How is Andriy Yarmolenko?
He is not in a really good position at the moment I have to say. We have given him a few days off and that is totally understandable.
It is a very difficult and i have asked him [what we can do] and the club have asked me to ask him if there is anything we can do for him and if we can we will certainly help him.
He has asked me just now if he can have a few days off and I have granted him that. It is a really difficult time for him and his family and we respect that.
Is his family safe?
I spoke with him yesterday at training and he was upset as you can imagine and rightly so and we just hope that everything goes well and all his family members and close family keep safe.
Are the squad talking about it?
Well, I think the whole world is talking about it. We're all deeply saddened by the actions and desperately hoping there are no deaths. But we know already there have been so we are really saddened by it. We are just out of a pandemic and the last thing we need is anything that gets close to the word war, we really do not want that at all.
It is a very exciting and glamourous Europa League draw
It is, I think it is the pick of the round. Sevilla have an unbelievable history of winning the competition. I know the manager Julen and going to Sevilla is a big job and they are probably after Real Madrid the form side in Spain at the moment and also I wanted a big game and big teams, and to challenge against the big teams and go for it and Sevilla is a really tough game.
You might be going there twice!
The final! Correct, I was forgetting that it might be good to get used to the stadium!
Were you hoping for Rangers?
I did because I was looking forward to the prospect of going to Rangers. That would be a real tough game, rangers did brilliantly well to overcome Dortmund. But great credit to them for getting through against Dortmund, I think they are the only team to be knocked out from the teams who qualified from Champions League, so great credit to Rangers for getting through.
Sevilla is what it is all about for the fans right?
The big thing about West Ham was the excitement, everybody wanted to go on a European tour and we have had unbelievable support.
We've played well in Europe and we'll take a big support to Seville and really look forward to it. There is more pressure on them than there is on us because we're new to it. We're getting used to it and hopefully we'll get more used to it in the future.
Haller said some nice things about you, what are your thoughts on Haller and how he has developed at Ajax?
Seb was a great lad for us. He scored v Sheffield United, an unbelievable overhead kick which was on the verge of goal of the season. He played as big a part in us staying in the division as anyone. His goals were really important so we thanked Seb. But he had a great opportunity with Ajax in the Champions League and it had not all been plain sailing for him here.
We got the money which we thought was correct and it was a move which suited us and Seb at the time so we moved on from but I always thought that he had all the abilities to score goals and make goals and he has gone onto prove that. He is a good lad Seb and we wish him well.
Are the European places like a mini-league at the moment?
It is really tough and difficult because you can see the standard or the team who are very strong. From that point of view you have to play well.
We are pleased to be competing, we are unbeaten in four and we will take that. We would like some more wins but overall we are still in a good place and hopefully, we will still be there by the end of the season.
Do you feel a sense of excitement for the coming weeks?
This is the level you want to be at. Having European football after Christmas is a really exciting period as a club. We have not been in this situation for quite a while challenging for cups and at the top of the league. And in the two cup competitions we have been in we have a chance and we want to be involved further on.
You take the games individually the first game is Wolves in the league but obviously we have other things to think about as well.
We have FA Cup ties, Sevilla in the Europa League is exciting but at West Ham we are in a good place and we need to keep trying to build on that and improve if we can.
How impressed have you been with Wolves?
I have been really impressed by Wolves. If you take out the first few games they have been in really good consistent form with a lot of confidence and they are developing well.
What is the team news? How are you injury-wise?
We are okay, Vladimir Coufal had a hernia operation in midweek and will be out for a few weeks, other than that Angelo Ogbonna with his cruciate and Masuaku with a knee injury which we are trying to get him back other than that not too bad.
Has Coufal's injury affected his form this season?
We think it is part of it, he has struggled for a long time. The international players have a lot of games, the Euros and all the games last year and the quickness of the games and this year too it can take its toll and unfortunately Vladimir could not carry on.
Are you hoping Wolves are tired after playing on Thursday night?
I certainly am yes. But in football you never know, the regular games or the rest you never know what you need.
We've had very few games where we had an advantage over the opposition with time. Wolves have had a difficult week but that's the way it's going with the games called off during COVID.
We have a really difficult week with three games in six days, with Sunday, then going to Southampton in the FA Cup in midweek, then Liverpool next Saturday. So for us to have three games in six days starts on Sunday and that is difficult for us.
Are five points from the last five Premier League games a concern?
We're pleased we're unbeaten in four games at this moment in time with how close the teams are makes it a situation.... We'd like to have got more wins but we're still in a good place overall and in the two cups so I think we are in a good position.
Are them some players you would like to see scoring more goals?
I would like more players to score more goals but we are only behind Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea for goals scored this year as far as I know.
So gaols scored is not a big problem, but if you are talking about individuals then yes we would like to see Mich [Antonio] and Tomas Soucek to get more goals. But as a team we are doing okay in that department.
With Coufal out how important is Ben Johnson as some fans are not impressed by Fredericks?
I am the one who makes the decisions and calls. Ryan picked up a groin strain, not too bad, but we have Ben who is a young and progressing player and we are trying to develop him and he has done really really well in two or three different positions left-back, right-back and done well and we like him a lot and lets hope he continues to make progress.
