Allardyce aims for promotion

Championship side West Ham unveiled manager Sam Allardyce on Wednesday, and the former Blackburn boss is eyeing immediate promotion.

Relegated from the English Premier League last season, the Hammers have already bounced back from the blow to secure plumb signings Kevin Nolan from Newcastle, and Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke.

At his first official press conference at Upton Park, Allardyce said he had eyes only for a swift return to the top flight.

“As difficult a task as that is going to be, it can be achieved,” Allardyce said on Wednesday.

“With the club the size of West Ham it needs to be achieved as soon as possible because the long term goal is the Olympic Stadium.”

Allardyce, formerly in charge of Rovers and Bolton in the English top tier, said a Premier League psyche will help the Londoners strive for promotion in their first season in the Championship since 2005.

“Without sounding too arrogant, with the experience I have gained in the Premier League, I will be trying to bring the club together with a spirit which will achieve the ultimate, which is to get promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking,” he said.

“The team must be back in the Premier League when it’s going to move into that great venue (the Olympic Stadium).”

But before they embark on a long Championship campaign, Allardyce said financial issues at the club need to be addressed, with a fine balance between acquisition of talent and maintaining funds.

“The drastic loss in revenue is what we all have to face first and foremost at West Ham,” he acknowledged.

“The owners really have to back up with their own money to help us get back into the Premier League.”

“Some of the cuts we will have to make will have to come and we will try to get the best squad we possibly can.”

“The speculation is probably around Robert Green, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker. At the moment we haven’t any concrete bids for those players,” he said.