Curbs gets the backing of Hammers legend

4:12pm Tuesday 29th April 2008

FORMER Hammers star Paolo Di Canio has thrown an arm of support around under-fire West Ham boss Alan Curbishley.

The Irons chief has been a target of the boo-boys in recent weeks despite steering the club to a creditable tenth place this season amid an unprecedented injury crisis.

But Di Canio, who was at Upton Park to watch his former club draw 2-2 with Newcastle on Saturday, played under Curbishley while Charlton in the 2003/4 season and insisted the 50-year-old is more than up to the job.

"Alan is a good man and a great manager," Di Canio told the club's official website.

"I had the chance to work with him when I used to play for Charlton.

"He is a hardworking man, and also I think he gives a tactical system in the way you want it and the players follow him in the right way.

"I think he is one of the best managers in England."

Di Canio became an all-time great at West Ham after bagging 48 goals in 118 league appearances during a three-and-a-half year spell with the club. He was voted Hammer of the Year in the 1999/00 season.

And he was greeted with a rousing reception by the Upton Park faithful during his fleeting visit at the weekend.

Speaking after the game, Di Canio said: "It is a special day for me because I have this chance to come back after five years.

"It is a special moment because I have met lots of friends.

"The atmopshere around here is always full of passion and I have big emotions inside me."

"I always followed West Ham - in particular this season they have done well because I think they have a lot of injuries.

"Of course I hope for the future that this club can grow and give more satisfaction to the fans, but today is a special day for me because I couldn't imagine this response from the fans.

"I still keep West Ham in my heart and I will forever."

The 39-year-old Italian, who quit the game earlier this year after two seasons with minnows Cisco Roma in his home country, also had some words of wisdom for the Hammers' rising young stars, such as Freddie Sears and James Tomkins.

"They must grow up with the passion," he said.

"They must remember that everything they do they have to do with professionalism.

"But especially they must give even more for these fans because they are absolutely fantastic.

"They will follow the club during the season, even when the team maybe doesn't play so well."

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