“Just before we get going, a lot has been said over this last week. Perhaps I've realised that I'm at a different club. A lot of stuff has been spun round and used in different ways and I'm disappointed with the press coverage of certain things that I've said over the last week so I want to clear a couple of things up now.
”This isn't part of the press coverage. I've been here four weeks and I've been outraged at the criticism that Nigel Reo-Coker has received since I've been here, as if it's his fault that we're in the bottom three. That's total nonsense and I'd like everyone connected with West Ham - and I can't have any influence over yourselves - but I'd like everybody connected with West Ham to leave him alone.
”He's a young boy and it's not his fault. It's easy to pick on people and he's been picked on. That's the first thing - and you can write that as I just said it.”
Curbs then went on to criticise the media for mis-interpretating his comments on Alan Pardew's summer signings.
“Secondly, In a press conference yesterday I was asked what sort of players I was going to bring in. I did say someone like Boa-Morte, someone who is experienced, who could come into the club and go into the first team and not be fazed by the situation we're in.
”I was also asked about the activity there had been this summer. I said that there had been a lot of activity but that not many of them had established themselves in the first team.
”If you look at it that means the Argentinean lads, who haven't established themselves, Paintsil and Mears, who haven't really had a chance, Bowyer's been in and out, Spector's been in and out. Robert Green's been in but I've rested him today.
”It's been spun round that I've been blaming all the players that have come in here this summer for our problems. That's been completely spun round and I'm so disappointed with the headlines. I'd like you to print what I said. I'm not blaming any of the players that came in in the summer. I wouldn't do that - people who know me know that.
”What I did say was that the players who came in in the summer haven't gone straight into the side and established themselves which I think is what the club needed and probably it's what the club need now. That's why I've been looking to bring in experienced players who can go into this situation and deal with it. I'd like you to print that and that is the end of my press conference.”