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It has been revealed that West Ham are to send ‘expert’ representatives to India for ‘player identification’ camps this summer in order to uncover the best young talent the country has to offer. The camp will provide workshops for coaches and parents and a shortlisted few will be invited to the club’s London academy for trials, where the best candidates will be granted opportunities to break in to the first team.

Those first team opportunities are currently being reaped by a collection of underperforming, overpaid and some overweight players, whose time in the Premiership will surely be coming to an immediate end whether or not the Hammers survive their relegation challenge. The likes of Luis Boa Morte, Lars Jacobsen, Danny Gabbidon, Carlton Cole and Matthew Upson, who all featured in the Irons’ most recent performance – a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City – no longer provide the quality, individually or collectively, to compete in England’s elite league.

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But what has gone wrong for West Ham this season? Scott Parker, the captain, was recently awarded the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award, Demba Ba, a January signing from Hoffenheim has scored 5 in his eleven appearances since joining, and Thomas Hitzlsperger now appears to be rewarding Avram Grant’s trust following a lengthy injury sustained before the start of the season. So there are certainly positives hidden underneath the evident turmoil at Upton Park, which implies that Grant may have to shoulder some of the responsibility for the club’s form, but the Hammers avoided the drop narrowly last season and are only three points behind their total for 2010 with 3 games remaining this term.

Although the club had invested in ten reinforcements between last summer and January’s transfer window, none of the permanent or loan recruits can claim to have performed to a top-half cailbre. The East London side’s finances have been managed erratically (to say the least) since the Icelandic takeover and through the Tevez mess, and Grant has been particularly restricted in the transfer market since succeeding Gianfranco Zola last June. But maybe it’s too easy to say that the Israeli faced an impossible task by taking the helm, particularly as Blackpool boss, Ian Holloway, has implemented a recognized style with far fewer internationals and reduced transfer funds at the club which emerged from the Championship just eleven months ago. Grant took Portsmouth down last season with a points tally reading 19, having lost the FA Cup Final to Chelsea two years after he led the West London club to final defeats in the League Cup and Champions’ League.

West Ham legend, Tony Cottee, firmly believes the manager is to blame for his former club’s instability, recently stating: “I don’t think the club has progressed since Avram Grant was appointed. Under [Gianfranco] Zola it was acknowledged that we played good football and the players were certainly behind the manager in terms of his philosophy and beliefs. Unfortunately, since the [new] manager was appointed we’ve been in the bottom three for most of the season.” Cottee isn’t the only former Hammers icon to express his views on the team’s failings, and retired defender, Julian Dicks, has also vented his frustrations by declaring: “The players don’t work hard enough. If you’re struggling you need people who are going to put themselves about, make tackles and pressurise the other team. Only Scotty Parker does this on a consistent basis.”

Both make a valid point, and it is hard to see how the club are going to make the vast improvements necessary in almost every department in order to reverse their continual demise. Last year’s takeover by David Gold and David Sullivan only served to prevent the club from being placed in to administration, but in practice simply papered over the cracks which have been growing for several seasons. A change of manager is required, but that is just the start.

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What’s gone wrong at West Ham? Have your say on Twitter

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Listen to the latest episode of our award nominee podcast – The Football FanCast. – Featuring Razor Ruddock, Gary O’Reilly and King Jacks! Don’t forget to help Razor and O’Reilly become award winners in the 2011 EPL Awards

Ryan Giggs sat down with CNN’s Alex Thomas for an enlightening interview in which the Manchester United legend talks about the past, but the Wales international is not finished yet and is still focused on bringing more trophies to Old Trafford:

Ryan Giggs: I’ve been so lucky to be part of United’s most successful time. We had it rammed down our throats and Liverpool were just winning everything and I grew up as a United fan hating that.

Alex Thomas: Can you take us back to 1990, what was it like then?

RG: Day-to-day, it was completely different, obviously we didn’t have Carrington, we didn’t have the facilities that we have, we were at the old training ground, the Cliff, which had unbelievable history, the Busby Babes trained there, Best, Charlton, Law, you could feel the history within the building but obviously time moves on. Back then, you know 17, 18 I would get to training, we would start at half ten on the pitch, I would be there at maybe ten past, quarter past, so you’d maybe spend a little bit of time in the gym, and then you’d be home for like half 12, 1 o’clock. Now it’s completely different you know, we have massages, we have pools, we have all the facilities you could think of…

AT: is it easier being a player now than back then?

RG: These days, is it harder? Probably, because of the scrutiny you’re under, one good game and you’re a world beater, and obviously then they bring the money in to it, so you have a couple of bad games, you know, should he be earning this money? It does boil down to the character of the individual, but you do need help. I had good people around me, I had the manager, I had Brian Kidd, I had Eric Harrison, all these coaches when I was a young player, I had Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce when I got in to the first team. I’ve had people to keep my feet on the ground and you do need that help you know, at 17, 18 scoring goals for the first team, you’re playing well, everyone’s patting you on the back…it is very easy to get carried away.

AT: When you look back at the career, the photos and the memories and stuff, who are your biggest friends in football?

RG: Scholesy, Nev…Nicky Butt, Paul Ince I was great friends with because he helped me in the transition of coming from youth team to first team, he helped me in that respect and we just clicked.

AT: What more do you want to win before you call it quits?

RG: You want to win everything, you want to win every game that you enter, every trophy that you compete in, you want to win. You can’t always do it but you’ve just got to try your best to win.

AT: If I said you’re only allowed one more?

RG: If I’m only allowed one more? (laughs) I would say Champions League, but it changes, tomorrow, I could say the League. The League and Champions League are obviously massive.

AT: Is it possible to win the treble again?

RG: It’s possible but it’s difficult.

AT: Harder than in ’99?

RG: I don’t know, I don’t know if it’s harder. I think it was hard then, you just need everything to go for you…You grow up watching the World Cup, European Championships and you want to be part of that, but it just wasn’t to be, but I enjoyed it, I enjoyed playing for my country, I enjoyed playing in Cardiff, I enjoyed going away and training with different players, because I’d never experienced that before obviously playing at one club, but yeah it was a major disappointment.

AT: You’ve got such a vital role here, are we going to have to wait to hear if you’ll have any involvement with the Wales set-up?

RG: Yeah, I would love to be part of a team that took Wales to a major Championship, and whatever role it may be, I don’t know, but for the moment I’m just concentrating on playing my football and that’s all I can see at the moment, but in the future hopefully, yeah…I’ve been in football since I left school and I’ve enjoyed it so much and it’s given me so much pleasure that I want to carry on and be involved, I don’t know how and I don’t know in what sort of capacity but I’ll definitely be involved.

Interview transcript provided by CNN International.

The Mirror are reporting that Liverpool are looking to take Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero on loan for the rest of the season.

The Spanish midfielder has been on the fringes of Jose Mourinho’s side thus far this season but did manage to make a rare start this past weekend against Athletic Bilbao.

Granero has been rumoured to be on the move to Malaga this January, but injury to first-team regular Sami Khedira has meant Mourinho had to persuade the former Getafe player to remain at the Bernabeu.

However, Kenny Dalglish is determined to add to his squad and believes he’ll be able to prize the Spaniard away from Madrid, if only for the short-term.

Granero has also been a target for Arsenal in recent months with both Arsene Wenger and Dalglish looking to add extra firepower to their respective midfields. (Goal)

The stumbling block for the Reds will be Madrid’s insistence on selling the player should he leave this January. But with very little in the way of potential suitors for the midfielder’s signature, Liverpool may have a clear run with just over a week left until the transfer window closes.

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Celtic manager Neil Lennon said his men ‘ran out of a bit of heart’ in the loss to Inverness that halted their title charge.The Hoops went down 3-2 at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium on Wednesday, leaving the Scottish powerhouse one point behind Scottish Premer League-leading Rangers on the table after 33 games.

Lennon said there was no part of the park he was happy with in his side’s loss to the league’s seventh-placed outfit.

“Defensively we were poor, going forward we were poor. You never expect that kind of performance,” Lennon told BBC Scotland.

“We need to take the title to at least the last day of the season. And with a bit of luck somebody might do us a favour along the way.”

The former Celtic captain watched on as his men created enough chances but failed to dominate, ensuring they were unable to use their game-in-hand to stay ahead of bitter rivals Rangers in the title fight.

“We didn’t start the second half anywhere near the way we should have,” Lennon said.

“At half-time we told them we needed a bit more in the final third. We kept getting into good positions and failing.”

“Defensively, some of the guys picked today of all days to have their worst game of the season. We went AWOL at the start of the second period.”

“Midfield were okay, but our front two in the second half gave us very, very little. They never looked like scoring.”

“I’m very disappointed with the second-half performance, very disappointed.”

Lennon said his side’s spirit was lacking despite a two-point league lead on offer had they taken all three points on Wednesday.

“We looked like a team that ran out of ideas very quickly – and ran out of a bit of heart as well,” he said.

“That’s not something I can’t throw at them for the majority of the season. Inverness wanted it more.”

“It could have been worse. We were all over the place – particularly in the central areas.”

“The two centre-halves had just one player to mark, but (Adam) Rooney kept running away from us.”

We’re not even ten games in, yet the Premiership had already thrown up a number of surprises. West Brom have beaten Arsenal away, Chelsea have lost at Manchester City and the fact that Fernando Torres has only scored one goal! What is even more surprising is Everton’s poor start to the season – heading into a tough game against Birmingham whilst being bottom of the league. So, why have they started so badly?

Goals

Everton just haven’t found the back of the net enough. In six games they’ve only scored four goals – all of them being at Goodison Park. Their goal scorers have been Cahill (2), Arteta and Pienaar – all of whom are midfielders that like to push forwards, but who should only be relied on to get a few additional goals to supplement their strikers. Yakubu looks to have gained weight and appears slow and sluggish up front, Jermaine Beckford has failed to find his feet in the Premier League and both Louis Saha and Victor Anichebe have struggled with injuries.

Tactics

In recent years, Everton have played with a five man midfield and a lone striker up front. This has served them well – helping them to establish themselves as a team that compete for Europe. Various forwards have played this position well under David Moyes, but it just doesn’t appear to be working for them anymore.

Squad size and lack of investment

Expectation amongst Everton fans is at the highest it has been for a long time, and irrefutably David Moyes has done a great job with a limited budget. However, other clubs have gone out and spent more money that Everton – leaving them behind. Outside of the traditional top four, the likes of Man City, Spurs and Villa are all fighting for European spaces and have spent millions strengthening their squads in a way that Everton haven’t matched. Against Brentford (a match they should have comfortably won with the squad that played) the team looked tired and need of a rest.

Joseph Yobo

The decision to let the powerful Nigerian go on loan to Fenerbahçe at the beginning of the season seemed odd at the odd time. Although he only made 17 appearances last season, he’s a senior squad member with international experience who has helped establish the club in recent seasons. Jagielka and Distin look a solid partnership, but for a squad short on players (as well as with Jagielka playing more games through England duty) – it would certainly be worth having Yobo around.

So Everton fans where is it exactly going wrong at present?

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Written By Jon Ireland

You know those pages on Facebook that clog up your news feeds? Annoying aren’t they. Usually pointless advertising and spamming of my own personal social media space (an oxymoron if ever there was one), however in amongst the adverts making me feel inadequate about my manhood (why these are on a Fifa banter page, god only knows) but one fan asked a question that got me thinking, ‘Who is the best left back in the Premier League?’

Firstly let me say, Ashley Cole is not going to be considered because my twenty year plan to make Cheryl Cole/Tweedy my wife will be ruined if she reads this article about what a wonderful left back he is/was.

Jose Enrique appears to be one of the bargains of the season so far at £6 million, with the Spaniard being key in Liverpool only conceding 18 Premier League goals this season, which is only bettered by Manchester City (16). The former Newcastle United player has defended with maturity and attacked with force, encompassing everything the modern day full back is about, however Enrique is yet to make his international debut which is surprising given his form and Spain’s supposed shortage at left back.

Leighton Baines, arguably the most consistent left back over the last two years or so which has started to earn the defender recognition at international level. The former Wigan Athletic man has an attribute that hasn’t been seen in a left back since Roberto Carlos and that is his ability from dead ball situations, which has proved invaluable to Everton with the likes of Louis Saha making Emile Heskey look prolific.

Neil Taylor has been one of several positives from the Premier League new boys Swansea this year, the Welsh outfit have been a great addition to the world’s best league. The Wales international has it all, the pace, the calmness when under pressure and the attacking tendencies; admittedly at 22 the former Wrexham defender isn’t the complete package but given a season or two at the top level and rumours such as the ones linking him with Arsenal will, no doubt be a common occurrence.

Admittedly I started this article thinking there were going to be five or six decent left backs but clearly I’m mistaken.

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Overall, you can’t overlook consistency and Baines has been a solid performer for two seasons now. Although the Englishman may not have the Spanish flair or the ability to reach the levels Neil Taylor can, at the moment you can’t look past the Everton man.

Let me know who you think is the best or just give me advice on how to make Cheryl Cole mine at www.danieltblazer.com or on Twitter @DanielTBlazer

Wikipedia tells me there are four types of defender: centre back, sweeper, full back and wing back, but I’m struggling to see where any of the players I will mention in my list represent these positions.

Defending is an art, and since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 it has given us world class defenders such as Tony Adams, John Terry and Steve Bruce. These players, like so many, commanded their backlines, put their bodies on the line to block a shot and popped up with the odd goal.

Like so many wonderful things there is always a downside, this downside comes in the form of ten reckless, clumsy and talentless defenders who have somehow made in onto the world’s biggest footballing stage.

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Click on Ramon Vega below to see the Top TEN

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Transfer deadline day saw ex-Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder Eidur Gudjohnsen seal a one year contract with Stoke City. Potter’s boss Tony Pulis has been busy in the transfer window, building an exciting project at the Brittania Stadium bringing in Jermaine Pennant, Marc Wilson and Kenwyne Jones. However, the signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen is the most high-profile move of the lot and could prove lucrative in Stoke’s ambition to establish themselves as a Premier League mainstay.

Not to put down a club of Stoke’s stature but I was surprised other Premier League teams declined to bid for the Icelander. He is a player with a great pedigree in the Premier League having made his name at Chelsea where he is idolised by the Stamford Bridge faithful.

He joined Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers in 2000 and spent 6 years at the Bridge where he was to become a firm fans’ favourite. He formed a deadly partnership with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, scoring 23 goals in the 2001-2002 season. Not just an out-and-out goalscorer, Gudjohnsen also has technique, skill and vision in abundance which has led to him being cast in his present role as an attacking midfielder.

Gudjohnsen first found himself playing as an attacking midfielder under Jose Mourinho after competition for places upfront at Chelsea were limiting Gudjohnsen’s chances of starting for the Blues. Mourinho knew that Gudjohnsen was too good a player to leave out of the team completely and began to mould the striker to play in a deeper midfield role; a role which Gudjohnsen took to with relish.

The former striker was a revelation in midfield contributing 60 assists in his 6 year spell in West London. However, competition for first team places became fierce at Chelsea and Gudjohnsen moved to Spain and signed for Spanish giants Barcelona.

Gudjohnsen had his ups and downs at the Camp Nou but his quality as a player was never in doubt. He failed to establish himself as a first team regular under Frank Rijkaard or Pep Guardiola despite a number of impressive performances and was signed by Monaco at the beginning of last season. His stint in the French principality was not to be a happy one as Gudjohnsen struggled for form but Harry Redknapp was savvy to Gudjohnsen’s talents and brought him to White Hart Lane on loan for the second half of last season.

It was probably when Gudjohnsen was on loan at Tottenham that Tony Pulis first took notice of the Icelander as it was he who inspired Tottenham to a 2-1 win against Stoke at the tail-end of last season. Gudjohnsen was in inspired form, scoring Spur’s opening goal with a consummate left foot finish after he was played in by Peter Crouch. His movement and was a nightmare all game for the Stoke defence and it was to prove decisive as Gudjohnsen unselfishly dummied a cross from the left to allow Nico Kranjar to smash in the winner for Tottenham.

Now that Gudjohnsen has signed for Stoke, it will be interesting to see whether his arrival will signal a change in philosophy for manager Tony Pulis. His rugged, direct style of football has been hugely successful for the Potters to date but with players such as Tuncay and Gudjohnsen, Pulis certainly has the players to play a more progressive brand of football should he so please.

Gudjohnsen will need time to get to match fitness after missing preseason and has the two week international break before Stoke’s match against Aston Villa to do so. But once he does get there, I have no doubt that Gudjohnsen will prove to be a great addition to the Stoke team.

For more football chat, follow me on Twitter

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A welcome addition to the Premier League’s Wag arena – Click on image below to view gallery

The excitement can begin, even though 2012 is just a few days old, preparations should be under way for this summer and Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland where England will once again fall at the quarter finals stage and the players will be roundly slated.

But the main positive for me and for plenty of Premier League players is that Mr Capello will be leaving his post as manager when England’s tournament comes to an end. The overpriced Italian coach has failed to improve the Three Lions in his spell here, even though a promising group of youngsters have emerged to work well with some key experienced players.

I feel that a number of players have not been given a fair chance over the past few years in a time of need; especially at the World Cup in South Africa where the squad was missing some key attributes that were obvious to the majority of fans. On that note, here is an alternate England XI that have been harshly ignored by Fabio Capello during his reign.

Click on Steven Taylor below to unveil the alternate England XI

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Who do you think should be in the alternate XI? Let me know on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard

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Mid-table Maritimo extended their unbeaten run to four with a 1-1 home draw with Nacional in the Liga Sagres on Friday.The hosts entered the game on the back of three consecutive victories, which had lifted them to eighth, and grabbed a result against a Nacional side who are still fighting it out for third position with the likes of Sporting Braga and Sporting Lisbon.

Campos Djalma put Maritimo in the lead after just 16 minutes, with the Angolan continuing his hot streak of form with the early goal.

It was Djalma’s fifth goal in six matches for his side and handed the free-scoring Maritimo the initiative, although they could not add to their advantage in the first half.

Nacional came out in the second half keen to impress and grabbed an early equaliser through Brazilian Diego Barcelos.

Neither side could find a winning goal in a tense finale as both sides shared the spoils at the Estadio dos Barreiros.