Glenn Roeder says that he asked for Joe Cole to be pulled out of
the England U21 squad to face Holland in a friendly next week - so
he could get fully fit for the opening day of the season proper.
Although his initial selection for the U21s, as opposed to the full England squad, raised a few eyebrows, Glenn says:
"My guess is that because he has had such an interrupted preseason, Sven-Goran Eriksson and David Platt decided to bring him into the U21 squad rather than the full squad, on account of his lack of match fitness."
Glenn, however, decided to ask the new U21 boss if he could be pulled from the squad - for Joe's own good.
He reveals:
"I went to David Platt and asked him if it was possible for Joe to come out of the squad.
"That is because I feel he needs a full week's training right through to Friday, when we go off to Liverpool.
"Hopefully he will play 90 minutes on Saturday night against Utrecht and then have the chance to work hard on his fitness next week."
Glenn sees Joe's presence at Anfield as vital if the Hammers are to overcome their hoodoo there, and adds:
"I want him to be fit; I absolutely need him to be because, as I keep saying, the squad is small and it is difficult to add players to it that will make us better.
"Just last night I was in Madrid watching a game and possibly something could come of it.
"But I am not going to give anything away at the moment, except to say we are hopeful, and working hard to get the right people in.
"But as far as Joe Cole is concerned I think it will do him more good having a full week at the training ground next week to get that little bit more cutting edge to his fitness."
Although his initial selection for the U21s, as opposed to the full England squad, raised a few eyebrows, Glenn says:
"My guess is that because he has had such an interrupted preseason, Sven-Goran Eriksson and David Platt decided to bring him into the U21 squad rather than the full squad, on account of his lack of match fitness."
Glenn, however, decided to ask the new U21 boss if he could be pulled from the squad - for Joe's own good.
He reveals:
"I went to David Platt and asked him if it was possible for Joe to come out of the squad.
"That is because I feel he needs a full week's training right through to Friday, when we go off to Liverpool.
"Hopefully he will play 90 minutes on Saturday night against Utrecht and then have the chance to work hard on his fitness next week."
Glenn sees Joe's presence at Anfield as vital if the Hammers are to overcome their hoodoo there, and adds:
"I want him to be fit; I absolutely need him to be because, as I keep saying, the squad is small and it is difficult to add players to it that will make us better.
"Just last night I was in Madrid watching a game and possibly something could come of it.
"But I am not going to give anything away at the moment, except to say we are hopeful, and working hard to get the right people in.
"But as far as Joe Cole is concerned I think it will do him more good having a full week at the training ground next week to get that little bit more cutting edge to his fitness."