Forrest Fine

Craig Forrest has returned to pre-season training after a fairly busy summer - and insists the future is bright.

Despite speculation that his position at the club is in doubt now that David James has signed, he stresses that his future is secure.

"Oh certainly," he says. "I have always been happy here, though it was tough last year with an injury that lasted as long as it did.

"But I feel if I can get in the team myself I can hold down the position.

"Obviously the competition in the Premiership is fierce and you have to bide your time and be ready when your opportunity arises."

He admits the signing of David took him unawares, adding: "That was a bit of a surprise for me because I don't think Shaka had done anything wrong, but from the outside looking in I would say that Glenn is probably trying to get some players coming to the club in the outfield that he feels will be attracted by the signing of David.

"I haven't really talked to Shaka about it though obviously he is going to be a little disappointed about it because I think he felt he had done a pretty good job.

"But that is a new manager and opinions change and he, like me, still has a year on his contract, so you just play as well as you can when the opportunity comes.

"Obviously David is not going to start second, but if one of us gets the opportunity to go in we will do the best we possibly can to stay in the team.

"Again that is the nature of the business and you have to take things as they come - and not take it personally."

Craig says he has not yet held talks about a contract extension, adding: "Not yet; we will just have to wait and see but I have always said I am happy at the club so we will wait and see what the next few months holds out and we will take it from there."

Craig hopes the signing of David can be a catalyst for other top players to arrive at Upton Park, and adds: "David James is a nice guy and a good goalkeeper so I think the club has no problems in that department.

"But you don't need to be a brain surgeon to figure out we need a few players in front of that position and hopefully that will come soon.

"If people want to sign for us because we have an England squad player with us then so be it, that is great for the club, but it is a lot of money to spent so hopefully we can get some good outfield players as well.

"We will have to strengthen the defence, the midfield, and even up front depending what happens with Fredi making it public he wanted to go to Fulham.

"But I know that he is a professional and will do the best he can anyway.

"And I think Jermain Defoe is an excellent prospect who has got everything."

The senior goalkeeper quotient is still three, of course, with Steve Bywater on loan at Wolves for three months, and Craig comments: "It's a good opportunity for Steve; I know he had a couple of places where he could have gone but he went for Wolves where he is going to have a tough time getting in because Oakes is there.

"I said to Steve when he left he has got three months and Oakes is going to start so it will be difficult for him to get in unless Oakes starts off slow.

"But he opted to go against the odds to get in there in those three months and if he does it will have been the perfect decision for him to go for. If he gets in I know he will do a good job for them."

With the first full week of training well underway, Craig is again enjoying working with Ludek Miklosko, who replaced Les Sealey as goalkeeping coach in the summer.

"I know Ludo because I came when he was playing here, and he is a really great trainer and a good goalkeeper.

"He listens to what we have got to say and has great input as well - being a great goalkeeper himself he has got a lot of great ideas.

"Les was terrific and we got on really well, and he certainly taught me a few things but now Ludo is going to do that as well."

The biggest change, though, was that of the manager, and Craig says: "I was surprised with Harry leaving because it was quite spur of the moment and we didn't really expect it.

"Things have changed around very quickly and that is the nature of the game with Glenn grabbing a hold of things.

"As far as I'm concerned in terms of getting things organised in the way he wants to he has done a great job so far - and the players are pretty impressed.

"He has got a lot of respect for the players and if he can turn that into results it will turn out very well.

Craig spent some of the summer playing for Canada in Japan, and says of the experience: "We had the Confederations cup with the national team and played quite well, but the results didn't go quite as well as we hoped, though we did get a 0-0 draw with Brazil.

"It was a good tournament and a good experience, and Japan is absolutely incredible in terms of the facilities.

"They have built eight stadia themselves and Korea have built another eight state of the art ones just for the World cup - they are really really top quality.

"I think they might struggle with the hotel side of it, though; we saw Frank Clark who was doing a little spying mission for England to see if they could come up with possible facilities for themselves when they qualify and I think he was a little bit disappointed with places for fans and teams to stay for that matter.

"The hotels are small and my feet were out the window but I was sharing with Paul Peschisolido and luckily he is quite short!"

Craig wants to put the last domestic season behind him, and concludes: "We got off to a poor start even though I actually thought we were playing some of our best football then.

"But we finished really poorly and I think everyone was quite glad when the season ran out when it did because we hit a real slippery slope.

"But I feel optimistic about the new season."