Glenn's A Gareth Fan

Glenn Roeder admits he would have been interested in signing Gareth Southgate for West Ham.

The England defender joined Middlesbrough last summer but Glenn says:

"Gareth is the sort of player and person I'd have liked to have got involved with; we just missed out on him for a number of reasons but I obviously wouldn't want to go into too many details.

"He is a player that I've always had a lot of time for, having worked with him under Glenn Hoddle, and never can I remember him letting down England when he was asked to play.

"He is a real consistent player and whatever he has achieved he has deserved because it has been on the back of real hard work, and he has been a terrific signing for Boro.

"I think everyone recognises that Gareth and Ehiogu were a terrific pairing at Aston Villa and that good partnership has continued at the Riverside.

"Middlesbrough have basically built on those two being safe conceding hardly any goals and scoring one or two at the other end."

Glenn is anxious that the home form continues against a side that have drawn three and lost three in London this season.

All three defeats have been after taking the lead and subsequently losing 2-1.

"We certainly need to keep the good home form going because we have been very disappointing away from home, and we have got to make sure we get the result that we want," says Glenn.

"I saw them at the Riverside against Blackburn recently and we had them watched against Fulham; they are on a long unbeaten run and are quite happy with themselves at the moment, so it is up to us to put on the sort of performance that is required to win the game.

"They are a hard side to break down, I saw that for myself the other week; obviously Ince is a big player for them and now Boksic is back, the Croatian who had a big career, especially in Italy."

Ince is bracing himself for the usual Upton Park treatment, but Glenn says he is a big fan of his, even if the fans sitting behind him aren't!

"Paul Ince has had a major career," says Glenn.

"I know that he always gets a hostile reception from our fans and I don't want to go into that, but no one can deny that Paul Ince has had a very big career; you don't go to Inter Milan and become a regular unless you are a proper player."

He also has a lot of time for the managerial duo of Steve McLaren and Steve Harrison and says:

"Steve is doing a fine job at Middlesbrough and is very ably assisted by Steve Harrison, a man that I know very well.

"He took me to Watford after six years playing for Newcastle, and I have seen him first hand; he is a top drawer coach, a good right hand man as I have got in Paul Goddard."

Glenn is calling on whoever replaces the regulars missing from the side to give him a selection headache in future and says:

"We have got four regular first team players missing in Paolo, Trevor Sinclair, Sebastien Schemmel, and Michael Carrick, and this gives other players the opportunity.

"We have worked hard on our play in training and the boys who don't always get a game that know they are playing have worked particularly hard; it is a chance for these players to remind everyone that they are good players in their own right.

"The door is closed on four of our players but the door opens on others so let's hope they can help us get what would be a massive three points."

Richard Garcia is one such fringe player hoping to play in what would be his home debut, and Glenn says:

"I was happy with Richard's debut at Bolton and he has got to be happy with that himself; he has got to work even harder now to maintain that level and improve because, like all young players, he still has to improcve to make himself into a regular in our first team.

"It is just the start of his career; he has taken the first early steps and didn't let anyone down."