Malaysia’s Fernandes bids for West Ham
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Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes announced on Wednesday he had bid for West Ham following its recent relegation from the English Premier League.
"For all you West Ham fans an offer has gone to the present owners of West Ham. Let's see if they accept," Fernandes, the owner of the AirAsia airline and Formula One's Team Lotus, said on his Twitter page.
Fernandes made his announcement on the same day as the London club's current owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, unveiled Sam Allardyce as the new Hammers boss after they sacked Avram Grant barely an hour following relegation from the top tier of English soccer.
A lifelong fan of the east London club, Fernandes first expressed an interest in, at the very least, taking a stake in West Ham in November.
It was reported he had met then-West Ham chairman Andrew Bernhardt in Kuala Lumpur but had been unable to agree to a deal.
Talks though continued until, in January, former Birmingham City owners Sullivan and Gold completed their buy-out and took charge at Upton Park.
At the time, Fernandes expressed relief his proposal to buy the club had fallen through.
However, he signaled his renewed interest in West Ham after a Twitter follower on Wednesday reminded him of his comment that not buying the Hammers was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
"Yes, I did (say that)," he replied. "Because I was full on with Lotus. That has stabilized now."
And with West Ham now out of the lucrative Premier League, Fernandes may feel he can buy the club at a greatly reduced price.
However, he told his Twitter followers: "Won't be any more statements on West Ham ... If something happens it happens. If it goes quiet it goes quiet."
Earlier, former Blackburn Rovers boss Allardyce insisted he could return the Hammers to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
"I wouldn't have taken this job if I didn't think we could bounce straight back into the Premier League," Allardyce, sacked by Rovers in December after spells with Premier League rivals Bolton and Newcastle, told West Ham's official website.
Any talk of a takeover is likely to alarm Allardyce, who at both Newcastle and Blackburn was sacked after the owners who appointed him sold up.
