Home
Register
Portal
Log in
Avram Grant has spoken to the media ahead of Sunday's make-or-break Barclays Premier League trip to Wigan Athletic.
The West Ham United manager discussed his hopes of pulling off a
great escape, the chances of Scott Parker playing at the DW Stadium and
the need for his team to do their job before relying on other teams
doing them a favour.
Avram on facing Wigan Athletic on Sunday…
"This is a game that we must win. It doesn't depend only on us, but
what depends on us is that we need to win. We are playing against a team
that must also win this game so it will be interesting.
"We need to do what depends on us, which is to win against a very
difficult team in their home. If we don't do it, we don't have any
chance.
"We need to do it and then we need to look for the other results."
Avram on the spirit within the squad…
"The mood at the beginning of the week was not great because we felt
again that we were on top of the other team [Blackburn Rovers], there is
no question about this. We were the better side, like has happened many
times this season. We didn't win and we missed big chances, especially
at the end.
"The mood was not great and I understand that but this is football, so we have decided to concentrate on the next game."
Avram on personally believing the team can stay up…
"In my experience of football it is not over until it is over. It has
happened to me in the past. I was not in this situation - a relegation
fight - but I was in the top in a situation like this when it didn't
only depend on us. I don't want to miss this chance. I want us to do
what we need to do and that's all.
"Here is totally different because everything is on the pitch. At
Portsmouth we knew we had no chance from January and this is the reason
why we concentrated on the FA Cup. Here we concentrate only on the
league because it's our main target and we knew it could be the first
step for a very good future.
"It's not easy and the season was not easy but I don't think this is
the time to think about the season because it's not over yet.
"My education is to never give up. We will play, we will fight and we
will do what depends on us. It will not be easy, but it is not over.
"I said to the players we need to do the things depending on us. We
cannot be disappointed for the past. There was a lot from the last game
and I understand the frustration. We deserved to win but we didn't, so
we need to do what depends on us in the next game."
Avram on his personal feelings about the team's predicament…
"I am always responsible. I'm the manager and I take the decisions on
the pitch and on the squad and which players need to play or don't need
to play. I'm responsible about this.
"Nothing is over until it's over. When it is over, you can ask me any
question. I'm in England for many years now and one thing I don't like
to answer is 'What happens if…?'. Let's speak when we know what is
happening.
"I cannot describe it [how I feel if we are relegated] now, but what I can do now is look for the next game."
Avram on the possibility of Scott Parker playing on Sunday…
"He is better. He trained on Friday. It's not easy for a player who
didn't train for so many weeks. It is a time to congratulate him again
for winning Player of the Year. I think he deserves it better than
anybody else this season and I think it's also good for football.
"Scott is very important for us. You saw what happened when he didn't
play. This is always the situation when a player becomes very
important. When you miss him, it's a problem. We tried to deal with this
but it's better that he will play.
"I think there is a chance he will play. I'm not sure 100 per cent.
With players you never know. There were one or two games when he was at
20 per cent and then he played, so I don't know. This is a different
situation because he didn't play in the last games. I will decide after
training on Saturday."
Avram on the 4,500 West Ham supporters travelling to the DW Stadium…
"I think it's great. I must say I saw other teams in this situation
and I was very touched by the supporters of Portsmouth last year.
Everybody knows that they were behind the team and I will never forget
it.
"I must say I have seen the supporters of West Ham this season have
been behind the team and are very positive. Of course they are
disappointed but they are very, very important for us.
"I think if you remember the game at West Brom when we came from 0-3
to 3-3 the goals were scored in the goal they were behind. I felt that
they gave us one or two assists. They are good, they are behind us and I
am glad that they are coming."
Avram on the possibility of himself and players leaving in the summer…
"It depends. If you look at one season, it's difficult. If the club
has a vision to do things - even Manchester United has been in the
Second Division and West Ham was a few years ago - it depends how you
look at things.
"I think football doesn't only look at one season. You need to look
longer than this, then the decision is different. Of course it is not
easy, but it is possible because the players here want to stay.
"Everybody is now concentrating on the games left and not speaking about the future.
"There is no time to conclude about the season. The team I had from
January is a good team and we played very well. Of course in the last
games it was difficult because when we had our good run, we had four
good midfielders, but in the last games they didn't play.
"Before January we were very unlucky because we were on top in many games, but since January we have had a good team.
"I understand all the questions about the future, but it's not time
for me to answer them. If I tell the players to concentrate only on the
next game, then answer questions about the future, it doesn't send the
right message."
The West Ham United manager discussed his hopes of pulling off a
great escape, the chances of Scott Parker playing at the DW Stadium and
the need for his team to do their job before relying on other teams
doing them a favour.
Avram on facing Wigan Athletic on Sunday…
"This is a game that we must win. It doesn't depend only on us, but
what depends on us is that we need to win. We are playing against a team
that must also win this game so it will be interesting.
"We need to do what depends on us, which is to win against a very
difficult team in their home. If we don't do it, we don't have any
chance.
"We need to do it and then we need to look for the other results."
Avram on the spirit within the squad…
"The mood at the beginning of the week was not great because we felt
again that we were on top of the other team [Blackburn Rovers], there is
no question about this. We were the better side, like has happened many
times this season. We didn't win and we missed big chances, especially
at the end.
"The mood was not great and I understand that but this is football, so we have decided to concentrate on the next game."
Avram on personally believing the team can stay up…
"In my experience of football it is not over until it is over. It has
happened to me in the past. I was not in this situation - a relegation
fight - but I was in the top in a situation like this when it didn't
only depend on us. I don't want to miss this chance. I want us to do
what we need to do and that's all.
"Here is totally different because everything is on the pitch. At
Portsmouth we knew we had no chance from January and this is the reason
why we concentrated on the FA Cup. Here we concentrate only on the
league because it's our main target and we knew it could be the first
step for a very good future.
"It's not easy and the season was not easy but I don't think this is
the time to think about the season because it's not over yet.
"My education is to never give up. We will play, we will fight and we
will do what depends on us. It will not be easy, but it is not over.
"I said to the players we need to do the things depending on us. We
cannot be disappointed for the past. There was a lot from the last game
and I understand the frustration. We deserved to win but we didn't, so
we need to do what depends on us in the next game."
Avram on his personal feelings about the team's predicament…
"I am always responsible. I'm the manager and I take the decisions on
the pitch and on the squad and which players need to play or don't need
to play. I'm responsible about this.
"Nothing is over until it's over. When it is over, you can ask me any
question. I'm in England for many years now and one thing I don't like
to answer is 'What happens if…?'. Let's speak when we know what is
happening.
"I cannot describe it [how I feel if we are relegated] now, but what I can do now is look for the next game."
Avram on the possibility of Scott Parker playing on Sunday…
"He is better. He trained on Friday. It's not easy for a player who
didn't train for so many weeks. It is a time to congratulate him again
for winning Player of the Year. I think he deserves it better than
anybody else this season and I think it's also good for football.
"Scott is very important for us. You saw what happened when he didn't
play. This is always the situation when a player becomes very
important. When you miss him, it's a problem. We tried to deal with this
but it's better that he will play.
"I think there is a chance he will play. I'm not sure 100 per cent.
With players you never know. There were one or two games when he was at
20 per cent and then he played, so I don't know. This is a different
situation because he didn't play in the last games. I will decide after
training on Saturday."
Avram on the 4,500 West Ham supporters travelling to the DW Stadium…
"I think it's great. I must say I saw other teams in this situation
and I was very touched by the supporters of Portsmouth last year.
Everybody knows that they were behind the team and I will never forget
it.
"I must say I have seen the supporters of West Ham this season have
been behind the team and are very positive. Of course they are
disappointed but they are very, very important for us.
"I think if you remember the game at West Brom when we came from 0-3
to 3-3 the goals were scored in the goal they were behind. I felt that
they gave us one or two assists. They are good, they are behind us and I
am glad that they are coming."
Avram on the possibility of himself and players leaving in the summer…
"It depends. If you look at one season, it's difficult. If the club
has a vision to do things - even Manchester United has been in the
Second Division and West Ham was a few years ago - it depends how you
look at things.
"I think football doesn't only look at one season. You need to look
longer than this, then the decision is different. Of course it is not
easy, but it is possible because the players here want to stay.
"Everybody is now concentrating on the games left and not speaking about the future.
"There is no time to conclude about the season. The team I had from
January is a good team and we played very well. Of course in the last
games it was difficult because when we had our good run, we had four
good midfielders, but in the last games they didn't play.
"Before January we were very unlucky because we were on top in many games, but since January we have had a good team.
"I understand all the questions about the future, but it's not time
for me to answer them. If I tell the players to concentrate only on the
next game, then answer questions about the future, it doesn't send the
right message."
