Toon Connection Has Rocked West Ham!

Last updated : 05 March 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor

But West Ham manager Alan Curbishley believes the return of Scott Parker can provide his team with crucial "impetus" for the remainder of the season.

Curbishley: "Parker has been training this week, but it is still a little too early for him - and we have been holding him back.

"With the injury situation, we have had to take more care with some than we have with others.

"We hope that one or two of those injured players will come back into the reckoning, to give us some fresh legs and fresh minds."

His team are 10 points adrift of Liverpool, but Curbishley continues to harbour hopes of European football for his team next season.

Curbishley: "If Liverpool won, it might finish us off in terms of breaking into the European places. We're in no man's land - and we need to change that.

"There are so many permutations, but it looks this season as though finishing seventh or even sixth might not be good enough to get into the UEFA Cup.

"We are not too far behind Portsmouth, Blackburn and Manchester City - but we just can't seem to catch them at the moment.

"We don't want the season to peter out. If we lose, we don't seem to go anywhere, and if we win, we don't seem to go anywhere. The next three or four weeks will decide our fate."