WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola says his players are ready for Turkish side Bursaspor on
Wednesday evening
22.07.2009
Gianfranco Zola put his players through a final tough session on Tuesday
evening before the game with Turkish outfit Bursaspor on Wednesday
The West Ham United manager split his squad into two teams for a full
ten-a-side match that Jack Collison, Kieron Dyer and Savio took a full part
in following their individual fitness work on Monday. Their return to
fitness means it is possible they will all feature at the Thermenarena in
Bad Radkersburg alongside Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole and Luis
Boa Morte.
The England trio and Portugal winger were all set to make their first
appearances of the pre-season against Werder Bremen on Saturday before the
game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
"The boys are up for the game" said Zola. "It is an important game. We are
working very hard but playing real games is as important as training. The
match is going to be a good chance to play and some of the players need to
get more than 60 minutes in their legs. We're really looking forward to the
match."
"Against Bursaspor I will try to play the senior players for something like
70 minutes and then on Thursday against [Slovenian side] ND Mura 05 I will
give the players who didn't play very much something more. I think that's
why we've got two games in two days. Most of the players will get 60 or 70
minutes - that is the plan."
Following the frustration of having the Bremen fixture cancelled, Zola feels
his players have responded in the best possible manner - by working twice as
hard on the training pitch.
"It was a pity not to have played the game on Saturday," he said. "We need a
game as the games are the most important. The players reacted very well and
have been training very well. We need to just play and against Bursaspor
there is that possibility."
Bursaspor finished sixth in the Turkcell Super Lig last season and the
Hammers will have to be wary of a host of international players on their
books, who complement several promising youngsters in the squad. Midfielder
Huseyin Cimsir has won 27 caps for Turkey, highly-rated 19-year-old forward
Sercan Yildirim has just won his first cap for Turkey, while South Korea
forward Shin Young-Rok will provide the threat up front.
"Our opponents are a Turkish team and they are supposed to be a good team,"
added Zola. "It is good to have it at our training pitch as we don't want to
travel very much.
"Thursday's game will be a Slovenian team [ND Mura] and they will maybe be
of the quality of the Championship."
Jonathan Spector joined up with the rest of the squad for training after
flying in on Tuesday. The defender was granted extended leave after helping
the United States reach the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in South
Africa.
It is expected that Spector, along with Mark Noble and James Tomkins, who
both arrived on Sunday, is unlikely to play in either game as he seeks to
catch up on the fitness before flying to China for the Barclays Asia Trophy
on Sunday.
Kick-off in Bad Radkersburg is at 5pm UK time and whufc.com will have live
text updates as well as all of the post-match reaction.
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