He accepts that speculation concerning West Ham players is increasing as the window approaches and says:
"I think for a club like us it will be a relief when it is over but some clubs are unaffected, such as my old club, where it has no effect because Premiership clubs weren't interested in taking anybody.
"At this club we could potentially lose three or four players who could certainly step into a Premiership side so we have to be on our guard and prepared for whatever scenario comes.
"The bottom line is we have to move forward as a club and that doesn't have to mean moving players on."
Much of the speculation, of course, centres around Jermain Defoe and Alan adds:
"The importance of him is not lost on anybody at West Ham; the issues still remain and will do all through the window and I am hoping that as soon as that window is out of the way we will all know where we are and can move forward quickly."
Meanwhile, Alan is unhappy with ITV broadcasting and rebroadcasting part of an interview with Alan conducted last week where, in exercising his right to decline to answer a question he terminated the interview.
Nonetheless, this was shown and indeed even reshown after the win over Sunderland in preference to a post match interview they conducted with him in which he expressed his delight at the victory over Sunderland.
"I have got to be honest; I was disappointed with ITV," he explains.
"The question asked was unfair and I expressed that to him; the whole interview was on a negative basis and it was a positive day for us on Saturday and that was what I was trying to reflect.
"In the end they cut to a shot that shouldn't have been on film and I feel that was unfair on me, unfair on West Ham, and unfair on West Ham fans.
"Saturday was a positive day for us but the whole interview was conducted in a negative way and I wasn't going to accept that."
Alan hopes that the players can draw great comfort from the comeback against Sunderland and he adds:
"As much as I was angry and frustrated in the first half I was filled with optimism in the second half and I hope the fans were the same.
"To come back against a side who had been on a decent run, with quick players who have played in the Premiership should have boosted the confidence.
"Some of the players who were really suffering in the first half will hopefully put that behind them and move on to the next game - which I am sure they will."