KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th January 2010
By: Staff Writer
New joint Chairman David Sullivan has been speaking about his plans for West
Ham United FC. The new owner - who ended months of wrangling and speculation
when he finally purchased 50% of the club late on Monday evening - revealed
that he has a seven year business plan for the club that includes
qualification for the Champions League within seven years. Sullivan,
speaking to Sky Sports this morning about the takeover, said: "We've got the
club we always wanted. We've bought 50%; I bought it and David Gold came in
very quickly. I have been negotiating for the last two months and it went on
until midnight last night. "It's nice to see we beat off two foreign buyers
and bought it for Britain; it's nice to have an East End club owned by local
people. It's where we were brought up and we're deeply and passionately
involved with West Ham which is where we've always wanted to be. "But from a
business point of view, it's a serious mess - which we have to spell out to
people."
Sullivan also revealed a string of plans for the club - which include
ressurrecting the move to Stratford's Olympic Stadium, something that is
bound to upset supporters keen to retain links with the Boleyn Ground, West
Ham's home for the last 105 years.. "I hope the Government allow us to move
to the Olympic Stadium," he said. "I hope all the people of London would
support that move."We have a long term plan to be in the Champions League -
although our short term plan is survival," he admitted. "But these are
exciting times."
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Zola safe, says Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th January 2010
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola has been told that his job is safe following the club's
change of ownership. David Sullivan and David Gold completed their takeover
of the club late last night amidst a string of rumours regarding Zola's
future. However the former Birmingham City owners confirmed this morning
that Zola wuld be going nowhere. "The manager will be staying," Sullivan
told Sky Sports this morning. "I will be sitting down with him tonight to
work on some transfer targets. We as outsiders have realised that he needs
new additions to stay in the Premier League. "At Birmingham we sacked two
managers in sixteen-and-a-half years - we believe in stability. If you
change managers too often it doesn't achieve too much." Sullivan is expected
to give Zola a January warchest of around £10-20million to spent on new
players.
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David Sullivan targets the Champions League after completing £105m West Ham
takeover with David Gold
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 9:26 AM on 19th January 2010
Daily Mail
David Sullivan has vowed to save West Ham from oblivion after completing his
£105million takeover with David Gold. The protracted West Ham ownership saga
was concluded on Monday night after former Birmingham owners Sullivan and
Gold finally pushed through their takeover. Sullivan, who has appointed
Karren Brady as vice-chairman, insists they are ready to invest in the
Hammers and bring the good times back to the Premier League strugglers.
'We're taking on a huge task at a club with enormous problems and it will
take time for us to turn it around,' Sullivan told BBC Radio 5 Live. 'We
have short-term goals and long-term goals. In the short term, we want to
stay in the Premier League and in the long term we would like to be
challenging for the top four and Champions League football. 'There will be
some transfer funds available to the manager this month. January is not the
best time to buy players - you don't get many bargains in January - but the
club has such an unbalanced squad, players will have to be bought, loaned or
acquired. 'Myself and my partner David Gold will be honest with the fans
about the books, the imbalance of the squad and the crazy wages the
Icelandic owners paid out that has brought the club to its knees. But this
is an important day for us. For 20 years, this is the club we wanted.'
The pair have sealed a deal worth £105m for 50 per cent of the club and will
take on their debts. Manager Gianfranco Zola will be given a chance to prove
himself to the former Birmingham City owners, who have promised to invest in
the squad before the end of the month. Strengthening West Ham's threadbare
attack is the priority and money is available immediately to fund moves for
Manchester City's Benjani and Monaco's Eidur Gudjohnsen. Sullivan and Gold
will also push ahead with plans to relocate from Upton Park to the Olympic
Stadium after the London Games in 2012. Key to the relocation plans is the
appointment of Brady (right) as vice-chairman. Sullivan will assume the role
of chairman and Gold is expected to take a seat on the board.
The deal was struck late on Monday night after a day of tense negotiations.
Malaysian businessman Tony Fernades is understood to have run Sullivan and
Gold the closest, although the InterMarket consortium also spent the day in
talks with West Ham's corporate brokers Rothschild. Click here to read
Martin Samuel's exclusive Sportsmail interview with Karren BradyFernandes
posted a Twitter message, saying:: 'Deal lost on West Ham. Hopefully new
owners protect what's good. We gave awesome deal and new ideas to rejuvenate
a club andbring excitement.'
Sullivan and Gold appear to have been the most serious bidders all the way
through the complex process and were the first to put hard cash on the
table. The news that his job is safe will come as a major relief to Zola, as
former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes had been hotly tipped as the man
the new owners wanted to revive West Ham's fortunes. Such was the level of
speculation about Zola's future on Monday that bookmakers stopped taking
bets on him becoming the next Barclays Premier League manager to lose his
job. But now the uncertainty has been resolved, Zola has an opportunity to
concentrate on ensuring West Ham's Premier League status. They are currently
in 16th place.
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DAVID GOLD AND DAVID SULLIVAN COMPLETE WEST HAM TAKEOVER
Daily Express
Tuesday January 19,2010
By Mauro Galluzzo for Express.co.uk Have your say(0)
DAVID Gold and David Sullivan have completed their takeover of West Ham.
Sullivan and Gold, who sold Birmingham City to Carson Yeung earlier this
season, are expected to hold a press conference later today to confirm their
purchase of the cash strapped West Ham. They have beaten off competition
from fellow Hammers fan Tony Fernandez, investment group Intermarket and
Italian businessman Massimo Cellino to win control at Upton Park. Sullivan
said: "I have been interested in running West Ham United for 20 years and I
can't wait to start work. "I enjoyed running Birmingham City for 16-and-half
years, but everyone there knew my true love was always West Ham United. "It
will be an immense privilege to lead this great football club and more
importantly its supporters. "Our first priority has to be securing the
Premier League status of West Ham. I believe the players at this club have
shown great commitment in trying circumstances and the new board and I will
get behind them in every way we can. "We will also look to bring in new
players to supplement the squad where needed once we have met with the
manager."
Sullivan and Gold will take a 50 per cent stake, and provide money to spend
on bringing in new players this month. The debts of the club would then be
serviced at to an agreed structure, and the Hammers would finally find some
stability after two years of turmoil. Sullivan added: "Our long-term aim
will be to put the club on a stronger financial footing. I believe with our
new board we have the expertise and experience to do just that and bring the
good times back to this great football club. "West Ham United need stability
after all the recent upheavals. We appointed four managers and parted
company with two at Birmingham in 16 years. We believe in our managers and
give them the time and support they need. "The club is now back in the hands
of East Enders, people who understand the community and its passion for the
Hammers. I believe that depth of feeling will also bring us through what has
been a difficult period."
Their arrival will also come as welcome news to Zola and his assistant Steve
Clarke, who have been forced to operate on a shoe-string budget and have
also seen others linked with taking over their jobs. Sullivan said: "He is
staying, and I will be sitting down with him tonight to work on some
transfers as we realise as fans that the team needs a few additions."
Karren Brady, who was managing director at Birmingham, will become
vice-chairman at Upton Park.
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