Sullivan insists Zola is safe

West Ham joint chairman David Sullivan insists the club has no intention of sacking manager Gianfranco Zola

West Ham joint chairman David Sullivan insists the club has no intention of sacking manager Gianfranco Zola. Zola was furious at the timing of Sullivan’s revelation salaries would have to be slashed to get the Hammers’ wage bill down to manageable levels.

It came less than 24 hours before tonight’s vital Premier League encounter against Birmingham at St Andrew’s, when Sullivan and West Ham co-owner David Gold take on the club they sold last October.

But speculation Zola could be on his way out of the club should they lose against Birmingham at Upton Park was rejected by Sullivan.

“He is entitled to his opinion and I respect that,” Sullivan explained. “I hope it galvanises the team and the manager to produce a wonderful performance.

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“If we win tonight I have made my point, if we lose he has made his point. All I can say is that in 17 years we sacked two managers at Birmingham. We are not sackers.

“We support managers and he (Zola) is 100 per cent secure. We will bring in players to improve the team in the summer. Birmingham are a very good side. I don’t see it as a grudge match or anything like that. I see this as just another game and one where we really do need to get three points.

“If you said at this moment in time who is the better team then statistically you would have to say Birmingham are the better team.

“But if you say who is the bigger club then all the statistics support that West Ham are the bigger club. I am very confident that over the next 14 games, the team will improve and we will claw our way up the table.”