Sport

Sam targets FA Cup glory

WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce has vowed to go all out for the FA Cup this season, rather than rest players in pursuit of European qualification from the Barclays Premier League.

A 3-0 victory over Hull on Sunday means West Ham are seventh in the table and have twice as many points as they did this time last year, when the Hammers were languishing in the relegation places. Allardyce prioritised survival 12 months ago and was widely criticised when a second-string line-up was dumped out of the FA Cup third round after a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

West Ham visit League One's Bristol City in the fourth round on Sunday and Allardyce insists he will be fielding his strongest team. "The FA Cup is very important to us and given our position in the league is very secure, we don't have to consider resting players for Premier League results," Allardyce said. "We hadn't had a win in four in the Premier League before Hull and now we've won the game it gives us a great opportunity to focus on Bristol City and make sure we get through to the fifth round. We've come through the hardest period of all which is Christmas and new year and we're also steering clear of injuries so we have an opportunity to go forward in both the Premier League and the FA Cup this season."

West Ham's excellent campaign so far owes much to their summer signings, with the likes of Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Morgan Amalfitano all contributing to the team's push for the European spots. "There's one thing you realise as a manager - recruitment is everything," Allardyce said. "If you recruit well you get better players, those players take things on board quicker, you get better results and you become a better manager."