West Ham's new owners say Zola's job is safe
Source: Agencies |
January 20, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
DAVID Gold and David Sullivan, the former owners of Birmingham City, have completed the takeover of Premier League club West Ham United and want the new Olympic Stadium to be the club's future home.
Icelandic bank Straumur said it had sold subsidiary CB Holding's 50 percent stake in the club and that Sullivan and Gold would take immediate operational and commercial control.
Gold moved quickly to quell speculation about the future of manager Gianfranco Zola while outlining his ambitions for the club which is entrenched in a relegation battle.
"Categorically he's staying," Gold told Sky Sports News.
"I will sit down with him tonight to work on some transfer targets. We are West Ham fans, we have a seven-year plan to get them into the Champions League and turn them into a big club. We hope we can persuade the government to let us move to the Olympic stadium which is in the same borough. It's a natural home for West Ham United."
The long-term use of the 2012 Olympic Stadium is still unclear although London's winning bid for the Games stipulated that an athletics track would remain with the capacity of 80,000 scaled down to 25,000, a potential stick-point for a top-flight soccer club.
While a move away from its traditional Upton Park home is a long-term project, the more pressing concern for West Ham fans will be the club's precarious league position.
It is 16th in the table with only goal difference keeping it out of the relegation zone. One leading British bookmaker on Monday suspended betting on Zola becoming the next Premier League manager to be sacked.
Sullivan backed the managerial set-up of Zola and former Chelsea assistant coach Steve Clarke, saying the goal was to stabilize the club after the uncertainty over its financial situation since the collapse of Iceland's banking system.
"Our first priority has to be securing the Premier League status of West Ham ... the long-term aim will be to put the club on a stronger financial footing," Sullivan told West Ham's Website.
"West Ham need stability after all the recent upheavals.
"We appointed four managers and parted company with two at Birmingham in 16 years. We believe in our managers and give them the time and support they need."
Icelandic bank Straumur said it had sold subsidiary CB Holding's 50 percent stake in the club and that Sullivan and Gold would take immediate operational and commercial control.
Gold moved quickly to quell speculation about the future of manager Gianfranco Zola while outlining his ambitions for the club which is entrenched in a relegation battle.
"Categorically he's staying," Gold told Sky Sports News.
"I will sit down with him tonight to work on some transfer targets. We are West Ham fans, we have a seven-year plan to get them into the Champions League and turn them into a big club. We hope we can persuade the government to let us move to the Olympic stadium which is in the same borough. It's a natural home for West Ham United."
The long-term use of the 2012 Olympic Stadium is still unclear although London's winning bid for the Games stipulated that an athletics track would remain with the capacity of 80,000 scaled down to 25,000, a potential stick-point for a top-flight soccer club.
While a move away from its traditional Upton Park home is a long-term project, the more pressing concern for West Ham fans will be the club's precarious league position.
It is 16th in the table with only goal difference keeping it out of the relegation zone. One leading British bookmaker on Monday suspended betting on Zola becoming the next Premier League manager to be sacked.
Sullivan backed the managerial set-up of Zola and former Chelsea assistant coach Steve Clarke, saying the goal was to stabilize the club after the uncertainty over its financial situation since the collapse of Iceland's banking system.
"Our first priority has to be securing the Premier League status of West Ham ... the long-term aim will be to put the club on a stronger financial footing," Sullivan told West Ham's Website.
"West Ham need stability after all the recent upheavals.
"We appointed four managers and parted company with two at Birmingham in 16 years. We believe in our managers and give them the time and support they need."
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