West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has tried to put a week of turmoil at the club behind him by coming out in support of manager Gianfranco Zola

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has tried to put a week of turmoil at the club behind him by coming out in support of manager Gianfranco Zola.

The Italian boss had criticised the former Birmingham chairman on Tuesday after he announced that there could be staff pay-cuts of up to 25 per cent in the off-season.

This break in rank had led to rumours that the pair would off-load Zola in the summer, but this does not seem to be the case.

"It's 100 per cent secure," Sullivan told Sky Sports News.

"I think over the next 14 games, we'll learn an awful lot about everyone at West Ham, the team and the manager.

"I'm confident over the next 14 games that the team will improve and that we'll claw our way up the table."

Stability was a well-used phrase when Sullivan and his partner David Gold acquired control of the club in January and it seems the pair are keen to stick to that mantra when it comes to their manager.

"We're not sackers, in 17 years we sacked two managers at Birmingham," he said.

"We support managers and we will bring in players to improve the team in the summer."

Zola was given a reported �1.9 million salary when he joined the club 17 months ago and was fuming when Sullivan told the media that wages would have to be cut, just days before last night's vital match with Birmingham City at Upton Park.

"I am not here for the money. Last year when I signed a contract I didn't even know how much I was going to earn," said the boss.

"I had a plan and a project. It's not about money. It is about working for something positive. I have always enjoyed working for this club.

"The money was something that came after.

"It would have been better to talk to us before talking to a newspaper. That is my feeling.

"I think the article should have been done at another time, not just before a match.