Gus Poyet has one eye on West Ham as Sam Allardyce's future remains uncertain

SUNDERLAND’S embattled boss Gus Poyet could be a shock contender to take over at West Ham if Sam Allardyce is ditched by the Upton Park club.

Big Sam, 60, is under pressure to keep his job despite moulding the club into a top-10 side.

Poyet is resigned to there being no long-term future in the North East after a fall-out with director of football Lee Congerton.

But his son Diego is at West Ham as a player and it’s believed dad Gus would love to follow him.

Allardyce’s hopes of a new deal dipped further last night after defender James Tomkins revealed the players are not concerned by their manager’s uncertain plight.

Tomkins said: “That’s out of our hands. We don’t talk about it in the dressing room at all.”