Glenn Roeder is hopeful that Fredi Kanoute's injury problems
are now firmly behind him.
Fredi has had a slow start to the season and indeed has not played a full 90 minutes of any game yet, but the Hammers' boss is happy that Fredi is fully on course to get back to peak fitness.
Michael Owen's absence from the England squad this week is a chilling reminder that the sort of hamstring problem which he shares with Fredi can be a recurring nightmare.
But Glenn insists:
"It would be pessimistic to think like that, though Michael Owen's has come back.
"We all have to remain positive that Fredi doesn't pick up injuries and we are doing everything we can to ensure he doesn't.
"He is working very hard in training and we are strengthening his legs up.
"And, in the course of the season, the longer he goes the stronger he will get to withstand any knocks.
"But if he was to pick up one or two it would put us in a difficult position, as he is such a different striker.
"We are going to be focused and we hope he is over it all now - we don't want to be talking about it again this season."
Fredi has had a slow start to the season and indeed has not played a full 90 minutes of any game yet, but the Hammers' boss is happy that Fredi is fully on course to get back to peak fitness.
Michael Owen's absence from the England squad this week is a chilling reminder that the sort of hamstring problem which he shares with Fredi can be a recurring nightmare.
But Glenn insists:
"It would be pessimistic to think like that, though Michael Owen's has come back.
"We all have to remain positive that Fredi doesn't pick up injuries and we are doing everything we can to ensure he doesn't.
"He is working very hard in training and we are strengthening his legs up.
"And, in the course of the season, the longer he goes the stronger he will get to withstand any knocks.
"But if he was to pick up one or two it would put us in a difficult position, as he is such a different striker.
"We are going to be focused and we hope he is over it all now - we don't want to be talking about it again this season."