Zola - Hammers will survive

Upton Park boss focusing on football

Last updated: 1st December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Zola - Hammers will survive

Zola: Not concerned

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West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is confident his club are tough enough to survive the ongoing Carlos Tevez saga.

An arbitration panel ruled that Argentina striker Tevez, now at Manchester United, should not have been allowed to play for West Ham in the final matches of the 2006/07 season.

Tevez helped the Hammers avoid relegation during those games at the expense of Sheffield United and the Blades are now seeking a compensation fee, believed to be in the region of £50million, which could seriously damage already shaky Upton Park finances.

The two clubs are set to return to the High Court in March to decide upon a compensation figure, but Zola, who takes his side to Liverpool on Monday night, is confident the off-field controversies are not having an impact on the West Ham squad.

"As far as I'm concerned I know the club is strong enough to deal with it and the players and manager are not concerned about it," he said.

"For now, it's nothing. I've been assured the club is all right, the club is fine, so I'm focusing on what is important for us, which is getting points for the club.

"Of course I read about it but I very much trust the club. They tell me we are fine, we are going to get through this so I trust them.

"It's my duty to make sure on the pitch everything goes well so doing this is the best thing I can do and I'm focused on that."