Poyet not interested in taking over Hammers

BRIGHTON manager Gus Poyet has ruled himself out of the West Ham job as club co-owner David Sullivan vows to get the right man to resurrect the Upton Park club.

The Hammers are intent on appointing a new boss by the end of the month as they look to bounce back from the npower Championship at the first attempt.

The Irons sacked Avram Grant — only appointed during the summer — after relegation from the Barclays Premier League was confirmed on Sunday with defeat at Wigan.

Former England manager Steve McClaren has already ruled himself out of the running, with Martin O’Neill reported to be head of the wanted list again, the board having offered the County Derry man the job during January only to be turned down.

Poyet had been linked with the vacancy after steering the Seagulls to the League One title but has now ruled himself out of the running.

The 43-year-old Uruguayan said: “No chance. I can promise I will never apply for a job during my time at another club, especially at a club like Brighton where I’m so happy to be.”

Sam Allardyce, sacked by Blackburn in December, and former West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo would both appear to have been ruled out by Sullivan’s comments over the need for a home-grown manager.

Chris Hughton and Watford boss Malky Mackay are both former West Ham players, so are expected to be in the frame.

Meanwhile West Ham’s on-loan striker Demba Ba has backed up club co-owner David Sullivan’s claim that he was racially abused by a supporter at the Hammers’ end-of-season dinner on Monday night.

Sullivan said earlier today that trouble started at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel after Ba had been subjected to racist comments by a disgruntled fan.

The Senegal international said: “It was a crazy situation. This guy came and asked for an autograph so I gave him his autograph. Then he asked me nicely how I was feeling so I just said I was tired from the game yesterday and that it was a tough game. And then he just replied, ‘Oh, we’re tired watching you play every weekend’.

“I was surprised and told Da Costa what the guy had said.

“Then the guy all of a sudden started screaming at me like crazy. I tried to calm him down but he didn’t want to.”