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Zola unconcerned about sack talk

29/11/2008

West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola has dismissed suggestions that he is close to getting the sack unless his side's results begin to improve quickly.

Zola was responding to an article written in Liverpool's official club magazine ahead of the clash between the Reds and the Hammers on Monday night.

Speaking about West Ham's flirtation with relegation in previous seasons the Red's magazine said: "Experiencing the same nerve-jangling predicament is a prospect the Upton Park board won't relish and they may decide to move before it is too late."

Adding that defeat to Liverpool could be "another nail in the coffin of Zola's short managerial career".

But Zola says he has total confidence that he will remain in his post no matter what the result is at Anfield and is not concerned about what the opposition think.

He said: "I'm not really concerned about these things. That doesn't change my attitude, my way to think.

"We will see. But it would certainly make me focus a little bit, even more, on what I have to do. I know what my position is. I have to give the results to this club."

The Hammers are currently 13th on 17 points following a 1-0 win over Sunderland last week. But those three points were West Ham's first win in eight games and Zola admits the results have not been good recently.

He said: "I know with the wrong results my position might be difficult but that doesn't really give me too much pressure.

"I'm 100 per cent focused on doing my job as best as I can. But what others think doesn't matter to me."

Although he is unconcerned about the comments in Liverpool's magazine Zola faces a tough challenge to get a positive result at Anfield where the Hammers have not won in 45 years.