England Premier League Media

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Saturday, 13 March 2010 Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

Goalkeeper Ross Turnbull will make his league debut for Chelsea as Hilario is sidelined with an abductor muscle injury.

Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack return after one-match bans, while Yuri Zhirkov has recovered from a calf strain.

West Ham welcome back Benni McCarthy and Danny Gabbidon after injuries.

But full backs Julien Faubert and Herita Ilunga are not fit for the trip across London.

Chelsea

Injured: Bosingwa & Essien (both knee), Carvalho (hamstring), Cech (calf), A Cole (ankle)

West Ham

Suspended: Da Costa

Injured: Boa Morte & Hines (both knee), Davenport (leg), Faubert (hamstring), Ilunga (tendon), Noble (arm)

In 1996, new Parma manager Carlo Ancelotti decided that the unique talents of Gianfranco Zola did not fit into his system and sold the diminutive striker to Chelsea, thus setting in motion the process that led to Zola becoming a Blues legend.

On Saturday the Italian returns to Stamford Bridge desperate for a result that would seriously damage his former club’s title ambitions, and boost his own side’s stuttering survival bid.

Zola’s side hover just three points outside the drop zone and suffered a morale-sapping defeat at home to relegation rivals Bolton last time out. They follow up Saturday’s trip to Chelsea with another London derby at Arsenal – a daunting prospect for a side who haven’t won away from home since the opening day of the season.

Chelsea’s hopes of a first Premier League title since 2006 have been hit by two defeats in their last three league outings amid question marks over team-morale in the wake of several high-profile scandals.

Ancelotti’s side go into Saturday’s game trailing leaders Manchester United by two points, but will take heart from a 10-match unbeaten run against their east London rivals.

Head-to-head

West Ham have not beaten Chelsea in any of their last 10 meetings in all competitions (D2, L8). Their last win came in May 2003, with their last victory at Stamford Bridge coming a year earlier in September 2002.

In the last 10 Premier League meetings with the Blues, West Ham have failed to score more than one goal.

Chelsea

Chelsea have not lost back-to-back Premier League games since May 2006.

Didier Drogba has scored 10 goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances.

If the Blues concede a goal, they will have shipped more goals already than in any full season since 2003-04.

Nicolas Anelka turns 31 on Sunday.

West Ham

The Hammers have not won any of their last eight Premier League London derbies.

They have only earned one point after conceding the first goal this season, losing 12 times and drawing once. They last came from behind to win a league match in December 2008, beating Stoke 2-1.

Along with Bolton, West Ham and Chelsea have scored the most goals from set pieces this season (20).

Chelsea

Drogba: 25 goals (19 league); Lampard: 16 goals (12 league)

West Ham

Cole: 9 goals (9 league); Diamanti: 8 goals (7 league)

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Assistant referees: Stephen Child & Rob Lewis

Fourth official: Stuart Attwell

Chelsea (L2-4 v Man City, h): Hilario, Ivanovic, Carvalho (Kalou 69), Terry, Lampard, J Cole (Sturridge 60), Mikel (Belletti), Ballack, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Alex, Matic.

West Ham (L1-2 v Bolton, h): Green, Faubert (Dyer 47), Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Behrami, Parker, Kovac (Stanislas 75), Diamanti, Cole, Franco (Mido 67). Subs Not Used: Stech, Ilan, Da Costa, Daprela.

West Ham scorer: Diamanti 45 (pen)

Chelsea scorer: Lampard 61 (pen)

Bolton made the most of some poor West Ham defending to clinch their first away victory since September and climb away from the Premier League drop zone.

Kevin Davies nodded Bolton ahead from Lee Chung-Yong’s cross before James Tomkins’ error let in Davies to help set up Jack Wilshere’s volleyed finish.

Bolton stayed on top until they had Tamir Cohen sent off after 70 minutes.

Alessandro Diamanti replied with a low shot before Junior Stanislas hit the bar for the Hammers in injury time.

But Davies also hit the woodwork for Bolton in what was a frantic finish and, ultimately, the visitors got their reward for a determined display.

The win was the first in the Premier League for Wanderers boss Owen Coyle, who had not enjoyed any success on the road in the top flight with Burnley before taking charge of Bolton in January.

And it was an even more unlikely success given that, going into the game, West Ham had not conceded a goal in any of their previous four home matches and Bolton had not found the net for more than seven hours on their travels.

Those statistics counted for little when Davies opened the scoring after 10 minutes, heading expertly into the bottom corner after Tomkins misjudged Lee’s cross.

Things got even worse for the Hammers, and Tomkins in particular, five minutes later when he tried to shepherd the ball out of play but allowed Davies to cross for Cohen, who teed up on-loan Wilshere to score Bolton’s second goal, his first in the Premier League.

And, while Diamanti went close to replying with two free-kicks and it took a last-gasp challenge from Sam Ricketts to deny Carlton Cole, Bolton would have been 3-0 up at the interval had Johan Elmander not skied his shot when the impressive Davies found him in space in front of goal before the break.

The Hammers did at least improve at the back in the second half, but were desperately short of ideas at the other end until Cohen saw red for his second booking, following a trip on Scott Parker.

Even then, Bolton looked like holding out until Diamanti’s expert finish late in normal time – but they were almost denied a deserved victory when substitute Stanislas smashed his shot against the woodwork with Jussi Jasskelainen beaten.

Instead, Wanderers can celebrate their second-successive victory, which sees them leapfrog West Ham and move into 13th place, five points clear of third-bottom Hull.

The Hammers are more perilously placed, only two points above the danger zone, and will need a much-improved defensive performance if they are to get anything from their next two matches – trips to Chelsea and Arsenal.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola:
“We started slowly and it is very difficult to come back from going behind like that against against an experienced team like Bolton.

“The bottom line is that the points we missed today, we need to get somewhere else. It was a poor performance but our reaction will be big.”

Bolton manager Owen Coyle:
“It was a very accomplished performance. we had a nervy last five minutes after they pulled one back but we were certainly worthy winners.

“It’s the first time for a year that the club has won two games back to back which is another positive to take away.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get a clean sheet because the lads worked hard to get that, but we have to accept it was a quality finish for their goal.”

West Ham co-owner David Gold has said he is “concerned” that heavy debt levels will push more Premier League clubs into administration.

Mr Gold was speaking in Manchester during a BBC debate on the finances of football clubs.

His comments follow Portsmouth becoming the first Premiership club to go into administration last week.

Mr Gold added that he considered clubs borrowing money beyond their means was “a form of cheating”.

“The Premier League’s a great league, but we’re seeing a chink in the armour,” said Mr Gold, who with his fellow ex-Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan bought a 50% stake in West Ham earlier this year, valuing the club at 105m.

“It’s possible that more will go. Portsmouth have gone, imagine if next year one or two more go. I’m concerned. I fear for the league if we do not act.”

‘Tragedy’

The Premier League accounts for 56% of the total debt of European football. Liverpool owe 237m and Manchester United 716m.

And while these clubs are still seen as very strong financially, Mr Gold warned that a top-flight team may eventually go bankrupt and be forced out of business completely.

“Going into administration I could almost live with but what I fear is that a club could eventually go bust. That’s a great possibility and that would be a tragedy… for the fans,” he said.

“If one club is borrowing money beyond its means it’s a form of cheating and that’s why debt has to be addressed.

“Premier League clubs, in the main, say we run our clubs and don’t interfere. But what about the fans? You can’t take that attitude then find a club like Portsmouth going into administration.

Dan Johnson, chief spokesman for the Premier League told the debate – held at the Soccerex event – that “the important thing is preventing things from going wrong”.

He said the league was “ownership neutral” in terms of who it allowed to control clubs.

Portsmouth entered voluntary administration with debts of about 60m. The club will be docked nine points as a result and face almost certain relegation to the Championship.

Pompey, who have had four owners this season, were due to face a winding-up order on 1 March but decided to go into administration in a bid to survive.

BBC chief economic correspondent Hugh Pym suggested that it was too easy for clubs to go into administration.

West Ham co-owner David Gold has said he is “concerned” that heavy debt levels will push more Premier League clubs into administration.

Mr Gold was speaking in Manchester during a BBC debate on the finances of football clubs.

His comments follow Portsmouth becoming the first top-flight British club to go into administration last week.

Mr Gold added that he considered clubs borrowing money beyond their means was “a form of cheating”.

“The Premier League’s a great league, but we’re seeing a chink in the armour,” said Mr Gold, who with his fellow ex-Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan bought a 50% stake in West Ham earlier this year, valuing the club at 105m.

“It’s possible that more will go. Portsmouth have gone, imagine if next year one or two more go. I’m concerned. I fear for the league if we do not act.”

‘Tragedy’

The Premier League accounts for 56% of the total debt of European football. Liverpool owe 237m and Manchester United 716m

And while these clubs are still seen as very strong finnacially, Mr Gold warned that a top-flight team may eventually go bankrupt and be forced out of business completely.

“Going into administration I could almost live with but what I fear is that a club could eventually go bust. That’s a great possibility and that would be a tragedy… for the fans,” he said.

“If one club is borrowing money beyond its means it’s a form of cheating and that’s why debt has to be addressed.

“Premier League clubs, in the main, say we run our clubs and don’t interfere. But what about the fans? You can’t take that attitude then find a club like Portsmouth going into administration.

Dan Johnson, chief spokesman for the Premier League told the debate – held at the Soccerex event – that “the important thing is preventing things from going wrong”.

He said the league was “ownership neutral” in terms of who it allowed to control clubs.

Portsmouth entered voluntary administration with debts of about 60m. The club will be docked nine points as a result and face almost certain relegation to the Championship.

Pompey, who have had four owners this season, were due to face a winding-up order on 1 March but decided to go into administration in a bid to survive.

BBC chief economic correspondent Hugh Pym suggested that it was too easy for clubs to go into administration.

West Ham have wasted money and certain players have not performed, according to the club’s financial director.

Writing in the latest accounts, Nick Igoe said renewing Dean Ashton’s contract and signing Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer were major mistakes.

Figures show wages totalled around 80% of their annual turnover in 2006-2007, 20% above the Premier League average.

Igoe said: “Many of the group’s investment decisions in the last two to three seasons have been ill-judged.”

The financial chief added: “No football club can sustain this level of expenditure on underperforming members of its squad.

“It must be concluded that the investment in the playing squad has not generated an appropriate return, either financially or in terms of performance.

“It follows that an eighth and 10th place league finish, one Carling Cup last eight and one FA Cup last 16 represent an unsatisfactory return on this expenditure.

“Clubs with fewer resources and lower levels of expenditure on their squad have achieved a greater level of league and cup success.”

Former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan took control of West Ham in January, but it is the Icelandic regime, led by Eggert Magnusson between 2006 and the end of 2007, that came under fire in the accounts published on Monday.

Taking on former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who left in 2008 just one year into a four-year deal, and former England midfielder Kieron Dyer were highlighted as two bad deals.

The pair started a combined total of 32 matches for West Ham since the summer of 2007, and according to Igoe will cost the group 34m over the term of their contracts.

“It is a truism to observe that a club’s playing success (and almost certainly long-term financial success) is largely dependent on how wisely it invests its available resources,” he added.

The accounts also revealed the extent the club went to last season in trying to avoid a financial meltdown.

Team wages were reduced and 10.8m was made from selling players – but that accounted for less than a quarter of the transfer expenditure from the previous two seasons.

The club’s turnover was down to 76.1m, due mainly to the collapse of title sponsor XL, while “exceptional expenses” such as the Ashton pay-out certainly did not help to alleviate the club’s losses which were 16.2m before tax.

Ashton broke his ankle in an England training session in 2006, recovered to play again for the Hammers in the 2007-08 season, and then signed a lucrative five-year deal just 18 months before he was forced to retire.

The bank debt of 45m was considered “not excessive” for a club of West Ham’s size but the club claimed the debt remained “challenging”.

The accounts added: “The debt is relatively short term in nature, expiring as it does in August 2011, and has to be viewed alongside other liabilities such as the Sheffield United settlement and net transfer fee creditors of 14.4m.”

The Hammers and the Blades reached an out-of-court compensation deal over the ‘ineligible’ striker Carlos Tevez, who played for West Ham for a year from August 2006, helping to seal Sheffield United’s relegation in 2006/2007.

Olympic and world heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton has hit out at West Ham’s plans to take over the Olympic stadium after the 2012 Games.

New Hammers owners David Sullivan and David Gold want to leave Upton Park and lease the newly built stadium in nearby Stratford as the club’s new home.

However, Sotherton insists the stadium should remain an athletics venue.

“The legacy should be athletics. It’s out of order that football think they can just come and have it,” she said.

“We don’t have a national athletics stadium and we need one. We lost our last big stadium to Manchester City in 2002 after a great Commonwealth Games and the fear is now that we’ll lose another one to football.

“I’m a massive fan of football and a big Arsenal fan, but at the end of the day it’s our stadium and I think the legacy is to enable us to stage future world and commonwealth championships – who knows, maybe another Olympics.

“To have an Olympic stadium turned into a football stadium by a club struggling near the foot of the Premier League, it’s out of order.”

West Ham’s plans have already met opposition from outside the world of football, with Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone and UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner among those speaking out against the move.

One of the arguments is that London would not have won the 2012 Games had the Olympic committee heard that the stadium would be turned into a football ground.

Sullivan and Gold remain unperturbed, though, and are confident a deal can be struck.

Gold believes the deterioration of the specialist athletics track at Crystal Palace provides an example that an athletics stadium, in itself, is unsustainable.

However, Sotherton told BBC Five Live: “Of course athletics can’t use it every week, but I’m sure uses can be found for it in the off-season – rock concerts for example.

“We just don’t have a stadium that replicates the size and grandeur of an Olympic stadium. It’s something the sport desperately needs.”

Ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone believes West Ham co-owner David Gold’s idea to move the club to the 2012 stadium faces serious legal obstacles.

Livingstone helped London win the 2012 Olympics arguing that the stadium would be an athletics venue after the Games.

“There’s a legally binding contract between the Mayor and the International Olympic Committee that the stadium will be an athletics venue,” he said.

The IOC would also have to approve any change in the stadium’s usage.

“If we had said we were building a football stadium, we would not have won,” Livingstone told BBC Radio 5 live.

However, Gold has received political support for his idea from Sir Robin Wales, the Mayor of Newham.

The Newham Mayor said he “would like West Ham to be in there”, adding it was a “sensible solution”.

The Newham borough is home to the Premier League team’s Upton Park ground as well as the Olympic Stadium, which will host two-thirds of the events at the 2012 Games.

Wales, who sits on the boards of the Olympic Park Legacy Company and Games organiser Locog, said: “My view is to develop the stadium as a football stadium in legacy and use the money from West Ham and the developers to then build a proper athletics offer in London.

He believes there could be “a problem with the legacy” if the club did not move into the 450m stadium.

Gold maintains that a deal for West Ham to relocate there remains a “serious possibility”.

“I’m sensing an easing of the stance that it should be a legacy to athletics,” the West Ham co-owner told BBC Radio 5 live.

“We have to be more pragmatic. Do we want to have a stadium like we have at Crystal Palace which just deteriorated and rotted away because it wasn’t sustainable?

“We believe there is a serious possibility that we could strike a deal that would take West Ham to the Olympic Stadium.

“If that can be done, we would have a super stadium that could take the club to the next level.”

Gold and co-owner David Sullivan took over the cash-strapped club last month and immediately confirmed their interest in relocating to the 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Stratford as they try to improve the club finances.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has insisted that keeping the stadium as a grand prix athletics venue was one of the reasons that London bid for the Games, and keeping the running track at the stadium to leave a legacy to athletics in East London remained a strong commitment.

The Olympic Park Legacy Company is to shortly invite bids from businesses that want to apply for a commercial stake in the stadium.

Gold had also floated the idea of West Ham moving to the Olympic venue and then building a separate stadium that could be used for athletic events.

“One other possibility is to abandon the athletic idea altogether and maybe build a small athletics stadium that can be used for ever,” he said.

“Not as an Olympic athletics stadium but a regional stadium with seating facility commensurate to their requirements which would be about 5,000.”

However, UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner accused the Hammers co-owner of being “patronising”.

“When we are told we can go to a little regional athletics stadium, I think this is another example of football rather arrogantly thinking it has all the solutions to sports problems in the UK,” said Warner.

The Games are about leaving an “iconic venue for athletes of all ages and abilities to aspire to compete in”, he added.

Wayne Rooney took his goal tally to 27 for the season as Manchester United saw off West Ham to move to within a point of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

The in-form frontman opened the scoring with a firm header from Antonio Valencia’s excellent volleyed cross.

And another Valencia cross was headed home by Rooney for the hosts’ second, before substitute Michael Owen clipped a late third from Paul Scholes’s pass.

West Ham battled bravely, but fell away in the face of Rooney’s brilliance.

It was another sensational performance from the England forward, and one that rendered a Hammers display full of spirit, if lacking in final-third quality, pointless.

Still, the visitors need feel no shame in failing to find a way to stop Rooney at Old Trafford – they are by no means the first this season – and how national coach Fabio Capello will be hoping his key striker maintains this form up to and through the World Cup this summer.

The thought of where Manchester United would be this term without Rooney must at times send shivers down the spines of their fans, and once again the striker was the hosts’ inspiration, his touch and movement first class, and his form in front of goal simply unstoppable.

It was he who almost single-handedly dragged the hosts out of a lacklustre opening to near domination as the game dragged to a close.

On the back of Saturday’s defeat by Everton, and perhaps with half an eye on Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Aston Villa, Sir Alex Ferguson made five changes, with the likes of Ben Foster, Anderson and Darron Gibson brought in from the cold.

However, the changes served only to produce a disjointed first-half display and, but for Rooney, West Ham may have taken advantage.

Playing on the counter, the visitors went close when Valon Behrami lashed wide after being played in by Alessandro Diamanti, while the Italian almost embarrassed Foster in the home goal when his deflected shot was parried down onto the goal line by the keeper.

At the other end, Valencia should have done better when his air-shot inside the box allowed a good chance to go awry in the opening 10 minutes, before Robert Green produced a smart double stop from the winger’s shot and Dimitar Berbatov’s flicked follow-up.

But as the game neared the break, the Hammers appeared more than comfortable – that is until Rooney’s goal-scoring intervention.

It was a marvellous move. Berbatov collected Ji-Sung Park’s pass and crossed for Valencia, who volleyed expertly into the six-yard area where the unmarked Rooney slammed home a header.

That lead was almost doubled seconds into the second half when Park rattled the crossbar from Valencia’s low cross, and yet there was still a feeling that West Ham were in it if they could get the dangerous Carlton Cole and Diamanti on to the ball.

But the hosts effectively settled the game on 55 minutes, Valencia – a close rival for the man-of-the-match award – again the provider from the right for Rooney to head past the sprawling Green.

West Ham, on the back of two Premier League wins for the first time in nearly a year, refused to compromise their footballing approach and continued to probe at the Manchester United backline.

But with the returning Nemanja Vidic marshalling the defence brilliantly, clear-cut chances were very much at a premium for the Hammers.

And as it turned out it was another England striker who put the match firmly to bed in the 80th minute, Owen dashing on to Scholes’s pin-point pass and chipping over Green’s dive and into the net.

West Ham were aggrieved that play was not stopped in the build up to the goal with Mark Noble lying injured, but referee Alan Wiley was unmoved as Owen raced clear to fire into the corner.

There was still time for Scholes to fashion a chance for a fourth, only for the midfielder to blast high and wide from 16 yards out.

A fourth would have been harsh on the visitors, though, and West Ham will now look ahead to their potentially crucial six-pointer against relegation rivals Bolton at the weekend.

Ferguson, meanwhile, will comfort himself with the knowledge that while his side are looking to win the league cup for a fourth time in their history, they cannot fall any further than four points off the Premier League summit with 10 matches left in the campaign.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson:
“We had to win and we did that. In the second half, especially, we played some really good football and it could have been more.

“But we’re happy with the three points. Wayne Rooney was magnificent again. They were two excellent headers, although there was also some good play from Antonio Valencia.

“Now there will be changes on Sunday (for the cup final). I have done that all along in the competition and I will have to look at the situation to make sure we have a fresh team.”

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:
“We played some good football and looked like we were in the game for most of the first half, but after that we did not play as well.

“Manchester United are a fantastic team and we could not live with them. We probably played them at the wrong time after their defeat on Saturday and, in Rooney, they have a player who turns everything to gold. He is one of the most complete strikers in the world.

“Now we look ahead to the game against Bolton, which is absolutely massive for us.”

West Ham have settled the compensation claim made against them by former manager Alan Curbishley.

The 52-year-old, who left the club in September 2008 won his case for constructive dismissal against the Hammers last November.

And an undisclosed compensation fee has now been settled by the club’s new owners David Sullivan and David Gold.

“With my managerial record intact, I am now looking forward to getting back into management,” said Curbishley.

“It has taken many months to conclude this case but I am proud of my record at West Ham.

“I would like to thank David Sullivan for acting quickly and concluding the settlement since his arrival at West Ham.”

Last autumn, a Premier League managers’ arbitration tribunal upheld Curbishley’s claim and dismissed a counter-claim by the Hammers but did not decide on the amount of compensation.

Curbishley resigned after defenders Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney were sold against his wishes.

The former Charlton boss launched his case after the Hammers counterclaimed for the cost of employing Curbishley’s successor Gianfranco Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke.

A statement from West Ham read: “West Ham United are pleased to confirm the club has settled all outstanding matters with Alan Curbishley.

“Upon taking charge of the club last month along with David Gold, joint-chairman David Sullivan acted straight away in order to reach a settlement that was in the best interests of all parties.

“An FA Premier League arbitration tribunal had previously upheld Curbishley’s claim of wrongful dismissal following his resignation at the beginning of the 2008-09 season.”

Sullivan added: “I am pleased this has all been settled. We moved as swiftly as we could to resolve the matter in a positive manner with Alan and his representatives.

“As football people, we realise this had to be dealt with from a moral and legal point of view as quickly and possible. It was best to draw a line through what had gone on under the previous owners, allowing us instead to focus fully on our challenge of taking West Ham United forward.”

Curbishley made 85 first-team appearances for West Ham during his playing career and rejoined the club as manager in December 2006, saving them from relegation in his first season.

In his first full campaign at Upton Park, Curbishley steered West Ham to a 10th-place finish in the Premier League.

West Ham’s hopes of moving to the Olympic Stadium after the London Games in 2012 have been dealt a blow by Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell.

The club’s new owners have targeted a move from Upton Park to the 80,000 capacity stadium as they try to improve West Ham’s finances.

But Jowell said: “It will be a grand prix athletics stadium.

“We have made that commitment, that was one of the reasons that we bid to win the Games and so that is a given.”

David Sullivan and David Gold took over cash-strapped West Ham in January and immediately confirmed an intention to relocate to the Olympic Stadium in nearby Stratford.

A major stumbling block to the proposed move is that the running track at the stadium would have to remain as part of the London organising committee’s commitment to leave a legacy to athletics in East London.

Sullivan said at the time of the takeover: “We hope to persuade the government to let us move into the new Olympic Stadium and I believe the people of east London would support that move.

Asked whether they would be happy to live with the track around the pitch, Sullivan said: “Ideally no, but there may be a way we could lay the running track for three months or something.

“I don’t think running tracks work, particularly behind the goal. The customers are so far back it doesn’t work.”

Jowell was critical of Sullivan for making public comments about the Olympic Stadium move.

“I don’t think you can jump from a press conference where the new owners sit down and say we’d like to move to the to Olympic Stadium to how it might work,” she said.

“In order to make sure we maximise the legacy of the park, we have set up the Olympic Park Legacy Company and they will shortly be inviting bids and business plans from any business that wants to apply for a commercial stake in the stadium and if West Ham want to made a bid at that time it will be considered alongside all the others.”

Jowell is currently in the Canadian city of Vancouver, which is hosting the Winter Olympics.

The start of the Games was overshadowed by the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili and there have been ongoing problems caused by unsuitable weather.

But Jowell said: “I think that (Vancouver organising committee) VANOC have done a really wonderful job.

“They have had some really big challenges, like the weather for instance, but what they have really got going for them, and I think this is something that our media back home doesn’t quite get, is that these are Canada’s Games and the people of Vancouver are 1000% behind them.

“Whatever carping there may have been in the British media, it is not reflected here.”