Ince: David's The Man

Paul Ince believes that David James is the man for the World Cup in the summer.

David made a fantastic save from Ince's close range shot at 0-0 on Saturday, and the midfielder says:

"I was devastated because I thought it was going in, and then I saw the big plaits fly across the goal!"

Ince was a former team mate of David's at Anfield and believes that him getting away to first Aston Villa, and now the Hammers, has been of great benefit to him, and he adds:

"He was going stale at Liverpool; he'd been there a long time and didn't have as much interest as he should have done - he needed a new challenge and you can see the rewards.

"He's 6'4", athletic, and he kicks it long; in fact he's got everything needed to be the number one goalkeeper in the world.

"All keepers make mistakes and the 'Calamity James' tag was always unfair on him, but he's happy now and focused.

"He's got a chance to be England's keeper number one in the World Cup, definitely."

As for the treatment he received from West Ham fans, particularly delighted at his booking being added to the save David made from him, he says:

"I've always come here and played well; they boo and jeer me, but that's what fans are like, and maybe I can take it as something of a complement."

The win over Middlesbrough at the weekend was the first Premiership victory since November 2000 without Paolo Di Canio, who returns next week from suspension.

It also marked, sadly, the ninth anniversary of Bobby Moore's death from cancer.