Fredi: J's Time Will Come

Fredi Kanoute says that Jermain Defoe's time will come even though he wasn't selected for Sven-Goran Eriksson's latest England squad as some had predicted.

"It is not for me to decide this but I think he has to keep working the way he has and training hard - and then it will happen, but I don't know when," says Fredi, who, along with Jermain, grabbed a goal to help the Hammers to a win against Sunderland on Saturday.

"Jermain played very well and I was pleased he scored a wonder goal."

Fredi was delighted to return to action at the weekend after a three week suspension coming on top of months of injury problems.

"I was looking forward to playing again and to score in 45 minutes makes me happy," he says.

"I tried to train hard for a few weeks and I was only thinking about that game; when I came back for the Leeds game it was very frustrating to be sent off so I was focused on that game particularly for a few weeks.

"It has been hard because first I had the injury and then the sending off."

Fredi says the credit for his goal - the all-important second - goes to Michael Carrick, explaining:

"It was good work from Mick first and that is what we have to do in midfield, to squeeze and take the ball.

"If we do that we can have good chances - that is the work he did, I thank him for that, and I just tried to accelerate and get in front of the goal."

Now Fredi just wants a clear run-in to the end of the season after making just eight starts this campaign.

"I have seven games to go and I hope I will be all right for them; I hope I am going to score many more goals because it has been a long time - and to do that I have to give 100%," he says.

He knows he faces stiff competition to do that from Les Ferdinand, and adds:

"It is always good terms between us because he is a good man as well as a good player, so I appreciate that kind of competition and I like his character."

Bolton face Spurs on Monday evening - several fans left Upton Park on Saturday muttering that they would have to support Spurs for one night only, but Fredi says:

"Bolton play Tottenham but we don't have to think about their game because it is about us now in these last seven games.

"It is tempting to look at other games but it doesn't mean anything and the past has shown us this.

"When you had Birmingham winning against Liverpool it shows that anything can happen so we just have to focus on ourselves."

Fredi is learning to accustom his game to newish arrivals such as Lee Bowyer and Rufus Brevett as he gets back into the swing of things and he adds:

"They have done well for the team and I think it is going to be all right with them."

And his own international ambitions with France?

"I will see," he says, with a smile.