Source: Daily_Mail
Tony Fernandes rules out making a bid for struggling West Ham United
Tony Fernandes has ruled out making a bid for West Ham despite having held talks with the club. [LNB]CB Holdings, the company formed by creditors which runs the club, are seeking new investment and it was hoped that Malaysian entrepreneur Fernandes, owner of Air Asia, was on the brink of buying a 51 per cent share in the Hammers.[LNB]Fernandes is also heading up Lotus's return to Formula One next year and was viewed by many at Upton Park as the best alternative to a potential buy-out by former Birmingham owners David Gold and David Sullivan.[LNB] Flying high: But Hammers fan Fernandes won't be buying into the club[LNB]But,when asked if he would be going ahead with a move, Fernandes told the London Evening Standard: ''No, not any time soon. I've got my hands full setting up a Formula One team so it's not something I'm going to do.' [LNB]Icelandic bank Straumur owns 70 per cent of CB Holdings and rejected a bid of around £50million from Gold and Sullivan as they value the club at £120m.[LNB]Some of the pressure was taken off Straumur last week when they were granted an extension to September next year to pay off their debts.[LNB] to a certain degree to make animmediate sale after they were last week given until September 2010 topay their debts.[LNB]But Hammers fan Fernandes admits the future does not look too good for the club, who sit second from bottom in the Premier League with just three wins from 18 games.[LNB] Hammered home: Alessandro Diamanti scored in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea[LNB]He said: 'I do worry about the future of West Ham. They're in a precarioussituation and have been badly managed with a poor balance sheet. [LNB]'Thefans, of which I'm one, deserve better but it's not particularlytempting for a buyer. [LNB]'But West Ham are a fantastic club that deserve afantastic owner and they haven't had that for a long time. [LNB]'If youlook at Chelsea and Manchester United's line-ups for example, there areso many former Hammers there which is so sad for us. [LNB]'A lot of greatplayers have left the club and the club need to become great onceagain.'[LNB] Up and away: England defender Upson admits he may be sold by West HamWest Ham owners Straumur going cheap as Gold and Sullivan prepare bidWest Ham 1 Chelsea 1: Blues get in a spot of bother as Carlo Ancelotti rues missed chancePICTURE SPECIAL: Happy Hammers Perry and Brand watch West Ham hold ChelseaNoble hails heartfelt team-talk by Zola to inspire West Ham's draw with ChelseaWEST HAM UNITED FC
