No end to Avram Grant speculation

Former Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has been linked to take over from Grant who, according to reports, will leave Upton Park today.

The Hammers face Arsenal in a Premier League match this afternoon but it has been reported that under-pressure Grant will leave the club regardless of the result.

Brady has vowed not to interfere with team matters after recent comments annoyed Grant. But she has also vowed not to be silenced.

In her column in The Sun, Brady wrote: "Despite recent criticism - and there's more today - never in 17 years have I tried to interfere with management or running of the teams.

"I don't score that kind of OG (own goal). But I do believe in airing an opinion."

Brady, who helped David Gold and David Sullivan transform the fortunes of Birmingham before they sold up to buy West Ham, had previously annoyed Grant in her column when she revealed why the club had pulled the plug on signing Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa.

Grant said: "I didn't read the column so I don't know what she said. Maybe I will have a column in a newspaper and say what I think."

But with West Ham lying bottom of the Premier League table it appears the time has come for co-chairmen Gold and Sullivan to take action.

O'Neill's odds to become West Ham manager have shortened dramatically.

The 55-year-old Israeli arrived in England in 2006 when he was appointed director of football at Portsmouth.

In September 2007 he took up the director of football post at Chelsea.

Following the departure of Jose Mourinho he took over as manager but defeats in the Champions League and Carling Cup finals in 2008 as well as finishing second in the Premier League to Manchester United saw him sacked on May 24.

In October 2009 he returned to Fratton Park as manager, leading Pompey to the FA Cup final where they lost to Chelsea and they were also relegated from the Premier League.

Grant resigned after the end of the season and later moved to Upton Park but a poor season so far sees the club at the bottom of the table.

A 4-0 Carling Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United and a 2-1 home success over Birmingham in the semi-final first leg provided some respite for Grant, but that has not stopped speculation over his future.

AVRAM GRANT FACTFILE 1955: May 4 - Born in Petah Tikva, Israel.

1974: Becomes youth coach at Hapoel Petah Tikva at the age of 19.

1978: Wins youth championship with Hapoel.

1986: Appointed coach of the senior team at Hapoel.

1991: Appointed coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

1992: Wins Israeli title in his first season.

1995: Wins his second title before moving to Hapoel Haifa.

1996: Returns to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second, less successful spell.

2000: After failing to recreate the success of his earlier stint, Grant receives death threats from disgruntled fans and is later sacked. He is appointed manager of Maccabi Haifa.

2001: Wins title with Maccabi Haifa but is denied the chance of Champions League football after fielding an ineligible player in a qualifying match.

2002: Wins title again and Maccabi Haifa become the first Israeli side to compete in the Champions League. Appointed manager of Israel.

2004: A disappointing qualification campaign for the Euro 2004 tournament, including a 2-2 draw with Malta, sees the media calling for Grant's head. Courts controversy by travelling to the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - officially an enemy country of Israel.

2006: Narrowly misses out on World Cup qualification after leading Israel to third in their group behind France and Switzerland.

Appointed technical director at Portsmouth.

2007: September 20 - Appointed director of football at Chelsea. Put in charge of team alongside assistant Steve Clarke following departure of Jose Mourinho.

2008: February 24 - Loses Carling Cup final 2-1 to Tottenham.

March 8 - Pressure on Grant increases as Chelsea are beaten 1-0 by Barnsley in FA Cup quarter-final.

May 11 - Manchester United win at Wigan to condemn Chelsea to the runners-up spot in the Premier League.

May 21 - Chelsea lose Champions League final to Manchester United in Moscow on penalties.

May 24 - Sacked by Chelsea.

June 26 - Offered job as coach of the Georgia national team but turns it down.

2009: January - Holds talks with Bulgarian Football Union over becoming manager of the national team, but could not agree terms.

October 7 - Returns to Portsmouth as director of football following Ali Al Faraj's purchase of the club.

November 26 - Appointed Portsmouth's new manager after Paul Hart's departure.

March 17 - Portsmouth receive a nine-point deduction as the the club enter administration.

April 10 - Pompey are relegated from Premier League on the eve of their FA Cup semi-final.

April 11 - Oversees 2-1 win over Tottenham in semi to secure place in cup final.

May 15 - Chelsea beat Portsmouth 1-0 in the final at Wembley.

May 20 - Resigns as Portsmouth manager.

June 3 - Appointed West Ham manager on four-year contract, subject to a work permit.

September 11 - A 3-1 home defeat to Chelsea makes it four defeats from four games in the Premier League for the Hammers to immediately pile the pressure on Grant.

November 30 - A 4-0 win over Manchester United in the Carling Cup quarter-finals boost West Ham but they remain in Premier League trouble.

December 11 - The Hammers are brought back to earth with a 3-1 home defeat by Manchester City.

December 21 - Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell is linked with a move to Upton Park before eventually joining Fulham.

December 29 - A total of 15 players could join West Ham's relegation fight in the January transfer window, according to club co-owner David Gold.

January 1 - A 2-0 win over Wolves sees West Ham move out of the relegation zone. But four days later a 5-0 thrashing at Newcastle sends them back to the bottom of the table.

January 7 - Tottenham striker Robbie Keane is revealed as one of Grant's transfer targets.

January 8 - A 2-0 win over Barnsley puts the Hammers into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

January 11 - Mark Noble and Carlton Cole score as the Hammers beat Birmingham 2-1 in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Upton Park.

January 12 - Grant remains in his post following a scheduled board meeting. The club confirm the loan signing of Manchester City full-back Wayne Bridge.

January 13 - Midfielder Scott Parker publicly backs his manager.