Tomas: Get Well Soon

Tomas Repka insists that there are no problems between him and Christian Dailly - and hopes he returns to action soon.

Much was made of their on field 'discussion' just before Tomas got booked against Sunderland and the debate continued in the dressing room, but Tomas says:

"I spoke with Christian and the manager at half time but it was not a problem; the manager said to me that I must stay calm and he said the same to Christian - and we all agreed getting three points was important.

"I have nine bookings now but the main thing is that the team won because we hadn't played well until the second half - that is all that matters.

"There are no problems with Christian and it is a shame he is out."

The captain is of course ruled out through illness this weekend, necessitating a shuffle which will see Tomas vacate the right back slot to move across the defence while Hayden Mullins and Robbie Stockdale will fight for the right back slot.

"Maybe I will play centre back with Ian because he is ill but I don't mind where I play," says Tomas.

"We have to win on Saturday, I want to get back in the Premiership, and we have to start winning most of our games - whether we play well or not.

"It is not possible to win every game but we are half way through the season and maybe we need to win 10 or 15 before the end of the season."

Looking back on the defeat by West Brom which so deflated everybody, he admits:

"That was a rubbish game; we were all playing well to get three up and then we lost and maybe part of the problem was Jermain going off.

"He is important to the team and he must play every game - he is a top player."

As for working under Alan Pardew, he adds:

"Alan is changing things at West Ham and for me he is a good manager though I also enjoyed working with Glenn Roeder and Trevor Brooking the same - they are all good men."

A final question: why did he make a point of shaking the referee's hand when he was substituted against Wigan recently?

"I don't know!"