Hammers boss Slaven Bilic sat down with the media ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Stoke City at the weekend.
The Croatian discussed Andy Carroll’s recent incident and all the chances West Ham are creating while also providing an update on any injuries in the squad.
Slaven, how is Andy Carroll after the incident yesterday?
It was scary, what happened, but he is OK. What can I say? I will treat it as a one off accident that happened. He was probably targeted. I don’t think it was a coincidence. It was like a chase for 15 or 20 minutes and it was probably planned. He was very brave to do what he did, and he came back to the training ground and then it stopped. He is good and OK though, and he acted like a really brave man.
If he needed it, is there someone who can provide counselling at the Club?
We can provide it if he needed it. But of course, there isn’t someone in the Club set up just for if that happened who provides it! But whatever Andy needs, we will provide him with that service or whatever.
How is he getting on?
He is smiling, he is not scared. He is in a good environment now. He will continue to do his rehab and he is progressing good now. He is back running and there has been no negative reaction to that. If it continues like this, in two weeks’ time, we are expecting him to be training on the pitch with us.
Will the extra segregation at the Stadium make a difference for the Stoke game?
It might help, but that’s the only thing we can do; the Club has done everything. There was enough, obvious segregation between our fans and the Chelsea fans. The Club is going to make an even bigger gap, and that’s all the Club can do.
Is your biggest concern at the moment trying to convert the number of chances you’re creating?
Yes, we are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances. But, I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment to convert them than not create them at all. We are disappointed with the Everton result but we are on a good path, we are there, and we are going to score goals.
Joe Allen is a player in prime form – are you most wary of him?
He is playing really good, scoring and creating goals. He scored for Wales against Austria and a few for Stoke and he is the link between the midfield and attack. He is very good in coming alive in the right moment and place. Of course, he is one of their main players, especially now that Arnautovic is suspsended and he is maybe their best player. But they have Bony, Shaqiri – who is doubtful. Against Stoke last year, they were tough games, as you’d expect. They were in trouble but they have ten points from the last four games.
Do you have any fresh injuries?
No, except Winston Reid, who got a small one against Everton, but he is suspended anyway. The rest of the guys are ready and fit.
The Croatian discussed Andy Carroll’s recent incident and all the chances West Ham are creating while also providing an update on any injuries in the squad.
Slaven, how is Andy Carroll after the incident yesterday?
It was scary, what happened, but he is OK. What can I say? I will treat it as a one off accident that happened. He was probably targeted. I don’t think it was a coincidence. It was like a chase for 15 or 20 minutes and it was probably planned. He was very brave to do what he did, and he came back to the training ground and then it stopped. He is good and OK though, and he acted like a really brave man.
If he needed it, is there someone who can provide counselling at the Club?
We can provide it if he needed it. But of course, there isn’t someone in the Club set up just for if that happened who provides it! But whatever Andy needs, we will provide him with that service or whatever.
How is he getting on?
He is smiling, he is not scared. He is in a good environment now. He will continue to do his rehab and he is progressing good now. He is back running and there has been no negative reaction to that. If it continues like this, in two weeks’ time, we are expecting him to be training on the pitch with us.
Will the extra segregation at the Stadium make a difference for the Stoke game?
It might help, but that’s the only thing we can do; the Club has done everything. There was enough, obvious segregation between our fans and the Chelsea fans. The Club is going to make an even bigger gap, and that’s all the Club can do.
Is your biggest concern at the moment trying to convert the number of chances you’re creating?
Yes, we are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances. But, I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment to convert them than not create them at all. We are disappointed with the Everton result but we are on a good path, we are there, and we are going to score goals.
Joe Allen is a player in prime form – are you most wary of him?
He is playing really good, scoring and creating goals. He scored for Wales against Austria and a few for Stoke and he is the link between the midfield and attack. He is very good in coming alive in the right moment and place. Of course, he is one of their main players, especially now that Arnautovic is suspsended and he is maybe their best player. But they have Bony, Shaqiri – who is doubtful. Against Stoke last year, they were tough games, as you’d expect. They were in trouble but they have ten points from the last four games.
Do you have any fresh injuries?
No, except Winston Reid, who got a small one against Everton, but he is suspended anyway. The rest of the guys are ready and fit.