30.05.2014 11:45 h

Football: Sheringham joins West Ham as attack coach

Former England striker Teddy Sheringham has joined West Ham United in the role of attack coach as the Premier League club bid to improve their forward play.

The 48-year-old, who scored 147 Premier League goals, played for West Ham during the course of a 24-year-career that also saw him win the 'treble' with Manchester United in 1999.

His appointment, on a part-time basis, comes after Hammers manager Sam Allardyce was told by the owners of the east London club to provide more "entertainment" following fans' criticism of a style of play that yielded just 40 goals in 38 Premier League matches as the team finished 13th in the table.

"I'm very excited," Sheringham, who played alongside Allardyce at Millwall at the start of his career, said Friday.

"Sam phoned me a week or so ago and asked me if I fancied it. It was far too good to resist really.

"Being a West Ham boy and coming from the area, it fits nicely in all that I'm about, what with working alongside Sam and knowing a few of the players as well.

"They've got a lot of respect for Sam, they speak very highly of him and to know that's the case made me want to get involved.

"I know the environment, I know everything about West Ham, so it was just too good an opportunity to turn down."

Sheringham retired from playing in 2008, having helped West Ham return to the Premier League with a return of 21 goals in the second-tier Championship after arriving at Upton Park in 2004.

In all, he scored 30 goals in 87 appearances for the Hammers before making the final move of his career, to Colchester United.

Sheringham hung up his boots in 2008 after a 24-year career that included winning the treble with Manchester United in 1999.

After signing for Championship side West Ham in 2004, the striker enjoyed an impressive opening season, scoring 21 goals to fire the Hammers back into the top flight.

Now it will be part of Sheringham's new role to get a West Ham strike force of Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan all firing in front of goal once again.

"Having played as a striker for years, Sam wants me to add something along those lines. Anything I can do to be of help, I'm very willing," Sheringham said.

"I obviously know Carroll, Cole and Kevin Nolan and I understand there'll be a few more forward players that I could be working with and alongside to help improve."

One of those will be Mauro Zarate, who became West Ham's first signing of the close season on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old former Lazio and Birmingham forward, who had been playing for Velez Sarsfield in his native Argentina, has signed a three-year-deal with an option for an extra year.