Share

Allardyce gets West Ham job

London - Sam Allardyce was on Wednesday confirmed as the new manager of West Ham, the former Blackburn boss taking over from Avram Grant who was sacked after the London side's demotion to the Championship.

West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold have turned to the 56-year-old Allardyce to guide them back to the lucrative Premier League at the first attempt.

"It's a fantastic club with a great tradition and loyal supporters," said Allardyce.

"I am determined to get this club back up."

Allardyce added on the club's official website, www.whufc.com: "I wouldn't have taken this job if I didn't think we could bounce straight back into the Premier League.

"More than that, I wouldn't have contemplated the job if I didn't think there was the opportunity to build something substantial at West Ham.

"I know there will be West Ham fans asking whether I'm going to abandon the style of play that's been the club's heritage over the years.

"All I'll say is it will be a tale of home and away. At Upton Park we'll try to play the kind of game the fans want.

"We will aim to continue in the same way on our travels but we'll also be tough, hard to beat and utterly resilient."

The new boss at Upton Park has reportedly been offered a huge bonus to guide West Ham back to the big time.

This is Allardyce's first job since he was surprisingly sacked as manager of top-flight Blackburn Rovers in December, and it is the first time in 10 years he has taken over a club outside the top flight.

Allardyce began as a manager with spells at Blackpool and Notts County before making his reputation at Bolton Wanderers after taking them into the Premier League via the playoffs in 2001 and establishing them in the top tier of English football.

He then moved to Newcastle in 2007.

But the owners who appointed him sold up soon afterwards and he was sacked by Mike Ashley just six months into his time with the north-east side.

It was a similar story at Blackburn, where he took charge in December 2008 only to be dismissed not long after the club was sold to Venky's, an India-based poultry business.

Grant was axed minutes after West Ham's relegation was sealed by a 3-2 defeat at Wigan a week before the end of the season.

Allardyce meanwhile admitted he was unlikely to be able to prevent an exodus of the club's best players.

Goalkeeper Robert Green, striker Carlton Cole and player of the year Scott Parker are all expected to quit Upton Park over the summer.

"That's probably going to be the case for financial reasons," Allardyce told talkSPORT.

"When a club is relegated it's a massive loss of revenue and you have to adjust.

"But for me, whatever happens, the basis is there of a very good squad and some good young players."

On the future of England midfielder Parker, he added: "I don't know yet, we'll have to wait and see. From a distance it looks very difficult, but there is no indication of any bids for Scott yet."

Allardyce confirmed he has brought in Neil MacDonald, his assistant at Bolton and Blackburn, to the backroom staff.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2244 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE