Jack wins bragging rights

Jack Collison was all smiles after getting one over international team-mate Chris Gunter.

The West Ham United midfielder played a full part as the Hammers defeated Nottingham Forest - including Collison's Wales colleague Gunter - 4-1 at the City Ground to climb to fifth in the npower Championship.

The No10 was at his energetic best as Sam Allardyce's side recorded three consecutive away league victories for the first time in more than four years.

"It was good to get one over Chris! It'll obviously give me bragging rights while I'm away with Wales! I'll be able to give him a bit of stick now.

"It was great. It was a real team performance again.

"The boys are on fire on the road, which is good because we've struggled a bit at home and we needed to make up the points somewhere else. We want to keep that going and obviously improve things at home.

"It's a great confidence-booster that we can come to places like Forest, who we think are going to be up there at the end of the season, and score four goals past them.

"It was a real team display once again, the same as it was at Watford and Doncaster. You could see with all the boys chipping in with the goals and their reaction when we do score that we have got a great spirit and we're all enjoying it on the road."

Six different players have netted for the Hammers in their opening five league games - Carlton Cole, Kevin Nolan, Joey O'Brien, Scott Parker, James Tomkins and Winston Reid - and Collison is eager to add his name to that list after missing a presentable second-half chance at The City Ground.

"It was shocking! I was trying to be a little bit clever and was a little bit disappointed. As I said, it was a real team display and hopefully I'll score an important one when it's needed."

West Ham's awayday success has coincided with Collison's return to form and fitness after missing the vast majority of last season with a knee injury.

Now feeling close to 100 per cent, the 22-year-old is ready to take his game to the next level, whether that be in the midfield berth he filled at Forest or the more attacking role he took on at Doncaster Rovers and Watford.

"I see myself more of a central player but, to be honest, I'd play anywhere. I just want to play football, especially after last season and being on the sidelines for so long. I'm just enjoying every minute at the moment.

"Being out for so long, it does take some time to find your feet, but I do feel I'm slowly getting there and I've had a couple more games now.

"We've got the international break now and hopefully I can get another game there for Wales and keep getting stronger and stronger."

To watch Jack Collison's interview in full, including his views on Wales' upcoming 2012 UEFA European Championship qualifiers against Montenegro and England, log on or subscribe to West Ham TV now.