David James has not given up hope of making next year's World Cup finals and is confident he will play a part in West Ham's Premiership campaign at some point.
The former Aston Villa goalkeeper was injured during a collision with Martin Keown in England's defeat to Holland on Wednesday and scans yesterday revealed he had ruptured his posterior cruciate ligaments,
He told the Daily Mail: "At lunchtime, I couldn't have been lower. I had an examination and was told I could forget the season.
"To miss the World Cup without the chance even to impress the new manager would have been too much. That would have been so painful.
"But I have been looked at again and I am now told it's not as bad as was first thought. It is still a bad injury and I will be out for a while but I definitely plan to be back during the season."
Meanwhile Hammers boss Glenn Roeder has hit out at the Football Association over the timing of the White Hart Lane friendly.
PA