West Ham United Football Club News

• Nickname:Hammers
• Founded:1895
• Manager:Sam Allardyce

• Ground:Upton Park
• Capacity:35,595

Cole calls for Hammers focus

19 Jan 2009 - 12:34:47

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Striker Carlton Cole has urged his West Ham United team-mates to focus on matters on the pitch after his match-winning display in Sunday's 3-1 victory over Fulham.

The club's nine-goal top scorer helped ease the omission of unsettled strike partner Craig Bellamy with an impressive display in which he won a second-half penalty and scored in the 76th minute.

The victory was overshadowed by reports that Bellamy had played his last game for the Hammers and the Wales striker would be sold to Manchester City to ease the growing financial crisis at Upton Park.

But Cole has called on his team-mates to focus on performances rather than the stories of financial difficulties which continue to surround the club.

"We're happy with the result, which has put us in a strong position to climb up the table and hopefully we can keep on doing it," he told the club's official website.

"We have just got to keep on going. There are a lot of things going on off the field which is uncontrollable and we can only control the controllable."

Meanwhile, the Hammers have been linked with a move for Fiorentina striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo as a possible replacement for Bellamy.

The former Italy Under-21 international could join the east London club on a season-long loan after struggling to hold down a first-team place at the Serie A side this term.