West Ham boss Glenn Roeder is backing new signing Lee Bowyer to thrive under the pressure of the Hammer's bid to avoid relegation. Bowyer has given up life at Elland Road to join his boyhood heroes and is set for a baptism of fire when he makes his debut at home to Newcastle on Saturday. The Hammers have yet to win at home in the Premiership, but manager Roeder is confident his acquisition from Leeds will be up for the fight ahead.
"I have never thought of Lee Bowyer as the sort of player who would want to play in the comfort zone," said Roeder. "I have always felt he is a player who excels under pressure - and we are very much in a pressure situation.
"He is used to the pressure of being in the top two or three where Leeds often were while he was there in recent years, so obviously this is a different kind of pressure here because we are trying to come off the bottom of the table to get out of the relegation zone.
"But I have always maintained that the very best players have always produced their best football under the spotlight - and I would expect Lee to do some very good things for us, even in this difficult and pressurised situation. I am sure he will handle it fine; he has got the experience to do that and he is a player who still has an international career ahead of him.
"We are looking to Lee to play his part, as I am sure he will, and for the rest of the squad to play to their full potential as well. If those two things come together it is gives us a great chance."
Roeder also revealed how the signing of Bowyer has already had an effect on his Upton Park team-mates. "There was a real buzz in training," he told the club's website. "That has mainly been down to finally getting our first win at Upton Park on Saturday, but also because all the players knew that Lee was signing for us.
"All of our players are very positive about Lee's arrival, and I think the younger players like Michael Carrick and Joe Cole in midfield will also learn and benefit from the qualities Lee has. I am sure Lee will settle in very quickly, and the rest of the lads will make him feel very much at home and welcome."
Filed by Johnny Proby
