Glen Aiming High

Glen Johnson says he is aiming to make the next World Cup with England - but his immediate thoughts are on helping West Ham avoid relegation.

Glen made his first appearance for the under-21s on Tuesday as a substitute against Turkey, and he says: "It was good and I enjoyed it. I had a lot of West Ham friends there which was a help and it wasn't hard to get to know the rest.

"I was pleased to get my first run-out but I can't say if it was what I expected or not because I didn't really think about it.

Steve Bywater was dropped for that game but Glen insists: "It is not like he had a bad performance in the first game because he didn't have much to do - and couldn't have done anything about the goals."

On matters domestic, he adds: "We have to concentrate on getting three points and if we play the way we have been I am sure we can do it."

As to whether a point will be an acceptable return for the day's endeavours at the weekend, he says: "A draw is better than losing but a win is better than drawing so we will do what we can."

West Ham's time out of the bottom three was brief, of course, with Bolton grabbing a Monday night win courtesy of a penalty against Spurs last week, and Glen admits he was angry with Gary Doherty for conceding it.

"I went mad and I was cursing Doherty," he says.

Talking of late winners, Glen will be facing James Beattie on Saturday, the man who scored a last gasp goal to earn the Saints a 1-0 win at Upton Park earlier in the season.

He has scored an incredible 59% of Southampton's goals this season, but Glen is not overawed and says simply: "He is not a bad player."

And that longer term ambition?

"It is a few years to the World Cup and it would be nice to make that. There are a few boys aiming for that at the club and hopefully we will all get there.

"I want to keep improving and play the way I have been - a couple of goals would be nice, and I need to tidy everything up as well."