Source: FOOTYMAD
Pardew: 'Carroll Is Like Dean Ashton'
Alan Pardew spent more than three years in charge at Upton Park before being relieved of his duties in December 2006. Pardew: "I haven't actually been back to Upton Park since I left, not to watch a game. "I have purposely kept away because when I did return, I wanted to return with a really good team, and I hope to do that next year in the Premier League for both clubs. "This game is important because it's about this year and about both of us making sure we are Premier League sides. "I think West Ham will escape the drop and I certainly hope we will, and a victory for us tomorrow would certainly go a long way towards putting a little bit of distance between us and that pressure cooker down at the bottom. "It's all well and good beating the top sides on your showboat kind of day, but these are the games which determine your season. "It's a big game for us and I am pretty sure that the guys will be in a good frame of mind to play it. "We should get confidence from Sunday because it was a really good performance. "I have only got really good memories, really good. "We have got Nile Ranger here who we are trying to develop into a quality striker, and Leon Best got a chance at Wigan. "It is an opportunity for these guys while Andy is out to stake their claim, and particularly those two guys could get a good chance against West Ham. "I look at Andy now and while he’s not the same player as Dean Ashton, I can see the hunger and desire to want to be England’s number nine in Andy."
