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Allardyce to sort out Diarra issues

Alou Diarra has played just 111 minutes in the Premier League for the Hammers © Getty Images

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West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce insists he has no problem with Alou Diarra and is happy to sort out any issues he has.

Diarra told L'Equipe on Tuesday that he was desperate to leave West Ham. He believes he will not get a chance to play under Allardyce and is "not part of his plans", and that he had "wasted my time" at Upton Park.

But Allardyce questioned the 31-year-old's claim that he has not been given a fair chance, pointing out that he spent three months unavailable due to injury.

"Wasted four months of what? My time or his? He has been injured for three months," Allardyce said. "He has let his frustrations out in his home country, which often happens.

"Someone has got hold of him and asked to do an article. He has done the article and has aired some of the frustrations of not playing on a regular basis.

"When he knocks on the door and comes to see me, we'll sort him out as quickly as we can. I haven't got a problem with it."

Meanwhile, Allardyce has spoken of his frustration at being unable to bring in defensive reinforcements. He has been linked with moves for Dnipro's Samuel Inkoom and Nancy defender Massadio Haidara this week but both those lines of enquiry are now dead.

The Hammers have gone seven games without keeping a clean sheet, and have just one in the last 13 games, and Allardyce knows he must bring in new faces to both combat that poor form and cover for injuries.

"We're not making as good progress as I would have liked," Allardyce said. "It has been hugely frustrating. We've been trying in the whole of the window to try and bring in a defender, but not been able to clinch a deal yet.

"That is probably because we have been looking for a short-term deal in loans, as in terms of not permanent deals. I think at this stage of the window everybody wants to, if they are going to release a player, let him go on a permanent basis, not on a short-term loan basis.

"I think that will probably change as the window gets closer to closing and hopefully we will be more successful in our plight to get a defender in at that stage."

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