Curbishley has spent £47million since taking over at the Hammers yet managed just 10th place in the Barclays Premier League last term - his first full season in charge.

Included in that total was a £22.5million outlay on Craig Bellamy, Freddie Ljungberg, Kieron Dyer and Julien Faubert.

So far the quartet have made a combined total of 34 Premier League starts because of injury, with Ljungberg leaving the club last week.

West Ham toiled without their main attacking weapons and as a result Curbishley has been installed as the pre-season favourite to win the Premier League sack-race amid financial uncertainty at Upton Park.

But Neill, who was signed by Curbishley in January last year, believes it is ill-fortune and not ability that has left the Hammers boss in trouble.

"I think he's been a victim of a board that's come in, given him a lot of money and wanted success immediately," said Neill.

"He spent the money and unfortunately what he spent it on didn't bear fruit. That's not his fault.

"It was just bad luck with injuries. I think he's got to be judged on what happens from now.

"Somebody's got to be the favourite to get the sack first and unfortunately it's him because of the demand at West Ham for success.

"But the odds on him going will soon change if we stick two or three quick wins together.

"It's a slow process and you've got to build a foundation. Matthew Upson summed it up the other day - you can't just buy success in one season, it takes time.

"Time stood still for us for a year because everyone we tried to bring in, in terms of knowledge and experience, was injured."

Curbishley's critics have pointed out that Bellamy, Dyer and Ljungberg are notoriously injury-prone and were always going to be regulars in the treatment room.

The news that Bellamy will miss the first month of the season with Dyer possibly not available until November will have been greeted with dismay by Hammers fans.

But Neill believes that when they do return the duo will feel like fresh signings - explaining the board's lack of movement in the transfer window this summer.

"There's a determination to go where we wanted to go last season before it went wrong. It was a frustrating season," he said.

"All the impact players we bought to change games were always on the treatment table, which was frustrating for everybody.

"You want your biggest weapons out there because you know at any stage of the game Kieron Dyer or Craig Bellamy's pace could get you a goal.

"I think there's been less activity in the market this summer because we're yet to see our transfers from last year play their part.

"If you look at the games they've played collectively, there's not even a season between them.

"If they play 20 games each this season there will be a completely different outcome.

"Having them back, alongside Dean Ashton and Scott Parker, will be like new signings."

The sudden departure of Ljungberg last week - the injury-jinxed Swede is reported to have taken £6million to end his contract three years early - has taken everyone at the club by surprise.

"It's something he agreed with West Ham. He's a great player but obviously something wasn't right. Nobody knows what happened," said Neill.

"Nobody has seen Freddie. Nobody is talking about the Freddie situation. We don't even know what the real situation is."

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