Alan Pardew insists that he and his team are fully
prepared and raring to go ahead of what will hopefully turn out to
be a momentous occasion for West Ham United today.
The Hammers face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa
Park this afternoon knowing that a victory would not only secure
our first trip to the final for 26 years, but also guarantee a
place in next season's UEFA Cup and, with that carrot dangling
in front of his team, Pards is confident they will seize the
moment.
"There are two goals in front of this team," he says.
"One is that we are 90 minutes away from European football -
something that not many people gave us a realistic chance of
achieving at the start of the season. If we can do that, we have
then got the second goal in front of us, with the chance to win a
major trophy.
"We are really looking forward to the game and will be as
prepared as we possibly can be for every eventuality this
afternoon. That is one thing I can promise our supporters - this
will be the best-prepared team I have put out this season. We
realise that we have a chance to grab glory this season, and we are
determined to do it.
"It is going to be difficult for us. Middlesbrough are further
down the line than we are in terms of experience and occasions like
this one, which gives them a slight advantage, but on our part we
will just try and approach the game in the same way we have done
all year - with exuberance and lots of energy."
[QUOTE]"This will be the best-prepared team I have put out
this season. We realise that we have a chance to grab glory this
season, and we are determined to do it."[/QUOTE]
For the 20,000-plus Hammers fans making their way up to Villa Park
for our first FA Cup semi-final in 15 years today, the occasion
will become all the more emotional following last week's tragic
loss of John Lyall, arguably the greatest manager in West Ham
United's history.
Pards admits that there would be no more fitting tribute to his
memory than if Hammers could go on to lift the most famous domestic
trophy for only the fourth time in our history, but insists that,
however things turn out today, John will be remembered in the
perfect way.
"It would be lovely," he says, "and a beautiful
tribute to the memory of both John Lyall and Ron Greenwood if we
could go on to win the trophy that only those two men have brought
back to Upton Park in the past.
"It's a tall order for the players, and they are under
enough pressure as it is, but all I am pleased about is that we
have got a big game this weekend to highlight John Lyall's
legacy at West Ham United.
"At least that can be underlined more than it might be on a
less prestigious occasion. We will have the chance as a team, and
as a Club, to pay our respects to John in front of the entire
country…and that is lovely."