UK Bound

Our eldest son arrived back at Montesol on Saturday having brought a friends 5 door Pajero over from Margate for them, he'd started out the previous Thursday, early lunchtime.  Really nice to see him

He's been taken a few weeks out back in England and was coming home for Christmas but his plans have changed, he is now going to Las Vegas with Alex last week in November, luck sod, returning home here 13th December - Bob comes out on the 23rd - should be a nice little Christmas for the four of us - our first time here in Spain. We're just trying to figure out how we can get our Turkey over here from Hubert's Happy Turkeys in Elmstead Market LOL. This will be the first time in about 16 or 17 years we won't 'ave had one from there, ahhh - any idea's how we can get it out leave me a comment - we can't fly it it's brown bread

Nuestro hijo left for the return journey to the UK yesterday in our right-hand drive Mondeo, he's keeping it in England. There is very little point bringing a r/h drive car to Spain (see my previous post about bringing British cars to Spain).

We spoke to him last night and he has made good time, stopping in Bordeaux overnight. I've just given him a quick ring, a wake-up call, but he's up, raring to go and says he should be in Calais by 14:30.

The driving through Spain and France is so incredibly different to that in the UK. Hours of carefree driving without incident or traffic jams. The amount of traffic on the roads over here, compared to the UK, is amazingly less. However they do hide the speed traps in Spain unlike those in the UK, so if you are doing any motoring over here be very careful. They fine you on the spot too and you have to pay the money there and then

J and I are off on Friday 20th

Would Now be a Good Time...

...for West Ham to declare themselves insolvent?

It looks increasingly likely that West Ham are going to go down this season and if we don’t beat Hull it could very well be that we will be too deep in the mire to claw our way back. Beat Hull away and this post may become academic.


Visually (not on paper) we look to have a good team (too good to go down as Scott Parker put it) but does that visualisation make realization?

Someone's Having a Giraffe

WEST HAM have told Rafa Benitez that Carlton Cole will cost him an incredible £20million.

It is the Sun so it must be Micky Mouse eh?

Montesol from the NE Peak

Took These Pictures Just Now, It Was 22 Degrees

Click on any of the images to enlarge them. Scroll through the first picture to get a real feel of The Urbanization Montesol. Our house is far top left, the harvest gold one in image 3 with the ray of sunlight shining on it. The second picture will show you the villa in a little more detail. Scrolling through image four gives you a sense and experience of the tranquil countryside (el campo). 

Remember we have a house for sale on Montesol: - ring us on +34958958142

West Ham's Dynamic Duo - Our Glamour Boys

Robert Green and Matthew Upson both trained on Thursday morning with England in Doha on Thursday ahead of Saturday afternoon's glamour friendly against Brazil.

The West Ham United duo made the seven-and-a-half hour flight on Wednesday arriving late in the evening local time before travelling to the team hotel. The pair, who both are thought to have a good chance of starting the match this weekend, were then put through their paces along with the rest of the squad the following morning.

Having been sent off against Ukraine last month, Green missed the final FIFA World Cup qualifier against Belarus through suspension. With David James absent though, he will hope to earn a recall and win his ninth cap in the process. Upson has 17 caps for his country and is in line to potentially partner captain John Terry with Rio Ferdinand injured. - Article courtesy of West Ham's OS

Some questions to ask... 

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Curbishley - Je ne regrette rien

In a recent interview Alan Curbishley stated that he had "no regrets", I understand what he means by that but it is still a little sad to think that his boyhood dream was to play for the mighty Hammers (which he accomplished) but then to go on to manage the team for it all to go pear-shaped is a little sad.


What is very interesting though, he said in that interview with Sky Sports: "I think it's not just about Alan Curbishley, there's some other things going on at West Ham - I had a two-year contract left."


"there's some other things going on at West Ham" - Wonder what they could be? Care to hazard a guess anyone?

I was asked if I could see an end to our - West Ham's - present troubles

Straumar’s moratorium (suspension) on the paying out of creditors in ‘full’ (that never usually happens in these cases [paying out in full] I know, but being forced to sell and pay out) comes to an end 11/12. I think that I’m right in saying that they are currently managing a 1.5 billion dollar portfolio, so our ‘little’ club to them is small potatoes, especially if the - ‘Remember, it's not a lie if it makes us money’ - duo of Sullivan and Gold get their way for circa 40 million. But something happening soon after – if not before the moratorium date? I don’t think it will.

Even if we are sold I think Zola will be kept on at least until the ‘new owners’ settle in. How well we’ll be doing in the table by then, I feel, will have a massive influence on whether we survive in the top flight or not. If the settling in period (of the hypothetical new owners) potentially takes us past January there will be no money available in January. Unless of course they are footballing people and really understand what it means to go down, get relegated.

Another of Tony Carr's youngsters...

I heard that West Ham have another talented young player called Kieran Sadlier coming through the Tony Carr youth system at the club, a real one to watch, then lo and behold

West Ham United attacking midfielder Kieran Sadlier has been called into the Republic of Ireland U16 squad for an international friendly double-header with Czech Republic later this month.

Sadlier has been named in an 18-man party for the matches, which will be contested at Rock Celtic FC, Blackrock, County Louth, on 24 November, and Kingspan Century Park, Monaghan, on 26 November.

The call-up represents the youngster's first involvement at U16 level for his country, with Sadlier being one of four English-based players in manager John Morling's squad.

Ireland will be eager to bounce back after back-to-back friendly defeats by Denmark away from home last month.

Above article courtesy of whufc.com

He has already made his international début scoring a goal in so doing, a cool finish by accounts - click below link FAoI

Football Association of Ireland

Carlton Poll

I ran a recent poll on this blog as to whether Capello should select Carlton for the England side to meet Brazil in Qatar on the 14th.

Although Cole sadly missed his calling due to injury sustained during the Villa home game, I am pleased to be able to report that 100% of you felt that Fabio should select him for the squad

Get well soon Carlton - And Come On The Three Lions

Too good to go down?

Scotty Parker believes "we have too much quality in the side" to get relegated.

"Last time I heard talk like that was in 2002/3 season when we went down. In that year though, we had won three of our opening eleven league games. Curiously our eleventh league game that year was against Everton at home. We lost that game as well".

The above quote is courtesy of a very good friend who is a life-long Hammer - he is a mine of West Ham information and statistics, I'm sure he won't mind my plagiarism. If you need to know anything West Ham related check Dave out at West Ham Fans.Org link bottom right-hand corner of my blog.

Below link is the Scotty Parker story

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11685_5685425,00.html

Deano Set to Retire - Such a Shame

A few months after Dean Ashton’s initial injury I was told by a very reliable source that he would never play first-class football again because the break on his ankle was in such an awkward place that it could never fully properly be repaired. I blogged as such on a few sites and (to put it mildly) I got rebuked severely from almost every quarter as though I had done something wrong or had put a hex on him or jinxed him in some way.

One morning the discussion – re Dean’s injury - came up on Talksport radio between Alan Brazil, Mike Parry - and the public - whilst I was on my way to work so I phoned in to chip in with my tuppence worth. I was dismissed rather by Brazil and they cut me off. Brazil said on air (me cut off now so I can’t reply) that I shouldn’t be claiming or predicting that kind of thing about a professional football’s career it was a rotten thing for me to even suggest. I felt somewhat put-down as though it was my fault and some how I had broken his ankle and not Shaun Wright-Phillips.

A little while later (Dean has had a few months recovery by now) I was at a game at The Boleyn and as I was making my way down from the Premier Suite through the ‘stands’ to see a couple of my sons who are season ticket holders in the Dr Marten’s (west stand). It was early and as I passed the seats at the dug-out Dean was there – much to my surprise. I had a quick chat to him asked him how he was and how his recuperation was going wished him well and that, you know, how you do. He was very forthcoming and chatty if only briefly. He told me he was doing quite well and was back in light training – remember this was after the first operation but BEFORE all the subsequent ones and other later problems he had including that medial knee ligament - he didn’t seem sincere though with what he was telling me.

I am not suggesting for a minute he was lying because he wasn’t, it was more he was trying to be positive but knew a lot more than he was saying. I already had in my mind what I had been told about his situation (as I spoke with him) so maybe I was seeing/feeling something that wasn’t really there but he never came over as though he really meant what he was saying, you know kind of, if he spoke it, it would come true. I might be doing him an injustice but if my information was correct it would explain the reason that we had no information about him the whole time he was out.

And now look what we read again…

Suzi Spanification

We completed the process today in getting our little Suzi re registered in Spain. I just collected and fitted the new number plates - I'm getting quite attached to her...ahhhh

If you need to know anything about the process see my previous blog entry 
Bringing to & Keeping British Cars in Spain

Two Steps Forward and One Back

Everton played a tough game mid-week they were run ragged, stuffed, and finally beaten by Benfica 7 nil on aggregate, Everton's heaviest defeat in Europe. They have a number of players on the injury list and are so lacking in first team quality they have to field two nineteen year olds' and have two 17 year olds' on the bench. They are also haemorrhaging goals; apart from the Benfica rout, they conceded 3 against Bolton and they dropped 2 to spurs. They are in somewhat of a mini crisis having not made a very good start to the season either.And to top it all the only real goal threat they have is Saha - who goes off

On the contrary we on the other hand have our tails up. Two good draws although the Sunderland one felt like a loss, conversely the Arsenal game felt like a win. However the icing on the cake for us was a stirring, siege mentality, emphatic win over an in-form Villa, the lads were brilliant. We are buoyant, morale is creeping back into the players, no into the team; if ever there was a good time to take on the Toffees at The Boleyn Ground it had to be now, it just had to be.

What does Zola do?

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown"

“Alan Curbishley's resignation from West Ham saved him from the sack”

The Mirror headline read yesterday

It is now emerging that “The Sword of Damocles” was poised just prior to the walk out of Alan Curbishley, had he stayed he would have been gone, sacked, 48 hours later

Allegedly there were sinister plans afoot by the then owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson to rid West Ham of Curbs and his dire brand of football before he quit; according to the Mirror yesterday

A Number of ex-Hammers Can Do Us a few Favours Tomorrow

Not all plain sailing for us today as far as the results from fixtures played were concerned, however...

• Villa thumping Bolton worked out well for us, but
• Not so Blackburn who pulled away 4 places by dropping poor ole Pompey back in the mire - draw would have favoured us much better there
  
• Our Gooner cousins from north London were ravenous as they devoured the Wolverines 1 - 4 – good on ya Stevie 
• Tottscum, well what can I say - the least the better I suppose but how did they win that, they were awful?
  

 Right tomorrow’s favours to be called in…

Zola’s Unrequited Love of the 4-3-3

As I see it we presently have 4 distinctly different sets of players in the squad right now

1. Very experienced relatively long-serving back bone, our Claret and Blue Pennines: straight out from back is Green to Cole, Edale to the Cheviots – “The Middle Pennine Gap” filled quite admirably at the back by our tower of strength Upson and our mid-field terriers Parker, ably buttressed by that most faithful of Hammers Mark C&B Noble

Match Preview - Possible starting XIs for Sunday

Both teams could fairly be labelled “bridesmaids” so far as this season goes. Although it is still early doors with regard to the Premiership, but neither side is fulfilling the promised potential of last season, not yet anyhow.

Following impressive campaigns in 08/09 – for both clubs - we finished ninth and the Toffees closing out in fifth position, aspirations were high for both Zola and Moyes' who are well respected men in the footballing world but who can’t yet get their sides to ‘click’.

Claret & Blue - NEW West Ham Magazine Online

Dear West Ham Supporter

Welcome to the first edition of West Ham United’s new online magazine Claret & Blue, free to all of our valued supporters. (link in the light grey area to the right, just above the badge)
Published every month, Claret & Blue brings you exclusive news and features and a range of fantastic offers.
In this first edition, Martin Peters talks about West Ham United’s latest England stars and there is a Carlton Cole exclusive. Journalist Ken Dyer reports from the training ground and Tony Cottee goes behind the scenes at the Boleyn Ground.

Bringing to & Keeping British Cars in Spain

If you have become a resident of Spain, you happen to have brought your British car with you and you’re intending to stay here with that car, this post might be of some interest to you.


If you haven't taken up residence here in Spain yet and are thinking of bringing your r/h drive British car here DON'T - sell it in blighty and use the money when you get out here to buy a Spanish car - far, far easier believe me.

Use the following link for some very useful information
http://www.thinkspain.com/hottopics/drivingcarsinspain/owning.asp 

First let me mention a brilliant Spanish guy call Miguel Angel Macias Galvez who is based in our village Puerto Lope. I’ll explain later – meanwhile his service link    http://www.moclinescudodegranada.es/migue.html

If you have lived and had the British vehicle in Spain for 182 days (roughly 6 months) or more then you are required under Spanish law to register that vehicle in Spain and in so doing change to Spanish plates (las placas de matrícula)

We felt Our First Adalucian Earthquake

During yesterday morning's exercise, minding my own business, just blogging along as you do, when the study chair I was sitting in unexpectedly shook and banged itself against the wall behind me.

Molly was stretched out on the desk in front of me when she suddenly leaped up at the fairly audible rumble and shuddering then jumped out onto the window ledge for a quick look around, like she knew what it was and could do something about it but just couldn't really be bothered to. Then she just nonchalantly stepped back in and settle down again on her desk-top purring like mad.

J shuffled in a few moments latter rubbing her eyes and wearily said "did the earth move darling?" I sauntered a cheeky little look round over my shoulder and just winked..

And it was...?

Is Zavon the 'New' Tony Cottee?

Our diminutive goal hero Zavon (no ‘r’(full of beans)) Hines is adamant he is ready to take his chance in the first-team after Carlton Cole was side-lined with what appears to be a hamstring injury which could keep him out for a few weeks.

The pacey little 20-year-old grabbed his first top flight goal for us when he pounced in injury time to earn (and we did earn) all three points against Villa in our first home win of the season.

I watched the post match interview with Martin O’Neill and he wasn’t best pleased with the outcome of a real fox-in-the-box strike late into second half stoppage time. I think the Villa manager expected more against a struggling team.  "I don't think we should have been beaten in the game, "O'Neill said. "I think we did enough to get something”.

On the contrary however the jubilation in the West Ham dug out was overtly palpable as the second goal slipped past Friedel right at the death, with the jubilant Hines reeling away in celebration stroking the badge

One swallow does not a summer make but it certainly puts a spring in the step

If ever West ham needed a win it was this one – YEEHAR!!!. What a lift this has truly given the whole club and I bet the atmosphere in the dressing room at fulltime must have been tingling with electricity. I am so pleased for Zola what a relief it must be for him. He can now concentrate on our assault on Europe, alright, alright just kidding.

We now sit comfortably at sixteenth with four clubs below us – onward and upward, come on you Irons let's push on from here

“It’s a funny ole game Saint” as Jimmy Greaves used to say – we lose 2 of our best players in Cole and Ilunga and yet we go on to win a game against a reasonably in-form Aston Villa in a period when to all intents and purposes it looked very much like we are bolstering for a relegation dog-fight. The beautiful game it most certainly is; it’s the reason we are all so addicted eh, you just can’t predict or second guess it, can ya.

La Molin - (The Mill House)

Second day at work over at the water mill yesterday - plenty of trees to cut back leaves to clear and bonfires to build etc. Spent 4 n a half hours there and it completely knocked the stuffing out of me because I ain’t used to it I suppose. The ole green gym is doing me the world of good though but it is such a same about Brian – he was really poorly yesterday and couldn't even talk to me. Jan gave me my orders though, typical women LOL

It is such a beautiful place, excellent building plenty of character, the reformation is fantastic and such a tranquil setting on the river just outside the picturesque village of Moclin. They do think that they might have to sell it because it is already too much for them, lil ole Bill won’t be able to carry on forever.

Alan Curbishley - Saint or Sinner?

The subject of the current demise of West Ham United FC (and let’s face it, there have been a few over the years) being attributed single-handedly to Alan Curbishley has been done to death and belongs in the realms of The Mysterious World of Arthur C Clarke. But the subject has reared its ugly head again because he [Alan Curbishley, not Arthur Clarke LOL] has quite rightly “and unequivocally” won his court case and subsequent claim for ‘constructive dismissal’.

In a nut shell; the plain truth of the matter is that Alan Pardew ran the West Ham train into the buffers and the demise was worsened catastrophically still further when the clowns Magnusson & Gudmundsson took over without a clue what to do with a premiership football club; they never even really knew what they bought it for in the first place.

Our Back Garden

Took these pictures yesterday 01/11/09 (click on them for enlargement) whilst we were walking out the back amongst the olive groves, 'twas about 30 degrees at the time, clear skies and not a breath of air

Battle of the Claret 'n' Blues'

Wednesday night sees the return of James Collins and Nigel Reo-Coker to the Boleyn Ground, will they both be welcomed?

If our boys turn up Wednesday night for this game-in-hand, put up a fight and beat the Villains 1 nil – which is quite possible if you look at Villa’s recent record (last 6 games) in all competitions (won 1, lost 1, drawn 4, Sunderland Carling Cup game was 0-0 really and the Mackems were unlucky to lose) - we leap-frog 3 teams into sixteenth only 8 points behind Villa who are currently in the seventh slot. We might actually then start to put pressure on the Trotters and the Brummies who would then be directly above us and are teams in our own "mini league" which we should be looking to better.

Spurs reckon they are still in with a shout for the league title – whether that’s too bold a statement or not is not the point - they are ‘only’ 8 points at the moment behind Chelsea so they feel they are still in-touch. With only 10/11 games played ‘things’ are far from decided yet (at both ends of the table) and one win could make all the difference for us in so many ways, couldn’t it?