Rigobert Song says he will help Tomas Repka settle in when his
transfer is complete - even though he is a rival for a centre half
slot.
Says Rigo:
"I don't know him, but it is a good thing if he comes, as we need everybody; the season is too long and you don't know what is round the corner with injuries and suspensions.
"It is good for us to accept the new players, and everybody will make him welcome.
"We need to help him; when I came players helped me to settle in."
Rigo says he might be able to help Tomas with the language barrier - if he is alongside him on the pitch - adding:
"If I am playing with him I will speak Italian but if I am on the bench it is going to be difficult!
"I am not the manager but I will help to explain things - but it is not a big problem, because we are just playing football."
But Rigo insists that he has found his preferred position at centre half, and that the partnership with Christian Dailly - which the imminent arrival of Tomas is likely to break up - is proving solid.
"I'm enjoying the football very much with Christian Dailly; I think it is my best position," he says.
"It is difficult to change all the time, and it is better for me to have the same team, so you get to know each other well.
"Hypia and Henchoz at Liverpool is a good example - they have had three seasons playing together, and I think it is good.
"Christian and I have good communication and everybody is happy - I have confidence in my manager, and he is giving it back to me.
"I want to have even more confidence by continuing there; I can play right back, but my first position is where I am playing now.
"It is four games where I have shown what I can do, even though I want to do more."
Despite a tough start to the season and this week's Worthington Cup exit, Rigo is relatively content with his own performances and says:
"I think we have a lot of confidence and we are working hard.
"The manager says if we don't take risks we won't concede a goal, but I think defence is not just about the four players at the back.
"I think we have the quality to win - when you look at the performances, we are having a lot of chances to score, and that is a positive point.
"We need just one break and we will get going."
He feels no extra pressure going to the Riverside on Saturday, with both sides yet to win, and he adds:
"I think we have pressure every time; every game is a hard game and we don't want to lose, we want to win every match."
As for the last league game, when a late challenge by the already booked Craig Burley went unpunished, he says he has no complaints.
A red card for the Rams midfielder might have set West Ham up for victory in the second half, but he says:
"The referee told me the player does that all the time, and I said I would be OK.
"If he got a red card it would have been difficult for him.
"Sometimes I do that because I am a defender so I couldn't say he should have been sent off."
Says Rigo:
"I don't know him, but it is a good thing if he comes, as we need everybody; the season is too long and you don't know what is round the corner with injuries and suspensions.
"It is good for us to accept the new players, and everybody will make him welcome.
"We need to help him; when I came players helped me to settle in."
Rigo says he might be able to help Tomas with the language barrier - if he is alongside him on the pitch - adding:
"If I am playing with him I will speak Italian but if I am on the bench it is going to be difficult!
"I am not the manager but I will help to explain things - but it is not a big problem, because we are just playing football."
But Rigo insists that he has found his preferred position at centre half, and that the partnership with Christian Dailly - which the imminent arrival of Tomas is likely to break up - is proving solid.
"I'm enjoying the football very much with Christian Dailly; I think it is my best position," he says.
"It is difficult to change all the time, and it is better for me to have the same team, so you get to know each other well.
"Hypia and Henchoz at Liverpool is a good example - they have had three seasons playing together, and I think it is good.
"Christian and I have good communication and everybody is happy - I have confidence in my manager, and he is giving it back to me.
"I want to have even more confidence by continuing there; I can play right back, but my first position is where I am playing now.
"It is four games where I have shown what I can do, even though I want to do more."
Despite a tough start to the season and this week's Worthington Cup exit, Rigo is relatively content with his own performances and says:
"I think we have a lot of confidence and we are working hard.
"The manager says if we don't take risks we won't concede a goal, but I think defence is not just about the four players at the back.
"I think we have the quality to win - when you look at the performances, we are having a lot of chances to score, and that is a positive point.
"We need just one break and we will get going."
He feels no extra pressure going to the Riverside on Saturday, with both sides yet to win, and he adds:
"I think we have pressure every time; every game is a hard game and we don't want to lose, we want to win every match."
As for the last league game, when a late challenge by the already booked Craig Burley went unpunished, he says he has no complaints.
A red card for the Rams midfielder might have set West Ham up for victory in the second half, but he says:
"The referee told me the player does that all the time, and I said I would be OK.
"If he got a red card it would have been difficult for him.
"Sometimes I do that because I am a defender so I couldn't say he should have been sent off."