O'Neill told the Premier League's basement club he could not
be seen to be kicking another manager out of a job.
The pair are close after Grant spent a year in charge of Cole at
Chelsea. Troubled Grant believes Cole does not fit into new Kop
boss Kenny Dalglish's plans.
An Upton Park insider said: "It's a long shot but Avram is
determined to continue working normally.
"Joe did not play for Liverpool against Everton on Sunday. "When
Avram was sacked by Chelsea, Joe left him a very touching message
about how much he had enjoyed working for him."
O'Neill's decision has thrown the club's board into turmoil. The
Hammers were poised to sack Grant in the wake of the 3-0 humbling
by Arsenal at the weekend, believing the Ulsterman would willingly
step in to take command.
But O'Neill yesterday told the Premier League's basement club he
could not be seen to be kicking another manager out of a job.
O'Neill has been appalled at the treatment of the Israeli, who
has regularly had to deal with questions about his future.
West Ham have also been linked with axed Blackburn boss Sam
Allardyce. But managers may now be reluctant to tread where O'Neill
would not, knowing how bad it would make them look.
A source close to O'Neill told SunSport: "Martin couldn't take
over in such circumstances. "He has a lot of affection for West Ham
and wanted the job but not like this."
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has condemned the way West Ham have
treated Grant. He said: "It can't be fair on him, the players or
anyone else.
"It doesn't help you do your job any better, that's for sure,
having to answer questions on whether you're losing your job.
"It is not a position I would like to have. If they don't want
you, and they want you to go, then fine, do it. Be straight with
people, that's all I ask."
Grant knows from bitter experience that any departure from West
Ham will not be straightforward. It took him almost two years of
haggling to come to a financial agreement with Chelsea after he was
sacked by Roman Abramovich in 2008.
Yet McCarthy is convinced that however distasteful the Hammers
situation gets, in the end someone will be prepared to fill the
breach if Grant goes.
He added: "When any job comes up, there will be a queue from
here to Aberdeen to get it. "Don't think people won't want it
because it seems something is not right with it at the minute."