Football
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Sam Allardyce to hear if he will keep West Ham job next week

Sam Allardyce will discover on Monday if he is to continue as West Ham manager, but will not be attending the scheduled meeting with owners David Sullivan and David Gold.

Allardyce's future has been the subject of intense speculation with his contract set to expire in the summer, while Derby manager Steve McClaren, Besiktas boss Slaven Bilic and Real Sociedad's David Moyes are among the names to have been touted as a possible successor.

The 60-year-old will travel to Spain for a family holiday after Sunday's Premier League clash with Newcastle but will send his agent for the talks with Sullivan and Gold.

"It will be all sorted Monday, one way or the other. I'm not personally having a meeting but my agent will be available to speak to the owners," Allardyce said.

"Because the season is finishing so late, the only opportunity I have to go away with my grandchildren is half term. So I'll be shooting off to Spain to see them and whatever will be, will be."

Allardyce is to move out of his Canary Wharf flat after this weekend's final round of Premier League fixtures, fuelling the belief that his West Ham reign is almost over.

"It's bound to bring up speculation but the apartment was sold around two months ago," Allardyce said. "In the contract there was a two-month notice period which meant that...in actual fact, I should have been out on the 15th, but they extended it for me until the end of the season.

"The apartment has been bought and I had to move out one way or the other. I can only say what the truth is. If you want to ring up [estate agents] Morgan Randall and ask if the apartment has been sold, give them a ring."

Since Christmas, West Ham have fallen out of the Champions League places and now occupy 11th position in the table.

But while Allardyce stopped short of blaming the uncertainty over his future for the slump, he admits the scrutiny of his position has been intense.

"The speculation can breed some complacency in the dressing room, there's no doubt about that," Allardyce said.

"There was speculation like this after the season when we came up, but this time around it's more about all the other managers who seem to be taking my position. Probably the next one will be Carlo Ancelotti. He'll be the next in line. I can't affect that and by early next week the situation will be sorted.

"I've been comfortable with it [the speculation] and don't have a problem with it. As a manager distractions are something that you put aside all the time. Being paid to do your job is what you're here for. I'm hopeful Newcastle won't be my final game, but we'll wait and see."

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