He jokes: "I'm going to put myself forward as player manager and see what they say..."
At leat the word 'play' is back in his vocabulary after he came through 90 minutes against Middlesbrough with no after effects.
His thoughts are now on who his new boss will be, and he says: "Obviously Alan Curbishley would be the favourite; I played under him at Charlton and he is an excellent coach, probably the best young English coach in the game.
"But I only know what I read in the papers and apparently Mclaren is in with a shout so we'll just watch this space.
"Alan knows the club, he knows the history, and he has that rapport with the fans as well.
"He has done excellently with Charlton and probably exceeded what they thought he could have done, so if we can get him it would be excellent , but I'm sure Charlton will be fighting tooth and nail to keep him.
"In every way he has proved to be an excellent manager, and it is very difficult to be a good manager nowadays, so if we can get him that would be great."
The Charlton boss was subjected to a grilling on the pitch which was relayed over the tannoy, and, according to one reporter who was present, mouthed something to his interrogator to the effect that he shouldn't be asking the question as he quizzed him over his future.
He has always maintained that such questions are hypothetical unless West Ham make an approach.
Meanwhile, of course, Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he will not stand in Steve Mclaren's way if an offer is put to him.
George Graham has also publicly stated he would like the job.
The fact remains, however, that no official approach has yet been made to anyone.
Patience, as they say, is a virtue.