Alan's Verdict

Alan Pardew says he is going to try and carry on the good work of Trevor Brooking - when he is eventually allowed to take over as manager!

As Trevor prepares for another month of sleepless nights, after a high court settlement on Thursday that ensures he remains in caretaker charge until Alan comes in for the Burnley game on October 18th, Alan says:

"Obviously the outcome is not the route we wanted to go but unfortunately that is how it happened - but from my side the good news is that I will be manager of West Ham.

"Obviously with the court settlement there is nothing I can do in terms of getting involved but 'Sir' Trev is doing a super job already, obviously.

"The good thing, and one of the unusual things I suppose for a new manager to come in is that the spirit looks good and the team is winning - and that is an unusual environment to walk into.

"Hopefully, and I am sure he will, Trevor will keep that going until such time as I start.

"He rang me to wish me well and welcome me to the club, but I said to him to put his golf clubs away because he has a bit more work to do yet."

While so-called 'gardening leave' is not what Alan hoped for, and Trevor will have to stay off the golf course for a little while longer, at least he is able to smile:

"I will have to speak to the legal people about how much gardening I can stay away from!

"It is an unfortunate side to this saga but it is over as far as I am concerned; at least I have got a start date and Trevor knows he has got an end date.

"But I am going to be working closely with him and I want the fans to know that, because I think that is important to them.

"I am not going to come over and think for one moment that I am going to start ordering Trevor Brooking around, walking about saying everything he has done is wrong, of course I am not.

"I am going to have long chats with him at the appropriate time and make sure that I don't come in as a young gun dropping small bombs all over the place.

"I don't need to do that, I just need to put my own stuff in in a general way to start with and make sure we get the right results.

"For me it is a great honour and I am very much aware of the history and the traditions of this club and it is important that we bounce back into the Premiership; that is what I have been brought in to do and that will be my main focus.

"The challenge, when it became available, meant that it would have eaten into me if I had stayed at Reading when I thought there was a chance to come to this club.

"That wouldn't have done me any favours at my old club so I am here, I am eager to prove that I can cope with the size of it, and I am really looking forward to working with the players.

"I have always had a good working relationship with the players I have worked with and I hope that continues here.

"We have got some fantastic players at the club although it has been a difficult time in terms of the last eight months."

Alan acknowledges that relegation has been painful for all concerned, and stresses:

"I don't care what club you are, any club that loses its young stars is a major blow to the fans.

"I know there is hurt here but there are still good players left, and we need to bring on the next generation of young stars with West Ham and take the club back where it belongs.

"It is a priority to keep them and it is very important now we have some stability within the playing staff, and that they know they are the guys are going to take us forward - I am very excited about working with them."

For Alan personally, his aim is to turn the pain into gain, and he explains:

"I am suffering some hurt myself after what has gone, and my reputation has been harmed, so I am feeling the same way - which is good because it means we are going to be all driven.

"I certainly can't wait to start but I know the players and Trevor are doing a great job at the moment - and if it continues in that same vein we are going to go up.

"That is the focus we have got to stay with and the stadium needs to go with it.

"I know about the atmosphere at Upton Park and of course I had a spell at Charlton when we were lodgers there so I know the two spectrums of the place.

"When it is super-positive it is such an advantage - and we have got to use that."

Which is exactly what Alan aims to do on October 18th...