A Few Things To Worry About

A fresh new year it may be but these are worrying times if you are a West Ham fan. I get the impression that even selling a sprinkling of players is not really going to touch the sides.

Meantime, Harry Pearson warns of the curse of SASS which has already afflicted several managers this season and could well continue to haunt others.

And Carlos Tevez remains concerned about the shape of his future at the ManUre, despite the odd reassurance. For what it's worth I think Tevez is completely amazing. I am at a loss to understand why he has been sidelined for much of this season - Berbatov or no Berbatov.

Finally, Matty Fryatt is in doubt for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace with a bad ankle. Poor lamb!

But then again what is it they say - cheer up it may never happen?

Which may prove to be right of course.

But then again it may not.

Horrah For That Man!

According to Third Sector, the charity newsletter, Rob Green the Westham goalkeeper is a runner-up Celebrity Charity Champion.

He spent his summer holiday this year raising more than 30k for the African Medical Research Foundation by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

The other strength of his contribution is the way he has used his celebrity status to attract publicity for the project, as well as linking football-playing street kids into the charity by providing a great role model.

I don't know about you but I think that is pretty groovy.

Which is more than can be said for the two goals he let in yesterday against the Arse.

Something To Bragg About

I've been mixing with celebrities today.

Well one to be exact.

Billy Bragg.

I went to one of his Jail Guitar Doors events in a South West prison.

He is leading an initiative to take guitars into prisons to inspire and encourage prisoners to use music constructively to escape their surroundings (not literally of course) and express themselves in a way that does not get them into trouble.

The session was attended by about 40 prisoners and he talked and sang to them. He explained how he uses playing and singing to calm himself when he is feeling edgy. He used the example of when he is watching West Ham play, wondering how the match is going to go and if they will win (no wonder he's so good - he must have had a lot of practice! Watching West Ham is enough to make anyone edgy).

He also encouraged them to write songs as well as play and after performing several himself finished with this one.

Afterwards I was chatting to several prisoners, and got talking about - yes you've guessed it - football!

Anyway, turns out one of them is the uncle of a current Premiership player (it wouldn't be fair to either of them to name him). He was clearly very proud of the connection.

Small world huh?