Lampard On Rebuilding

Frank Lampard senior insists that West Ham's below par season will not have an adverse effect as he and Harry look to attract fresh talent in the summer.

And he has called on the players to lift the manager's spirits with a win, after Harry's mother Violet passed away last week.

Harry was attending the funeral on Friday afternoon, as was Frank, who says: "It couldn't have come at a worse time - if these things can ever be said to come at a better time - but there's nothing you can do.

"But we have a job to do and we have to go about things the right way.

"It's been a very hard week for Harry but maybe the lads can give him a tonic by winning."

Harry has missed only one training session with the players despite his mother's death and will pick the team as normal.

Frank adds: "Our away form has been good so let's hope we can get something; we need to get a win to put the thing to bed.

"We can't rely on other teams getting beat, and it would be nice to go into that game knowing all things are done and give a good account of ourselves in the last home game."

With rebuilding plans on the field already afoot, Frank says the club's reputation will bring in the names even though a bottom half finish now seems inevitable.

"I think we have got a good name over the years, it's only this season that we have fallen away a bit in the league," he insists.

"Over the last four or five years we have done very well in the Premiership which is a hard league now; it's not like the old Division  One."

"Once we get over this slump we can take a look at it; other than this year we've always been in the top half of that table, which is why it is not a great feeling right now - it gives you a little reminder."

Revealing the targets, Frank admits that Lauren Robert of Paris St. Germain is right up there on the list, saying:

"Robert is a very good player, a left sider, he is quick on the ball , he can beat people,  he has great delivery of crosses,  has a tremendous shot and comes back and does the defensive work as well - I don't think he would be cheap, though.

"We've watched Javi Moreno a couple of times, the last time was when he scored a couple of goals.

"He likes to stay up there through the middle and is very much in our minds.

"Muzzy Izzet is a good player; we've got quite a number of names we're interested in - we've looked at quite a few players this season."

Injuries will play their part in team selection of course, especially in the midfield where young Frank and John Moncur are missing and Frank says:

"It gives people a chance to do something, to do their jobs, and sometimes in these situations people will excel.

"Whatever 11 we put out will give it a go, and one or two will get the chance to show what they can do.

"Bassila comes into it, Pottsy has played there before for us, Christian Dailly has played there."

Frank anticipates a tough game and says:

"Joe will get them at it, they'll come out all guns blazing, and I think they will stick the ball in the box a few times!"

Danny Tiatto, whom Harry admires but recently said he will stay even if Manchester City do go down, returns from suspension, and Paulo Wanchope is likely to play.

"Paolo has had his ups and downs with Joe by the sounds of it but he never said much when he was with us," says Frank.

"It's a sleeves up job and it is going to be a hard game for us, but they are a good workmanlike side even though they are near the bottom."

Frank offers no excuses for the leeds performance and says:

"We didn't play particularly well and I can't say we were unlucky or anything."

He even feels there could have been TWO sendings off in the game, despite protestations from David O' Leary about David Batty's innocence, and says:

"I thought he elbowed him but didn't connect as much as he might have done - but the intent was there.

"Joe had a bruised eye afterwards and that was from that incident.

"I don't know what others think but I think Graham Poll is not a bad referee.

"But I saw the incident with Mills on Di Canio and that could have easily been a red card too, let's be fair about it."