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David Gold & David Sullivan reveal extent of West Ham United's financial plight
Owners claim relegation would be disastrous...
9 Feb 2010 08:20:00
By Alan Dawson
The financial situation David Sullivan and David Gold left former club Birmingham City in, is of a far healthier standard than the one they have inherited at West Ham United, according to the new Irons owners.
Players on expensive contracts, a plethora of injury-plagued footballers eating into the wage bill, the dear deals received by Gianfranco Zola (£1.9m per year) and Steve Clarke (£1.2m per year), are cited by the two owners as the main fiscal issues surrounding the Boleyn Ground.
There is a plan in place, should the club avoid relegation this season, to begin "looking forward" within five years. Sullivan informed the Daily Mail: "By the fourth year, maybe we can start to look forward. The situation they’ve inherited from us at Birmingham is far better than the one we’ve inherited, in terms of the way the club is run, the wages they carry, contracts, and infrastructure.
"The training ground at Birmingham is vastly superior," he added. "We spent millions on it."
The Hammers have witnessed the injury-induced retirements of two players this season in midfielder Kieron Dyer and striker Dean Ashton; both of whom cost the club in excess of £10 million just to keep them on the books.
"At West Ham, we have a lot of players on too much money and a lot of very injured players. It is a disaster if we go down but we’ll just have to find a solution. We’re hoping to stay up and deliver an improved team next season. Some players will have to come in, some will have to go."
Sullivan and Gold were particularly busy during January. The former held a meeting with former West Ham boss Alan Curbishley regarding the compensation payment that the latter won following a successful case of constructive dismissal in November, while the club also welcomed Benni McCarthy, Mido and Ilan to the East End. There has also been escalating talk, enthused by vice-chairman Karren Brady (also formerly of Birmingham City), about a possible move to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.
"We need that stadium to be part of the programme," Gold proclaimed. "We’ll try to persuade the Government and those involved that we are the best way forward. As an athletics stadium, you’ll get 5,000 people there on three weekends a year. It doesn’t make any economic sense. To claim you’re leaving that as a legacy is like saying we’ll leave it to rot."
West Ham host Birmingham on Wednesday evening.
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Players on expensive contracts, a plethora of injury-plagued footballers eating into the wage bill, the dear deals received by Gianfranco Zola (£1.9m per year) and Steve Clarke (£1.2m per year), are cited by the two owners as the main fiscal issues surrounding the Boleyn Ground.
There is a plan in place, should the club avoid relegation this season, to begin "looking forward" within five years. Sullivan informed the Daily Mail: "By the fourth year, maybe we can start to look forward. The situation they’ve inherited from us at Birmingham is far better than the one we’ve inherited, in terms of the way the club is run, the wages they carry, contracts, and infrastructure.
"The training ground at Birmingham is vastly superior," he added. "We spent millions on it."
The Hammers have witnessed the injury-induced retirements of two players this season in midfielder Kieron Dyer and striker Dean Ashton; both of whom cost the club in excess of £10 million just to keep them on the books.
"At West Ham, we have a lot of players on too much money and a lot of very injured players. It is a disaster if we go down but we’ll just have to find a solution. We’re hoping to stay up and deliver an improved team next season. Some players will have to come in, some will have to go."
Sullivan and Gold were particularly busy during January. The former held a meeting with former West Ham boss Alan Curbishley regarding the compensation payment that the latter won following a successful case of constructive dismissal in November, while the club also welcomed Benni McCarthy, Mido and Ilan to the East End. There has also been escalating talk, enthused by vice-chairman Karren Brady (also formerly of Birmingham City), about a possible move to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.
"We need that stadium to be part of the programme," Gold proclaimed. "We’ll try to persuade the Government and those involved that we are the best way forward. As an athletics stadium, you’ll get 5,000 people there on three weekends a year. It doesn’t make any economic sense. To claim you’re leaving that as a legacy is like saying we’ll leave it to rot."
Regarding his partnership with Sullivan, Gold labelled themselves a "married couple". He mused: "We finish each other’s sentences, like an old married couple.
"We’re very different characters. Dave has qualities I don’t have and I have qualities Dave doesn’t - not many, but I do. It works well and I think the key is respect."
Gold and Sullivan's completed ownership of the club has been rapturously received at West Ham.
"We’re pursuing a dream but we don’t want it to burst."West Ham host Birmingham on Wednesday evening.
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