Saturday 16 May 2015 20:10, UK
Sam Allardyce admitted he did not know whether he would remain as West Ham manager beyond the end of the season - or even if he wanted to stay at Upton Park.
Allardyce has endured a strained relationship with sections of the Hammers support and, speaking after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Everton in the club’s final home game of the season, he said his future depended on negotiations with the owners.
“Who knows? We’ll have to wait and see,” he replied when asked if the match with Everton had been his final home game as West Ham manager.
“I can’t say if I want to stay or don’t want to stay, it’s up to negotiations with the owners that have been waiting since the start of the season really.
"I'm 60 years old, I don't have to worry about my position any more. At the moment I'm still here, I'm still going to get the team ready for next week.
"The owners decide how they want to go forward and I wait for them. It's as simple as that."
I can’t say if I want to stay or don’t want to stay, it’s up to negotiations with the owners that have been waiting since the start of the season really.
As far as the match itself was concerned, the former Bolton boss was disappointed to his side’s appeal for a penalty in the first half turned down by referee Kevin Friend after the ball struck Everton full-back Seamus Coleman's hand.
“We should’ve had a penalty in the first half that would probably have put us 1-0 up which was a very, very poor decision from the referee,” said Allardyce.
“I can’t express enough how much of a difference those decisions make in a game. It may not have won us the game but it may have put us 2-0 up when Stewart scores. It’s not a questionable one. We recovered from that, got in front and then threw it away sadly.
“It was a cruel blow and we’ve suffered too many of those since the turn of the year sadly. That’s down to the lads learning the process of playing football at this level of football.”
Despite the loss, West Ham's chances of qualifying for the Europa League through the fair play standings improved as Everton were shown four yellow cards to their hosts' one.
"I'd have sooner had four bookings today and won 2-1, rather than have one booking and lose 2-1, believe you me," Allardyce added.
