Some very good news, Valon Berhami has declared his intention to stay with the club. He is quoted as stating:
‘I don’t want to leave West Ham.’ ’I enjoy my work here. This club have given me a lot, before, during and after my injury and I want to stay here and play for this club.’
Berhami has made it clear on a number of occasions that he enjoys playing for the club and is content to stay. This latest statement should reassure fans that he is going nowhere, this season at least. It is very good to see a top player showing such appreciation and loyalty to their club. It is a rare thing these days.
We need Berhami’s midfield industry and drive to turn our season around. Also, the truth is that we have to retain players of his class if we are ever to progress as a club. If only it was possible in this winter transfer window to fund the purchase of two or three players of similar class to supplement the quality, experienced core of our team and exciting youth prospects.
Then West Ham could really push on!
SJ Chandos.
call me an old cynic but havnt we all heard this all before.i hope its true but i wont hold my breath
I think he will stay at least till the end of the season. He will be a key player for us for the rest of the season. Lets hope for arepeat of last seasons result when Behrami scored and nearly got another. COYI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember Glen Johnson and Yossi saying exactly the same things weeks before going. In fairness to Johnson, he was sold rather than left and if Behrami goes, it may not be his choice.
COYI
Good for Behrami to put loyalty before money. He obviously wants to stay
but as you say danny & smudger have we heard all this before.
As Iain says we need players of his quality to push on to bigger & better things for this club & we all hope he is not sold to supplement the coffers.
Yeah….i'm sorry to join the bandwagon of doubt and follow the conga-line of disbelief (i'm rambling…..) but this is box-standard player talk when asked how things are at a club.
No player (Jermaine Defoe aside) is ever gonna say, "The Club's a mess, i hate all the players and the manager picks on me. The sooner i'm out of the god-forsaken hole and earning some decent money the better!!!"
Which is probably a good thing.
Jolly…The Boulevard of Dreams is sometimes blocked by the Potholes of Apathy and the Artistry of Analogy. Be we live to fight another day and keep our fingers crossed that the Cliches of Life don't prevent us from recognising when players tell us what we want to hear.
And you thought you were rambling!
hope he stays as he is a veryy good player for us hopefully he and the others will turn our season around
Didnt craig bellamy say that on a national radio station a couple of days before he wanted to run off for the cash at city?
If you look at the whole picture the players appear to be in high sprits and enjoy the cameraderie of the team. They are fully behind GZ and are looking to turn the fortunes around on the pitch. If all or at least most of the players feel the same as does Behrami then all will be well & the only people to blame if & when sold will be the board. we have to remain optimistic this will not happen & that we are in a better financial position come January. Also to sell those players who are not putting the club first & not signing new contracts or just want to line their pockets & those who are deadwood & cluttering up the treatment room week in week out & not coming to the inevitable decision however difficult that is to make.
ok the alternative,
plenty of rumers floating about regarding italian clubs all sniffing around him.
he say s nothing and all we hear is the sun and notw printing rubbish about him wanting to leave.
im sorry but i would rather hear what hes said than bugger all.
well done valon.great work !!!
Absolutely Jon – I could not agree more!
Is the Jolly screen name ironic? What a depressing viewpoint!
No, it's very good news. It's vital that we keep berhami in our midfield engine room to power our way out of the bottom half. As for his statement – I think that he is quite a sincere character actually and not cynical as some seem to suggest.
Here's to a good result 2morrow up at Sunderland. COYI!
Hammerette, I long for your innocence – but then I live with my wife so i'm quite used to having a person say one thing when it's VERY clear they mean another!!!!!
I would LOVE for this to be Behrami's genuine admiration for the club and all those involved. BUT the truth is, he is probably more than aware that Juve and a number of other Italian and Prem clubs are sniffing around him and no good will come of admitting that he would love a pay rise and European football.
Better to play the loyal pro, don't pee off the mgmt or fans and carry on working at recapturing full fitness following a long lay-off.
Jolly, not innocence – optimism! Last season I followed SJ's line and argued that there would be no fire sale of players. My friends thought I was mad – but I was on the right side of the debate. Hopefully I will be again this season?
More like a club induced PR statement on VB's behalf to push the price up.
ok this is very off topic but what has happened with the new owner situation, was it all just speculation again, we seriously need new owners at our club has any1 got any news?
I would like Behrami to stay but like others say havn't we heard this all before from some of our players so im not going to hold my breath on this one.
Brad, CB/S are exploring further investment via Rothschild & Standard Bank
as well as (wait for it) investing themselves this week. With the number of potential investors enquiring about the club they feel it is time to put up or shut up. This was said in last sundays Telegraph.
We now have to sit tight and wait to see if anything comes of it. Lol!
What else is he suppose to say?
Wait for it,Mr nickaliving(Dyer) has picked up another injury in training, estimated time out 3 weeks LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! is there anyway we can cash in on him insurance etc,he's never gunna play.
Google Dyer's injury record,out every month since 2004.Someone should make a movie about this fella.
Perhaps he actually means what he says, ever thought about that as a possibility ?
No, becoz on planet pessimism there is only one cynical world view! Gez, I would hate to have the defeatist mentality of some on here.
I dont know Behrami personally so judging the veracity of his statement is quite difficult. One thing that is obvious is his commitment on the pitch. If this is any gauge of the guy then I would be inclined to believe him in what he says.
Football may be a more cynical place than it was in our youth but that shouldnt make you think that every footballer is simply mouthing the words he thinks fans want to hear while thinking and acting differently.
Some people will always believe the worst simply because they want to and all the arguments in the world wont change that view. I feel sorry for those people as that cynicism can consume a person and the journey from being cynical to being bitter is a very short one in deed.
We got a fantastic result on Sunday, I was in New York for a few days and watched the game in a bar in Tribeca, we left there at about 5am sunday morning and the barman agreed to open up for us to watch the game. Needless to say the first half didnt do a lot for my hangover but the fightback made me feel fantastic. Trying to remain optimistic when you are 2 nil down to Arsenal is a big ask but at least the players managed it.
I am going to believe that Behrami means what he said in the interview because I want to. Its that simple, I want to believe that he is committed to the club, I want to believe that he realises what a fantastic club he is playing for. I want to believe that he thinks WestHam can improve and grow and can help him realise his footballing ambitions because I know that WestHam is a club that deserves players of his talent and his commitment.
Ah, he looked at his bank account and saw the dosh has cleared, thus he is a happy hammer this month, well at least untill he realises what he could have had from a rich club. STOP PRESS!!!!
Really i want to believe what CH wants to and wish what AussieHammer wishes for.
Since Bellamy walked out on the club has there been any word of player unrest? I can't think of any except perhaps Collins' disappointment about being sold. Zola and Clarke are the head of a dream management team which every footballer at the club seems to appreciate. They provide training aimed at improving each players ability and fitness in an environment of honesty and good humour. Many players have quoted how happy they are. Behrami has helped Diamanti settle in and also Jiminez. He would make a brilliant captain.
New ownership is the only thing stopping us from being a quality premiership team. Hopefully that will be addressed in the next six months. I think we'll win this weekend or at the very least draw. New leaders are emerging; Cole, Behrami, Collison, Tomkins, even Diamanti is showing signs – the future on the field is looking brighter!
Couldn't agree more broganq. I feel sure that he would make a great captain. We would then have a real leader on the pitch again, something that I believe is missing at the moment.
valon behrami is a gd player, its nice that he likes west ham and has intentions to stay with them, juventus, arsenal, AC milan were all linked with him, but chose to stay with the Irons, nice one VB.
Valon Behrami is just the sort of wholehearted player that enjoys the rapport with West Ham fans – these are the players we love, especially when they have a good few ounces of skill thrown in. Diamanti is another. These fellas will love to play in front of the faithful at Upton Park.
I, for one and I can't be accused of being too much of an optimist, take him at his word.
Spot on DevoDevo. We love nothing more than a fighter for the cause. Players like Dicks, Bonds, Parris even Schemel have all become folk legends, mainly because the fans felt that West Ham mattered to them, almost as much as us fans.
Apologies for the 2 replies. The first one didn't seem to come through, then, hey presto, it appeared after I did the 2nd reply. Technology (or deficient users!) don't you just love it.
Spot on DevoDevo. There is nothing we love more than a fighter for the cause. Be it Dicks, Bonds, Parris or even Schemel, they all became legends because the fans believed they felt as passionate about the team as we do. I am not blinkered though and know that if a 'big' European team came in for him he would be off like a flash, but whilst he is with us I for one will continue to enjoy his power packed performances.
I'm not deaf…….I said I'm not deaf!
predict Dyer's next game devo and your a genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Devo's good, but not THAT good Chris!
its actually frustrating the fact that its taking ages to find an investment for west ham, Fishy, u alright mate, what happened to the consortium guys that were lining up 100 million pounds for west ham, u know the one with wealthy west ham fans behind it?
Like everyone they are still in the mix as far as we know along with the G/S show & whoever has voiced an interest. It will be a while yet as to when we know any further developments. However if the Telegraph report is any thing to go by the current owners will make known their position and inform the media of where the investment will come from maybe over the next couple of wks or so.
these things take weeks,its not like buying a tin ov beans !!!
listen this has been goin on for weeks, lol, how many more?
We have not had real HERO since Paolo DiCanio left, but I believe Behrami could become that player.
Billy Bonds was my hero as a teenager and I see so much of his style in Valon. He has the energy and drive of Bonds. Only thing missing is the tackle that would make you wince from the back of the North Bank.
Tevez would have become an Upton Park icon had history not intervened. I'm backing Behrami to pick up the mantle and run with it.
my favourite all time player would also be paolo di canio, what a player he was, a true Iron
If there was ever a vote for the all-time most EXCITING West Ham player, I guess DiCanio would be win by a landslide.
We've probably had better players, but none as exciting and volatile.
Loved the fella
No-one else even comes close, Lofty.
For entertainment value DiCanio was in a League of his own.
Can imagine the chaos and fun we'd have if he ever came back as manager.
DiCanio as boss with a backroom staff of Bellamy, Ruddock, Dicks and Hartson.
Chances are we'd flog a few season tickets.
Put me down for a dozen. Mind you our season would only last 12 games before they closed us down. Talk about the Dirty Dozen.
im really looking forward to west ham playing sunderland, hpe a good win comes our way, lol, guessing west hams going to win 2-1, Cole and Hines
Thats very commendable,but is Behrami as good as we all think?,creative…not really!,good distribution……no!,goal scorer……again no!,tackler……granted sometimes!,so all in all what does he bring…….a player that will run from box to box and try his heart out!,BUT surely theres thousands of them all across the leagues in the u.k?.
Yes, Tommo he is pretty good. Zola rates him very highly and so do Juventus.
That'll do for me but I do hope you let GFZ know that you have unearthed thousands more like Valon up and down the country. You could be on for a decent finder's fee.
Thats all very well Tommo, but its whether anyone of any calibre wants to come and play for us . Look how difficult it was in the last window.
Until we have new owners or fresh investment from the current this situation will continue to rear its ugly head. We just hope that the current players still continue to back GZ and want to play for WH in getting out of the position we are currently in.
Behrami is better than most think.
Creative…yes I'd say so- a brilliant winner of set pieces. The whole season could be set up around him winning free kicks and Diamante knocking them in.
Good distribution…… relatively, yes. Goal scorer, well it's not his job but when in position he can. Tackler……brave & committed and yes, a player that will run from box to box and try his heart.
If only there were thousands of them but there's not even dozens. Before his injury he was turning into one of my favourite players I'd ever seen.
but I dont think Di canio would do very well as manager, dont get me wrong, he was brilliant, but he doesnt have managerial skills.
I Think you are wrong there Mustaqim, GZ had limited experience as has Paulo. Whether he will become a good manager or even a great manager only time will tell.
All managers have to start at the bottom and work up the ladder and also be given time to turn things around at a club when taking over and not the half dozen matchs or 3mths in charge.
I think PDC will be a superb manager. He is one of the most intelligent players the game has ever seen and is a serious student of the gane. Redknapp gave him a lot of input into the management of the team at WestHam and we all saw how successful that was.
It was Glum Rodents exclusion of him that lead to our relegation as he was too busy trying to prove he was the boss. The first thing Sir Trev did was restore DiCanio to the side and it very nearly worked.
As I have said before if for any reason the club needs to recruit a new manager (and I hope they dont) then there is only one person for the job and that is DiCanio
Great news. I'd love to hear some of the other senior players send out the same message.
Valon Behrami is a fantastic player with a superb attitude. I agree with LoftyPerch that he could become a West Ham legend in time.
Behrami is a fantastic player, one who will benefit from GZ's guidancee. west Ham legend? Probably, but my money's on Diamanti to get there first!
We'll see mate. Personally I reckon a player should play at least 200 games before he can become a club legend. Not too sure that Diamanti will get there.
200 plus games? In that case we won't see many legends in the modern game Goatygav! Very top teams apart, the sort of loyalty that would see a player playing that many games is a distant memory; sad to say.
Shropshire – agree. Would you call Tevez a legend? Nowhere near 200 games!
No – I wouldn't call Tevez a legend. Loved the bloke to bits but he didn't get enough gametime for us to become a legend IMHO.
I think when you look at Behrami's background it goes a long way to explaining why he is the type of player he is. A Kosovan refugee who's footballing ability was the main reason his family were granted assylum in Switzerland. As a young refugee he befriended a Swiss lad and started playing football with him, he was outstanding for his local team and when the lads father who I gather was some kind of prominent business man or politician who got Swiss underage national scouts to come watch Valon play.
They were impressed with him but knew that unless he was granted Swizz nationality he couldnt play for them. So he and his family were approved for assylum and made Swizz citizens.
I can only imagine that because of that football means more to Behrami than it does to a lot of players, when he was a teenager he was literally playing for his family's safety, I guess because of that he feels that he owes the game to always play to his best.
Whatever the reason he is the kind of player who can become the heartbeat of a team. We desperately need a player the fans can latch on to and who inspires those around him. I think in him and Diamanti we have two players who can give the fans something to believe in.
Its no surprise that big clubs are interested in Behrami and having players of his calibre at the club can only be a good thing for WestHam
I'd read this before about Behrami but it was when he'd joined the club and I don't think there was as much detail as you've given here CH. Good insight in to the player's background and some of the contributing factors to his make-up.
We need some cheer. I think the two players you've mentioned here will have big contribution to give against Sunderland.
COYI!
Gav the only worry I have about Sunderland is not having Parker in midfield. I have to believe that Kovac is a lot better player than we have seen so far because I cant imagine us taking him on a free let alone paying money for him based on his showings so far.
Everytime I see his name on the teamsheet I keep wishing we hadnt let Lee Bowyer go! Nobody should be made think that way!!
Yikes! Scary thought isn't it – preferring the inept Lee Bowyer to Kovac. The bloke was so far off the pace he sometimes looked like he had hit his own rewind button.
Dyer worse buy ever?
most expensive waste of money ever?
hard to think of a bigger waste
Not sure he's a very nice bloke either
am in sunderland just arrived ready for 3 points 2moz !and berahmi could be the legend but have heard it all before only way he stay is if club is bought witch wont happen soon
I reckon we will get the points at the mackems.They never seem to have a consistent performance against us and we seem to be lucky at carving out results in previous meetings.
It is refreshing still that the majority of Hammers fans are still believer,s because the struggle he has endured is enough to test stronger personalities but you would back him all the way to get us to the top if he could have no financial restraints.
The future is looking brighter so the new wish list is 0-3 win at sunderland,1-0 win home to villa 3-0 win home to the toffee,s =9 points in 8 days , magic,in zola we trust!
I think you nare right it was their game with us this time last season that things started to go right on the pitch for us let us hope that ligthtning strikes twice for us tomorrow.
Unfortunately we will not have parker due to his red card but I feel that Kovac will do another good job in getting us 3points.
Also I see that Dyer is off the list yet again for 3wks due to a hamstring injury in training. the sooner we sell him on the better it will be for the club. Admittedly he is good for us when fit but that is too often too little time.
oh alright, blimey, GZ did have managerial experience, coaching Italy under 21s, Di canio hasnt, but i would think he would do alright for us, lol, anyway at the moment GZ is the manager and will continue to do so.
nice one Aussie, like the prediction, but not sure its gonna happen m8, hopefully, lol
Sunderland we win .Tuesday get on the turps 9am Melbourne Cup day very hot day lot of liquid needed smash Villa 1-0 Sunday Send Kucash home to merseyside gutted How I love my weekly planner=9 points Yippee!
You only have to watch Behrami to believe he wants to play for us. Has anyone actually taken note of the ground he covers for the team? He is a superb attribute to us and definitely a player we have to keep hold of. I'm not surprised big clubs are interested because he is class, but all the more reason not to cash in. We need him to improve our current league position, and the money we would get for him wouldn't help as I doubt we would find anyone else with his work rate!