Nuno Santo admitted he has been gorging on Premier League football in recent weeks.
The Hammers boss revealed that he watches every single top flight fixture, time and broadcasting rights permitting, as he continues to plan West Ham's escape from the relegation zone.On Wednesday evening that fight continues to Fulham, where the Hammers will be hoping to secure a first away win since triumphing at Burton Albion in the FA Cup.
And ahead of that game, the boss faced questions on the club's finances, Jarrod Bowen's World Cup hopes, Raul and, unsurprisingly, the battle to avoid the drop...
Q: Let's start with some team news. Any updates on Pablo? Is he ready yet to to join the team in training?
NES: No, not yet. He has joined individual programs, parts of the session. We're assessing day by day.
Q: Any other kind of team used to update us on since the Liverpool game?
NES: Always the same, but hopefully everybody's going to be available.
Q: With the relegation battle at the moment, it's kind of really heating up. After your result, there's some results that went your way. Did you watch the games on Sunday with Tottenham and Nottingham Forest I?
NES: I watch all the games in the Premier League.
Q: How does it feel at the moment, though? Spent all this weekend having to rely on other teams kind of getting results for you?
NES: We focus on ourselves. What we did was we didn't achieve a result in our games. This is what we have to focus on. This is what's really important for us.
Q: What do you think it says about the Premier League at the moment that two teams are down there in Tottenham and Nottingham Forest who are playing European competition, but they're also involved in this relegation battle?
NES: It shows how competitive the Premier League is, how difficult it is for all the teams. It's the best league in the world where the best players are so everything is possible in the Premier League.
Q: You know those clubs well, are you surprised to see them down there struggling?
NES: Every season has a surprises in the Premier League. Last season, this season again it happens in the future to all the teams. You have to be able to deal with these situations.
Q: Can I ask you about Jarrod Bowen? They've got an England squad at the end of this month. How much does that help you, that he's got this individual objective that he wants to achieve as well and to get into that World Cup squad?
NES: Many of our players haves individual goals and ambitions to join their national teams in the World Cup. It only motivates them, it only makes them stronger.
Q: With Jarrod specifically though, where do you see his game at the moment? Do you think he's playing at his best?
NES: I think Jarrod is a talented player that always can surprise us and give us amazing things. He's been huge for us, he's the club captain and every day he gives his best.
Q: Do you think he's a bit unlucky with the position that he plays in respect with England, how much competition there is in that place to get in because they are stacked with really..?
NES: I think we addressed this last week. I'm not really aware of the options for the England squad. I'm really, really focused on our squad and the players that we have, the players that you mentioned that are evolved in their national teams, how they work daily. And I think everybody is aware that achieving something, to go to the World Cup, is really important for a football player. It's the dream that all of us in the game have.
Q: West Ham, they announced their financial report for the year 2024/25. Is that something that you take notice of? Is something that you have an Interest in?
NES: It's not my job. The accounts of the club is not my job!
Q: The only reason I ask is because they do mention the fact that the West Ham are likely to have to sell players so that that will affect you?
NES: But it is not now. This is not some something that we have to think about now. As for the players, we have a big task on our hands.
Q: So, so far you and the board, you're not, you haven't talked about the summer and the potential..?
NES: With the fight that we are involved in!? With the things that we have to address and solve, improve and make happen? Every day is about the game, is about how we prepare ourselves for the matches.
Q: You mentioned you watched the games yesterday?
NES: All the games and today I'm gonna watch again. It's part of our job to see all the games.
Q: Absolutely. In terms of Fulham who you play next, what did you make their performance against Spurs?
NES: Very good. They are a very good team. They been showing that year after year. Marco is doing the amazing job, amazing job. He's been there for a while. You can see the routines, you can see the complicity. You can see that it's a tough team. Alex Ayobi, the goals that he scores... so many talented players.
Q: One player of course that you know really well is Raul. I just wanted to get your perspective - from a human perspective, really - from someone who knows him really well? To see him at the age of 34, starting week in week out? I know Marco spoke a lot previously about the fact that he still believes in him. He still believed he could take him back to the level that we are now seeing. So how pleased are you to see him playing again?
NES: Really pleased. You know that me and Raul, we worked together and it was a pleasure. I have big admiration for him and it's I'm delighted to see him play and enjoy himself, especially after this traumatic episode that he had. The strength that he showed, the character that he is proving every day. Well done.
Q: And just focusing back on your team, Adama Traore will be returning to Fulham for the first time since he joined West Ham. I just wondered how do you view his development here at West Ham and what kind of impact has he made?
NES: I think he's settled in really well and he brings new energy to us. We've been trying to every day improve him, he's had spells in the games. Of course, ahead of him he has two players that are in in the top of that game, but he's patient enough to recognise that his chances will come.
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