Parker, Green and Cole could yet leave Upton Park

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that the uncertain futures of his England international players is bound to affect them as the end of the transfer window approaches.

The manager confirmed that no bids had been made for Scott Parker, Robert Green or Carlton Cole this week, but he confessed that the doubts about where they will be playing in September are likely to continue.

“It’s a big distraction for us and for them and that is one of the problems you’ve got when you deal with this period,” he said. “Players are committed to the football club, but there is still that subconscious that says ‘I might be moving, so I don’t want to get injured’ and as a human being you can’t help that.

“Hopefully they will continue to give their best and like I said I was only disappointed with the result last Sunday, not the performance.”

Perhaps the least likely to leave is Cole and Allardyce was quick to praise the striker for showing a commitment to the club after a deal was agreed with Stoke City for him to move.

“He turned down Stoke, you have to commend him for that,” emphasised Allardyce. “He’s turned down the chance of playing in the Premier League and earning far more money that what he earns at West Ham.

“Every player is ridiculed for the fact that all they do is play for money. He is the opposite of that.”

Allardyce is still looking for new players, but admits that he has hit problems with his scouting system.

“The players are coming in their droves to be honest with you,” said the boss. “At this stage of the season, it is a massive distraction in terms of the amount of players that are forwarded to you from whatever sources are available and it is a constant stream.

“We are a little short on the recruitment area and that has made life difficult for us because we’ve had to research those players.

“I’d like one more striker. Four is always a good number to go through 46 games of a season, but I want to see what Zavon Hines and Junior Stanislas can do and people like that.”