Glenn: No Sympathy, Thanks

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Glenn Roeder says the players are not feeling down after the defeat on Wednesday - and are determined to start winning at the weekend.

"Feeling sorry for yourself is an excuse for not winning the game, but I haven't seen that attitude from anyone," he says.

"I am not looking for sympathy from anybody; we are all adults, but the facts show that we didn't win on Wednesday.

"No one is more disappointed than me at what has happened so far this season, and I went into the West Brom game very confident we would win."

Glenn is insistent that the score line didn't tell the whole story, however, and adds:

"When you lose 1-0, people don't look any deeper than the result, and you don't have to - it changes opinions.

"But we had so much possession against West Brom, and we were winning that sort of game last year 2-1 or 3-1.

"It didn't happen for us, and we have to take it on the chin; if people criticise, then we have to accept that is part of football.

"But my opinion won't alter - it was a bad result, but not a bad performance.

"That is how fine the dividing line is between winning and losing; we have got to pick ourselves up and get on with life.

"The only thing we can do anything about is Sunday and judging by the character and body language they are looking forward to going to White Hart Lane - and we have to make sure we are very proactive.

"Feeling sorry is a negative thought, and a weak one; anyone who is feeling sorry for themselves is a weak character - and the majority of people would feel sorry for themselves in the situation we are in.

"But that is an excuse for not achieving what you are trying to achieve."

Whether Glenn changes the team again on Sunday remains to be seen, but he did make two changes for the West Brom game, bringing in Paolo Di Canio and Gary Breen for Jermain Defoe and Christian Dailly.

"They might appear difficult," he says, "but decisions have to be made; that is very much my responsibility, and one I am happy to accept - we will have to wait and see if we shuffle the pack again."

Having had time to ponder several incidents during - and, in the case of Tomas Repka's brief remonstration with a fan or two at the final whistle, after the game - Glenn says:

"Tomas is a very passionate man and hates losing at anything; he is a key player for us, and a key defender.

"Supporters can see that in the way he plays, and he is like that on the training ground every day; he wears his heart on his sleeve.

"He has got on with training and is looking forward to the challenge of Sunday."

Another talking point was the injury to, and booking of, Joe Cole in the second half after a clash of heads in midfield with an opponent.

There were suggestions of an elbow which is strongly denied by Glenn.

"Joe has a couple of stitches in his lip; I watched the video and my thoughts at the time were confirmed - it was an incredibly brave challenge," he says.

"It was just a clash of heads, and it was the second challenge he went for.

"I have got to be honest; I thought at the time that was just the sort of desire you want all your players to show.

"Joe Cole was doing everything he could to win the ball for West Ham there and in the mood he is in at the moment it is so important we keep him in that frame of mind he is in.

"The way I have seen it this year, he has been he is our best player in the four games we have played; in three of those we have suffered a defeat, but Joe Cole couldn't have done any more personally.

"He is doing everything he can to lift the team and everyone has got to play with the same desire he has shown, as well as his ability.

"Some of his runs with the ball at the moment are fantastic; he is gliding past people and he had five or six efforts the other night and already he has surpassed the efforts he had last season in all of the year.

"I think there are goals in Joe Cole this year, and we have certainly seen a change in him for the better; I guess after being out in Japan in the summer means you now look at him as very much a senior player in the team, a leader who you expect to play to a certain consistency week in, week out, and one that the rest of the players look to to produce in the attacking half.

"So far he has done it and I am praying he does again on Sunday."

Joe says he particularly learnt from Teddy Sheringham in the summer, and Glenn adds:

"Teddy Sheringham is a great role model for all young professionals; I worked with him for two years and I got very close to him, and how he acts and behaves.

"Certainly at the training ground and during matches I've always thought Teddy likes to do things in style and with a bit of class.

"He stands out in the crowd, and I have seen him play other sports as well, whether it be golf, tennis, table tennis, with a cricket bat, or even with a dart when we have been with England and making sure boredom didn't set in.

"Whatever Teddy turned his hand to he did it stylishly; I have got a lot of time for him.

"The reason he is still playing at the level he is is that he has got pride in the job he does - and I think he would beat me at table tennis with his left hand.

"And he is a right handed player!"

As for his 'oppo' on the day, Glen Hoddle - who is a friend of his - he says:

"Glen has done incredibly well since he has been at Tottenham; we finished above them last year, but we have got off to an awful start and they we have got off to a very good one.

"Even from us having a difficult start, hopefully at the end of 38 we will be looking back and saying we had a horrible start but ended up having a decent season.

"Glen has done very well and hasn't had lots of money to spend, but he has invested very wisely in players like Jamie Redknapp, who looks like an absolute steal on a free transfer; Dean Richards has done very well for him; Robbie Keane looks like an exciting purchase; and he has brought in a few other foreign players like Christian Ziege, a World Cup player for Germany.

"The money he has had to spend, he has spent well; I just suppose, like all fans, the Tottenham fans feel he should have had more money to spend - but that is what supporters always expect, that money is always freely available.

"But in the present football climate that is not always par for the course, and it is all about now making sure the housekeeping is in order to make sure the club you support survives."