'i'm happy to be playing for hammers and scoring again'

By Simon Hayes on October 2, 2007 12:00 AM |

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WEST HAM might have been well-beaten by Arsenal at the weekend but midfielder Lee Bowyer thinks the club are definitely heading in the right direction, and possibly into Europe.
The 1-0 loss to the Gunners on Saturday (September 29) - their second consecutive league defeat - left the Hammers in mid-table but Bowyer told The Wharf he thinks they can still qualify for at least the UEFA Cup.
"I don't see why we couldn't be back in Europe next season," he said. "We've got the squad to do it, we're in the right half of the league and we just have to keep doing well."

The Irons' impressive start to the season has partly been due to Bowyer finally producing the form that led to Leeds United paying #2.8million for him in 1996, when he was prised away from Charlton as Britain's most expensive teenager.
The Hammers star hit his first goal for the club in the 1-1 draw with Wigan in August and admitted his lack of scoring form was making him a little bit desperate.
"It was a massive relief," he said. "I felt that something had clicked at last. When I was a kid and supported West Ham it was obviously a dream to score for the club but not scoring last year made me wonder if it would ever happen.
"And I was here for a bit before and didn't score so I thought it wasn't meant to be, especially as I was injured at that time. To get one at last was a great relief."
Now in his second spell at the Boleyn, Bowyer, 30, feels the Upton Park faithful are at last seeing the best of him after an indifferent loan period in the relegation season of 2002-03 and an injury-plagued campaign last year.
It's something he feels is overdue although he played down any thoughts of a recall to the England squad. He won his only cap in a friendly with Portugal in September 2002.
He said: "I'm happy at the moment. I've scored a couple of goals and been playing okay. I don't know about getting back in the England squad, though.
"I'm just happy to be playing for West Ham and to be scoring again, that's the main focus for me. But if I keep nicking a few and playing well, which is what I'm concentrating on, we'll see what happens."
Bowyer's move from Newcastle last summer set a trend for players heading to east London from Tyneside.
He was followed by Scott Parker, Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy and Nolberto Solano, and Bowyer thinks it's down to his powers of persuasion.
"There's five of us here now," he said. "Everyone seems to be following me here. I used to go on to them about London and how great it was and how warm the weather was compared to up there so it obviously had an effect."
If the Hammers do make it to Europe this year it might well be via one of the cup competitions. After seeing off Plymouth in a close Carling Cup game last Wednesday they were drawn away at Championship side Coventry City for the fourth round on October 30.
"I don't know about reaching the final," said Bowyer. "But we're happy to still be in it and some of the big clubs don't seem to take it so seriously, so you never know."
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