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Zola unhappy at Sullivan's 'Armageddon' outburst

Gianfranco Zola is unhappy with the timing of owner David Sullivan's comments © Getty Images

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West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has hit out at owner David Sullivan after he told the press the club faced financial "Armageddon" if they are relegated from the Premier League.

Sullivan said that everyone at the football club is overpaid and will be asked to take a wage cut in the summer. Zola reacted angrily at the quotes, which come before their vital match with Birmingham at St Andrew's on Wednesday.

Zola said: "I think the article should have been done at another time, not just before a match like Wednesday. It would have been better to say that at another time and maybe talk to us before talking to a newspaper. That is my feeling.''

Zola, who earns £1.9 million a year, revealed he had not spoken to the owners, nor had he been consulted about the issue. But after preparing his players for a match against the club so recently run by Sullivan and Gold, Zola added: "Personally I can say I am not here for the money.

"Last year when I signed a contract I didn't even know how much I was going to earn. I had a plan and a project and I liked what I was going to do. I didn't know what I was going to earn and then after a while the club called me in about a new contract.

"It's not about money. It is about working for something positive. I aways enjoy working for this club. The money was something that came after.'' Sullivan told the Sun: "It'll be Armageddon if we go down. It'll be worse than what's gone on at Newcastle," "I can't believe the contracts I've inherited. Every position is overpaid, whether in administration or on the playing side.

"Everyone at the club will be asked to take a salary cut in the summer. The club is in a mess and we all have to pull together. If we go down I can't even consider the situation."

Zola was clearly irritated by the potentially destabilising effect of the pay issue and wants to concentrate on getting West Ham out of relegation trouble. When asked if the owners speak to the press too much, Zola added: "It doesn't interest me. They can talk to the press as much as they want. When an article comes like that before a big match like tomorrow I'm not happy about that because I don't think it is any good for the whole team. I just read the article this morning and that's it. The match is all that matters to me and the players.''

West Ham have taken two points from a possible nine since Sullivan and Gold took over. They are rooted in the relegation zone while Sullivan and Gold's former team, Birmingham, are the season's surprise package, having risen to eighth on the fringes of a European place.

Zola, however, insisted: "I'm not thinking about relegation at all. I'm thinking about getting the points that we should have had on the table That is my only focus. That is why I am here. Since I have been here it has been a repetition of speculation and problems. To be honest I'm fed up with that. I just want to carry on with football.

"The players are committed to what we are doing. They believe in it and are determined. The defeat against Burnley was unexpected and a big blow. But the fighting spirit is there and we will never give up.''

On the pitch, meanwhile, striker Benni McCarthy is out of the Birmingham game with a knee injury picked up against Burnley. Zola also defended long-term injury casualty Kieron Dyer whose four-hour round-trip to the training ground from Ipswich had been the subject of criticism.

Zola said: "There are players in other clubs who travel two hours to the training ground. Some players even fly to go to training. Dyer has been very unfortunate. He has been out for a long time. He is trying very hard to come back.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.