Hayden Foxe says he will explore every avenue as he seeks to return
to action ahead of schedule.
Hayden, who broke his finger at the weekend, has been told he will be out for over a month.
But he will seek advice from West Ham's medical team after he has an operation to see if there is some way he can protect his finger - allowing him, perhaps, to return earlier.
"I have an operation tomorrow to put a couple of screws in," he reveals.
"It is not as painful as one might think but it is just the hassle of having to go into surgery.
"I thought I would just be able to strap the two fingers together and I would have been fine.
"But I've been told I won't be able to play for five or maybe six weeks, because, with the screws in, the bone can shatter.
"I will wait and see how it heals because I want to get back as quickly as possible.
"I have been told I can't wear a protective cast because of the screws, whereas if it was just a break I would have been able to.
"But I'm pretty sure we can do something about it - it's only a finger!
"You have to listen to what the doctors tell you but hopefully something can be arranged.
"One way or another I will try to get back earlier than five weeks.
"I will still be able to run and do ball work, so I'm not looking on the negative side or it would get me down.
"I won't be able to do anything until a week after the operation, but after that I will be able to do everything except contact work."
The injury was certainly a freak one, as Hayden explains:
"My finger got caught in one of the boys' bibs as we tussled for the ball.
"It was no one's fault, just an accident.
"Because it was quite displaced I thought it was just dislocated so there I was trying to pull the b****r into place!
"Then I saw that it was busted - but looking on the positive side, at least it wasn't my leg.
"These things happen; it is never a good time to get injured, but at the start of the season is particularly bad."
Hayden's injury has exacerbated Glenn Roeder's central defensive problems; with Ian Pearce also injured, and Igor Stimac and Stuart Pearce no longer at the club, Hayden knows that new players are needed.
"Glenn is quite smart and level headed," he says.
"He doesn't rush into things and he will know what to do, though we are desperate for centre halves."
Hayden is not averse to the idea of Hannu Tihinen joining on a permanent basis, especially as Liverpool's interest has cooled.
"Hannu was a great competitor and everyone got on with him, and that is probably an option," he concludes.
Hayden, who broke his finger at the weekend, has been told he will be out for over a month.
But he will seek advice from West Ham's medical team after he has an operation to see if there is some way he can protect his finger - allowing him, perhaps, to return earlier.
"I have an operation tomorrow to put a couple of screws in," he reveals.
"It is not as painful as one might think but it is just the hassle of having to go into surgery.
"I thought I would just be able to strap the two fingers together and I would have been fine.
"But I've been told I won't be able to play for five or maybe six weeks, because, with the screws in, the bone can shatter.
"I will wait and see how it heals because I want to get back as quickly as possible.
"I have been told I can't wear a protective cast because of the screws, whereas if it was just a break I would have been able to.
"But I'm pretty sure we can do something about it - it's only a finger!
"You have to listen to what the doctors tell you but hopefully something can be arranged.
"One way or another I will try to get back earlier than five weeks.
"I will still be able to run and do ball work, so I'm not looking on the negative side or it would get me down.
"I won't be able to do anything until a week after the operation, but after that I will be able to do everything except contact work."
The injury was certainly a freak one, as Hayden explains:
"My finger got caught in one of the boys' bibs as we tussled for the ball.
"It was no one's fault, just an accident.
"Because it was quite displaced I thought it was just dislocated so there I was trying to pull the b****r into place!
"Then I saw that it was busted - but looking on the positive side, at least it wasn't my leg.
"These things happen; it is never a good time to get injured, but at the start of the season is particularly bad."
Hayden's injury has exacerbated Glenn Roeder's central defensive problems; with Ian Pearce also injured, and Igor Stimac and Stuart Pearce no longer at the club, Hayden knows that new players are needed.
"Glenn is quite smart and level headed," he says.
"He doesn't rush into things and he will know what to do, though we are desperate for centre halves."
Hayden is not averse to the idea of Hannu Tihinen joining on a permanent basis, especially as Liverpool's interest has cooled.
"Hannu was a great competitor and everyone got on with him, and that is probably an option," he concludes.