Sunday, March 28

Daily WHUFC News - II 28th March 2010

Bilic - Hammers not for me
Former player rules out replacing Zola at Upton Park
Last updated: 28th March 2010
SSN

Slaven Bilic has ruled himself out of the running to become West Ham
United's next manager, insisting he will not walk out on Croatia. Former
Hammers defender Bilic has been heavily linked with the Upton Park position
should current incumbent Gianfranco Zola leave his post. Zola is considering
his future in the hot seat after Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Stoke City
left West Ham only outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal
difference. Hammers co-owner David Gold has offered his support to the
Italian and has stressed the club are not looking to make a managerial
change for the final six games of the season. But reports have suggested
that Gold, and fellow owner David Sullivan, want Croatia coach Bilic to take
over the reins in the summer. Bilic, though, has stated that it is not the
right time to become West Ham boss as he wants to lead Croatia through the
2012 European Championship qualifying campaign. "I love West Ham very much,
but that job is not for me right now," Bilic, who played for the club in the
mid-1990s, told the Daily Star Sunday. "Not today. "I want to qualify for
the European Championships and nothing is going to change that. "I am
staying for all my country's qualifiers."

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GIANFRANCO ZOLA READY TO WALK AWAY
News Of The World
By Greg Gobere, 27/03/2010

WEST HAM have been plunged into further crisis after Glenn Hoddle and Graeme
Souness turned down the chance to take charge at Upton Park. Hammers boss
Gianfranco Zola was last night considering his future with those closest to
him fearing he will quit after the 1-0 defeat by Stoke. Zola spoke to
co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold and said: "I'm not getting the best
out of the players. I'll make a decision overnight and speak to the owners
in the morning."
But with no immediate replacement on the horizon, Gold said: "We had a
meeting with Franco. We are right behind him." "I know my duties and I know
right now the situation is not going the way it should," Zola added. "I am
prepared to accept the situation. It is going to be a week in which we will
be talking to each other. The owners are behind us.
"They saw the team tried very hard today. They were supportive and that is a
very good starting point. "The players will appreciate that. The players are
feeling down and I am feeling down and to have that support is very good."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis offered his sympathy to his opposite number. "I will
now go and have a drink with Gianfranco Zola," said Pulis. "Every manager
goes through these times.
"The important thing is that you have a good chairman who will back you and
stick behind you. "Then you need a little bit of luck - as much as anything,
he needs a little bit of good fortune."

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CARLTON COLE TOPS ARSENAL'S WANTED LIST
Chamakh doubts emerge
News Of The World
By Aidan Magee, 27/03/2010

CARLTON COLE has leapt to the top of Arsenal's wanted list after they were
given first option on the West Ham striker. The Gunners made their move for
Cole after doubts over Marouane Chamakh's switch from Bordeaux emerged. The
Moroccan hit-man has been a long-term Arsenal target but now they are ready
to turn their attention to £12million-rated Cole. West Ham's board are fully
aware of Arsenal's interest and accept the 26-year-old may have to be
sacrificed to bolster finances, especailly if the Hammers are relegated.
Arsene Wenger has admired the former Chelsea forward for many years despite
having some doubts about his poor record with injuries. Cole signed a
five-year contract less than 18 months ago but the Gunners will be confident
of getting him at a reduced price if West Ham go down. The Arsenal boss has
had him watched since he returned to side at the end of January. Cole has
broken into the England squad this season and has a decent chance of going
to the World CupWenger needs to sign English players ahead of next season
when the Premier League's new rule on home-grown players comes into effect.
The ruling means at least seven of a club's 25 players have to have been
trained and developed in an English youth system. Wenger has also suffered
problems up front this term. Robin van Persie has been out since before
Christmas while Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo and Carlos Vela have impressed
only in short spells. Cole has again suffered injury problems this season
but has still managed to score nine goals in 18 Premier League starts and is
on course to beat his best return of ten goals since making his debut for
Chelsea in 2002. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan is prepared to lose many
of his higher earners if the Hammers are relegated into the Championship as
he attempts to manage debts which he says have crept as high as £110m.

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I'm ready to resign, says Gianfranco Zola after loss
West Ham United manager considering his position after sixth successive
league defeat at the hands of Stoke City
Duncan Castles at Upton Park
The Sunday Times March 28, 2010

GIANFRANCO ZOLA will wake up this morning and decide whether he will resign
as West Ham United manager. The Italian has been under pressure since David
Sullivan and David Gold bought a controlling stake in the club in January
but had refused to discuss the prospect of resigning until yesterday's 1-0
loss at home to Stoke, their sixth league defeat in a row.

"Right now I'm flat because we lost another game," said Zola. "I will
consider overnight whether I'm doing a good job for this club or not. The
owners and I will be talking." Asked if he was prepared to resign, he
replied: "If the problem is me, why not? I will have to think a lot
overnight. If I see that I cannot do a good job for this club . . . [I will
go]."

Zola, inset, has three years to run on a contract worth £1.9m a year, so has
much to lose by resigning. Neither of the co-owners want to pay off Zola or
his No 2 Steve Clarke but while Sullivan has publicly criticised his
manager, Gold went to the home dressing room after the game to back Zola and
his players. "All I can say to you is that we had a chat with him, we
assured him that we were right behind him," said Gold. "We've got six very,
very difficult games and he's got to get some results for us. But we're
absolutely 100% behind him. [If Zola goes] it certainly won't be my decision
as we speak. Because my decision is that he's our manager as we speak."

Sullivan and Gold spoke to former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes about
taking over during the week but were unable to meet his wage demands.
Stoke's manager, Tony Pulis, said: "The chairman of West Ham has come out
and said he's going to back Gianfranco, well he needs backing now. This is
when you show your real character. It will be interesting to see now what
backing Gianfranco gets."

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Zola set to walk out on West Ham after Sullivan showdown
Published 22:45 27/03/10 By Steve Stammers and Paul Smith
The Mirror

Beleaguered West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola had crisis talks with David
Sullivan last night after admitting he was on the brink of quitting the
Upton Park hot seat. Zola had seen his team lose to Stoke 1-0, the Hammers'
sixth successive defeat. West Ham are now only above the relegation zone on
goal difference. Before his showdown with co-chairman Sullivan, Zola
admitted he wanted to ­consider his future overnight. Zola said: "Clearly
we have a problem. "It is very painful and I feel very flat. I will think
about what has happened and I will consider what to do. "Let me think a lot
overnight. That is the bottom line. "I have to see whether I am the right
man for the job. "There is no other consideration for me than finding out
what is the problem." Asked if he would quit, Zola said: "If the problem is
me, then why not? I will have to think about it. "As far as I can see the
problem is not that the players aren't trying very hard. The bottom line is
whether I can help them or not. I am trying to be honest. If I am not able
to do a good job, I will tell you. There are a lot of things I have to
­consider after this game."
Zola emerged from last night's meeting still in ­position as West Ham boss.
Sullivan and co-chairman David Gold had lengthy discussions immediately
after the game in the Upton Park boardroom. It was widely expected that
defeat against the ­Potters would spark the ­termination of Zola's contract
and the departure of assistant boss Steve Clarke. It was Clarke and Sullivan
who were involved in the angry exchanges last Thursday at the Hammers'
­training ground. In front of the players Clarke demanded ­Sullivan leave
their meeting. Sullivan was annoyed by that snub in front of the playing
staff. Afterwards, and in private, the duo had another heated confrontation.
Zola has three years ­remaining on his £1.9m a-year contract. Clarke is paid
£1.1m a-year. Relegation would be a ­savage body-blow to West Ham especially
if it ­arrived in the wake of the Sullivan-Gold ­takeover. Zola will have to
make a compelling case that he is the man who can save West Ham from the
drop. Next weekend, West Ham head to ­Everton.

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Zola given stay of execution after board meeting
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
March 27, 2010
ESPN

Gianfranco Zola has survived the sack at West Ham United because of an
incredible sequence of events in the last 24 hours, but he will still
consider his future overnight following the Hammers' 1-0 defeat to Stoke.
The Italian was expected to be shown the door if he lost Saturday's match at
Upton Park but Soccernet understand that there isn't universal support to
hire former England coach Glenn Hoddle as his replacement for the final six
games and Mark Hughes believes he can find a better opening. That leaves
candidates such as David O'Leary and Terry Venables, and again there is only
a lukewarm support for either to rush into a fire fighting exercise. So,
after an emergency board meeting following the game, David Gold emerged to
insist he and fellow co-owner David Sullivan were "right behind" Zola
despite the latest crushing set back in the club's fight against relegation.
Gold told Sky Sports News: "We've got six very difficult games left and he
has got to get some results for us, but we are absolutely 100% behind him."
Clearly, Gold and Sullivan are showing public support, but privately Gold is
more supportive, while Sullivan isn't making an issue of kicking out Zola if
his partner is not convinced it is the right move, despite the animosity
caused by the alleged training bust up on Thursday, which should see Clarke
officially reprimanded on Monday morning. Asked if Zola was to go, whether
it would be the Italian's decision or the co-owners' choice, Gold added: "It
certainly won't be my decision as we speak, because my decision is that he
is our manager as we speak."
Soccernet understands that an "amicable" meeting took place between Zola and
the two Davids after the match, so there was some surprise that Zola told
reporters that he was on his way home to think over his position. Zola said:
"The players are trying hard for us. The bottom line is to see whether I can
help them or not. I will consider overnight whether I am doing a good job or
not." Zola must know that the board have been considering their options and
reviewing the alternatives, which might prompt him to resign.
However, Zola might want to see the job through to at least the end of the
season to try to save the team from relegation - and to prove a point about
his managerial credentials.

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Vinny's Stoke Report
Vinny - Sun Mar 28 2010
West Ham Online

West Ham United 0 Stoke City 1

A sixth straight defeat sees West Ham fall further into the relegation mire
as Stoke ended a quite miserable week for everyone connected to West Ham
United. This I would say is the most difficult match report to write this
season. After the Wolves games I was very angry and shocked at the result
and the performance but after this game I just feel pretty numb and
disillusioned with it all. Stoke always looked the more dangerous and played
a type of football we found just too difficult to deal with. In the second
half we offered nothing and never looked as though we were going to score.
The rumours flying about seem to indicate that manager Gianfranco Zola will
leave the club following this defeat and although there may be just six
games left his departure cannot make matter any worse than they surely are.
When West Ham were nearly relegated in 2006/07 and managed to survive I
really did not envisage us going through the dogfight for a long time. Why I
thought this was obviously due to the money the Icelandic owners were
throwing about and the fact that we had a decent side. But here we are again
fighting for our lives. Actually, scrap that - here we are p*ssing away the
season with poor performance after poor performance. Our players seems to
have just given it up as they stroll around playing terrible passes left
right and centre. We were out fought and Zola was actually tactically out of
his depth. Our performance played into the hands of Stoke who like Bolton
and Wolves came with a game plan and stuck to it.
Owner David Sullivan called our performance against Wolves 'pathetic'. I'm
interested to hear what he will say about this gutless display. Gianfranco
Zola made a host of changes to the side who were beaten 3-1 last Tuesday
evening. In defence James Tomkins was out with injury and replaced by Manuel
Da Costa who was returning from a three match suspension he picked up in a
reserve game. Fabio Daprela was surprisingly dropped to the bench as
Jonathan Spector came in at left back to replace him. In midfield Kieron
Dyer returned from nowhere and replaced Alessandro Diamanti who found
himself on the subs bench. Dyer started the game on the left wing with
Behrami on the left. Also in midfield Radoslav Kovac was dropped with Mark
Noble coming back into the centre of midfield alongside Scott Parker. Up
front Benni McCarthy was replaced by Mido with Guillermo Franco injured. On
the bench was Danny Gabbidon with Junior Stanislas not even included in the
18 man squad. Starting for Stoke City was former Hammer Matthew Etherington
who played over 160 times for the club scoring 16 goals and was also a
former Hammer of the Year in 2003/04 season.
Despite what the fans witnessed against Wolves the atmosphere was good as
the game kicked off with the majority knowing that we must get behind the
team no matter what. So with this game at the forefront of our minds,
Bubbles rang out loudly and the players were cheered on as we kicked off.
Neither side started particularly well although it was clear that Stoke
wanted to get the ball into our area as quickly as possible with a number of
high balls being played into our area. From an attacking point of view we
struggled to get going and did nothing of note during the first fifteen
minutes with only a Jonathan Spector run into the area showing any sort of
ambition. Stoke were close to taking the lead when a corner went to the back
post with Abdoulaye Faye hitting a shot which was blocked by Mido and put
away for another corner. From this one Stoke again won the ball but the
header from Faye went just wide of Robert Green's goal.
A good move involving Parker and Cole saw the ball spread out to Dyer and
his decent cross was met by Mido but the attempt went high over the bar. Our
tactic is usually giving it to Scott Parker and letting him run forward and
that did not seem to have changed with Parker again being the main threat.
His excellent run forward and saw him put a great pass through the gap for
Cole to run on to but the striker did not try to take his shot early as the
keeper went down the ball bounced off Cole and out for a goal kick. Without
a doubt out best chance of the half (and the entire game) came moments later
as it seemed that we were starting to get a foothold on the game and create
some chances. It was really down to some good work from Cole who received
the ball into this feet, shrugged off the challenges and hit a powerful left
foot shot at goal which the keeper Sorenson could not handle and Mido was on
hand to score from just a few yards out except he didn't. Some how the
Egyptian striker made a complete mess of the rebound and fluffed his chance
to score.
It was a sign of striker who has not score in a long time and a sign of a
striker who was not even able to get into the side of Championship
Middlesbrough. At the other end Stoke looked dangerous at times and the
throw ins from Rory Delap were always cause for concern. It was a poor first
half with neither side playing football. Instead the game was contested in
the air and we were playing into the hands of Stoke as this type of football
suited them. It was an tactic to unsettle us and although defensively I felt
we were coping we had nothing to offer going forward. Noble had not got into
the game and although the pace of Dyer was unsettling for Stoke we had not
found any flow to our football.

Zola made one change at half time taking off Kieron Dyer and bringing on
Alessandro Diamanti. This change was greeted by jeers from the crowd who
presumed Dyer was injured again. As of now I am not aware why Dyer was taken
off. It surely could not have been tactical. The second period was similar
to the first in that it was very stop start with Stoke setting out to
disrupt any type of passing football we even thought about trying to play.
Our first chance (if you can call it that) of the second half saw the ball
fall kindly for Carlton Cole and from around thirty yards out the striker
tried an audacious shot which had the accuracy but no power and was easily
claimed by Sorenson. Stoke made a change on 67 minutes bringing off
Etherington and replacing him with Ricardo Fuller who in the reverse fixture
had taken our defence apart and this was to be much of the same. Fuller had
only been on the pitch for two minutes when he was to score a quite
brilliant goal. Our defenders could only watch as he danced his way through
to score a really good goal.

The move started from our throw in which was for some reason just thrown
back to a Stoke player who of course lumped it into the air. Fuller
controlled the ball holding off Da Costa in the process, was allowed to turn
and face the goal and then skipped past the poor challenge of Da Costa then
past Upson who had turned his back and hit an unstoppable shot from inside
the area past Green. It was just what we didn't need and seeing that we had
offered so little in the second half and that we never looked as though we
were going to score our position seemed all the more desperate. There was no
reaction from our players who looked shell shocked and beaten just as they
did when they conceded against Wolves. There was no fight or desire to get
back into the game and if anyone was going to score it was going to be
Stoke.

My fear had been if we had conceded the first goal in this game as judging
from last Tuesday the head seem to drop so quickly and there is no one to
get the players going and get them fighting. Even earlier in the season we
had a bit of this but the team seem to have given up. A needless foul from
Diamanti on Tuncay saw Stoke win a free kick which they took shot with
Tuncay receiving the ball and he hit a really excellent shot on goal which
Green could only knock out toward the group of players running in but
luckily Upson got there first and put it out for another Stoke corner. An
unlikely source attempted to get us back into the game with Jonathan Spector
running forward beating his man and hitting a shot which went way wide but
at least was something positive.
Benni McCarthy was brought on for the inept and anonymous Mido who had been
poor throughout the game. McCarthy nearly found a way through shortly after
coming on as Behrami played a pass into this feet and he turned well but the
ball was nicked off his toes and away for a corner. A cross from Spector
found the head of Cole but under a challenge with Huth his flick went wide
of the goal as we struggled to create another meaningful chance from then
on. Our football throughout the game had been slow. We needed to find some
tempo but with players such as Mido and Diamanti this was never going to
happen. Even with Spector when the ball found him he always had to check on
to his right foot which slowed any type of counter attacking move down.

A very depressing result and relegation surely looms.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
A bit more of a commanding performance from Green who was excellent in the
air and did not drop any of the difficult catches that he was required to
make. Nothing at all he could do about the goal given at how close a range
the shot came from.

Julien Faubert
Apart from one near fatal mistake right at the end of the first half he was
solid for most of the game. His crossing into the area when he got forward
was often poor but this is to be expected as he is at right back because his
attacking ability is so poor.

Matthew Upson
Slated the other night and rightly so. Has had a lot to say during the week
which is odd as he doesn't seem to say anything to anyone on the pitch. His
display was a lot better and he won a lot in the air. Saying that he turned
his back on Fuller shot which let the striker score.

Manuel Da Costa
Back in the team with Tomkins injured although I would expect he may have
started regardless. He did not have bad game but he was taken apart by
Fuller for the goal. Everything about Da Costa's defending was wrong as let
him control the ball in the first place and turn to face him. Then he made a
poor attempt at a sliding challenge which Fuller simply avoided. It was a
good goal, but Da Costa's defending made it easy.

Jonathan Spector
Had a decent game. I don't know what people expect of Jonathan Spector at
left back but this is pretty much it. Did not do a lot wrong, a few passes
went astray but you could say that about just about every player. Worked
hard, not a left back, not a right back, not a player I like seeing playing
and with Daprela fit there was no need. But Spector does his best with
limited ability.

Kieron Dyer
Managed 45 minutes which I guess was a shock in itself. Taken off at half
time with what must have been an injury. Never really got into the game. His
pace was unsettling for Stoke but he was hardly ever on the ball to create
anything.

Mark Noble
I was pleased at his inclusion but he really never got into the game. Never
was able to stamp his authority on proceeding and just seemed to give the
ball away a lot. People say he should not have come off for Ilan but we
needed to bring on another attacking player and Noble was letting the game
pass him by.

Scott Parker
Continues to look better than most of our players but this was not a great
performance from Parker. He struggled to make anything happen and in the
second half even his head seemed to go thus was the inevitability of the
result.

Valon Behrami
Work rate was top notch but everything else about his performance was just
dreadful. The epitome of his display was when he ran nearly the full length
of the pitch only to put in such an awful cross that it went out for a goal
kick. He was poor when on the ball, his passing was shocking, and generally
Behrami showed nothing of the player we saw last season.

Mido
Just awful.

Carlton Cole
I though he actually did alright. When the ball came to him he looked
dangerous and most of our (few) chances involved him in someway. As the game
wore on he looked very unfit and it seems to me that we may now have all
these strikers but none of them can actually last over an hour.

Subs Used

Alessandro Diamanti (on for Dyer 46 mins)
When you are looking to get out of trouble a player like Diamanti is not
going to help you. He hides, and when he does get the ball he gives it away
with an awful pass or attempting some wild shot. I would rather Stanislas.

Ilan (on for Noble 76 mins)
You know it is very easy to forget that he even came onto the pitch.

Benni McCarthy (on for Mido 83 mins)
Came on, did little, looked fat.

Subs Not Used: Kurucz, Gabbidon, Daprela, Kovac

Bookings: None

Man Of The Match: Scott Parker

Attendance: 34,564 (3rd biggest of the season)

Overall

They said that the game against Wolves was the lowest point of the season.
Well I think we have just hit the murky undergrowth beneath because I now am
convinced that West Ham will be relegated. Even though we have struggled all
season I always maintained that we would get out of it as we would win the
home games needed to scrape by. But having lost the last two games and
suffered our sixth defeat in a row (a club Premiership record) I see no
light at the end of the tunnel although I do see Blackpool. I have little
more to say on Gianfranco Zola. I lost all confidence with him after the
Wolves game and the sooner this inept clueless smiling Italian tactically
unaware c*nt gets out of our football club the better.

Next Game - Everton (a)

Ah well it's a trip to Goodison Park, a place where three points is always
attainable for West Ham. If anyone can tell me how we are going to get
anything out of this game I would be intrigued to know because we have a
horrible record here, we are playing horrible football and we have nothing
in our team to hurt a side like Everton . We have fallen down against well
organised teams in recent weeks and they don't come more organised that
Everton who have a top manager and he has shown over the years that you can
get the best out of any set of players. I wish I could be more positive and
I apologise if I have sent anyone to suicide but I am totally fed up and
disillusioned with everything West Ham at the moment. I can take relegation,
so can a lot of the supporters. We have seen it before, we know what it's
all about but I am shocked that this has happened to us this season and if
we do go down this could really be the start of a number of years
languishing in the lower divisions. I'll leave you with Zola's words of
wisdom…

Zola's View

"I have no other agendas other than doing a good job for this club, so I
will consider overnight whether I am doing a good job or not." "The players
are behind us. I just think we need to change something to be more helpful
to them. "Six defeats with a difficult game coming on Sunday is not great,
but as I said, looking out there, the players are committed and we're going
to be working on making that commitment more effective." "We had better team
shape and we tried really hard. [Stoke scorer Ricardo] Fuller made a
difference when he came on with a piece of quality. Sometimes in games,
especially when they are in a tight situation like this one, one bit of
quality can make the difference and that was definitely the case. "Looking
at the results, I can honestly say no [I'm not getting the best out of the
players], but there are circumstances. As I said, that's one of the
considerations that I have to make. I'm not looking for excuses - we are not
performing as well as we should and I take responsibility for that, so we
need to improve them.
"Right now, I'm flat because we lost another game and that was the sixth
game in a row that we have lost and that's not good for me. I have to see
what the problem is. I'm not doing any other considerations other than
finding out the problems. "The fans have been very good and I have to say
'Thank you very much' to them. That was a good response. It was a pity we
could not give them what they were looking for."

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Daily WHUFC News - 28th March 2010

Zola to reflect on defeat
WHUFC.com
The manager's only focus on Saturday night was to think about how to turn
things around
27.03.2010

Gianfranco Zola has said he will consider over the weekend how to react
after a sixth successive "painful" defeat for West Ham United. The manager
reiterated that he would be committed to the cause until "I see that I
cannot do a good job for this club", after repeatedly being asked to clarify
his future. "I am here just for that," he added. "I have no other agendas
other than doing a good job for this club, so I will consider overnight
whether I am doing a good job or not."
Zola has though turned his attentions to the trip to Everton on Sunday week
and stressed that he believed he had the support from his team to turn
things around. "The players are behind us. I just think we need to change
something to be more helpful to them. "Six defeats with a difficult game
coming on Sunday is not great, but as I said, looking out there, the players
are committed and we're going to be working on making that commitment more
effective."
Despite going down 1-0 to Stoke City, it was a different contest than the
3-1 reverse at hands of Wolves on Tuesday. "The good thing was that at least
the team performed better as a team. We just couldn't get the final touch.
The end product was not as good as I expected it to be and that was the
difference, really. "We had better team shape and we tried really hard.
[Stoke scorer Ricardo] Fuller made a difference when he came on with a piece
of quality. Sometimes in games, especially when they are in a tight
situation like this one, one bit of quality can make the difference and that
was definitely the case. "Looking at the results, I can honestly say no [I'm
not getting the best out of the players], but there are circumstances. As I
said, that's one of the considerations that I have to make. I'm not looking
for excuses - we are not performing as well as we should and I take
responsibility for that, so we need to improve them. "Right now, I'm flat
because we lost another game and that was the sixth game in a row that we
have lost and that's not good for me. I have to see what the problem is. I'm
not doing any other considerations other than finding out the problems."
He was full of praise for the supporters who backed the team despite yet
another disappointment. "The fans have been very good and I have to say
'Thank you very much' to them. That was a good response. It was a pity we
could not give them what they were looking for."

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Hammers beaten again
WHUFC.com
Stoke City compounded West Ham United's relegation fears with a 1-0 win at
the Boleyn Ground
27.03.2010

West Ham United 0-1 Stoke City

West Ham United's miserable run continued with a sixth straight defeat on
Saturday as Ricardo Fuller scored the only goal of a scrappy contest at the
Boleyn Ground. The Jamaica striker had only just come on when he beat Manuel
da Costa and Matthew Upson to smash the ball past the helpless Robert Green
midway through the second half. It was harsh on the home side, who had the
better of the openings before and after that crucial strike. The manager had
made five changes but there was little to show in the first ten minutes of
an instant reaction to Tuesday's heavy defeat against Wolves. It was a
tentative start to say the least with only a Jonathan Spector run in the
first quarter of an hour giving the crowd anything to get excited about
although it came to nothing. At the other end, Stoke were getting the ball
into the penalty area as quickly as possible but Robert Green was in no mood
to hang around, punching or catching anything close to his six-yard box. The
visitors made an early change introducing Andy Wilkinson with Abdoulaye Faye
hurt in a challenge on Carlton Cole. The first real chance came soon after
with Julien Faubert crossing for Mido - in for Benni McCarthy - but his
header was off target. Kieron Dyer, another change on the right wing at the
expense of Junior Stanislas, then showed some neat footwork in the box but
Stoke stifled his attempt on goal.
It was the half-hour mark before Stoke really threatened with Robert Huth
getting a free header but he wasted the chance. The home side were
struggling to make inroads, with their best moments coming with anyone
prepared to bring the ball forward as Parker did on 33 minutes, only just
missing Cole with his defence-splitting pass The England man definitely
connected two minutes later, turning his marker before fierce effort from 25
yards that Sorenson could only parry into the path of Mido. However, the
striker could not get a proper contact and the chance was gone. Parker and
Dyer had further thrusts forward but there was to be no scoring by
half-time. Gianfranco Zola made a switch at half-time, replacing Dyer with
Alessandro Diamanti while Stoke's first change came two minutes in when Dave
Kitson pulled up and Tuncay Sanli entered the fray. Parker was the main man
for the home team and his charge down of a fierce Huth free-kick summed up
his desire.
The first yellow card came on the hour with Glenn Whelan penalised for a
foul on Cole but the resulting free-kick from Diamanti only troubled those
in the the Bobby Moore Stand. Chances were few and far between after that
before Fuller, only just on for former Hammers winger Matty Etherington,
weaved his way through and scored. Ilan arrived for the final 20 minutes,
replacing Mark Noble, and the Brazilian only just failed to connect properly
with a deep Faubert cross on 79 minutes. Spector jinked his way through on
84 minutes but his final shot was never going to bring him his first West
Ham goal as Benni McCarthy arrived for Mido for the final push. That late
surge did not really materalise though with neither side doing anything of
note in the final third. Stoke seemed content to hang on to what they had
while the Hammers were to be frustrated by some resolute defending. Home
hopes went when Cole just flicked a Spector cross wide and Diamanti hit the
wall with a free-kick, leaving nerves jangling for the final six games.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hall heads busy weekend
WHUFC.com
There was delight for Robert Hall but disappointment for Holmar Orn
Eyjolfsson this weekend
27.03.2010

Robert Hall was on target as England kicked-off their UEFA European Under-17
Championship Elite Round qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win over Sweden at
Northampton Town's Sixfields on Saturday. The West Ham United striker scored
England's third goal in a comprehensive victory which puts them in a strong
position ahead of their remaining Group 7 matches against Malta and
Slovakia. The group winners will qualify for the finals, which will be held
in Liechtenstein in May. England face Malta at Burton Albion's Pirelli
Stadium on Monday and Slovakia at Sixfields on Wednesday. Elsewhere, Holmar
Orn Eyjolfsson will not play in the Belgian Cup final after KSV Roeselare
were edged out 4-3 on aggregate in their semi-final with KSV Cercle Brugge.
West Ham loanee Eyjolfsson was suspended for the second leg on Friday night
after picking up two yellow cards in previous ties. Roeselare went into the
game 3-0 down from the first leg, and fell a further goal behind when Jelle
Vossen scored for Cercle after just three minutes. Roeselare refused to give
up, scoring three times through Mahamadou Dissa's brace and Jeremy
Huyghebaert to set up a grandstand final 20 minutes. However, defender Damir
Mirvic was sent-off with 12 minutes to go, and the home side were unable to
force a dramatic victory. Eyjolfsson will remain with Roeselare for the
club's promotion/relegation play-offs, which will take place in May. After
finishing 15th in the Belgian First Division, the Flanders-based club will
take on three Second Division clubs for a place in next season's top-flight.
On Saturday afternoon, three more Hammers loanees were in action. Freddie
Sears played a full 90 minutes for Coventry City as the Sky Blues snatched a
1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. The draw saw the Sky Blues stay 12th in
the Championship, nine points adrift of the play-off places. In League One,
Frank Nouble played for an hour of Swindon Town's 1-0 League One win at
Hartlepool United. Victory saw the fourth-placed Robins close the gap on
second-placed Leeds United to just one point. Elsewhere, Bondz N'Gala played
a full game for Plymouth Argyle in their 2-0 home Championship defeat by
Blackpool. The loss leaves the 23-placed Pilgrims six points from safety.
Finally, defender Matt Fry missed out on making his debut for League One
promotion-chasers Charlton Athletic in their 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town.
The teenager is recovering from a knee injury and will link-up with his new
team-mates on Monday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 0 - 1 Stoke
BBC.co.uk
By Oliver Brett

A goal of individual brilliance from Ricardo Fuller condemned West Ham to
their sixth straight League defeat. Substitute Fuller had only been on the
pitch for two minutes when he skipped past three Hammers defenders and fired
his shot past goalkeeper Robert Green. And the result left West Ham level
with 18th-placed Hull, who have played one match fewer than the London club.
The hosts' best passage of play came in the first half, with Mido making a
terrible mess of an inviting chance. With the game still goalless, and
Stoke's early threat successfully nullified by a Hammers defence who had
started nervously, Mido found himself unmarked when Carlton Cole's shot
rebounded into his path following Thomas Sorensen's shot. But the Egypt
international, one of five changes made by under-pressure boss Gianfranco
Zola following co-owner David Sullivan's brutal public assessment of his
side's defeat by Wolves in midweek, failed to bring the rebound under
control with the ball bouncing off his thigh and the chance passed.The
quality shown by Fuller on the other hand - in what was otherwise a match of
limited calibre - lit up the game. Though his goal must have provoked
despair for Hammers fans whose team are only outside the relegation zone by
virtue of goal difference, following Hull's 2-0 win over Fulham. Fuller, who
replaced Matthew Etherington on 67 minutes after Tony Pulis had already made
two injury-enforced switches, received a long ball outside the area with his
back to goal - and there appeared to be little threat for the West Ham
defenders. However, with one skilful touch Fuller turned Manuel Da Costa,
leaving the Portuguese defender on his back, and as Scott Parker and Matthew
Upson arrived late on the scene with weak tackles the Jamaica striker calmly
drilled the ball home.
Kieron Dyer's pace down the right wing proved a menace to the Potters'
defence, but with his fitness clearly still an issue, he failed to start the
second half, giving way to Alessandro Diamanti. The Potters had four corners
in the first half and might have scored from three of them. Abdoulaye Faye,
who only lasted 25 minutes before limping off with a twisted knee, was at
the far post to meet one corner, after Dave Kitson had flicked on the
initial delivery from Liam Lawrence. His volley was cleared off the line by
Mido, and when Etherington sent over the next one, Faye headed wide from a
clear header. By then, Lawrence could have opened the scoring for Stoke but,
in a rare blemish from what was otherwise a productive performance, he
blazed a promising opportunity wide. West Ham, too enjoyed some excellent
chances of their own - Cole missing the best of them, unable to get enough
control of the loose ball to test Sorensen after being put free following an
error from Robert Huth. In a frantic finale, West Ham were sucked into
drilling long, speculative balls into the area - and generally Stoke coped
well. In injury time, they may have grabbed an equaliser when Jonathan
Spector's cross found the back of Cole's head, but the ball just sailed over
the corner of Sorensen's goal. And as the rain came down, Stoke held on to
take the points.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Stoke manager Tony Pulis: "It was a fantastic goal. Ric can do that. As a
player, if he gets in that position he is so strong and his feet are so
quick he can do that. It was a special goal. "If we can get to 40 points
[Stoke are 10th with 39] that is definitely safe. We finished 12th last year
with 45 points. "It would be lovely to get 46 points. To reach the
quarter-finals of the FA Cup and to beat that tally would be a real good
season for us."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gianfranco Zola to consider future as West Ham boss
BBC.co.uk

Gianfranco Zola said he will consider his position as West Ham boss after
his side lost a sixth straight match on Saturday, beaten 1-0 at home to
Stoke. Zola told BBC Sport: "It is very painful and I would have to think a
lot about how the situation stands. "I need to find out what is the problem
- and if the problem is me. I will have to think about that overnight. "I
don't think it's that the players are not trying. The bottom line is to see
whether I can help them or not." West Ham co-owner David Gold, who had
backed the manager before the game, said he remained "100%" behind Zola.
Ricardo Fuller scored the winner to leave West Ham above the relegation zone
only on goal difference - and the Londoners are now on their worst losing
run in the top flight in 43 years. Initially, Zola said his thoughts were
only on "the game today and how we can sort it out". "We tried very hard, it
is very disappointing and painful for me," he added. "We are in a difficult
situation. We were pressing hard, expending a lot of energy and the goal
flattened us a little bit. "It's tough. I thought in the first half we did
quite well, it was close, Mido had a great chance. It was a balanced game.
Fuller changed the game." The result leaves West Ham level on points with
Hull but having played a game more than the Tigers, who beat Fulham on
Saturday to greatly improve their chances of climbing out of the drop zone.
West Ham's humbling 3-1 defeat by Wolves on Tuesday had left Zola under
tremendous pressure, with co-owner David Sullivan heavily criticising the
team on the club's website.
Zola felt his side gave a better performance than against Wolves but could
not hide his despair at the loss. "I told them I was much more pleased than
I was on Tuesday. Better shape and teamwork. It is just a pity," he said.
"Everything is important. The players need to be confident and to be helped,
so we can improve the situation. "It's about confidence and believing in
themselves. We have to come though these tough moments. I have total faith
that players will react in the right way. "It's going to be tough but we are
still out of the bottom three."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
They shoot horses, don't they?
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 27th March 2010
By: Staff Writer

Irons winger Kieron Dyer faces another spell on the sidelines after breaking
down during today's 1-0 home defeat against Stoke. The 31-year-old former
English international started today's game against the Potters but was
substituted at the break after sustaining an injury, the details of which
remain unknown at present, during the first half. Dyer, who moved from
Newcastle to West Ham for £6million in August 2007 has made 11 appearances
for the Hammers this season but is yet to play a full 90 minutes. Today was
his fifth start of the season but barring the recent defeat at Chelsea, Dyer
- who still has another 17 months of his four-year contract remaining - has
failed to play for more than an hour since last September.

Dyer-y of a Sicknote - 2009/10 season

August

Wolves (a) - 73 minutes (subbed)
Blackburn (a) - (sub) 23 minutes

September

Liverpool (h) - (sub) 24 minutes
Bolton (a) - 75 minutes (subbed)

December

Man Utd (h) - (sub) 23 minutes
Birmingham (a) - (sub) 22 minutes
Bolton (a) - 21 minutes (subbed)

February

Man Utd (a) - (sub) 15 minutes

March

Bolton (h) - (sub) 43 minutes
Chelsea (a) - 68 minutes (subbed)
Stoke (h) - 45 minutes (subbed)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola on ... Stoke
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 27th March 2010
By: Staff Writer

The predicatable barrage of questions regarding his immediate future were
waiting for Gianfranco Zola as he reflected on defeat to Stoke....

Improvement on Wolves?

I think that the good thing was that at least the team performed better as a
team. We just couldn't get the final touch. The end product was not as good
as I expected it to be and that was the difference, really.

We had better team shape and we tried really hard. Fuller made a difference
when he came on with a piece of quality. Sometimes in games, especially when
they are in a tight situation like this one, one bit of quality can make the
difference and that was definitely the case.

What about your future?

I think the defeats were very painful and I will have to think a lot about
how the situation stands and find the solutions. We'll see what we can do.

Could you walk away?

I'm saying that I will have to consider a lot about today's game. There is a
lot to think about. I'm not saying or hinting towards anything.

Have you spoken to the owners?

The owners are behind us. They support us. They saw that the team tried very
hard today and they were very supportive. That is a very good starting
point.

Do you feel you have player backing?

I think the performance was okay. If you saw the way the players worked hard
for us, it tells you a lot about it. I don't think the players are playing
against us. I don't see that. Trust me, if I had seen something like this,
you wouldn't be talking to me right now.

Are you getting the best out of them?

Looking at the results, I can honestly say no, but there are circumstances.
As I said, that's one of the considerations that I have to make. I'm not
looking for excuses – we are not performing as well as we should and I take
responsibility for that, so we need to improve them.

Are you seriously considering walking away?

Right now, I'm flat because we lost another game and that was the sixth game
in a row that we have lost and that's not good for me. I have to see what
the problem is. I'm not considering anything other than finding out the
problems – if the problem is me, why not, but I will have to think over a
lot.

Overnight?

I will think overnight and see what the problem is. I don't think the
problem is that the players are not trying hard for us. The bottom line is
if I can help them or not. I have a big bond and legacy with the players.

Fans still with the team?

The fans have been very good today and I have to say 'thank you very much'
to them. That was a good response. It was a pity we could not give them what
they were looking for.

You would resign if in club's best interests?

If I see that I cannot do a good job for this club, I am here just for that.
I have no other agendas other than doing a good job for this club, so I will
consider overnight whether I am doing a good job or not.

Thoughts on Sullivan comments?

I have already said what I think about that and I think it hasn't been
helpful, but today the owners came over after another defeat and they were
supportive, which is very good. The players appreciate that. It will be a
help for them. They are feeling down, I'm feeling down, so to have their
support is very good.

Do you think you'll be sacked?

I don't know. I don't think so, and anyway, it's not a problem, it's not a
danger for me. I know what my duties are and I know right now the situation
is not going the way it should. Obviously I'm prepared to accept the
situation.

Will you be in charge next weekend?

I think so. I think it would have to be… We'll see what happens. I can't say
what is going to happen, but I'm confident.

Let me think a lot overnight. That's the bottom line. I have to see if I am
really the right man. If I don't see that I'm the man then I will let you
know. Right now, I think the players are behind us. I just think we need to
change something to be more helpful to them.

How worried about relegation situation?

Six defeats with a difficult game coming on Sunday is not great, but as I
said, looking out there, the players are committed and we're going to be
working on making that commitment more effective.

Will you speak to owners again over weekend?

We will be talking. It will be a weekend when we are talking to each other.

Does admission make owners think you have admitted defeat?

Why? I'm honest and I tell you the situation. I'm not saying if I'm
confident or not. If I wasn't confident I wouldn't be… Don't try to change
the situation into another one. I'm trying to be honest. As I said, I want
to do a good job. If I'm not able to do a good job I will tell you.

Steve Clarke?

Steve is a fighter and we'll be working hard to improve the situation.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
20100327 Zola to consider future
Italian could walk after defeat to Stoke
Last updated: 27th March 2010
SSN

Gianfranco Zola will consider his future overnight after West Ham's 1-0
defeat to Stoke. West Ham equalled an unwanted 43-year record on Saturday as
Ricardo Fuller's 69th minute strike saw the Potters inflict a sixth straight
defeat on the Hammers at Upton Park. Only a better goal difference is
keeping the East Londoners out of the drop zone, but third bottom Hull City
- who beat Fulham to go level with Zola's side - have a game in hand on
their relegation rivals. Speculation has been rife about the Italian's
future throughout the week and the Hammers tactician has hinted he could
leave the club. "I don't want to talk about it (leaving), I'm so
disappointed about today's game - that is not in my mind now and the rest we
will see," Zola told Sky Sports. Asked whether he would consider resigning,
Zola said: "I have to find out what the problem is. If the problem is me
then why not? "The players are trying hard for us. The bottom line is to see
whether I can help them or not. "I will consider overnight whether I am
doing a good job or not."
West Ham's 3-1 defeat to Wolves on Tuesday saw co-owner David Sullivan
describe the performance as "pathetic" and "shambolic", but Zola thought his
side's latest loss was an improvement from the midweek result. "I think it
was better than the way we played the other day, unfortunately it wasn't
enough to win the game but it was better than the game midweek. "In the
first half we played well but in the second half it was a pity as Fuller's
goal changed the game." Mido replaced Benni McCarthy in the West Ham
starting line-up on Saturday and the on-loan Egyptian striker squandered the
Hammers' best chance of the match when he fluffed his lines from six yards
in the 35th minute. Zola admitted he spoke to the former Tottenham forward
about the miss and gave the 27-year-old the benefit of the doubt. "He told
me it bounced too high so he couldn't convert it and that was unfortunate,"
he added.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold still backing Zola
West Ham co-owner '100 per cent' behind manager
Last updated: 27th March 2010
SSN

David Gold has told Gianfranco Zola that West Ham's owners remain '100 per
cent' behind him following the loss to Stoke. Ricardo Fuller scored the only
goal of the game at Upton Park to condemn the Hammers to their sixth
successive Premier League defeat. Zola's position as manager had already
come under intense scrutiny prior to the weekend and there was speculation
that his days in the job could be numbered. The Italian is to consider his
future overnight after holding talks with co-owners Gold and David Sullivan
immediately after the clash with Stoke. Gold maintains that he is still
backing Zola, although he admits results have not been good enough and must
start to improve at once. West Ham are currently outside the relegation zone
only by virtue of having a better goal difference than Hull City, while
there are six games of the season remaining. "All I can say to you is that
we had a meeting with him, we assured him that we were right behind him,"
Gold told Sky Sports News. "We have got six very, very difficult games and
he has got to get some results for us, but we are absolutely 100 per cent
behind him." Asked for confirmation that if Zola was to leave his post it
would be his decision rather than the owners', Gold replied: "It certainly
won't be my decision as we speak because my decision is that he is our
manager as we speak."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fuller magic sinks Hammers
Pressure mounts on Zola as Stoke take Upton Park spoils
By Elliot Ball Last updated: 27th March 2010
SSN

Man of the match: Ricardo Fuller may have only come on for the last 24
minutes but the Jamaican striker's wonderful individual effort proved the
difference on the day and he is a deserved winner of today's gong.
Miss of the match: On-loan striker Mido was guilty of squandering the best
chance of the first-half as he made a royal mess of his shot from six yards
and it proved a costly one bearing how the match turned out.
Save of the match: Robert Green was one of the few West Ham players to turn
out a decent performance and his stop to deny Tuncay's blast in the
second-half was his best of the day.
Talking point: Should Zola remain Hammers boss after this latest defeat and
can Stoke secure a top-10 finish after their latest away success?

West Ham's hopes of Premier League survival took another hammer blow as
Ricardo Fuller came off the bench to score Stoke's winner at Upton Park. It
was a moment of scintillating brilliance in an otherwise scrappy affair that
separated the sides as Fuller scored only his second league goal of the
season with a stunning solo effort to boost the Potters' hopes of a top-10
finish. But all eyes will be on Gianfranco Zola, whose side have now lost
their last six league games - their worst run in 43 years - and sink closer
to the relegation zone after Hull City beat Fulham to go level with the East
Londoners with a game in hand. Under-fire Zola was told he would not be
sacked even if his team lost, but with only goal difference keeping the
Hammers out of the relegation zone, pressure will be immense on the Italian
to deliver with just six games left in the season. West Ham co-owner David
Sullivan had blasted the midweek 3-1 defeat to Wolves as "pathetic" and
"appalling" and there was little evidence of an improvement on Saturday. In
an open letter to supporters Sullivan also pointed to West Ham's lack of
quality players and, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole apart, that was clearly
evident as they once again lacked passion and ideas.
Zola made five changes from the Wolves defeat, a couple of which raised more
than a few eyebrows around Upton Park. Mido, who came in for Benni McCarthy
up front, spent most of the game off the pace and missed a sitter while
Manuel Da Costa was at fault for Fuller's goal. Kieron Dyer came into the
team but only lasted until half-time while the industrious Mark Noble was
sacrificed early but Zola persevered with Mido. Stoke, who moved up to 10th
place with the victory, featured two changes with Liam Lawrence and Mamady
Sidibe both promoted into the starting team. It was the visitors who had the
first attempt on goal after Jonathan Spector's attempted clearance on the
edge of the West Ham box had crashed against Lawrence's arm. Referee Andre
Marriner waved play-on as Lawrence pounced on the loose ball but his shot
flew over the bar. West Ham dealt well with Rory Delap's long throws -
helped by the installation of some new advertising hoardings - but were less
than convincing in defending corners and were fortunate Abdoulaye Faye
squandered two chances. Dave Kitson's flick fell to Faye at the back post
but Mido dived in at the last minute to block his shot. When Matthew
Etherington, on his first return to Upton Park since leaving West Ham for
Stoke, whipped in another corner Faye rose highest but directed his header
wide. Parker sparked a West Ham counter-attack with another run through the
heart of the Stoke midfield and he slid a perfectly-weighted pass through
for Cole. But Stoke keeper Thomas Sorenson was off his line quickly and he
smothered the chance just as Cole looked to touch the ball past him. West
Ham had 19 shots on goal against Wolves, managing only a hollow injury-time
consolation, and they were similarly profligate today. Cole and Parker
apart, West Ham lacked the quality and composure in the final third as
chances went begging, with Mido twice the guilty party. Cole unleashed a
fierce left-footed strike from the edge of the box which Sorenson did well
to block but Mido made a hash of the rebound. Mido was 10 yards out and with
only a sprawling keeper to beat but he could not bring the rebound under
control and it ricocheted away off his thigh. Parker fed Valon Behrami on
the left of the Stoke box but the Swiss international midfielder blasted his
shot wide of the near post.
Dyer was replaced at half-time by Alessandro Diamanti and Stoke were forced
into a change two minutes into the second period when Tuncay Sanli came on
for the injured Kitson.
Parker raced out of the wall to block a Robert Huth piledriver and took the
ball flush in the face but picked himself up to continue as West Ham's
heartbeat. Cole needed treatment but continued and jinked his way into space
before attempting to curl a 25-yard effort round Sorenson but it hardly
troubled the Stoke keeper. Cole was then hauled down by Glenn Whelan and
Diamanti tried his luck from 35 yards out but blasted his shot high into the
Bobby Moore Stand and then held up his hands in apology. Behrami launched a
counter-attack after West Ham had dealt with a Stoke free-kick and he ran 70
yards but could not find space either to shoot or pick out Cole and was
eventually crowded out in the box. Fuller was sent on for Etherington and
within two minutes he had scored the winner with a brilliant solo effort.
Fuller collected the long ball from Collins on the left edge of the box,
left Da Costa flailing, cut past Parker and inside Matthew Upson before
rifling his shot past Robert Green. West Ham desperately chased an equaliser
but fired blanks. Cole saw a header drift just wide and Diamanti drilled a
last-minute free-kick straight into the wall - symptomatic of West Ham's
lack of quality.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola set to weigh up future
The Sun

GIANFRANCO ZOLA has said he will consider his future as West Ham manager
following the 1-0 home loss to Stoke. Hull's victory over Fulham at the KC
Stadium means that only goal difference now separates West Ham from the
relegation zone. Asked whether he would consider resigning, Zola said: "I
have to find out what the problem is. If the problem is me then why not?
"The players are trying hard for us. The bottom line is to see whether I can
help them or not. "I will consider overnight whether I am doing a good job
or not." Zola continued: "Right now I am flat because we lost another game
and it is the sixth defeat in a row and it is not good for me. "It is very
painful and I will think a lot about how the situation stands and find a
solution. We will see what we can do. "I will have to consider a lot about
today's game. There is a lot to think about. I am not hinting towards
anything. "If I don't think I am the man I will let you know but right now
the players are behind us, we just need to change something to be more
helpful towards them."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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