WEST Ham midfielder Scott Parker is adamant the club can continue their recent hot streak and mount a genuine bid for European football this season.

The Hammers are currently eighth in the Premier League after an impressive run of six games without defeat has seen them surge away from a congested relegation dogfight and into contention for a UEFA Cup place.

It looked at one stage that Parker may miss out on the team's final push for a place in the top six after being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City this month.

But with both sides seemingly caught up in securing a number of other deals – not least a £14million swoop for Craig Bellamy by the Eastlands outfit - speculation soon died down and the combative midfielder was allowed to focus on what he does best.

After some patchy early season form, Parker has come of age alongside Mark Noble in the Irons engine room, and he is confident the free-flowing football will continue to thrive and yield plenty of points.

“For sure we are (looking for Europe). We see the league and how tight it is, and there are a couple of games coming up that are winnable, so we can really push on,” said the 28-year-old after the weekend's 2-0 win over Hartlepool in the FA Cup.

“We are confident, this is a very good run. I just think at the moment we have a structure about us, we look quite solid at times and we have a threat going forward as well. We are looking to push on now and this is the time of the season when we can go on and do that.”

Parker was handed a further boost during Saturday's win when he was given the captain's armband by Gianfranco Zola for the first time.

“I was obviously proud and honoured that the manager put me in that position, so I was really pleased,” he added.

Undoubtedly, things are starting to look up for West Ham and Parker.