Curbishley: players must win back fans

WEST HAM boss Alan Curbishley held a team meeting this week to tell his players what is needed to restore the famous Upton Park atmosphere that was silenced on St Stephen’s Day.

Hammers fans were stunned after going 2-0 down by half-time against Portsmouth, prompting Curbishley to explain exactly what he will expect against Manchester City today.

Curbishley himself was shocked after beating Manchester United and drawing at Fulham in his first two games in charge before conceding two sloppy goals against Pompey, both scored by Linvoy Primus.

“It was greeted with what it should have been greeted with — apathy,” explained Curbishley. “We killed it stone dead.

“The meeting was to let everyone know where we stand and what is expected. I hope I get a different effort against Manchester City.

“We’ve been here two weeks and there are a few things that are ‘musts’. There’s no confusion or conversation about this, and we’ve got to get this in our game. I think they understand it and hopefully they will show that.”

Curbishley believes fans play an important role in the club’s battle to get out of the bottom three, with the clash against City giving them a chance to drag more teams into trouble.

“We managed to silence 35,000 people,” said Curbishley. “When you get them behind you it’s a totally different scenario.

“Atmosphere is synonymous with West Ham, it was electrifying last year with the cup run and we’ve managed to stifle that with our performances. So I need to get that back.

“It’s easy talking about it but the players have to go out there and do it.”

Curbishley will have money to spend in the January transfer window and has highlighted the need for experience in the young squad he inherited from Alan Pardew earlier this month.

Getting beaten by Portsmouth has also shown Curbishley how important experienced players can be.

He said: “If I’m going to bring anything it will be people with experience, players with games under their belts.

“You look at the backbone of Portsmouth — David James, Sol Campbell, Linvoy Primus, Pedro Mendes, Kanu — players who have gone through the mill.

“I look at my back four at the moment and Paul Konchesky is the most experienced.”

Konchesky is suspended for the City clash after the appeal against a red card at Fulham was rejected, while Nigel Reo-Coker is also banned.

Reo-Coker’s absence means there is a place up for grabs in the centre of midfield, the position of Argentina international Javier Mascherano.

Mascherano has been linked with a move to Liverpool and Juventus, but Curbishley doesn’t expect departures during the January transfer window.

“If anything I’m looking for people to come in,” he said.