BBC football pundit Trevor Brooking has been named caretaker manager of West Ham as Glenn Roeder recovers from a blocked blood vessel in his brain.

Former player Brooking will take charge of the side for the final three games of the season as the Hammers battle to avoid relegation from the Premiership.

Brooking said: "Everyone wants to give it everything in the next two-and-a-half weeks - and that is what we are going to do.

"It would be a huge anti-climax to go out with a whimper, and, although it has been a very difficult few days, we have got to steel ourselves for these two-and-a-half weeks."

Published Thursday April 24, 2003