WITH the January transfer window ready to open for business,
West Ham's players are yet again placed amid the annual torrent
of speculation.
Marlon Harewood, Matty Etherington and Nigel Reo-Coker are among
the players who have been linked with moves away from Upton Park.
But Alan Pardew insists that he is hopeful of holding on to all his
key players for a strong promotion charge during the second half of
the season.
"We are right in the promotion race," insisted Pards,
"but there are a lot of other teams there as well and we need
our best players at this stage of the season.
"Like everyone, I've heard the speculation that has linked
some of our players with moves away from the Club in January.
"But everyone at the Club is working towards the same goal,
which is promotion, I'm confident that we'll be able to
hold onto our players as we go into a crucial stage of the season.
"As a squad we've got enough ability to kick on over the
next few months and we can take positives from the character we
have shown recently.
"Coming back against Watford last month and then again against
Rotherham this week proved that the squad are prepared to fight for
the Club under very difficult circumstances.
"Having witnessed those comebacks I don't think anyone
could accuse the team of lacking character, and that is very
encouraging.
"Admittedly, we haven't played at our best of late and we
do need to address that going into the New Year. But if we can
stitch some consistency into our performances I'm confident we
can mount a really strong promotion challenge."
One problem for the Hammers this season has been the regularity
with which Pards has been forced to switch his back four. Injuries
and suspensions have meant an almost match by match reshuffling of
his defensive pack, something the Hammers boss is hoping to avoid
now that the Chadwell Heath treatment room is beginning to clear.
"We need to toughen up defensively," confessed Pards,
"and stop giving away the type of goals we did against
Rotherham. Keeping a settled back four will certainly help that
process, and I think the constant switching of our defenders has
really been the team's Achillies heel this season.
"We've had our fair share of injuries, but thankfully
those are starting to clear now, and hopefully we'll be able to
form a more solid base to the team over the next few weeks.
"Suspensions - self-inflicted absences - have hurt us as well
and those are something I want to cut out, because we need all our
senior players available now.
"At the moment we are hovering, staying in touch without
really pushing the teams at the top. We've got a great chance
to show what we can do by taking points off Ipswich at Portman Road
on Saturday and putting some pressure back on the teams above us.
"There's still a lot of belief in the squad and nobody is
in any doubt that we are capable of beating team's at the top.
But a win at Portman Road would give the squad a huge lift going
into the New Year."
The half way point in the season has now come and gone, and as the
need for results becomes even greater, Pards is well aware that the
pressure on him and his players is going to mount. However, the
Hammers boss believes he is strong enough to cope with the
challenges of a promotion dogfight in the months ahead.
"Everyone connected with the Club wants West Ham United to get
back into the Premiership," he said, "and that's what
we are striving hard to achieve.
"That also brings with it a lot of pressure. There is a huge
amount of expectation around the Club and rightly so. That is
something that I have to deal with and I feel that I deal with it
well.
"Right now, we are still in there battling with the teams
around us. We just need to stay calm and focused and concentrate on
taking three points from each game that comes along."
Pards Insists Stars Will Stay
30th December 2004