Same Old Story

Glenn Roeder and Paul Aldridge both say they have no problems with the comments attributed to Paolo Di Canio on Thursday - typically twisted and presented out of context in a tabloid newspaper.

The comments generally expressed the worry that West Ham had not attracted a manager - a situation that has now, of course, been resolved.

The pair have also moved quickly to deny a report that Roger Cross was sacked and reinstated in the run up to Glenn getting the job.

While the Di Canio quotes were interpreted in some quarters as being a criticism of Glenn's appointment, they were actually made before it, and - in the same fashion we have all seen in the past - used out of context in order to sensationalise a story.

None of which bothers Paul, who says: "I've chatted with Paolo while he has been recovering in Italy from his sinus operation and he has very strong views on who should be manager, with possibly a very pro-Italian feel to his beliefs. But Paolo is very professional and I'm sure that when he comes back from pre-season training he will give us 110% as he always does!

"Certainly Paolo is never shy to ring me up and tell me where we are going wrong in or out of the season, and I haven't spoken to him for about a week.

"So until he tells me something I am a little bit sceptical about what is attributed to him in the press.

"I don't want to start getting into a situation where we start getting negative about the previous management team because they did a great job for us and we have had some great times under Harry.

"But I think under a new regime there will be a new approach and hopefully we can carry on where we left off in the past.

"I don't believe Glenn has spoken to Paolo since he left England.

"But I don't believe there will be any rift; Paolo just wants to be in a successful football team."

And Glenn adds: "The good thing is he speaks his mind so you know where he is coming from.

"I'll stay calm but I can't guarantee that he will! I've had a good relationship with Paolo as a coach to player over the past two years and I don't see why that should change now I've become the manager.

"I'm very much a talker and I'm sure we will do lots of talking when he comes back.

"I see no reason to go to war with Paolo - certainly not in public and certainly not in private.

"I'll be listening to where he is coming from and I'll obviously have my own point of view as well.

"We have the same aims which is to win games, and he has always said his second skin is the West Ham colours.

"After his sinus operation that caused him breathing problems last year we hope he'll get back to the form he's shown the previous year which was sensational.

"At least with Paolo he speaks his mind so you know what his thoughts are.

"It is much better to deal with people like that than people who say one thing to your face and one thing behind your back.

"I hear what he is saying but what he says doesn't mean I always have to agree with it."

And he has received the public backing of the players - both young, such as Joe Cole, and senior, such as Steve Lomas.

"It's nice that Joe and Michael and Jermain Defoe and others have come out and said what they have about my ability to coach them," he says.

As for the rumour about Roger, Paul says: "I don't quite know where that one came from.

"Glenn needed to speak to Roger and needed to make sure he was comfortable to work with and right for the job.

"It's business as usual for Roger; I haven't spoken to him for about a week but we had certainly not got to the stage of dismissing anyone.

"Until we had got the first appointment it was very difficult to arrange the backroom staff."

"Supposedly I let him go a couple of days ago before reinstating him but I was in no position to do that because Glenn was only confirmed as manager last night.

Paul would not confirm or deny suggestions that Ludek Miklosko was returning as goalkeeping coach, and reiterated that no assistant manager would be confirmed yet.

But a new fitness coach will be coming to replace the outgoing Arnaldo Longaretti and an announcement on that could come sooner rather than later as the club looks to re-evaluate the sports science aspect of preparation for games.

And did Glenn enjoy facing the media on his first day, or was it an ordeal?

"Not really," he replies. "Any slightly difficult questions I was expecting, hopefully the answers I gave were acceptable and they know how I'm thinking.

"I have enjoyed talking to everybody."