West Ham United FC

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Gabbidon blames complacency

21 Mar 2007 - 09:32:14

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West Ham United defender Danny Gabbidon admits that it is the players that have got the club into their current mess and believes a complacent attitude has been behind their decline this season.

After winning promotion to the Premiership in the 2004-05 campaign, the Hammers finished in a comfortable mid-table position and reached the FA Cup Final, but this term has been one of almost unrelenting gloom.

Despite winning at Blackburn Rovers, West Ham looked condemned to relegation, and Gabbidon admitted: "We've all got to look at ourselves as players and say, 'Have we performed as we did last season?'

"Obviously we'd have to say no. Maybe there was complacency there.

"We had a great season, you come back and think everything is going to be the same. But, if anything, you've probably got to work doubly as hard because the second season is always the harder one.

"Maybe the players thought we were maybe a bit better than we were and this season we definitely haven't worked as hard as a team.

"We just thought things would happen but you have to work hard, 110 per cent every game.

"Maybe that hasn't quite been there this season. The hunger we had last season has not been as evident. There are a number of things throughout the season that have maybe contributed to where we are."