Caretaker boss Kevin Keen wants West Ham job despite crushing defeat to Sunderland

West Ham United relegated to Championship

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West Ham caretaker boss Kevin Keen has again underlined his desire to take the Hammers hot seat on a full-time basis despite watching his side fall to a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland on the final day.

The Upton Park faithful watched their already relegated side brushed aside by goals from Boudewijn Zenden, Stephane Sessegnon and an injury time strike by Cristian Riveros but the caretaker boss said his audition for the job wasn’t just today, but as soon as he took the helm from the sacked Avram Grant.

Quizzed on his audition for the role, Keen said: “It started as soon as I got it, I conducted myself quite well, but it was a tough ask today, as a club and a team were weren’t up to it.

“I love the club, played for nine years, coached for nine years, it’s in my blood, I feel I can take the club on and contribute, I feel it’s time to go into management and I think you’d get a big affirmative for the players.

“It not easy, but I think I have the attributes to do it. It will be a hard task but it’s better to have a go than turn your back.”

Relegated by a full seven point margin after today’s defeat, the Hammers now face the prospect of attempting to bounce back to the Premier League, and their stand-in boss believes England’s second flight will pose a major challenge.

“Next season will be a tough season, the Championship has changed slightly in the fact you have quite a few teams who want to play football now,” he added.

“It’s more physical than the Premier League but not as physical as it was. There are more games, Saturday and Tuesdays, but I really believe in the young players we have in our squad.

“Five played today, we have a fantastic set of young players, we want to keep hold of them, it’s a base and to play the type of football we want to play you need players who would run through a brick wall for this club.

“If we have that foundation I believe the future can be good and look forward to the future in our new home.”

Now into his third caretaker reign at the club, Keen admitted he was disappointed with his side’s response to going behind in the final fixture to be played at Upton Park, despite showing signs of effort early on.

He added: “I thought the players put a lot of effort in, it typified this season a bit, we created a lot of chances in the first half and then Mr.Zenden goes down the other end and puts one in off his shoulders.

“It was tough after going 1-0 down, but the supporters were amazing didn’t stop singing.

“I think players kept going even at 2-0, victor (Obinna) had a great chance from a free kick, Jack Collison and Scott Parker kept going, Frederic Piquionne was fantastic, but Sunderland were better.”

The Hammers are now expected to lose the services of stars such as talismanic captain Scott Parker and England defender Matthew Upson but if Keen does get the nod for a full-time role, he is eager to restore traditions he has seen change at the club over the last five years and build a youthful setup.

The 44-year-old added: “Traditions have been lost in past four or five years.

“I’m not naïve enough to say I’m going to play a team of 11 kids, but a nucleus of local boys, that’s my vision.”