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ESPN staff 9y

Sam Allardyce uncertain but relaxed over West Ham future

Sam Allardyce has said he does not know if he will be at West Ham United beyond the summer, but feels he has done everything asked of him by West Ham and accepts he will just have to wait and see if that is enough to be given a new deal.

Allardyce took charge of West Ham in 2011 and led the club to promotion from the Championship in his first season before consolidating the club's position in the Premier League.

However, there has been regular speculation over his job during that time and, with his contract up at the end of the season, he is being widely tipped to move on.

He told a news conference he was still "planning for next season" but added: "I don't know whether I am going to be here, but when you are contracted to a football club, you do the job that you are paid to do."

Writing in his London Evening Standard column, he added: "Almost every day brings a new candidate for my job. David Moyes, Rafa Benitez, Marcelo Bielsa, Steve McClaren, Slaven Bilic, Eddie Howe, Gus Poyet -- all have been mentioned at some time or other in the last few weeks and I am sure there will be a few more before the final whistle sounds on the season.

"As far as I am aware it remains just speculation -- nothing more. Does it affect me? I can't let it. Does it worry me? Not especially because it is out of my control. All I can do is continue to do my job to the best of my ability and then -- what will be will be."

West Ham exceeded expectations during the first half of the season and had been fourth in the Premier League on Christmas Day, but only two wins from the 14 league games since has not helped Allardyce's cause.

He said: "There is no doubt, though, that our poor run of results has fuelled the fire and increased all the speculation.

"Let's be honest here -- if we had started the season with a similar bad run, I wouldn't be here now. I would have been sacked. That's fact. We didn't, though. We might have begun a little slowly but when we hit our stride, we were magnificent.

"Even now -- and with the defeat at Leicester still hurting -- the performances are good but we haven't been able to sustain that early level."

He said injuries and fatigue had cost the team since the festive period, and also defended the team's style of play.

Allardyce has faced regular criticism for his approach, which is said to be at odds with the "West Ham way," but he feels the team have adapted this season.

"I've been told since 2011 that performances are, if not as important, then almost as important as results," he said. "If that is true, surely there can be no complaints with what we've done this season.

"I'm looking for a combination of the two -- results and performances -- for what remains of this season. Let's not forget, though, what we have achieved. We've beaten Manchester City, Liverpool; we've drawn with Manchester United and Tottenham. Against Arsenal, we out-passed them -- the first time that's happened to a team managed by me in 11 years. Did that make any difference? No, because we lost."

He added: "The bottom line regarding my future is that it is not my place to go and demand anything. It is the owners' prerogative and responsibility to do what they want to do and when they want to do it. If the players are affected there's not a lot I can do about that until it gets resolved but, in the meantime, I'm doing the job I'm paid to do."

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan this week admitted the "last 12 games have been exceedingly disappointing".

Allardyce accepts the current run of results have not been good enough despite positive performances, but the former Bolton, Blackburn and Newcastle boss will just continue on planning towards the future in a professional manner unless told otherwise.

"I sit at this seat and do this job the best I can," he said at his press briefing ahead of Saturday's match against Stoke, who are level on points as the battle for a top-10 finish hots up.

"Have I delivered the what I have been asked to deliver? Yes. Would I do anything different? Yes, as we can all do something different."

With additional reporting from PA Sport.

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