Alan Pardew is pleased that Andy Melville has retired from
international football with Wales - and hopes it will help his West
Ham career.
Andy is one of several centre halves on the treatment table at the moment after missing out on playing against England recently - and, with a change of regime now that Mark Hughes has left, Andy decided it was time to call it a day as far as representing his country is concerned.
"It is something I welcome as a club manager - it is a tough call for Mells to play internationally and then in the domestic programme."
Andy has made 17 league starts for West Ham since coming from Fulham when Ian Pearce went the other way, and Alan adds:
"We can look after him - he is still injured at the moment - and hopefully we can see some good football from him in a West Ham shirt."