Roeder on Cole, Carrick & Man U

Last updated : 16 March 2002 By Mike Reich
Carrick: World Cup hopes
With Michael Carrick returning to the side following surgery, Glenn is pleased with the way that he, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe have developed over the past few seasons. It has been a balance of giving the players experience, without too much exposure to the extent that it might curb their development.

"I'll be careful with all three of them. At times the exposure they get doesn't help them develop at a natural pace, but they are young and very talented and you can't hide good players. We are fortunate to have them and I would like the opportunity to build my team around them."

But the main concern for many Hammers fans is that the aforementioned opportunity might not arise, as happened with Rio Ferdinand as he was approaching his peak.

"There's always a danger someone will bid for them, as other teams spend freely in their quest to win the Champions League. The key for us is to keep these three and put a squad together which can challenge for things.

"No top-class player wants to be in the wrong half of the table but at this stage of their careers this is the perfect environment for them. They're playing for a club with a tradition for attractive football and all their thoughts should be concentrated on helping us to improve."

With not much left of the season, time is running out for Joe and Michael to stake their claims for a place in Sven Goran Eriksson's England squad. But with the Swede likely to be turning up at Upton Park tomorrow, all is not lost according to the Hammers gaffer.

"There's still time for Michael and others to make it. Having taken the decision to let Michael have the hernia operation we will get the benefit of him for the last nine games and maybe England will as well. England are lucky to have them so far forward in their careers already knowing that they are only going to get better."

Glenn warns fans not to be overly optimistic about the visit of the current Champions just because of what happened earlier in the season. The two circumstances are entirely different apparently.

"It was a great day when we won at Old Trafford and it gave us all a lift. But this is different altogether. Manchester United will be trying to win to stay ahead in the championship, while we need it for our own reasons.

"Manchester United will cause more difficult problems for us but hopefully our players will rise to the occasion and we will get the sort of performance to secure the result that we want."

The Hammers will not go into this match as daunted as they have done in previous years, that is for sure. Although Manchester United need the points in their Championship race, we need the points just as much.

"As far as we are concerned, we know how difficult it is going to be, because they are fighting hard to get as many points as they can to win another championship - but the points are equally as important for us.

"It is a crucial time of the season, the most important. Every team that hasn't achieved those 40 points so far is trying to do that as quick as they can and we are no different. Then, hopefully the sooner we can get them the sooner we can look at the possibility of seeing where we end up and can have a good finish to the season."