James Collins has been out for nearly a month, yet he intends to play in Wales’s World Cup qualifier against Holland on Saturday. OK, I am not a medic, but I cannot think he can be fit to play in an international. Too often, our Welsh based players have played in internationals before they have returned to fitness, and this has delayed their comeback for West Ham.
In other news, former Hammers midfielder Steve Lomas has been appointed manager of St Neots. Good luck to him in his first managerial job. Michael Hughes will be his deputy. More HERE.
Dont be stupid let him play and get back to fitness for the hammers. Internationals are less high tempo than the prem. Anyway I wanna keep Tompkins and Upson at CB as they look fantastic at the min.
I agree – used to happen all the time with Bellamy! Collins has a terrible injury record for us (every time he was needed he was injured, or so it seemed). He finnaly gets a good run in the side then picks up this injury and has been out longer than I can remember. If I was GZ I would ask him if he wants to stay at the club. If so, do not play in the upcoming Wales game/s. We do pay his wages after all and I would argue the same if we had an injury prone player in the England side (Upson anyone?). We have enough defensiove talent coming through (Tomkins, N’Gala, etc) to jettison anyone not committed. There is no way he would be given a start in his 1st game back for us and yet that is exactly what Wales will do. He might not get injured and would then be fitter for it, but there is a reason for the clubs cautious approach and it should not be ignored.
Not worried about it, especially after Lucas Neill’s superb performance as a center back, It will be good for Collins, just like a reserve match!
Hmmm mixed feelings here.
Good to get a run out,others are playing well at CB though,so not to bothered,although against Kenwyn Jones we might need to play our best headerer at the back.
Think of it as a positive. Minutes on the pitch will mean that he will be fully fit when he returns to us. I doubt he will talk into the team against Sunderland anyway with James Tomkins playing so well.
I like Ginge but long term think Tomka will be a far superior player.
I accept chris’ point re Jones, but we are at home and, as such should be the dominant side.
Assuming all the lads come back fit, this is one we can win, especially if Dyer can get more time on the pitch.
i agree totally !
tosser, i mean toshack, does this all the time, he couldn’t give a toss about club teams. did it with bellamey a few times and messed up a comeback for us.
i feel the same way about upson, if you ain’t fit enough to train and play for us, you shouldn’t be allowed to be in the international squad.
GZ wouldn’t have let him go if he wasn’t ready for a run out I’m sure. Like the new look site Iain.
Agree with most of the sentiments above – I want him to play for Wales to help get him up to speed.
If he wasn’t ready to come back or if he still had any problems with the hamstring he wouldn’t be considered by Wales. Toshack’s only concern is his lack of recent match practice, not the hamstring or his fitness.
I say, let him play.
Any football time on the pitch is good, but i do remember bellend coming back injured and others. Ashton was crocked by wright-phillips on England duty, i think Ashton should start legal proceedings against SWP.And then sue England for picking him, on a serious note i do think the FA should have been paying west ham Astons wages.
If he gets match fitness out of it, I am all for it.
I agree wholeheartedly with englandsnumber6, if you get injured whilst on international duty, the nations FA should pay towards the players wages for the time he is out.
PS: Liking the new look site.
I agree collins playing for wales will help get him match fit and even if he were to be injured,Tomka has done well and I am not so sure Collins should come straight back in anyway.
As for players injured on international duty compensation can be claimed by the clubs, or so I understood it.
I think the main point is that, for competitive matches, the national sides have the sway. Unless he feigns injury, or is definitely injured, there isn’t much West Ham can do to stop him playing. The fact we pay his wages is irrelevant in these situation.
I think he should play, playing for your country is an honour. However I am assuming if he is not fit that Toshak would be smart enough not to play him. After all he wants to win, but he needs healthy players. Any game time he gets should benefit us as long as we get him back in one piece. Luckily in this area we do have backup. However I hope Cole is treated with kid gloves, we cannot afford to lose another striker to England
Perhaps he might think about picking Gabbidon as well! Seriously though, I agree with the majority, if he is fit then give him a run out. Good luck to all our players this weekend.
If he plays and gets injuired again, we should seriously consider asking for compensation.
He hasnt playedd in 4weeks then is going to be running out for wales…
This spells disaster!!!!
He’s Welsh. They’re firey little bleeders. Let him go I say or else he might kick a player in the head/hit him with a wedge/go on strike/headbutt a flower basket/seige Gloucester….
It’s a nice dilemma – Upson/Tommo/Collins?
Speaking of compensation, I see Deano is back jogging at last!
How badly did we do out of it when Deano bust his ankle in training for England; he’s never really recovered.
Upson and Collins would surely both have been picked if it was a league game this weekend so it’s fair enough they play internationals. Hopefully they’ll get their sharpness back ready for Sunderland.
I think E1′s right – I’m sure the FA did pay Ashton’s wages while he was first out with his ankle injury. Trouble is he’s had complications (to put it mildly) since his first return to action which obviously the FA won’t cover.
Good quote from Kovac regarding his teammates’ opinion of Bellamy:
“They are glad he is not in the team. They say he is a maniac,” he explained.
“He shouted at everyone who did not pass the ball to him in training, it was crazy. His departure has been a positive thing for the players.”
I can never understand the Welsh set up. It’s a kind of park game.
Who turns up can play.
The phone call would go something like this.
“Yo Tosh, Bellars here boyo. Listen going out Friday for a few jars down the Sheep Inn, won’t be able to play Saturday, oh yeah and Giggsy’s coming with me.”
Bloody hell Bellars that leaves me a bit short up front, any ideas son”
“You could try that kid I saw playing for his school team last week, he’s only 13 but you could give him a run out.”
“Would his Mum mind”
“Nah Tosh, make her dead proud, oh yeah and what about my ex-mates down at the Hammers, they only pretend to be injured when you call Tosh, well Ginge probably is but send him out anyway, he’s a strong lad, let him run it off. The Hammers don’t need him for the rest of the season, they’ve done alright without me”
“Won’t that little Italian feller get the ‘ump with me Bellars, I reckon he could be quite fiery when he gets going”
“Tosh, believe me he’s a diamond, he’s my only ex manager who will talk to me, in fact apart from Hughsy, he’s the only manager who will talk to me”
“What about the team for Saturday though, I’ve only got 7 players, 6 1/2 if you include hop-a-long Ginge. Every Prem manager tells me that their boyo’s are injured, tried the championship, no luck, first, second division a few wannabes but come on Bellars for heavens sake set an example to the team”
“Wot me Tosh, set an example, be a role model, no way. And I’m telling you now, I can feel my stomach strain coming on, so there is no way that I could play now, that’s your fault for getting me stressed about ruining my reputation. Oh yeah and before I hang up don’t bother to phone Giggsy, he won’t come out of retirement to help the lads just because he’s in the best form of his life, Fergie told him he’s got a limp and to take it easy.”
“I’m really fed up with this Wales job Bellars, not only that I reckon I was in the running for the Liverpool job, until that Spanish Rafa boyo re-signed last week.”
“In yer dreams Tosh, I’m off to the physio now, I’ve had ‘ol Hughsy conned for a fortnight that I’m injured..Tara boyo”
Had to have a smile at that Roshi!!
Haha brilliant comments from Kovac in an article on sky sports about Bellamy!
“Kovac also stated that the club is in a better place without striker Craig Bellamy who left for Manchester City in January.
The midfielder never played with the Welshman for the Hammers and states that he is only going off what his team-mates have told him.
“They are glad he is not in the team. They say he is a maniac,” he explained.
“He shouted at everyone who did not pass the ball to him in training, it was crazy. His departure has been a positive thing for the players.”
Im liking Kovac alot these days, hopefully we can sign him permanently. Also so glad that moron Bellamy is gone.
I’ve no doubt that Kovac is telling the truth about Bellamy but I wonder how Cole thinks about his ‘mate’ being slagged off in the press by one of his team!
I see Parker has again won Player of the Month for Febuary, well done him. As he has come back from serious injuries I hope Ashton and Dyer can do the same.
Also well done Ian for a great site!
Yeah, I totally agree. If Collins plays Finland will lose! And that’s something I don’t wish because I’m from Finland.
He played well!