Cautious Sam Allardyce is playing down expectations for next season after being at the centre of an an early summer West Ham drama!

The Hammers boss – who ten days ago looked a certainty to lose his job – has bounced back and will take responsibility for a new Irons era of go for it football.

But in the face of a “win with style and make the top ten” demand from the board Allardyce is playing it cool.

Using his weekly column in the Evening Standard to make his point he said:  “I am not going to make any predictions at this early stage – certainly not before looking to see what everyone else does during the transfer window.

“But by the time we begin the new campaign we should have a clearer picture of how far we feel we can go. We are all aiming for a top-ten finish.

“The past is the past, you can’t change anything – the crucial thing is to learn from it.”

However, former striker Leroy Rosenior told ClaretandHugh exclusively that he didn’t fully understand that thinking.

He said: “Sam has been totally freed up by the board. He’s been told what they want and presumably if he doesn’t achieve their aims he’ll be sacked.

“As a result he might just as well go for it. He’s survived as a a top level manager for as long as he has because he’s a wily old fox.

“He knows what the requirements are so there’s no point in being a shrinking violet about it. The fans have been very unhappy and I don’t think he has any alternative but to give it his best attacking shots.”