Morrison raring to go

Recent signing Ravel Morrison is still hoping to play some part in West Ham's remaining fixtures this season.

The former Manchester United youngster joined West Ham on transfer deadline day since when he has made just the one first team appearance, in United's 1-1 draw against Leeds at Elland Road.

Since that game a month ago tomorrow, the 19-year-old has failed to make a single appearance for the first team - and bar the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough at the Boleyn Ground on 20th March when he was an unused substitute, Morrison has failed to make a single match day squad.

That absence has led to all manners of rumours suggesting reasons for his omission from the first team picture - including bust-ups with fellow team mates, no-shows at training, a club suspension and even one suggestion that he had walked out on the club and was living back in Manchester.

However as is often the case, the truth is rather less newsworthy and the youngster's absence from recent squads has, KUMB.com understands, been due to a back injury - from which he has now recovered.

Sam Allardyce warned Morrison in the week following the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough that the former England youth international needed to start making the most of his obvious talent.

"What is in his personality is the key to delivering a career," said Big Sam. "We can guide him to succeed in his own career but he's responsible for that. The talent deserves the big stage, but you have to have the capability, psychologically, to transform that ability."

And following Saturday's 6-0 thrashing of Brighton, the manager issued a general warning to all of his young players.

"You often see young players drift out of the game and abuse their talent," added Allardyce. "That's what we say in the game - "don't abuse your talent, son", because it's not just talent that makes you a top level professional footballer."