Glenn Roeder insists the game with Middlesbrough is about points -
not personalities.
With Steve McClaren in charge of the Hammers' opponents, thoughts are of what might have been if he had taken over as West Ham boss instead of Glenn this summer.
"They can make what they want of it," he says, "it is nothing to do with Steve McClaren versus Glenn Roeder - the fixture states it is actually Middlesbrough versus West Ham.
"It is an important game for him and it is an important game for me but if the media bill it as the manager who was offered the job at West Ham versus the one who ended up getting it, there is nothing Steve or I can do about that.
"We just have to accept that is the angle some people might take, but in reality it is about the two teams taking the field."
Glenn adds that he is not particularly well acquainted with Steve.
"I don't know him particularly well, but I do know his coach Steve Harrison extremely well, and he would be rated one of the better coaches in the country.
"So when they talk about Steve McClaren shouldn't be doing the England job as well as the Middlesbrough job I would say while Steve is away with England he is leaving the club in very capable hands.
"To all intents and purposes Steve Harrison has got the experience and qualifications to be a manager in his own right.
"I am certainly a believer that Steve McClaren can manage Middlesbrough and play a vital role for Sven-Goran Eriksson in the England team.
"People will all find the angle they want to attack the game from."
Glenn, like Steve, is desperate for a first league win of the season and adds:
"It is just as important for us; it will be our third game away from home and we'll have been away four times in our first six games.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't win at Derby but you have to be pleased with a point away from home if you are winning your home games.
"But it is important we come back with a good result."
He admits he was interested in Jonathan Greening in the summer - but not his former Manchester United colleague Mark Wilson.
"Greening I looked at, I didn't know a lot about Wilson, but they tell me he is a very good midfield player.
"I'd seen Greening play for England U21s on a number of occasions and he certainly was a player I liked.
"I have seen footage of his games for Middlesbrough and I still think he is a decent player - and I'm sure Nigel will enjoy playing against him."
Glenn insists that the players can bounce back from the midweek disappointment against Reading, and adds:
"The boys don't need a lot of picking up; we had a good chat after the game, there were some long faces in the dressing room, and we were all pretty down going home on the coach.
"But they did what I asked them and came in bright on Wednesday.
"They have trained well; I don't expect any repercussions in our performance on Saturday.
"I still feel for the performances we have put in so far we have deserved more than the two points we have got, which is a poor return."
With Steve McClaren in charge of the Hammers' opponents, thoughts are of what might have been if he had taken over as West Ham boss instead of Glenn this summer.
"They can make what they want of it," he says, "it is nothing to do with Steve McClaren versus Glenn Roeder - the fixture states it is actually Middlesbrough versus West Ham.
"It is an important game for him and it is an important game for me but if the media bill it as the manager who was offered the job at West Ham versus the one who ended up getting it, there is nothing Steve or I can do about that.
"We just have to accept that is the angle some people might take, but in reality it is about the two teams taking the field."
Glenn adds that he is not particularly well acquainted with Steve.
"I don't know him particularly well, but I do know his coach Steve Harrison extremely well, and he would be rated one of the better coaches in the country.
"So when they talk about Steve McClaren shouldn't be doing the England job as well as the Middlesbrough job I would say while Steve is away with England he is leaving the club in very capable hands.
"To all intents and purposes Steve Harrison has got the experience and qualifications to be a manager in his own right.
"I am certainly a believer that Steve McClaren can manage Middlesbrough and play a vital role for Sven-Goran Eriksson in the England team.
"People will all find the angle they want to attack the game from."
Glenn, like Steve, is desperate for a first league win of the season and adds:
"It is just as important for us; it will be our third game away from home and we'll have been away four times in our first six games.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't win at Derby but you have to be pleased with a point away from home if you are winning your home games.
"But it is important we come back with a good result."
He admits he was interested in Jonathan Greening in the summer - but not his former Manchester United colleague Mark Wilson.
"Greening I looked at, I didn't know a lot about Wilson, but they tell me he is a very good midfield player.
"I'd seen Greening play for England U21s on a number of occasions and he certainly was a player I liked.
"I have seen footage of his games for Middlesbrough and I still think he is a decent player - and I'm sure Nigel will enjoy playing against him."
Glenn insists that the players can bounce back from the midweek disappointment against Reading, and adds:
"The boys don't need a lot of picking up; we had a good chat after the game, there were some long faces in the dressing room, and we were all pretty down going home on the coach.
"But they did what I asked them and came in bright on Wednesday.
"They have trained well; I don't expect any repercussions in our performance on Saturday.
"I still feel for the performances we have put in so far we have deserved more than the two points we have got, which is a poor return."