Glenn Roeder hopes that West Ham have a quartet of players in the
England squad to face Holland which is announced this week - with
Joe Cole saying he is getting fitter by the minute.
Joe came through 70 minutes of the game against Rushden and Diamonds on Monday night, and declared that he was feeling no ill effects from the rigours of helping the Hammers to a 3-1 win.
"I was tired obviously but, although I couldn't strike the ball properly, I felt fine and enjoyed it," he says.
"By the time I play Liverpool it should be perfect.
"That was my first 'full' game so I'm playing my way into fitness, and if you don't play you don't get fit."
Joe has had problems in his last three preseason campaigns for West Ham, but is philosophical about it.
"That is life: footballers get injured," he shrugs.
"But I know my luck will turn and I will get a few years without being injured; I've just got to bide my time and make sure I keep working hard."
Joe's problem was a bruised foot and he adds:
"I've been able to run in the last two weeks; in fact I have done more running than the other lads.
"But there is no substitute for playing and I'm happy to be out there with the boys again."
Boss Glenn Roeder was happy with his contribution - watched by England assistant boss Tord Grip - and says:
"I thought it was a good test for him and hopefully he can get 90 minutes on Saturday against Utrecht.
"He showed some nice touches especially when you consider that two days previously he couldn't touch the ball with his right foot."
Glenn insists however, that Joe is still learning the game and is disappointed by the weight of expectation that has followed him around from an early age.
He says:
"I wouldn't say it has been done intentionally but the media have heaped too much pressure on him.
"Before I ever met him he was on the front page of the Sunday People at the age of 14, and that is nonsense.
"That is where we fall down badly in this country; in Germany, Spain, or Italy, their players don't burst onto the scene until they are 20 or 21 because they protect them.
"We are not allowed to protect Joe and ultimately it doesn't make it any easier for him.
"He is such a young lad, and the expectations he has of himself are big.
"But with the pressure he has had from the media, it has made it worse for him."
There has, says Glenn, been one positive aspect for the club because of that and he adds:
"Michael Carrick has reaped the benefits of Joe being in the spotlight because he has developed under Joe's umbrella, if you like."
Glenn says he will do everything he can to make sure Jermain Defoe is not rushed into the spotlight too quickly - even if the player himself gets impatient.
"I will hold Jermain back, there is no question about that," he says.
"He can slap his thigh as much as he wants, but I will put him in when I want to and not before.
"I'm really going to look after him this year; Jermain Defoe is all about next year and the year after that."
There could, of course, be four West Ham players named in the England squad which faces the Dutch next week, and Glenn reveals that he has discussed the quartet of hopefuls with Tord Grip at Nene Park.
"I spoke to Tord Grip about the four boys being considered with David James, Michael, and Joe being in the squad recently.
"Trevor Sinclair missed the Rushden game with a slight hamstring injury but he is in his thoughts as well.
"It is common knowledge that one of the first players he said he was interested in was Trevor Sinclair.
"Tord was asking a lot of questions about Trevor and is looking forward to seeing him play again.
"Whether he will creep into the England squad we will have to wait and see."
Joe came through 70 minutes of the game against Rushden and Diamonds on Monday night, and declared that he was feeling no ill effects from the rigours of helping the Hammers to a 3-1 win.
"I was tired obviously but, although I couldn't strike the ball properly, I felt fine and enjoyed it," he says.
"By the time I play Liverpool it should be perfect.
"That was my first 'full' game so I'm playing my way into fitness, and if you don't play you don't get fit."
Joe has had problems in his last three preseason campaigns for West Ham, but is philosophical about it.
"That is life: footballers get injured," he shrugs.
"But I know my luck will turn and I will get a few years without being injured; I've just got to bide my time and make sure I keep working hard."
Joe's problem was a bruised foot and he adds:
"I've been able to run in the last two weeks; in fact I have done more running than the other lads.
"But there is no substitute for playing and I'm happy to be out there with the boys again."
Boss Glenn Roeder was happy with his contribution - watched by England assistant boss Tord Grip - and says:
"I thought it was a good test for him and hopefully he can get 90 minutes on Saturday against Utrecht.
"He showed some nice touches especially when you consider that two days previously he couldn't touch the ball with his right foot."
Glenn insists however, that Joe is still learning the game and is disappointed by the weight of expectation that has followed him around from an early age.
He says:
"I wouldn't say it has been done intentionally but the media have heaped too much pressure on him.
"Before I ever met him he was on the front page of the Sunday People at the age of 14, and that is nonsense.
"That is where we fall down badly in this country; in Germany, Spain, or Italy, their players don't burst onto the scene until they are 20 or 21 because they protect them.
"We are not allowed to protect Joe and ultimately it doesn't make it any easier for him.
"He is such a young lad, and the expectations he has of himself are big.
"But with the pressure he has had from the media, it has made it worse for him."
There has, says Glenn, been one positive aspect for the club because of that and he adds:
"Michael Carrick has reaped the benefits of Joe being in the spotlight because he has developed under Joe's umbrella, if you like."
Glenn says he will do everything he can to make sure Jermain Defoe is not rushed into the spotlight too quickly - even if the player himself gets impatient.
"I will hold Jermain back, there is no question about that," he says.
"He can slap his thigh as much as he wants, but I will put him in when I want to and not before.
"I'm really going to look after him this year; Jermain Defoe is all about next year and the year after that."
There could, of course, be four West Ham players named in the England squad which faces the Dutch next week, and Glenn reveals that he has discussed the quartet of hopefuls with Tord Grip at Nene Park.
"I spoke to Tord Grip about the four boys being considered with David James, Michael, and Joe being in the squad recently.
"Trevor Sinclair missed the Rushden game with a slight hamstring injury but he is in his thoughts as well.
"It is common knowledge that one of the first players he said he was interested in was Trevor Sinclair.
"Tord was asking a lot of questions about Trevor and is looking forward to seeing him play again.
"Whether he will creep into the England squad we will have to wait and see."