No regrets for Hammers chief
29 Mar 2007 - 09:46:50
West Ham United chairman Eggert Magnusson insists he has no regrets about his takeover at Upton Park despite the Hammers looking odds-on for relegation.
The Icelandic businessman led a consortium buyout of the London club in November and has already put his hand in his pocket to the tune of over £10million to bring the likes of Matthew Upson, Lucas Neill, Nigel Quashie, Luis Boa Morte and Calum Davenport to the club.
However, despite the huge cash injection, the Hammers still look Championship-bound after recording just two wins in their last 13 games under new manager Alan Curbishley.
But despite the bleak predicament, Magnusson claims he still doesn't regret his decision to purchase the ailing club.
"No, I have never (regretted it)," he told The Times. "It's been a challenge so far, but I'm sure we will get there sooner or later.
"I cannot go into details, but some things I discovered when I came here have certainly surprised me. Things were not as good as I thought regarding the club as a business and also what has happened on the field."
Magnusson though has hit out at press reports last month which claimed he sacked former boss Alan Pardew as there was "a cancer we had to cut off".
He added: "I never mentioned anything about cancer in the dressing-room, but I did say that there were reasons why the team was not performing on the pitch.
"I have been in football almost all my life and sometimes I have had the difficult job of sacking managers, but as chairman you have an obligation to make a decision that is right for the club."