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No plans to replace Gianfranco Zola - David Sullivan

Gianfranco Zola will be given time to impress © Getty Images

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After completing his takeover of West Ham late on Monday night, David Sullivan has told Soccernet that he plans to retain Gianfranco Zola as manager and give the Italian the chance to prove he can eventually transform the club into top four contenders.

Reports have claimed Sullivan and Gold could be lining up Mark Hughes after the Welshman was sacked by Manchester City but Zola, appointed by the club to replace Alan Curbishley last season, has the faith of the new owners at Upton Park.

Sullivan, in his first interview after both he and David Gold took control of the cash-strapped Hammers, revealed: "We shall almost certainly keep the manager, but of course, you never know.

"The fact is that we are not sacking owners. In the 16-and-a-half years we were running Birmingham we only sacked two managers, and one of them, Barry Fry, we regret sacking and we should have given him another year at least. So, no, we don't plan to come in and sack Zola."

It is not quite a ringing endorsement of Zola because Sullivan still believes the little Italian is an 'unproven' manager, but he seems willing to give him a chance and see him work at close hand before making a definitive decision.

Initially, Sullivan and Gold will put up money for new players and plan to quickly draw up a list of potential targets. He said: "Some money will go into bringing in new players in the January transfer window.

"This is not the best time to buy players - everyone says that - but we need to buy to keep the club up and that has got to be our priority, and then we can look again in the summer. There really is so much work to be done at this club, you hardly know where to start."

But it is Sullivan and Gold's seven-year plan that will intrigue Hammers fans, with a move from their traditional Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium a key objective as they seek to break into the top four.

Sullivan said: "We are the club of the East London and Essex. We are based in the Borough of Newham and that is where the Olympic Stadium will be and that is where we need to be to help us regain our former glories and move into that elite top four."

First of all, though, before all their grandiose plans can be put into operation, Sullivan and Gold have to tackle the debt mountain at Upton Park. Sullivan is damning about the financial profile of a club that has mostly been quoted in the media as having debts of £35 million.

"I would put the debts at £110 million. There is £50 million owed to the banks, £40 million to clubs in transfer fees and also to Sheffield United, while we are not owed any money on transfers, the club have sold their season tickets for the next two years for £12 million, and that's before you start with Alan Curbishley, VAT, image rights, and a £3 million hole in the pension funds, so don't start me off on the debts here!"

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