Hammers big in Germany

Über Iron Mike O'Brien reports from Germany: "We made front page and back of Flensburger Tageblatt, both lead stories. Ginge v van der Vaart pic here. Stayed overnight and witnessed the stunned disbelief as the defeated drank heavily to forget. Hamburg always play a pre-season at this ground and after our 4-1 defeat in Mainz everyone was expecting to lose. Hammers much fitter than the opposition and defended brilliantly."