LONDON (Reuters) - Former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley said he will talk to West Ham United's new owner Eggert Magnusson in the next few days to discuss the managerial vacancy at Upton Park.

Curbishley has emerged as favourite to succeed Alan Pardew who was sacked on Monday after five defeats in six league games which left the club third from bottom of the Premier League.

"I'd love to know what they want to say -- of course I'm interested," Curbishley told Tuesday's Daily Express.

"I suspect we will get together over the next day or so when the dust has settled."

Curbishley, who played for West Ham in the 1970s, left Charlton after 15 years in charge at the end of last season saying he wanted a break from football.

"Perhaps having the chance to manage them, five years after they were allegedly seeking me to replace Harry Redknapp, is a massive honour," Curbishley added.

"Once you are brought up in a background like West Ham the affection you have for the club never goes away."

Pardew, who took over from Glenn Roeder in October, 2003, steered West Ham to ninth in the Premier League last season and to the FA Cup final, having gained promotion via the playoffs the previous season.

They have struggled this season, however, and are two points adrift of safety, having lost 11 of their 17 league matches.

First team coach Kevin Keen has been placed in temporary charge of first team affairs, starting with a home game against league leaders Manchester United on Sunday.