Dyer reveals torment of West Ham injury hell, as he prepares to face his old club

Kieron Dyer is plagued by the regrets of his injury-hit spell at West Ham United, and says he never justified his wages or transfer fee at Upton Park.

Dyer, who is preparing to face his former side with QPR on Monday night, joined the Hammers from Newcastle United for �6million in August 2007, but made just 15 league starts in four years following a succession of serious injuries.

His switch to QPR began in similarly disastrous fashion, with the 33-year-old breaking his foot in the opening game of last season, an injury which kept him out of the entire campaign.

However, the former England man is now back to full fitness and played 87 minutes of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at right-back after replacing the injured Jose Bosingwa early in the game.

With Bosingwa set for a spell on the sidelines alongside a number of other QPR defenders, Dyer is likely to keep his place for Monday night’s clash – and the painful memories of his time at Upton Park are driving him on.

“It was absolutely gutting because there was never a time when I could play three games on the trot,” said Dyer. “I was never on the pitch enough to justify the wages and the fee they paid for me.

“It was frustrating because we got relegated and I only played a handful of games. I do believe that if I had got a run of games under my belt and stayed injury-free then I could have helped their cause.

“It wasn’t down to a lack of effort. I tried everything physically possible to get back on the pitch. It was frustrating, but it was just one of those things.

“The criticism from the fans wasn’t unfair. If you’re not playing then you’re not effective for West Ham, and you get called every name under the sun.

“I look back on my time there with a lot of regrets. It will always be a case of ‘what if’?”

Dyer is hopeful of keeping his place in Mark Hughes’s side for Monday night’s televised clash, and having finally worked his way into the first team he is adamant that his injury problems are now a distant memory.

“We have such a big squad at the moment and such competition for places,” added the defender. “I might get a run at right-back, and if the manager calls on me I’ll be ready.

“I made my England debut at right-back and played for the under-21s there as well so I’ve got quite a lot of experience there. I’m just thankful I got onto the pitch – I would have played centre-half!

“I always used to go onto the pitch with the doubts in my mind, wondering if I was going to break down. Not once does that cross my mind now. I train like it’s a match, and if I can get through training as intense as that then playing games should be a breeze.”

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