Allardyce laments 'frustrating' transfer deadline day

  • by Staff Writer
  • Friday, 6th February 2015

Sam Allardyce admits he was left hugely frustrated on Monday night having failed to land a single deadline day transfer target.

West Ham were snubbed by a series of clubs and players as they sought to relieve the current mini-injury crisis that has left Allardyce without a single fully-fit central defender ahead of this weekend's clash with Manchester United at the Boleyn.

And Allardyce confessed this morning that the situation may force him to play someone out of position - with the returning Cheik Kouyate, a midfielder by trade, possibly earmarked to play there.

"We went all out for a defender in the window after the Liverpool game, however it didn't work out," said Big Sam. "We were only in a position to get someone in on a loan but we couldn't pull it off.

"Everyone that wanted to come, wanted a permanent deal, which we couldn't do at that time, so that's the position we're in. Someone will have to fill in at the back and maybe stay there for a while."

Allardyce also confirmed that he was close to sending Carlton Cole to West Brom and nearly brought Mauro Zarate back to the club - until Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy pulled the plug on Emmanuel Adebayor's temporary switch from Spurs, which resulted in all those moves being subsequently cancelled.

"A lot of moves were blocked for various different reasons so I'm not that bothered," he added. "From our point of view it left us a bit frustrated, and especially Carlton Cole on the basis that he would've moved had Adebayor joined, as it happened we couldn't afford to let him go.

"At one stage we even thought Mauro Zarate was going to come back, but that didn't happen either.

"It was a frustrating day, originally it didn't look like we were going to be active until the very end, but then we picked up five injuries and now we are very short.

"We don't have a problem with them, it's their decision. If anything that was the only loan available, it just didn't work out at the end."

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