Premier League - 'Fat' McCarthy facing fine

Reuters - Fri, 13 Aug 19:08:00 2010

South Africa striker Benni McCarthy must lose weight or face a fine, said West Ham United owner David Sullivan.

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The 32-year-old joined the club from Blackburn Rovers in January but his weight problems cost him a place in South Africa's World Cup squad in June.

Now West Ham have lost patience with him, Sullivan telling the Daily Telegraph: "Benni has been given a serious weight-loss programme and if he doesn't lose the weight we will be fining him.

"We are not being unrealistic. We've given him a target of losing a kilo (2.2 pounds) a week. He has to lose five or six more kilos.

"He is training very hard so he must be eating or drinking something very wrong. Short of spending 24 hours with him, we have to assume that."

West Ham, with new manager Avram Grant in charge for the first time, start the Premier League season with a visit to Aston Villa on Saturday and McCarthy is unlikely to be included in the team.

"It's like a jockey turning up overweight. He can't ride a horse and no one is going to pay him. I think we are fully within our rights to say 'you are not honouring your side of the contract'," added Sullivan.

"You expect him to turn up in a state to be a footballer. We are not starving him. It's just don't eat ice cream, don't eat cakes, don't drink wine."

Reuters

Comment 41 - 60 of 60

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  1. Fat turd

    From Dave, on Sun 15 Aug 13:24

  2. he is definately frustrated.gazaaa

    From Da-Bull, on Sun 15 Aug 13:03

  3. Let the poor boy eat what he likes, leave him alone to­ enjoy his food or he might get indegestion, then what­ would the team be like , he likes kfc i have seen him­ eating in there he had a bargain bucket with extra­ fries, 2 x large cokes and they were not diet, 5 x­ donuts at least he is happy.

    From Richard, on Sun 15 Aug 2:24

  4. have a pie and peas and a pint of lager did me no harm­ in footy

    From rock, on Sun 15 Aug 1:33

  5. this is reply to MAD MONK
    My aunts 80, walks hills and­ cycles, she's as skinny as a rake and fit.­ There's no excuse.....

    From brightspark4468, on Sun 15 Aug 1:23

  6. _good for him, lose the extra padding & benefit­ from it not just for a soccer career, but also the long­ run. He should eat a handful of fresh parsley everyday,­ to reduce the blood flow to fat tissues... one can eat­ foods that turn off the mechanism that quickly builds­ fat layers. And what better example for soccer players­ than their own coaches staying perfectly in shape ;)

    From gert, on Sun 15 Aug 1:22

  7. Surely the issue should be can he do what he is­ contracted to do, can he keep up? if he can then this­ is just victimisation.

    I woory about presidents set by­ this, how many people can say that they are the correct­ weight, and most of us as we grow older do put on­ weight.

    From mad-monk, on Sun 15 Aug 1:02

  8. Haa Haa oh please this guy is a few kilos overweight­ and people are looking at him as though he is an obese­ tub of lard in a wheelchair because his bulk makes it­ impossible to move. Try looking in the mirror you­ idiots how many of you are a few kilos overweight, how­ many are seriously overweight., Hell look at Sullivan­ doesn't exactly look svelte does he?

    I suppose in­ this society everyone has to be stick thin, able to run­ at a thousand miles a hour etc etc, be grateful he­ isn't the piss head Rooney who seems to be­ ballooning up daily. Funniest thing I can't stand­ soccer/football yet this made me laugh it's just a­ ruddy game 22 people kicking a ball about for 90­ minutes, getting paid daft money with people earning a­ fifth of what their heroes do paying stupid money to­ watch them. Next week it'll be something­ else.............................

    From V for Vendetta, on Sun 15 Aug 0:24

  9. overweight waste of money, sullivans right...why pay­ someone good money when he cant do his job, sack him­ he's just sponging off of the club

    From mullarkey36, on Sat 14 Aug 23:38

  10. he was an excellent players in porto

    From hiddink, on Sat 14 Aug 23:30

  11. Is this man the chairman of the board, or our team­ manager?? This isnt the thing to do, shock­ tactic's is one thing ta make a player loose­ weight, but this is gonna be how he "chairs"­ the club?????? What chance does Avram have?? W.H.U.F.C.­ supporter for more years then care to remember! Jason­ ESSEX

    From jason, on Sat 14 Aug 23:27

  12. whilst the fatboy spouting this stuff is a tw8t,­ he's actually right in this instance. Benni came to­ BRFC in his first season as fit as a butcher's.­ second season i think he'd been in line for­ Holland's pies...third season i think he was having­ 'home delivery' along with fat sam!

    but­ still, your chairman hasn't got the class to speak­ to the player rather than the media! shame

    From basad, on Sat 14 Aug 22:28

  13. He's preferable to the thug Rooney any time!

    From jr.spiers, on Sat 14 Aug 22:25

  14. "Benni MCCarthy is one of West Ham's best­ players" ha ha he's barely played. It's a­ nonsense statement.

    From GRAHAM, on Sat 14 Aug 21:56

  15. it was mido who said he wud play for nothing. but hes­ gettin paid a grand a week apparently

    From Nick, on Sat 14 Aug 21:44
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Benni McCarthy is one of the best players West Ham have­ got and the owner is telling to lose weight, how would­ he feel if he was in Benni's football boots, I say­ give the bloke a break.

    From Kayleigh Anslow, on Sat 14 Aug 21:40

  17. I worry for West Ham...these oweners seem like owners­ who have no class...you going to the championship...

    From ANDREW, on Sat 14 Aug 21:34

  18. not sure about why he has put weight on it could be­ diet but it could well be medically related. Some­ conditions such as graves disease can lead you to put­ weight on also some medications such as treatments for­ diabetes can also lead you to put weight on, which i­ have aways thought is counter productive for a­ diabetic.

    From s.gurry, on Sat 14 Aug 20:56

  19. yeh but wasn't it mcarthy who said he would play­ for west ham for nothing

    From timdcfc, on Sat 14 Aug 20:44

  20. he could play in the back four,infact he could be the­ back four lol

    From john, on Sat 14 Aug 15:30
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