Hammers 'takeover decision close'

Pardew feels a weight lift from his shoulders after Sunday's win

A decision on the future ownership of West Ham will be made this week, BBC Radio Five Live understands.

Hammers boss Alan Pardew believes the uncertainty surrounding the club is unsettling his team, whose win over Blackburn was their first in 12 games.

After the 2-1 victory on Sunday, Pardew said: "The uncertainty of the takeover means my position is under question and every player's position is too.

"The sooner it ends, the better it will be for everybody."

Interview: West Ham boss Alan Pardew

Iranian-born Kia Joorabchian, backed by Israeli property magnate Eli Papouchaldo, is thought to the front-runner to take over at West Ham.

Joorabchian was the president of Media Sports Investment (MSI), who owned the rights to the Argentine players Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, who signed for West Ham from Corinthians on transfer deadline day.

The other main interest is from an Icelandic consortium headed by Uefa executive committee member Eggert Magnusson.

Pardew added: "I have seen first hand the damage that the uncertainty can do.

"Only when the takeover happens or if we have the same board or whatever decision is made - and I'm sure it will be the right one for West Ham - there will be uncertainty.

"I'm hoping we make the right decision on that front and take the club forward, because we have progressed very, very quickly - and in some ways got beyond ourselves.

I was a little bit choked at the start, with the way they backed me, and I thank them for that Alan Pardew on West Ham's fans

"Maybe this is a re-correction of our abilities and our goals need to be reset to make them more realistic."

West Ham's victory on Sunday, thanks to goals from Teddy Sheringham and Hayden Mullins, was only their second Premiership win this season.

And it enabled them to climb from 19th to 16th in the table, with a total of eight points.

Pardew admitted: "There is an enormous amount of relief because there's been a millstone around my neck after our bad run.

"That becomes a burden and we have shown tremendous character.

"But one win won't propel us into a team that is comfortable in the Premiership. We have a considerable amount of battling to do.

"This is not a place for hiding, you have to stand tall and be counted and the players did that.

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"It has been a long wait. We did get very, very nervous but it's a great win for this club and the fans and players deserve it."

Pardew was keen to also thank the fans for playing an important part in the win at Upton Park.

Under pressure after such a poor run of defeats, the manager was pleased with the encouragement from the supporters, who created an intimidating atmosphere at kick-off with chants of "There's only one Alan Pardew".

"The fans were special," he said. "They showed the quality that some grounds can't get.

"I'm not the most emotional of people but I was a little bit choked at the start, with the way they backed me, and I thank them for that."