Source: PA
Grant salutes Green display
West Ham manager Avram Grant encouraged Robert Green to keep wearing his heart on his sleeve after he put his World Cup howler that bit further behind him with a spectacular performance in the 1-0 win against Tottenham.
Green made two world-class saves in West Ham's first league victory of the season and made a defiant gesture in the direction of the press box at the final whistle.
The message was clearly aimed at all those who had ridiculed him for his blunder against the USA in England's first World Cup match in South Africa. Green has not played for his country since but his first-half leap to deny Luka Modric, tipping the goalbound volley onto the crossbar, was sublime.
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."
When asked whether the gesture was a release of Green's pent-up emotions, Grant added: "I like emotions in sport. I don't want to be a cold fish.
"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."
