Hammers have been steady this time, says Rob

8:59am Thursday 8th May 2008

ROBERT Green believes that West Ham's season has been a "step in the right direction".

A season that promised so much has ground to an uninspiring end.

Just eight points bagged since March and a series of below-par performance has led to criticism from sections of the fans who feel the team hasn't achieved as much as it should have.

However, Irons keeper Green was keen to point out the improvement the team has made on last season - when they escaped relegation on the last day of the season after a shock win against Manchester United at Old Trafford - and stressed that matters haven't been helped by an unprecedented amount of injuries to the squad.

And, with all the upheaval at the club in the last 18 months - including new owners, and change of chairman and manager - Green reckons that this season was always going to be about settling down and laying foundations for the future.

He said: "As a team, last season we were one fantastic result at Old Trafford from being relegated.

"This season we certainly haven't been in that sort of position, it's been a lot steadier over the course.

"You look at the squad and the strength of the squad, it's up there, a match for anyone outside that top four.

"Then you look on paper at the team that has played week in week out and I think there's been some tremendous performances in there considering.

"There's obviously some individual ones - beating Manchester United and Liverpool at home - and there's been occasions and disappointments.

"But it's been a lot steadier. As much as you could ask for after last season in as much as losing a manager gaining a manager, losing a chairman gaining a chairman - that sort of thing for a year.

"It's definitely a step in the right direction."

With one game now remaining in the 2007/8 season - against Aston Villa at Upton Park on Sunday - the Hammers have only tenth place to play for.

And, after enduring a relegation, despair in the play-offs, success in the play-offs, an FA Cup final and then a relegation dogfight in the past five seasons, Green can quite understand why the fans have been looking for a bit more this time around.

"The fans may see it as a damp squib towards the end of the season but then the club has been used to having massive climatic ends to the season over the past five years," he said.

"If you look at the history of the club, each season has had something huge riding on it.

"This is the first season where the biggest thing riding on it is staying in tenth or trying to move up to ninth.

"It happens in football and it will happen more often that not, which is the one disappointing thing."

On a personal agenda, Green's consistent performances between the sticks this season has been one of the highlights for the Hammers.

Yet, the 28-year-old remains realistic about his England chances and is not particularly' expecting a call-up to the Three Lions squad for the friendly with USA later this month.

"I wasn't in the first squad under Fabio Capello and I was brought in after two out of three keepers got injured - it's not the sort of form or guidance you'd be looking for to get into the squad," he said.

"But I'll just carry on enjoying my football."