Soccer: Song puts club before country

Rigobert Song has put club before country in an attempt to help strugglers West Ham gain the point they need to ward off the threat of relegation.

The Cameroon captain will play for the Hammers against Southampton and accept a fine for missing his country’s important World Cup qualifier against Angola.

"I told my national team I want to play for West Ham," said Song. "It is a big decision I’m taking, because I need to stay with my team on Saturday in a game we really want to win.

"I’m making a big sacrifice I don’t know how much the fine will be yet but if I stay in the Premiership it is worth it.

"When you are the captain you want to set an example, and every manager wants someone like me in the team. The national manager said: 'we need you but we understand your situation.'

"I have played every game with them, but he understands my problem and doesn’t want me to be in the First Division. He said 'it’s your life'."

West Ham need Song because Ian Pearce (concussion) is ruled out for the rest of the season after the duo clashed heads last weekend.

"We need a point and on Saturday everyone will want to die on the pitch," added Song. "The thing is not to see good football - it is to get a good result; it will be a game for men and we will show that on Saturday."

Southampton, who scored their first goal in six matches under caretaker-manager Stuart Gray in the 1-1 draw at Newcastle in midweek, have nevertheless impressed their boss with their attitude.

Gray, who saw Marian Pahars seal his second point in charge, said: "Every player gave a seven or eight out of 10 performance at Newcastle which has put us in good heart for the game at West Ham.

"The players didn’t let their heads go down and they came back strongly. It

was vital that we got the goal as otherwise we might have found a psychological barrier developing."

Meanwhile, Chelsea must battle this weekend to clinch a UEFA Cup place for next season following back-to-back defeats that have put their qualification in jeopardy.

Two weeks ago the Blues entertained Champions League ambitions but losses to Charlton and Leeds mean that another shock reverse might see either seventh-placed Sunderland or the Addicks, who meet on Wearside, overhaul them in the table.

However, due to their better goal difference, Chelsea could actually secure sixth place this weekend if they beat Everton at home and Sunderland draw against Charlton.

"Things have not gone as well for us as we expected this season and everyone is down about it. But we still want to get into Europe and we will fight for that," said Dutch defender Mario Melchiot.

For the Toffees, Richard Gough’s retirement this week could be the start of a mass exodus with debts reaching £25m.

But Niclas Alexandersson, who scored the winner against Bradford last weekend, rallied: "I think we can finish a lot higher next season.

"With the team we have got and a lot less injuries we all feel we can achieve more.

"It’s a big relief to be safe and for me facing another relegation battle has been a nightmare," added the former Sheffield Wednesday winger.