premier League at Christmas are doomed to relegation, but the Irons have been handed the perfect opportunity to make up ground on their rivals, with all three opponents over the period lying in the bottom seven.

Making your debut for a new club is always a nerve-wracking moment for any player but when you get thrown in at the last minute you could be excused for dropping a clanger or two.

But West Ham goalkeeper Ruud Boffin enjoyed a fine first appearance for the Irons when he played against Blackburn last Saturday, despite only finding out he was playing 24 hours before.