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Club News 13th March
March 14th 2009 09:40
Arsenal
Arsenal Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia praised his team's growing maturity after the Gunners knocked Roma out of the Champions League. Arsene Wenger's side reached the quarter finals of Europe's elite club competition for a second year in a row as they ousted Roma on penalties at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. "I am so proud of my team-mates because they showed a lot of character and maturity on the pitch," Almunia said. "We have players who are very young and proved they have a great future ahead of them. We didn't have fear in the penalty shoot-out, being a young team we stood our ground. We faced adversity as men."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O'Neill admits he is excited about the final stretch of the season as Aston Villa bid to finish in the top four. He said: "I'm excited by the prospect of finishing in the top four. The players have stuck with it and their performances on the whole have been terrific. Can we stay with it? There is no reason why we shouldn't be in the mix at the end of the season. There should be no reason at all. We should be there. We have kept it going now for the past six months and we now only have three months to go now."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce is confident his Blackburn side are a team heading in the right direction after seeing them overturn a one-goal deficit to defeat Fulham at Craven Cottage. Rovers went into Wednesday's match third from bottom and harbouring serious relegation worries, while victory would have put the hosts within touching distance of the European places. And while Allardyce accepts that relegation remains a genuine concern he is also convinced that his players are in good enough form to edge past their rivals for the drop. "That's two defeats now in 11 games since I've been here and we've had two away wins on the bounce - that shows we are gathering enough points to get us out of trouble," said the former Bolton and Newcastle manager. "It's important the results and the form keep coming. As long as we are carrying on in that vein, the sooner we can try and get to safety. Gifting that goal in the first half made it very difficult for us but games are 95 minutes now and at the end of that 95 minutes it said, Fulham 1 Blackburn 2. That's a result I feel we thoroughly deserved. We're a team in good form on the way up rather than some of the teams around us who are in poor form and sliding down."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Gary Megson has warned his side they cannot afford to allow complacency to slip into their game again if they want to avoid a relegation scrap. Wanderers are currently 11th in the Barclays Premier League but only five points above third-bottom Portsmouth. After their 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, Bolton will have had a 10-day break by the time they face Fulham, one place above them, at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday - for which the club have slashed ticket prices to £10. The Cottagers, by contrast, have played twice since then and, although Roy Hodgson's side have now lost their last three matches, Megson is more concerned by how his players react. "We didn't have very many who could turn around in the game against Stoke and say, 'That was my absolute best'," he said. "Work-rate, we were fine, but we didn't show the same desire and determination that Stoke did and that is what has gained us a few decent results this year, and we have to get back to that. Although it might stick in the throat a bit, it was complacency. We had won our last two games, we were in that mid-table bit where we still are and we wanted to push on from there. It was disappointing but hopefully now a lesson has been learned and we can crack on again."
Chelsea
Chelsea Frank Lampard believes Chelsea's rediscovered fighting spirit will have sent a shudder through the rest of Europe's top clubs. Chelsea remain unbeaten under interim coach Guus Hiddink after their 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday night meant they progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. "Maybe no-one will want to face us the way we are playing," the England midfielder said. "When you get to this stage your away performances are important and it is a good sign we scored two against Juventus. Against Juventus and the previous five games we have shown we are together and, when we have the spirit combined with our quality, we can do whatever we want."
Everton
Everton Leon Osman has set his sights on seeing off Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final to win the FA Cup. "We are looking forward to our trip to Wembley but we don't want to be going there just to be seen as the fourth team in the draw, nor are we going there to make up the numbers," he said. "We are going there because we want to win the FA Cup."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson believes his chances of taking Fulham to the next level depend as much on decisions in the boardroom as progress on the training pitch. Asked if he had a clear vision of where he wants to take Fulham in the next few years, Hodgson said: "That is not just a question for me, but also for the chief executive of the club and the owner Mohamed Al Fayed. It is up to them to decide. If things go okay this season and we do achieve our goal of stabilising the club and being less relegation prone - which I said was the aim from day one - then we are looking better and it will be up to the chairman to decide where he wants to take the club. There is no doubt that to take the club to the next step, it won't be purely down to the coaching and the preparation we try and do, it will also be down to recruitment - what players we can bring in to strengthen what is a very fragile squad."
Hull City
Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen has revealed the club has already started planning for a second season in the top flight. The Tigers are currently four points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone following a 1-0 victory over Fulham in their last outing and although Duffen is not taking survival for granted, he admits they have already identified targets for next term. He said: "We have been constantly scouting and we have a list of targets that we have identified over the course of the season. Many are young players, some are proven talent from abroad and others are emerging talent from home, whom we believe we can develop. However, at the moment we don't know if we have to sign players for a second season in the Premier League or not, so things are on hold for a couple of weeks. Staying in the Premier League is the first priority but we have the list of targets identified and that is something we have left in the hands of Bob Shaw and his scouting team."
Liverpool
Liverpool Ryan Babel admits he needs to be 'more greedy' if he is to establish himself as a striker at Liverpool. The Dutch youngster has generally been used in a wide role by Reds manager Rafa Benitez since joining the club from Ajax in the summer of 2007. He has made occasional appearances up front and is keen to be given the opportunity to make a name for himself in front of goal. Babel has scored just 13 times in 83 matches for Liverpool and accepts he must start to display a selfish streak in front of goal if he is to fulfil his aim of being a striker. Babel said: "Right now, there are too many times when I can go for goal myself that I pass the ball to another to try to give an assist. At the end, if I watch the game back I think, 'hey, I could shoot or I could go for myself'. I still believe I can be a striker, but if you want to be a striker you have to think more about yourself and that's why you are a striker. So I think that's a part I have to learn more, to be more greedy. It's a process and I'm confident that it will come."
Manchester City
Manchester City Mark Hughes is confident Manchester City's failure to make the most of their dominance against Aalborg at Eastlands will not cost them a place in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. City will take a two-goal advantage to Denmark next week thanks to first-half strikes from Felipe Caicedo and Shaun Wright-Phillips. But it could have been many more. Indeed, had the Blues scored five their visitors could not have complained such was the one-sided nature of the contest. "Ideally we would like to have put the game to bed," Hughes said. "We had enough chances to score more than we did. But we got a positive result and a clean sheet and overall it was a very good European performance. Aalborg have to attack us now. I am sure that will provide us with opportunities and if we play as well next week as we did here it will be very difficult for them."
Manchester United
Manchester United Ryan Giggs thinks Manchester United have the momentum and belief to clinch an unprecedented quintuple of trophies this season. Sir Alex Ferguson's silverware hunters already have the Carling Cup and Club World Championship in the trophy cabinet this season. United are also fast closing in on retaining their Barclays Premier League title, and next month face an FA Cup semi-final tie with Everton at Wembley. Ferguson is also just five matches away from his dream of becoming the first manager to retain the Champions League title after reaching the last eight with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan. When asked whether United could clinch the lot, Giggs said: "We've certainly got the momentum, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll take each competition as it comes and obviously try and win every game, but you need a lot of luck, as we enjoyed against Inter Milan, and hopefully we'll get there. But with the run of results we've had, the belief is definitely there within the squad, with individuals in good form, and the team generally in good form. Everything is set up for an exciting end to the season, which will be a test of character, a test of that belief."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate has backed record signing Afonso Alves to help save the club from relegation. The Brazilian striker, signed from Heerenveen for £12m last year, has found the net just seven times in his first full season on Teesside. Southgate said: "I think in terms of the number of goals he has been able to score, he'll be disappointed that he hasn't got as many as he might have done, because we have had some good chances. But I still believe he can score goals between now and the end of the season. As far as we are concerned we have got a squad of players that have got to keep us in this division. Everyone has got a key part to play in that. There is nothing to be said for any player with regard to the summer, until the summer."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Michael Owen will play against fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Hull City on Saturday. The 29-year-old England international has been back in training for around 10 days after recovering from the ankle ligament injury he suffered in January, and will play some part at the KC Stadium. Caretaker manager Chris Hughton said: "Michael will be involved. The decision on the team will be left until tomorrow, but Michael has had a good week-and-a-half's training under his belt. He has trained very, very well and it is a massive bonus to have him back involved again."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart has brought his newly-inherited Portsmouth squad back from the warmth of a five-day break in Dubai to the cold shock of finding themselves in the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in three years. But the 55-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Barnsley manager said: "I'm just going to tell the players to keep concentrating on what we've done over the last three games. I think it's still only three-and-a-half weeks we've been with them and the performances have been excellent. They have shown a great desire and a great attitude. We've done well as a team, defended well and still managed to create chances. We certainly deserve to have picked up more points than we've got."
stoke city
Stoke City Tony Pulis says the door is not closed on record signing Dave Kitson after he returned to former club Reading on loan. Kitson failed to find the net in 11 starts and six substitute appearances for Stoke after a £5.5m move last July. The 29-year-old moved back to Reading this week and he could start for the Royals against Ipswich Town on Saturday. Pulis said: "Dave is a good player but sometimes it happens where players come in and it just doesn't go for them. It could have happened for him and I'm just hoping he goes back to Reading and gets his confidence back. Dave's back with a manager he knows in Steve Coppell and he just needs to score a few goals. He will be on loan until the end of the season and we will see where it goes. No doors have been closed."
Sunderland
Sunderland Djibril Cisse's future will be thrashed out the day Sunderland secure their Barclays Premier League status. Manager Ricky Sbragia has promised the 27-year-old Frenchman, who is currently on a season-long loan deal at the Stadium of Light from Marseille, that his situation will be resolved swiftly once the Black Cats know where they will be playing their football next season. Sbragia said: "(Chairman) Niall (Quinn) has spoken to Djibril and I have spoken to him about it, and the day everything is safe and rosy will be the day we will sit down and talk to him. That has always been the case with all the players at the club, and we just hope we can focus on doing well for Sunderland and putting all our energy into that, and leaving that for another day. We have spoken to him umpteen times about it. My priority is to make sure Sunderland go up the table and stay in the Premier League. That's important and I would hope all the players would be focused that way."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Nottingham Forest have agreed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Gunter. The 19-year-old Wales international, who can play in either full-back position, will join the Championship strugglers until the end of the season and ease a defensive crisis at the City Ground. Forest manager Billy Davies is delighted to be bringing in a player who can offer versatility and said: "We are pleased we are bringing in an excellent player who can play a number of positions. He is a first-class lad to have here and I am delighted to have him. Hopefully we will see the best of him."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Paul Robinson wants some of his team-mates should to show more "pride and passion." Robinson is known for his full-blooded and passionate approach to the game and is demanding the same attitude from other members of Tony Mowbray's squad. He said: "The supporters deserve more and as players we deserve more out of each other. There are a few out there who need to wear the shirt with a little bit more pride and passion and commit themselves to this club a bit more. I would like to see a bit more passion and commitment. I think we have lacked that. I am not afraid to say it. It shouldn't bother me to say it. I think a few more players should stand up and come out and say it themselves, that they should be more committed to the club and they should be fighting for the cause a bit more."
West Ham United
West Ham United Midfielder Mark Noble believes his team-mates have responded to manager Gianfranco Zola telling his squad to play for enjoyment. Zola endured a tricky start to his managerial career but has guided the Hammers to seventh in the Barclays Premier League, putting them in the hunt for a European place. "The gaffer always says 'go out and enjoy yourself, work hard and play with a smile'," Noble said. "That is what we have done and it is fantastic."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce is hopeful Won-Hee Cho will have as big an impact on the Barclays Premier League as he has on his Wigan Athletic team-mates. Bruce knows he has taken a gamble on South Korea international Cho who was determined to follow his close friend, Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, into the Barclays Premier League. "When you sign a player from overseas it's always about how they adapt to playing in England, but with his personality he will give himself every chance," assessed Bruce. "Talent alone is never enough, but through hard work and effort I am sure he will be okay. He is industrious, hard working, and he possesses a never-say-die attitude. He is tough, wants to win, you can see that with the way he trains. In fact, he has illuminated training. When he first joined us all the other players went 'Wow! Who is this guy?' But it's about the demands of the Premier League, and we hope and we think he will cope with it."
Arsenal Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia praised his team's growing maturity after the Gunners knocked Roma out of the Champions League. Arsene Wenger's side reached the quarter finals of Europe's elite club competition for a second year in a row as they ousted Roma on penalties at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. "I am so proud of my team-mates because they showed a lot of character and maturity on the pitch," Almunia said. "We have players who are very young and proved they have a great future ahead of them. We didn't have fear in the penalty shoot-out, being a young team we stood our ground. We faced adversity as men."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O'Neill admits he is excited about the final stretch of the season as Aston Villa bid to finish in the top four. He said: "I'm excited by the prospect of finishing in the top four. The players have stuck with it and their performances on the whole have been terrific. Can we stay with it? There is no reason why we shouldn't be in the mix at the end of the season. There should be no reason at all. We should be there. We have kept it going now for the past six months and we now only have three months to go now."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce is confident his Blackburn side are a team heading in the right direction after seeing them overturn a one-goal deficit to defeat Fulham at Craven Cottage. Rovers went into Wednesday's match third from bottom and harbouring serious relegation worries, while victory would have put the hosts within touching distance of the European places. And while Allardyce accepts that relegation remains a genuine concern he is also convinced that his players are in good enough form to edge past their rivals for the drop. "That's two defeats now in 11 games since I've been here and we've had two away wins on the bounce - that shows we are gathering enough points to get us out of trouble," said the former Bolton and Newcastle manager. "It's important the results and the form keep coming. As long as we are carrying on in that vein, the sooner we can try and get to safety. Gifting that goal in the first half made it very difficult for us but games are 95 minutes now and at the end of that 95 minutes it said, Fulham 1 Blackburn 2. That's a result I feel we thoroughly deserved. We're a team in good form on the way up rather than some of the teams around us who are in poor form and sliding down."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Gary Megson has warned his side they cannot afford to allow complacency to slip into their game again if they want to avoid a relegation scrap. Wanderers are currently 11th in the Barclays Premier League but only five points above third-bottom Portsmouth. After their 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, Bolton will have had a 10-day break by the time they face Fulham, one place above them, at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday - for which the club have slashed ticket prices to £10. The Cottagers, by contrast, have played twice since then and, although Roy Hodgson's side have now lost their last three matches, Megson is more concerned by how his players react. "We didn't have very many who could turn around in the game against Stoke and say, 'That was my absolute best'," he said. "Work-rate, we were fine, but we didn't show the same desire and determination that Stoke did and that is what has gained us a few decent results this year, and we have to get back to that. Although it might stick in the throat a bit, it was complacency. We had won our last two games, we were in that mid-table bit where we still are and we wanted to push on from there. It was disappointing but hopefully now a lesson has been learned and we can crack on again."
Chelsea
Chelsea Frank Lampard believes Chelsea's rediscovered fighting spirit will have sent a shudder through the rest of Europe's top clubs. Chelsea remain unbeaten under interim coach Guus Hiddink after their 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday night meant they progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. "Maybe no-one will want to face us the way we are playing," the England midfielder said. "When you get to this stage your away performances are important and it is a good sign we scored two against Juventus. Against Juventus and the previous five games we have shown we are together and, when we have the spirit combined with our quality, we can do whatever we want."
Everton
Everton Leon Osman has set his sights on seeing off Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final to win the FA Cup. "We are looking forward to our trip to Wembley but we don't want to be going there just to be seen as the fourth team in the draw, nor are we going there to make up the numbers," he said. "We are going there because we want to win the FA Cup."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson believes his chances of taking Fulham to the next level depend as much on decisions in the boardroom as progress on the training pitch. Asked if he had a clear vision of where he wants to take Fulham in the next few years, Hodgson said: "That is not just a question for me, but also for the chief executive of the club and the owner Mohamed Al Fayed. It is up to them to decide. If things go okay this season and we do achieve our goal of stabilising the club and being less relegation prone - which I said was the aim from day one - then we are looking better and it will be up to the chairman to decide where he wants to take the club. There is no doubt that to take the club to the next step, it won't be purely down to the coaching and the preparation we try and do, it will also be down to recruitment - what players we can bring in to strengthen what is a very fragile squad."
Hull City
Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen has revealed the club has already started planning for a second season in the top flight. The Tigers are currently four points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone following a 1-0 victory over Fulham in their last outing and although Duffen is not taking survival for granted, he admits they have already identified targets for next term. He said: "We have been constantly scouting and we have a list of targets that we have identified over the course of the season. Many are young players, some are proven talent from abroad and others are emerging talent from home, whom we believe we can develop. However, at the moment we don't know if we have to sign players for a second season in the Premier League or not, so things are on hold for a couple of weeks. Staying in the Premier League is the first priority but we have the list of targets identified and that is something we have left in the hands of Bob Shaw and his scouting team."
Liverpool
Liverpool Ryan Babel admits he needs to be 'more greedy' if he is to establish himself as a striker at Liverpool. The Dutch youngster has generally been used in a wide role by Reds manager Rafa Benitez since joining the club from Ajax in the summer of 2007. He has made occasional appearances up front and is keen to be given the opportunity to make a name for himself in front of goal. Babel has scored just 13 times in 83 matches for Liverpool and accepts he must start to display a selfish streak in front of goal if he is to fulfil his aim of being a striker. Babel said: "Right now, there are too many times when I can go for goal myself that I pass the ball to another to try to give an assist. At the end, if I watch the game back I think, 'hey, I could shoot or I could go for myself'. I still believe I can be a striker, but if you want to be a striker you have to think more about yourself and that's why you are a striker. So I think that's a part I have to learn more, to be more greedy. It's a process and I'm confident that it will come."
Manchester City
Manchester City Mark Hughes is confident Manchester City's failure to make the most of their dominance against Aalborg at Eastlands will not cost them a place in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. City will take a two-goal advantage to Denmark next week thanks to first-half strikes from Felipe Caicedo and Shaun Wright-Phillips. But it could have been many more. Indeed, had the Blues scored five their visitors could not have complained such was the one-sided nature of the contest. "Ideally we would like to have put the game to bed," Hughes said. "We had enough chances to score more than we did. But we got a positive result and a clean sheet and overall it was a very good European performance. Aalborg have to attack us now. I am sure that will provide us with opportunities and if we play as well next week as we did here it will be very difficult for them."
Manchester United
Manchester United Ryan Giggs thinks Manchester United have the momentum and belief to clinch an unprecedented quintuple of trophies this season. Sir Alex Ferguson's silverware hunters already have the Carling Cup and Club World Championship in the trophy cabinet this season. United are also fast closing in on retaining their Barclays Premier League title, and next month face an FA Cup semi-final tie with Everton at Wembley. Ferguson is also just five matches away from his dream of becoming the first manager to retain the Champions League title after reaching the last eight with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan. When asked whether United could clinch the lot, Giggs said: "We've certainly got the momentum, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll take each competition as it comes and obviously try and win every game, but you need a lot of luck, as we enjoyed against Inter Milan, and hopefully we'll get there. But with the run of results we've had, the belief is definitely there within the squad, with individuals in good form, and the team generally in good form. Everything is set up for an exciting end to the season, which will be a test of character, a test of that belief."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate has backed record signing Afonso Alves to help save the club from relegation. The Brazilian striker, signed from Heerenveen for £12m last year, has found the net just seven times in his first full season on Teesside. Southgate said: "I think in terms of the number of goals he has been able to score, he'll be disappointed that he hasn't got as many as he might have done, because we have had some good chances. But I still believe he can score goals between now and the end of the season. As far as we are concerned we have got a squad of players that have got to keep us in this division. Everyone has got a key part to play in that. There is nothing to be said for any player with regard to the summer, until the summer."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Michael Owen will play against fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Hull City on Saturday. The 29-year-old England international has been back in training for around 10 days after recovering from the ankle ligament injury he suffered in January, and will play some part at the KC Stadium. Caretaker manager Chris Hughton said: "Michael will be involved. The decision on the team will be left until tomorrow, but Michael has had a good week-and-a-half's training under his belt. He has trained very, very well and it is a massive bonus to have him back involved again."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart has brought his newly-inherited Portsmouth squad back from the warmth of a five-day break in Dubai to the cold shock of finding themselves in the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in three years. But the 55-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Barnsley manager said: "I'm just going to tell the players to keep concentrating on what we've done over the last three games. I think it's still only three-and-a-half weeks we've been with them and the performances have been excellent. They have shown a great desire and a great attitude. We've done well as a team, defended well and still managed to create chances. We certainly deserve to have picked up more points than we've got."
stoke city
Stoke City Tony Pulis says the door is not closed on record signing Dave Kitson after he returned to former club Reading on loan. Kitson failed to find the net in 11 starts and six substitute appearances for Stoke after a £5.5m move last July. The 29-year-old moved back to Reading this week and he could start for the Royals against Ipswich Town on Saturday. Pulis said: "Dave is a good player but sometimes it happens where players come in and it just doesn't go for them. It could have happened for him and I'm just hoping he goes back to Reading and gets his confidence back. Dave's back with a manager he knows in Steve Coppell and he just needs to score a few goals. He will be on loan until the end of the season and we will see where it goes. No doors have been closed."
Sunderland
Sunderland Djibril Cisse's future will be thrashed out the day Sunderland secure their Barclays Premier League status. Manager Ricky Sbragia has promised the 27-year-old Frenchman, who is currently on a season-long loan deal at the Stadium of Light from Marseille, that his situation will be resolved swiftly once the Black Cats know where they will be playing their football next season. Sbragia said: "(Chairman) Niall (Quinn) has spoken to Djibril and I have spoken to him about it, and the day everything is safe and rosy will be the day we will sit down and talk to him. That has always been the case with all the players at the club, and we just hope we can focus on doing well for Sunderland and putting all our energy into that, and leaving that for another day. We have spoken to him umpteen times about it. My priority is to make sure Sunderland go up the table and stay in the Premier League. That's important and I would hope all the players would be focused that way."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Nottingham Forest have agreed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Gunter. The 19-year-old Wales international, who can play in either full-back position, will join the Championship strugglers until the end of the season and ease a defensive crisis at the City Ground. Forest manager Billy Davies is delighted to be bringing in a player who can offer versatility and said: "We are pleased we are bringing in an excellent player who can play a number of positions. He is a first-class lad to have here and I am delighted to have him. Hopefully we will see the best of him."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Paul Robinson wants some of his team-mates should to show more "pride and passion." Robinson is known for his full-blooded and passionate approach to the game and is demanding the same attitude from other members of Tony Mowbray's squad. He said: "The supporters deserve more and as players we deserve more out of each other. There are a few out there who need to wear the shirt with a little bit more pride and passion and commit themselves to this club a bit more. I would like to see a bit more passion and commitment. I think we have lacked that. I am not afraid to say it. It shouldn't bother me to say it. I think a few more players should stand up and come out and say it themselves, that they should be more committed to the club and they should be fighting for the cause a bit more."
West Ham United
West Ham United Midfielder Mark Noble believes his team-mates have responded to manager Gianfranco Zola telling his squad to play for enjoyment. Zola endured a tricky start to his managerial career but has guided the Hammers to seventh in the Barclays Premier League, putting them in the hunt for a European place. "The gaffer always says 'go out and enjoy yourself, work hard and play with a smile'," Noble said. "That is what we have done and it is fantastic."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce is hopeful Won-Hee Cho will have as big an impact on the Barclays Premier League as he has on his Wigan Athletic team-mates. Bruce knows he has taken a gamble on South Korea international Cho who was determined to follow his close friend, Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, into the Barclays Premier League. "When you sign a player from overseas it's always about how they adapt to playing in England, but with his personality he will give himself every chance," assessed Bruce. "Talent alone is never enough, but through hard work and effort I am sure he will be okay. He is industrious, hard working, and he possesses a never-say-die attitude. He is tough, wants to win, you can see that with the way he trains. In fact, he has illuminated training. When he first joined us all the other players went 'Wow! Who is this guy?' But it's about the demands of the Premier League, and we hope and we think he will cope with it."
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