LONDON: Avram Grant stubbornly refused to confirm whether he expects West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal at Upton Park to be his last game in charge.
The former Chelsea and Portsmouth manager has spent virtually all of the season with his position the subject of intense speculation, the result of West Ham’s lengthy residence in the relegation places.
And the Israeli began the day knowing that a number of media sources and bookmakers were reporting that he was to be sacked and that Martin O’Neill, the former Aston Villa manager, had agreed to take over.
Grant has been told the information came from within the club but steadfastly refused to confirm whether he was leaving after two goals from Robin van Persie and one from Theo Walcott had consigned his team to a comprehensive defeat.
“Why do you ask this question?” he replied. “There was a report? Where? On television? You need to ask the person who gave you these rumours. Ask them about the rumours. You say the source gave you this? Ask the source.”
Grant defiantly insisted that as far as he was concerned he was still the manager and would therefore continue to carry out his duties until told otherwise by co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
“I have a job to do,” he said. “The game is the most important thing. I’m doing my job, not asking questions.
“When I came here the club were not in a good position and my job was to make it better. And I think we are doing the right things.”
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, made it clear he supported the former Israel national team manager, who came within one penalty kick of winning the Champions League final with Chelsea in 2008.
“I have big sympathy for Avram Grant,” Wenger said. “Our job is difficult enough without some more on your back. You don’t need problems of that sort.”
Walcott set Van Persie up for a 13th-minute opener and the Dutchman responded by providing the pass that allowed the England winger to make it 2-0 four minutes before half-time, with Wayne Bridge, the England defender who had joined on loan from Manchester City, at fault for both goals.
Bridge’s misfortune continued into the second half when he brought Walcott down for a penalty that Van Persie converted and then was forced off injured.
“It was pretty comprehensive, yes, because we had a very sharp first half that affected West Ham’s morale. We put in a very mature performance,” added Wenger.
Van Persie had missed a large part of the season through injury but now looks to have made a complete recovery. Certainly Wenger thought so.
“You could see he is getting sharper physically and that is important,” he said.
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