Glenn: Repka's Unfair Red

Glenn Roeder says that the sending off of Tomas Repka at the weekend while on international duty was unjustified but admits he was delighted to see Trevor Sinclair win his first full England cap.

Tomas was dismissed while playing for the Czech Republic against Belgium, a game that Glenn attended, and the Hammers chief says: "I saw him play until about a minute before half time and, to be quite honest, he was excellent in the time that he was on the pitch; he looked really classy like we know he is.

"He hadn't put a foot wrong and when he was red carded a minute or so before half time I was very disappointed for him.

"My thoughts were confirmed when I saw the highlights of the game when I got back to the hotel I was staying at in Brussels.

"He didn't deserve to be sent off at all and it is really disappointing the amount of play acting and over reacting you are getting from players now to get players into trouble; it is not good and it has no part in the game.

"The Belgian player went down as if he had been elbowed in the face with both hands clutching his face and he was rolling and rolling.

"When I saw the video evidence it was obvious that Tomas didn't elbow him anywhere near the face - in fact he didn't elbow anyone.

"His arm might have caught the Belgian player's lower arm but that was about all and the fellow threw himself to the ground clutching his face.

"It is really sad that we are at the level now where players are trying to get each other sent off. I was very disappointed by the Belgian player, whoever he was.

"Tomas is a great lad and I have been so impressed by him ever since he has been at the club.

"I feel he has been harshly treated in the two yellow cards that he got twice which has caused him to miss games for us, and he is just having a run of bad luck at the moment as far as being sent off is concerned.

Tomas returns from domestic suspension to face Charlton in the Hammers' next game and Glenn says: "Tomas is picking up the language as we thought he would and the way he has performed for us shows you that football is a universal language, because he has been excellent."

As for Trevor Sinclair making his international debut at the weekend, Glenn says: "I was absolutely delighted that Sven-Goran Eriksson decided to use him from the start.

"I would have liked to have been there myself to have seen his first game but I was pencilled in to go to the Belgium v Czech Republic game as I wanted to have a look at a couple of players.

"But when I saw that he had started I was delighted for him, and as I understand it from everyone I have spoken to, he had a terrific first half and certainly looked like what we all felt he was - an England player.

"Trevor always has a spring in his stride and as I have said in the past few weeks his enthusiasm and attitude around the place since putting in a written transfer request has been terrific.

"That has shown in his performances and I am sure that is one of the reasons Mr. Eriksson chose him to play against Sweden.

"We look forward to seeing Trevor back at training on Tuesday and I am sure I will get a moment to talk to him about how he felt about his own performance, and have a general chat about how training went with England last week.

"Hopefully he will be in the next few squads and giving himself a real chance of being in that 22 for the finals next summer.

"As for the under-21s on Friday night, from what I saw with Michael involved in the first goal, the reports are that him and Dunn had excellent games in midfield.

"Although Jermain didn't score he showed good movement and was always the lively threat that we know he is.

"It is terrific for the lads to be involved in that level of competition, and the 2-2 draw gives them a good chance of qualifying by beating Holland at Pride Park on Tuesday night, and hopefully I will be able to get up there to see it."