FA Cup: Allardyce confesses to job threat
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 5 vs WEST HAM 0
UNDER-FIRE manager Sam Allardyce admitted he will lose his job at West Ham unless results improve dramatically, after the Hammers crashed out of the FA Cup to second-tier Nottingham Forest.
A Jamie Paterson hat-trick helped the Championship team trounce West Ham at the City Ground, yet Allardyce – who fielded three young debutants in his starting XI – insisted that he had no option but to name a weakened side.
Nonetheless, asked if there could be consequences for his job following the embarrassing defeat, Allardyce said: “There might be, who knows? It’s their decision, not mine. I’m not saying it won’t happen unless I start to get results. I have got to get results, I know that.
“My hands are tied behind my back every time I see what’s available and the team is almost picking itself,” Allardyce added.
“It’s a disaster at the moment, a total disaster and in certain areas we’ve not been able to cope.”
The West Ham boss, whose team lie second bottom in the Premier League, said avoiding relegation and an imminent Capital One Cup semi-final came above the FA Cup in his list of priorities.
Young midfielder George Moncur, making his first start for the Hammers, conceded a penalty early on, from which Djamel Abdoun opened the scoring.
The lead was limited to one goal until just after the hour mark, when Paterson fired in three goals within a 15-minute period. And right at the end Andy Reid’s left-footed effort completed the rout.