Alan Pardew insists that West Ham United still have a
realistic chance of qualifying for Europe via our final position in
the Premiership.
While next week's FA Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough means
that Hammers are just 90 minutes away from a UEFA Cup spot, the
manager believes that two good results from the Easter weekend
clashes against Manchester City and Boro will ensure his team have
a great opportunity to finish in seventh place in the league - a
position that is also likely to guarantee UEFA Cup football.
"It's important that we put the semi-final to the back of
our minds ahead of the two games this weekend," says Pards.
"I don't want it to cloud the issue we are facing in the
Premiership, because we have a fantastic chance of finishing in
seventh place.
"I think that would secure a European spot and we have a
realistic chance of making it. Ourselves, Bolton and Wigan are all
fighting for it, Newcastle and Everton have put themselves in the
frame, and you wouldn't put it past Charlton either.
"It's a great opportunity for us and this coming weekend
will probably decide whether we are going to do it. I would say a
minimum requirement is going to be four points from these two games
and we certainly believe we are capable of obtaining that total.
"We've still got two routes into Europe open to us and
there aren't many clubs who can say that at this stage of the
season."
This weekend sees Hammers face our FA Cup quarter-final
opponents on Saturday and our semi-final opponents just two days
later, and Pards admits that he is expecting two very different
encounters - one against a City side desperate to get back to
winning ways in the Premiership and the other against a
Middlesbrough team who are likely to have one eye on their UEFA Cup
semi-final first leg against Steaua Bucharest in Romania just three
days later.
"Manchester City have had a tough time since we beat them in
the quarter-final, and Stuart Pearce will be desperate for a
result," he says. "So are we, though, and it will be a
big morale-boosting victory for whoever wins on Saturday.
"It's going to be a very difficult game, and I don't
expect us to be able to win comfortably. They have had some tough
results lately, but they are still a very good team and will cause
us problems.
"It's a really tough week for Middlesbrough but, to be
fair to Steve McClaren, he didn't bleat about it. It's
going to be difficult for him, and he knows he is going to have to
change his team, so I don't think we're going to learn too
much about Middlesbrough from Monday's game.
"I think it's an advantage for us. Thursday night away at
Steaua Bucharest is a tricky one - I certainly wouldn't want it
three days before an FA Cup semi-final."