English Premier League Recap: West Ham manager Avram Grant hails goalie Robert Green's performance
Avram Grant has said that he is very happy with the progress of his goalkeeper Robert Green and said that he wants his player to continue wearing his heart on his sleeve.
West Ham beat accomplished city rivals Tottenham 1-0 on the weekend. Robert Green was in spectacular form for the Hammers and saved a number of shots from close range to keep his side in front.
Robert Green has been under the scanner ever since he let in a goal against the USA in the World Cup. Green could not control an innocuous shot from Clint Dempsey which deflected off his body and ended up in the back of the net.
England ended up drawing that game against the USA.
In the 2nd half against Tottenham, Green was tested to the limit but he was up to the task, and after the final whistle made a defiant gesture pointing towards the media box at the ground.
It was clear that Green was sending a message to all those who had been bashing him in the media for the World Cup howler.
The West Ham keeper has not been in the England line up since that mistake, but he made a strong claim for a return against Tottenham. The first save that he was forced to make was against the goal bound shot of Luka Modric. Green
jumped and expertly tipped it over the bar.
Grant, the former Chelsea manager now in charge of Hammers, said that he has always believed that it’s not the job of a player to use words to respond to media bashing. He said that performances on the pitch are the best way to
respond and that is exactly what Green did.
Grant said: "In football you can perform and then you do not have to say anything. I think Rob's performance was his best speech."
The manager was asked if the gesture by his keeper was aimed at the press to prove a point. Grant said, "I like emotions in sport. I don't want to be a cold fish.”
"Football is emotional. If you come to the game without emotions it is not good. I have emotions also, although you don't see it because I have to control it. This is part of the passion of the game.”
Avram Grant said that this was another day in the life of a good goalkeeper. He added that though Green was brilliant and maybe he just goes unnoticed most of the time, he always puts in the same amount of effort.
"He's a good goalkeeper. Sometimes goalkeepers have good days and bad days but it was a normal performance from him. He made a great save.”
"Rob showed (what he can do) on the only place a sportsman needs to show, on the pitch, not in the papers, not in the media, not with excuses."
It was West Ham’s first win this season, and with 6 games gone they already find themselves in the drop zone.
Meanwhile after the match Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp refrained from making any excuses about the loss.
Redknapp said that his team had number of chances but could not convert them. The former West Ham manager, who suffered first defeat at Upton Park after leaving the club, said that a lot of it was down to the performance of Robert
Green. Harry believes that defensively his team does need to work a lot, but in offence he said there isn’t much to worry about. Tottenham head into the UEFA Champions League match-day two where they face FC Twente on Tuesday.
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