**West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has given under-fire manager Gianfranco Zola his “100%” backing and says he is not in immediate threat of the sack.**The Hammers are only one point off the drop zone after a humbling 3-1 defeat at home to relegation rivals Wolves.
But Sullivan says that, following a post-match meeting with Zola, the board have decided to stick with the Italian, at least until the end of the season.
“We’re 100% behind the manager. There will be no changes,” Sullivan said.
In what was expected to be a much tighter encounter at Upton Park on Monday, visitors Wolves outplayed a lifeless West Ham side as goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matthew Jarvis put Mick McCarthy’s team 3-0 up after barely an hour.
Guillermo Franco notched a late consolation for the home team, but by then thousands of home fans had headed for the exit, while others vented their fury at Zola with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.
Sullivan, though, insists that he and fellow co-owner David Gold will resist the temptation to install a new manager, as fellow strugglers Hull have done in replacing Phil Brown with Iain Dowie.
606: DEBATE
“Zola is inept and hasn’t got a clue”
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“We all had a chat with him [Zola] after the game to see how he felt about things,” said former Birmingham City owner Sullivan.
"We realise the performance was absolutely appalling. We can’t play like that again, and I’m sure the manager will be making changes for Saturday [at home to Stoke]. I’m sure it will be a much better performance.
“That game is significant but it’s one game out of seven. But, at the same time, I don’t think bringing in an Iain Dowie mark II will make us a better team.”
Former Chelsea star Zola was appointed as Alan Curbishley’s successor in September 2008 and signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2013, seven months later before leading the club to a ninth place league finish.
But despite the vote of confidence for Zola, Sullivan has refused to speculate on what may happen beyond the end of this campaign.
Asked whether Zola would leave at the end of the season, Sullivan replied: "I wouldn’t like to comment on that. Who knows
"He could look like a hero or a dunce. If he wins the next seven games he looks like the best manager of all time. If he loses the next seven games he’s the worst manager of all time.
"Three of the five defeats we’ve just suffered were expected. But to lose at home to Bolton and Wolverhampton in consecutive home games is appalling. I think we all accept that.
“But we will see what he is made of in the next few games.”
After the visit of Stoke at the weekend, the Hammers travel to in-form Europa League qualification hopefuls Everton the following weekend.
They entertain Sunderland on 10 April before they go back to Merseyside to play fourth-spot-chasing Liverpool.
Their last three games are at home to Wigan, away to Fulham and, finally, against Manchester City at Upton Park on 9 May.