Alan Curbishley Resigns As West Ham Manager

Monday's closure of the transfer window might have put a temporary stop to player coming-and-goings, but it seems only to have kick-started managerial moves. Following yesterday's commotion at Newcastle, Alan Curbishley has resigned as West Ham manager.

"We can confirm that we have accepted Alan Curbishley's resignation as we feel it is in the best interests of both parties," read a statement on the West Ham website. "We wish Alan all the success in the future. A shortlist of candidates is being drawn up and an announcement will be made in due course about the new West Ham United manager."

West Ham have won two of their first three league matches this season - their best start to a campaign for nine years - but Curbishley had been vilified by some fans for his perceived under achievement last season, when, despite suffering a savage spate of injuries, West Ham finished 10th. There has long been speculation that Croatia manager and former West Ham player Slaven Bilic is being lined up to take charge of the Hammers.

The manager's decision today is understood to have been prompted not by those rumors, but by the sale of players this summer without his consent. Last year West Ham forked out huge transfer fees and wages to attract a slew of new stars to the club, though injuries have meant that many of them have only played sporadically.

This summer signaled a change of policy at Upton Park as the club decided to trim the squad to cut costs. That not only prevented Curbishley from bringing in all the players he sought but, more frustratingly, that he lost some of those he wanted to hold on to.

Last week's sale of Anton Ferdinand to Sunderland angered Curbishley, but he was reportedly placated by assurances that there would be no further departures. When full-back George McCartney then followed Ferdinand to Sunderland, Curbishley's patience reached breaking point.