Green: Hammers must keep Ashton
by Chris Stanton, 14 May 2008
Robert Green believes it is ‘massively important’ that Dean Ashton remains a West Ham player.
Ashton, who was named in Fabio Capello’s most recent England squad, is in contract talks with The Hammers but speculation has linked the talented 24-year-old with a move to Premier League champions Manchester United.
Green said: “He’s a tremendous player and talent, maybe it’s something to do with the size of him. I don’t mean that in a bad sense! He just has something other people haven’t got.
“England have plenty of quick, skilful forwards, but beyond Peter Crouch we haven’t got a target man of that international class.
“Dean’s back in the England squad now and rightly so, on the back of some tremendous performances towards the end of the season.
“This season’s been difficult for him because everyone was expecting so much, but he came back and showed what he can do. It’s massively important he stays at West Ham.”
While Ashton has regained his place in the England squad, Green admits he did not expect the same to happen to him.
'England’s Number 6' has been critical in the past following his omission by Steve McClaren and not much appears to have changed under new coach Fabio Capello.
At the same time as England will be facing USA and Trinidad & Tobago at the end of May and the beginning of June, Green will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity.
Green admitted: “I never thought I was going to be involved with England."