WHUFC.com
Matthew Upson believes teamwork will be the key to Barclays Premier League survival
24.03.2010
Matthew Upson has admitted West Ham United must go "back to basics" in their battle for Barclays Premier League survival. The Hammers sit three points clear of the relegation zone following Tuesday's 3-1 home defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers. Gianfranco Zola's side struggled for fluency against Mick McCarthy's men, while individual mistakes cost them dear at both ends of the pitch.
Now, having lost to fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers and Wolves in their last two home matches, captain Upson has called on every player - including himself - in a claret and blue shirt to wake up to the situation before it is too late.
"I think we're in a position where, certainly at home in the last couple of games, we haven't delivered performances that were acceptable. At this stage of the season, looking at our league position, you could say we're close to that point [rock bottom] and perhaps we need to realise that point before we can make forward steps, especially at home.
"It's not a nice feeling but what we're going to do about it is what we need to be focusing on and there are enough games left for us to accumulate the points we need. We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we're doing. It's up to us, the management and the players, to do something.
"It just looks like we've lost that ability to work as a team at the moment. Personally, I can't look at people and start pointing the finger in terms of not wanting to commit to it - it's just a case of, you can do run around and commit to all you want, but if you're not doing it as a team, it's not going to have the desired effect. I think we need to go back to basics on that front and realise what we've got to do tactically to get the three points."
Tuesday's defeat was marked by vocal protests from some home fans, and Upson conceded that the supporters were justified in their complaints, challenging his team-mates to turn those jeers to cheers when Stoke City visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday.
"I understand it because the supporters are passionate and it works both ways. We are worshipped when it's going great and when it's not, your at the other end of the stick. That's part of the game and part of the pressure of playing for a club like West Ham. The expectation is high and, when it's not delivered, you get told about it. I like that, personally. I'd rather have that than play at a club where people are not too bothered.
"To me, that's an exciting part about playing for this club and I'd rather have that than not have it. Is it helpful? Probably not at this time, but it's a test of us as a team and if you can't deliver then you shouldn't play for West Ham."
While calling on his colleagues to rise to the occasion against the Potters, the skipper insisted that their efforts would be in vain unless they were channelled together in a purposeful manner. In short, teamwork will be a vital ingredient in West Ham's fight to beat the drop.
"I think I need to try to get us together a bit more, as a team. It's a difficult thing because that's not the sort of thing that lands in your lap one morning and it just arrives - it needs to be worked on. I think we need to work on that on the training pitch, and probably off it as well, and be more of a group. Hopefully, that will change our performance for Saturday.
"I can only think that, looking at the performances at home in the last two games, at the moment we've forgotten how to do that. That's the way I look at it. I don't think anyone has turned off or gone on holiday early or switched off. I just think we've lost that togetherness and tactical togetherness on the pitch that wins football matches."
"I think there is pressure, of course. At this stage of the season at a club that is as demanding as West Ham, the supporters and everyone around it demand a certain quality, and we haven't delivered that in the last two or three games. Yes, there is pressure, but if we are feeling it will be tested on Saturday. If it gets to us, then we're not going to survive it, so it's a big test for us as a group."
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West Ham owner David Sullivan says Hammers can stay up
By Frank Keogh
BBC.co.uk
West Ham joint owner David Sullivan has told BBC Sport he is "very confident" the club will avoid relegation despite a 3-1 loss to fellow strugglers Wolves. A fifth straight defeat left home fans fuming and heaped the pressure on boss Gianfranco Zola, whose side lie just above the Premier League drop zone. I'm very confident we'll stay up, but it's a bad position," said Sullivan. "We're all shell-shocked and deep in thought. I still don't think we'll be relegated but it is more likely now."
West Ham are just three points clear of safety following Tuesday's loss, which upset many Hammers fans who turned up to watch. As the players left the pitch, striker Carlton Cole was involved in an altercation with one irate supporter. Sullivan refused to discuss Zola's future with the BBC, although it is understood co-owner David Gold spoke to the manager after the match, and was scheduled to speak with him again on Wednesday. Zola said he took responsibility for the defeat by Wolves, who are now up to 15th in the table. "The team is not playing well," said the Italian. "I take responsibility. I am personally hurt because I didn't expect a performance like that. It is painful. "It is a big blow. For me personally and the team. These are the moments when you have to react."
The match had started with a boisterous atmosphere inside Upton Park but Hammers fans turned on their side as they went 3-0 down with barely an hour gone. Some chanted, "You're not fit to wear the shirt" at the players, while Zola also came under fire as fans jeered, "You're getting sacked in the morning."
Thousands of others headed for the exits as the travelling Wolves supporters celebrated a well-deserved win that takes them closer to survival.
WEST HAM'S RUN-IN
27 Mar Stoke H
4 Apr Everton A
10 April Sunderland H
19 April Liverpool A
24 April Wigan H
1 May Fulham A
9 May Man City H
Captain Matthew Upson has called for the players to unite and put in a concerted effort to get out of trouble. "We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we are doing," he said. With seven Premier League matches to go, West Ham are one place and three points ahead of Burnley and Hull, in 18th and 19th place respectively. Their relegation rivals have arguably an easier run-in while Hull also have a game in hand. Sullivan has said West Ham, which had debts of £110m when he took over with Gold, faces "Armageddon" if they are relegated. Reaching for his calculator, he told BBC Sport: "We have to remember there is over 15% of the season left - 18.42%, in fact. "We will see. The bookies think we are going to stay up and they are normally right."
Zola's team were second best throughout against Wolves, with a Scott Parker shot that hit the post in the first half and a late consolation goal from Guillermo Franco among few bright moments in a dismal display. Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matthew Jarvis all got on the scoresheet for Wolves as they rose to 15th spot. West Ham now face Stoke at home on Saturday but must also travel to Liverpool, Everton and Fulham before the end of the season. Former Chelsea star Zola said he did not welcome fans jeering his players. "It hurts me very much," he said. "I have a close bond with this team. The only way we can do better is to play better and win games. That's the only way we can react to this. "Wolves played well and I was impressed and surprised by their performance but, when you are in this situation, shouting at the team will not help. "It is very difficult to take any positives out of this. It's been simply a bad day for us and I need to think a lot about that."
The 43-year-old, who is managing his first club, said any frustration should be directed at him. "If (the fans) want to pick on somebody they must pick up on me because I am responsible," he stated. "If they want to chant something they must chant about me. They have to leave the players because they belong to West Ham, they are working for West Ham and they are committed to West Ham. "Last year, when we were playing well, I was getting compliments. I took the compliments. I can take the criticism as well but they should leave the players."
Police and stewards were on hand as an angry group of fans gathered above the tunnel as players left the field. Striker Benni McCarthy said fellow forward Cole was dragged away by team-mates after an altercation although it is thought the Football Association is unlikely to take any disciplinary action. "I thought Coley knew the guy at first as they were speaking normally," said the South African. "Eventually I saw some other players go back out and drag him inside. Maybe what went on today got to him and he reacted the wrong way."
Wolves boss McCarthy was delighted to see his side come through so impressively. After securing a seventh point over their last three games - all played on their travels - he said: "We have not sewn anything up yet but we have gone a long way towards helping out. "The scoreline didn't flatter us. We played very well and deserved that victory. I don't think anyone could disagree with that. It was a vital win for us."
It was a desperate result for Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke. The pair took over at West Ham in September 2008 from Alan Curbishley, who quit in protest at the club's sale of key players under Icelandic owners. In their first season, Zola and Clarke nearly took the Hammers into Europe before they eventually finished ninth, one place behind Tottenham on goal difference. West Ham comfortably won the opening match of the 2009/2010 season at Wolves but the campaign has been blighted by injuries and off-the-field turmoil. Sullivan and Gold, who are long-term Hammers fans, saw off three rival bidders to take ownership of the club in January and gave immediate backing to Zola but there has been controversy since. On the eve of a crucial match at home to Birmingham, the owners' former club, Sullivan revealed he would ask players to take a pay cut at the end of the season. Zola called the remarks ill-timed but West Ham won the match 2-0 and followed up with a 3-0 defeat of Hull on 24 February, the club's only two victories in 2010.
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Upson close to rock bottom
Centre-back understands fans' frustrations
Last updated: 24th March 2010
SSN
Matthew Upson has admitted West Ham are close to rock bottom after their defeat to Wolves in the battle to stay in the Premier League. Defensive errors cost the Hammers dearly as they lost 3-1 to Mick McCarthy's side at Upton Park on Tuesday. Some home fans turned on manager Gianfranco Zola in the wake of the defeat, but England international Upson insists players must take responsibility. He told the Evening Standard: "We are in a position where, certainly at home in the last couple of games, we have not delivered performances that were acceptable. "At this stage of the season, looking at our league position, you could say we are close to that point [rock bottom] and perhaps we need to realise that before we can make forward steps. "It is not a nice feeling, but what we are going to do about it is what we need to be focusing on and there are enough games left for us to accumulate the points we need. "We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we are doing. It is up to us, the management and the players, to do something."
Upson added: "It just looks like we have lost that ability to work as a team at the moment. "We need to go back to basics on that front and realise what we've got to do tactically to get the three points. "We need to work on that on the training pitch, and probably off it as well, and be more of a group. Hopefully, that will change our performance against Stoke for Saturday."
Upson understands why some supporters vented their frustrations so publicly. He said: "It is because the supporters are passionate and it works both ways - we are worshipped when it is going great and when it is not, you're at the other end of the stick. "That is part of the game and part of the pressure of playing for a club like West Ham." He added: "Is it helpful? Probably not at this time, but it is a test of us as a team - and if you can't deliver then you should not play for West Ham."
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Gold confident of survival
West Ham co-owner tries to take pressure off Zola
Last updated: 24th March 2010
SSN
David Gold has told supporters not to play the blame game as West Ham prepare for 'seven cup finals' in their quest for Premier League survival. Some fans chanted for manager Gianfranco Zola to be dismissed as the Hammers slipped deeper into trouble with a disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to Wolves on Tuesday night. Gold can understand the frustration of supporters but has called on them to get behind Zola and the team ahead of the crucial run-in. West Ham remain three points above the relegation zone after 31 matches and co-owner Gold is confident Zola will guide the club to safety. "I had a chat with Franco after the game," Gold, who recently completed a takeover at Upton Park with long-time business partner David Sullivan, told talkSPORT. "I had a chat with Franco after the game. Of course he is disappointed, we are all disappointed, the fans are disappointed, of course they are. "We are in real difficulties right now. We have got some cup finals coming up now, but it is okay. "What we have to do is brush ourselves down, then we have to bounce back and say 'now we have seven huge, huge games and we have to pull ourselves out of it'."
Gold does not believe it would benefit West Ham for the fans to take their 'negativity' into Saturday's home clash with Stoke. He continued: "Obviously people are going to question the manager because they are looking for someone to blame. "Every West Ham fan will be saying 'who can we blame?' They start off blaming the players, then the manager and finally the owners. It is just the way of things. "But on Saturday we have a huge game [against Stoke] and we cannot carry that negativity into that game. "The fans are entitled to be disgruntled when their team are beaten 3-1 at home, but they know they need to bounce back and support their team in its hour of need. "I would say that we still have a marginal edge over our competitors, but yes, I think we will stay up."
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Gold : Hammers will beat the drop
The Sun
DAVID GOLD believes Gianfranco Zola can still guide West Ham to Premier League safety. The Hammers co-owner watched in disbelief last night as Zola's men crashed to a 3-1 defeat against Wolves at Upton Park. But Gold remains confident the Italian will ensure the Londoners are playing top-flight football next season. He said: "I had a chat with Franco after the game and of course he is disappointed, we are all disappointed. We know the fans are disappointed as well, of course they are. "We are in real difficulties right now, just three points above the bottom three. "We have got some cup finals coming up now, but it is OK. "What we have to do is brush ourselves down, then we have to bounce back and say, 'Now we have seven huge, huge games and we have to pull ourselves out of it'."
Gold, who bought the Hammers with David Sullivan in January, added: "Obviously people are going to question the manager because they are looking for someone to blame.
"Every West Ham fan will be asking who they can blame. They start off blaming the players, then the manager and finally the owners. It is just the way of things. "But on Saturday we have a huge game against Stoke and we cannot carry that negativity into the game. "The fans are entitled to be disgruntled when their team are beaten 3-1 at home, but they know they need to bounce back and support their team in its hour of need. "I would say that we still have a marginal edge over our competitors, but yes, I think we will stay up."
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David Sullivan refuses to guarantee Gianfranco Zola's future
Gary Jacob
The Times
Gianfranco Zola faces a crunch match at home to Stoke on Saturday
Gianfranco Zola's tenure is hanging in the balance after David Sullivan, the West Ham United co-owner, refused yesterday to provide an assurance about the Italian's future as manager. After five successive defeats, a sixth at home to Stoke City on Saturday could spell the end for Zola at Upton Park and there is widespread speculation of a managerial change this summer even if the club retain their Barclays Premier League status. Sullivan has a high regard for Mark Hughes, but it is believed that the former Wales, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City manager is not interested in the post. Hughes is on a shortlist for the job as Ivory Coast coach and is likely to receive other offers. "I'm very confident we'll stay up, but it's a bad position," Sullivan said. "We're all shell-shocked and deep in thought. I still don't think we'll be relegated but it is more likely now." Sullivan, however, proved unwilling to make any comment about the manager's future when asked about his position on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday. Senior officials at the club asked Zola whether he felt he was still the right man for the job in the wake of the 3-1 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday. Zola responded positively, insisting that he wanted to remain for the duration of the survival fight this season. Should the Italian be dismissed he would be entitled to significant compensation with three years remaining on his contract. The manager's task has not been helped by the request from the board for players to take a pay cut to help the club's finances and last week Zola was forced to deny that the co-owners have an input in his team selection. He has also been hindered by injuries, transfers and individual errors and there are concerns about the form of senior players such as Matthew Upson and Robert Green. James Tomkins, whose mistake led to the Wolves opening goal on Tuesday, may lose his place at centre half while, Mido and Benni McCarthy, the forwards brought to the club in January, have failed to make an impact. Zola at least received some backing from David Gold, the other co-owner, who has asked the fans, who turned on the players on Tuesday, to support the team. "We have no intention of making a change," he said. "We have every confidence in Gianfranco Zola to retain our Premier League status. It's marginal, but I think we will stay up."
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Gianfranco Zola facing uncertain future despite owner's assurances
Ben Smith
The Times
Gianfranco Zola's future as manager of West Ham United remains uncertain despite co-owner David Gold expressing his confidence that the club will avoid relegation. West Ham's season lurched into fresh crisis last night with a fifth successive Premier League defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 3-1 defeat loss prompted open dissent from the home supporters, while Carlton Cole was dragged away from a confrontation with a supporter near the players' tunnel at the final whistle. Gold, the West Ham co-owner, believes the club can still avoid relegation, although he failed to give Zola a ringing endorsement as manager. "I had a chat with Franco after the game," he said. "Of course he is disappointed, we are all disappointed, the fans are disappointed. "We are in real difficulties. We have got some cup finals coming up now, but it is OK. What we have to do is brush ourselves down, then we have to bounce back and say 'now we have seven huge, huge games and we have to pull ourselves out of it."'
Zola had been criticised by co-owner David Sullivan for being too nice to handle the trauma of a relegation battle, but Gold believes the blame must be shared by everyone at the club. "People are going to question the manager because they are looking for someone to blame," he said. "They start off blaming the players, then the manager and finally the owners. It is just the way of things. But on Saturday we have a huge game [against Stoke City] and we cannot carry that negativity into the game. "But what I would say is that I'd rather be West Ham than Portsmouth. I'd rather be West Ham than Hull and I'd rather be West Ham than Burnley. But it's marginal. You only have to look at the table, there's no denying that. We're three points clear. Hull have got a game in hand, but we have a superior goal difference so that gives us an edge. Our run-ins are not dissimilar; I would say that we still have a marginal edge over our competitors. But yes, I think we will stay up."
Zola accepted the blame for his team's performance and admitted he faces an uncertain future. "The owners can do whatever they feel is the right thing to do," he said. "I try to do my work as best I can every single day ... I have no time or desire to live worrying about things. Worry doesn't help me do a better job. "We tried tonight but in a disorganised way and that's very painful for me. It's my duty to correct that and I take full responsibility. I try to concentrate on the things I can do rather than the things I can't. Whether I will be able to do that, I don't know."
Cole's confrontation with a fan soured the mood at Upton Park further. "He had a problem with a fan but Carlton Cole represents West Ham and he's trying," Zola added. "Whether he's not playing at his best right now is another matter, but he's trying. If the fans have to pick on someone, they should pick on me. "The team is not performing very well right now, so I have to take the criticism. Last year, when we were playing well, the fans were showering me with compliments. Now they're blaming me, but I have no problem with that. I have to put things right."
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Gold calls for fans' support
Published 16:51 24/03/10 By Pa Sports
The Mirror
Joint-chairman David Gold has called on West Ham fans to unite behind the team when Stoke come to Upton Park on Saturday - in a match which could seal the fate of under-pressure Gianfranco Zola. Following Tuesday night's 3-1 home defeat to fellow relegation-battlers Wolves the Irons remain deep in trouble, just three points above the drop-zone. Fans called for Zola's dismissal during the match, while chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" also rang out around the Boleyn Ground and afterwards striker Carlton Cole was involved in an altercation with one such disgruntled supporter. "Every West Ham fan will be saying 'who can we blame?' They start off blaming the players, then the manager and finally the owners. It is just the way of things," Gold said on talkSPORT. "The fans are entitled to be disgruntled when their team are beaten 3-1 at home, but they know they need to bounce back and support their team in its hour of need. "On Saturday we have a huge game [against Stoke] and we cannot carry that negativity into that game. "I am feeling sorry for myself and I bet there are thousands of fans who feel sorry for themselves - and that is okay. "However, come Saturday morning, I will be back up for it and will be in the dressing room, rooting for the guys, supporting and encouraging them. That is what we do."
Gold continued: "We are in real difficulties right now, but it is okay. What we have to do is brush ourselves down, then we have to bounce back and say 'now we have seven huge, huge games and we have to pull ourselves out of it.' "I would say that we still have a marginal edge over our competitors, but yes, I think we will stay up."
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West Ham have reached rock bottom with Wolves defeat, admits Benni McCarthy - exclusive
Published 23:00 24/03/10 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
Hammers striker Benni McCarthy laid bare the startling extent to which morale has plummeted in the Upton Park dressing room following the defeat by relegation rivals Wolves.
The South African marksman - himself vilified by fans for not justifying his £45,000-a-week wages - admitted that the Hammers stars went missing and lost their bottle after falling behind at half time. Zola tried desperately to rally his troops in the interval but the West Ham striker admitted: "The manager tried but everyone's heads had dropped. We didn't really perform." "Everyone's heads were in their shirts and everyone was shy to show their faces - it was really hard." "We've got it all to play for. We are a good team, a great bunch of lads. We have reached rock bottom because we can't get any lower than this." "You play a home game you had to win, needed to win, especially against Wolves. No disrespect to them but we shoud have won. You lose it and you think 'where does it go from here?" The inquest into the Upton Park debacle continued yesterday. The Hammers' one saving grace is that the three teams in the drop zone - Burnley, Hull and Portsmouth - are all worse than they are. But McCarthy added to his team-mates' humiliation by insisting they all need to take a long, hard look at themselves after fans chanted: "You're Not Fit To Wear The Shirt" on Tuesday. He added: "It's back to the drawing board. We have to do our homework properly because this is a delicate situation." You have to give 100 per cent and win your games and our safety will get clearer."
"It seemed like it was going ok. Then they got a lucky goal, basically. An error from us and then everyone lost their heads. The fans started showing their frustrations and it made things even worse on the pitch." "It hurts very much. It's painful to try to get back. But we're professionals, we should have got back into it and we should have known better. We should have shown our character and changed people's minds. Given 110 -120 per cent. But we didn't do that. We let it affect us." "Everyone started hiding a little bit and that's no way to go about it when things are not going your way." "Now we have to look on the bright side, there are 21 points left. We have to do the maths. Ten points should see us ok." "Every single game left is very tough. It makes no difference who we are playing. We have to pull our socks up if we want to stay in this league. We get stick from the fans. You hear things, people singing and that." "We'll see what happens tomorrow and Saturday."
West Ham play Stoke on Saturday with defeat not an option if Zola is to keep his job. McCarthy added: "It's very difficult because so much is at stake in football clubs. If clubs are in situations like this you know what is going to happen." "We're all hoping and praying it doesn't because it will just make things worse than it is already." "There's a lesson to be learned. No-one in the dressing room wants to be looking out and hearing what went down in the stands. We have to play like we've never played before and hopefully the fans will appreciate that and we'll start getting them on our side again." "They are so important in situations like this. They make it hard for the opposition and can be an extra man."
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Zola to take charge against Stoke after telling owners he's up for relegation scrap - exclusive
Published 23:00 24/03/10 By James Nursey
The Mirror
Gianfranco Zola will remain in charge of West Ham for their vital clash with Stoke after spending Tuesday night pondering his future as boss. West Ham's Italian manager Zola, 43, was disconsolate after the dire 3-1 home defeat to Wolves which dismayed new owners David Sullivan and David Gold. They both spoke to Zola at Upton Park immediately after the Wolves debacle and it was decided that Zola should take the night to review his own position after five successive losses in the top-flight. Sullivan and Gold were not about to axe Zola there and then but wanted assurances that the diminutive Italian was still up for the challenge. Zola, in charge since September 2008, reported back yesterday morning that he intends to continue and will be at the helm for Saturday's visit by Stoke. Fans turned on Zola for the first time on Tuesday night, chanting: "You're getting sacked in the morning". But Gold was quick to back Zola publicly yesterday. Asked if the Hammers boss still had his support, the joint owner said: "That is still the case. He is disappointed but what we've got to do now is brush ourselves down and bounce back." "The fans are entitled to be disappointed. People are going to question the manager because they are looking for someone to blame." "We are looking at the abyss but I'd rather be West Ham than Portsmouth, Hull or Burnley. It's marginal but I still think we will stay up."
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West Ham line-up Glenn Hoddle to replace Gianfranco Zola - Exclusive
Published 23:00 24/03/10 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham are ready to make a sensational move for Glenn Hoddle - as Gianfranco Zola's future is dramatically plunged into fresh doubt. Hammers owners David Sullivan and David Gold have put the former England boss at the top of their wish list for the SoS call if they decide to dump Zola. Hoddle is free and available and could be approached in the next few days to see if he will come into the Hammers hot seat as the new regime frets about whether Zola is up to the task of beating the drop. The 52-year-old has been out of football management since an unsuccessful spell at Wolves, but his reputation as a coach is good - and Hammers are seriously considering him as the 'impact' appointment they may need. Zola's job is hanging by a thread. He may be allowed to take charge of the make-or-break clash with Stoke City, a game he would need to win, but the Italian could even be gone beforehand as further crisis talks are planned today. Hammers insiders reveal Zola could have been gone immediately if their first-choice successor - Mark Hughes - had been interested and up for the short-term appointment. Hoddle is working as a TV pundit but could be interested in a return to management, depending on the financial package involved and the call could go in very quickly to sound him out.
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Fit to wear the shirt?
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 25th March 2010
By: Matt Porter
The chants of "You're not fit to wear the shirt" that greeted Wolves' third goal at the Boleyn last night evoked memories of the dire straits that West Ham found themselves in three years ago.
On that occasion, a series of crushing defeats (remember 6-0 at Reading and 4-0 at Charlton?) left the Irons 10 points adrift from safety before the miraculous 'Great Escape' that kept Alan Curbishley's side in the Premier League.
Back in 2007, we'd all accepted the inevitability of relegation before the extraordinary run of results that turned things round. Today, in spite of the doom and gloom and the calls for the manager's head – the club are sitting three points clear of the trapdoor with a goal difference more favourable than their rivals. On this basis it could be fair to say that the fans who instigated the angry chanting and stormed out of the ground on the hour mark have hit the panic button way too soon.
I don't think it's a problem of dedication. Looking at the forums today there are plenty of accusations that the players aren't trying hard enough. It's not an opinion I buy into. There's a big difference between a lazy player and a clueless player. I don't mean that in a way that belittles the ability of the players or places blame on individuals. It's more of a team problem. Yes there are lapses in concentration happening all too often out there, but there's more pressing problems. The passing and link play is underpar and there's little evidence of a coherent formation. Out of sorts yes, but not fit to wear the shirt? I think that's unfair.
There's no doubt the lack of team coherence is the responsibility of the manager. Back in December in the aftermath of a narrow defeat at Birmingham I commented that I thought Zola still didn't know his strongest XI. It's now late March and that still seems to be the case. Furthermore he hasn't got to grips with how to organise the eleven he does pick. Fair enough, injuries have blighted his options, but name a club in the Premier League that hasn't had that problem this season.
In spite of these faults, the result last night could still have been so different. Wolves had only four shots on target – you have to give the visiting side a fair amount of credit for being so clinical in their finishing. For West Ham, the key moment was when Scott Parker burst through into the penalty area in the closing moments of the first half. The ball struck the inside of the post, then Wolves keeper Marcus Hahnemann reacted sharply enough to keep out Parker's follow-up shot. Such small margins could have changed the entire complexion of the game.
Thinking about the game in that way would probably paper over the cracks however. It's telling that the only clear cut chance the home side had until Franco's late goal came from Parker rather than one of the centre forwards. West Ham are pretty good at getting the ball into the strikers' feet, but thereafter nothing really happened. I suspect that neither Carlton Cole nor Benni McCarthy are fully fit, but even at half fitness you expect your strikers to pose at least some form of goal threat.
So what do the two Davids do now? Gold has already come out on the radio and said that Zola's job is safe. There are rumours that keeping Zola on until the end of the season was a condition of the takeover, but regardless of that I think the decision to stick with Zola is the right one. Hull decided that changing the manager was the way forward, but the best replacement they could come up with was Iain Dowie. With only 7 games to go, I'm struggling to see the benefits of taking a punt on a new manager. Zola's tactical nous might be lacking, but at least the players seem to respect and admire him.
Keep your fingers crossed and take hope from the fact that the teams below us seem to be just as useless as we are.
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WEST HAM WANT MARK HUGHES TO REPLACE GIANFRANCO ZOLA
ABOVE: West Ham want Mark Hughes to replace Gianfranco Zola as manager
25th March 2010 By Duncan WrightYour
WEST Ham want Mark Hughes to replace Gianfranco Zola as their new manager. the Hammers have sounded out former Manchester City boss Hughes about taking over in the summer after deciding Zola is not the man to lead the club forward. Co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan have publicly stood by the Italian despite the dismal 3-1 home defeat to Wolves on Tuesday which leaves their Premier League survival hopes hanging in the balance. But Starsport understands they have already pinpointed Hughes as the man they want to rebuild the club this season, believing Zola has already had plenty of time to prove himself in the job. Hughes is currently on a shortlist of managers being considered to take the Ivory Coast job ahead of this summer's World Cup. But the option of a permanent role back in the Premier League is one that interests him after he was harshly sacked as City boss earlier this season. Wages The fact that he had a better record in charge at Eastlands than his replacement Roberto Mancini has not gone un-noticed by Gold and Sullivan, who had even considered offering him a role on a short-term basis this season and putting Zola on gardening leave. Relegation would leave the Hammers in fi nancial trouble and Zola's £40,000-a-week contract does not include a relegation clause – meaning the club would be saddled with his wages even if they drop into the Championship. The Hammers had considered Hughes earlier in the season but decided to keep faith with Zola after an up-turn in form and results, but five straight defeats and the woeful display against Wolves have almost certainly sealed his fate at the end of the season. Hammers defender Matthew Upson admits the players must take a hard look at themselves as they battle to get out of trouble. Chants of 'You're not fitto wear the shirt,' rang round Upton Park on Tuesday night as the supporters lost faith in the faltering side. And England defender Upson recognises performances and results have not been good enough. He said: "We are in a position where, certainly at home in the last couple of games, we have not delivered performances that were acceptable. "It just looks like we have lost that ability to work as a team at the moment. "At this stage of the season, looking at our league position, you could say we are close to that point [rock bottom] and perhaps we need to realise that before we can make forward steps. "It is not a nice feeling, but what we are going to do about it is what we need to be focusing on and there are enough games left for us to accumulate the points we need. "We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we are doing. It is up to us, the management and the players, to do something."
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Soul-searching in West Ham dressing room
Hammers on the brink after capitulation to Wolves and McCarthy tells of stunned half-time reaction
Guardian.co.uk
It was the atmosphere in the home dressing room at half-time that damned West Ham United most of all. Scott Parker had struck a Wolverhampton Wanderers upright in the seconds before the interval on Tuesday night. Though they were still a goal down, that clear-cut opportunity could have carried them through the team-talk and fuelled conviction that the deficit could be clawed back and relegation rivals overcome. It was a moment for players and coaching staff to offer back-slapping encouragement and raucous gee-ups. Instead there was numbed silence.
The reaction said everything. "The manager tried but everyone's head had dropped," admitted Benni McCarthy. "We hadn't performed and everyone was hiding their head in their shirts, too shy to show their faces. It was really hard. It's hard to know what to say any more because it was just shocking. At least we've reached rock bottom. We can't get any lower than this. But we didn't expect that performance."
The second-half display was easier to explain in that shoddy context. The capitulation, when it came around the hour-mark, shredded what little confidence remained. West Ham are one place – and three points – above the relegation zone and a sense of panic is spreading. That was expressed by the owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, in their post-match meeting with Gianfranco Zola, the Italian crestfallen and dumbfounded by the mishmash he had just witnessed. The prospect of demotion to the Championship, with its cataclysmic financial implications, is unthinkable at the Boleyn Ground. This team has to survive but, on this evidence, they may do so only courtesy of the deficiencies of those below them.
The knee-jerk reaction would be to dismiss the club's manager of 18 months, particularly as he was appointed by the ancien régime at Upton Park. But Zola and his assistant, Steve Clarke, signed new three-year deals only last May and, with annual salaries of around £1.9m and £900,000 respectively, compensation would be hefty. Perhaps more significant is that no obvious short-term replacements stand out. The Premier League's "impact manager of the moment" is Iain Dowie, a man still living off a reputation forged largely over five giddy months in the second tier at Crystal Palace in 2004. There appears to be a lack of firefighters available.
The hope remains that a relatively paltry points tally should be enough to survive this season, given the inadequacies of Portsmouth, Burnley and Hull City. Yet, with Dowie's Hull still to host Fulham, Burnley and Sunderland – hardly easy fixtures but potentially winnable – West Ham desperately need to eke out breathing space and, judging by events against Wolves, they are imploding. Zola heaped the blame upon himself in the wake of his side's fifth consecutive reverse, stressing his players had tried, albeit in "a disorganised way". Defensively they had been shambolic. Clarke was much loved, and hugely rated, at Chelsea for his ability to instil defensive sureness into a side. His reputation is being tarnished by this term's toils.
Too much pressure is being heaped on James Tomkins, a highly promising young player who is prone to mistakes such as that which presented Kevin Doyle with Wolves' opening goal on Tuesday. More experienced colleagues such as Danny Gabbidon and Manuel da Costa have been affected by injuries and suspensions. Yet, the defence receives precious little support from those up-field. West Ham's wingers in the second half against Wolves, Junior Stanislas and Alessandro Diamanti, failed utterly to track back, so anxious were they to make inroads at the other end. The defence was left horribly exposed.
The rather frenzied approach, all desperate head-down charges into enemy territory with little pattern or precision to their game, merely added to the general sense of chaos. At one stage in the first half on Tuesday, Wolves – newly promoted and expected to struggle, but now settled and organised – pinged passes amongst themselves at will while the hosts gasped in pursuit of the ball. The move culminated with the excellent David Jones forcing Rob Green to save. But, where Wolves' patience went rewarded, West Ham's desperation always felt destined to yield negligible reward.
Zola recognises the problems. "They've been trying and have worked very hard but more as individuals than as a team," he conceded. "Making them play as a team is my responsibility." But so fragile is confidence in this corner of east London, with the supporters gripped by anxiety and ready to turn, that performances are wrecked and games surrendered on errors such as Tomkins' scuffed back-pass. Tuesday's game ended with a chorus of boos, Carlton Cole remonstrating with one fan and chants of "You're not fit to wear the shirt". All faith in this team's ability appears to have been lost.
"An error from us and then everyone lost their heads," said McCarthy. "Then the fans started showing their frustration and it made things even worse on the pitch. No one in the dressing room wants to be hearing what went down in the stands.Even if you know there's so much at stake, it's difficult to take. But we should have done better.We're professionals and we should have shown our character and changed people's minds. Instead We let it affect us. Everyone started hiding a little bitand that's no way to go about it when things aren't going your way."
Stoke City visit Upton Park on Saturday. A repeat of Tuesday's fiasco will not be tolerated by either owners or supporters. The club teeters on the brink.
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Gianfranco Zola assured of his West Ham future – for seven games
We're 100% behind the manager, says David Sullivan
'There's no point bringing in an Iain Dowie mark II'
Stuart James and Dominic Fifield
The Guardian, Thursday 25 March 2010
West Ham's co-owner David Sullivan has offered Gianfranco Zola his public backing and said the club remain "100% behind the manager". But Sullivan qualified that support by admitting that he is in no position to lure any other "ideal candidate" to Upton Park with seven matches remaining to preserve their Premier League status.
A fifth consecutive league defeat, to their relegation rivals Wolves on Tuesday, left West Ham still only three points clear of the cut-off and had sections of the support calling for Zola to be dismissed. Sullivan and his fellow co-owner, David Gold, and the vice-chairman, Karren Brady, met Zola after the 3‑1 defeat to review the loss and gauge the Italian's state of mind, with immediate improvement now expected.
"We're 100% behind the manager," said Sullivan. "There will be no changes. We all had a chat with him after the game to see how he felt about things. We realise the performance was absolutely appalling. We can't play like that again, and I'm sure the manager will be making changes for Saturday [Stoke] and I'm sure it will be a much better performance.
"That game is significant but it's one game out of seven. But, at the same time, I don't think bringing in an Iain Dowie mark II will make us a better team.I don't think [appointing an 'impact manager'] would be a major achievement. I just think the ideal candidates will not want to come for seven games not knowing whether you are going to stay in the Premier League. If the manager walks, it's a different scenario. But the bottom line is we're behind the manager."
Zola took training today and has assured the owners he remains committed to lifting West Ham out of trouble but doubts persist over whether he will remain beyond May. Zola and his assistant, Steve Clarke, signed three-year deals last May. Asked whether he sensed the Italian retained the desire, Sullivan said: "Very much so. He knows it was a bad performance and they can do better. And there will be changes at the weekend."
The extent of those changes, particularly in defence, remains to be seen. Sullivan remains unimpressed by the signings made by the previous regime, and their director of football, Gianluca Nani, which has apparently left West Ham's squad imbalanced. "Some of the transfers in and out were just appalling," he said. "How they bought [Alessandro] Diamanti and sold [James] Collins is beyond my comprehension. If you could change those two players in the team, the team would be better."We are not short of wingers. We're short of centre-halves. Collins is a fantastic player. It was a very, very poor decision to sell the player and use the money to buy Diamanti. A few decisions like that have been appalling. I didn't sleep a wink last night and I sympathise with [the supporters] 100%, and I know their frustrations. And as a team we have to do better."
The prospect of Zola, who was not the current owners' appointment, departing at the end of the season remains very real, though there is a acceptance that short-term issues are of greater importance. The unemployed Mark Hughes is admired, yet much will depend on the division in which West Ham begin next season.
Asked about suggestions Zola would leave at the end of the season, Sullivan added: "I wouldn't like to comment on that. Who knows? He could look like a hero or a dunce. If he wins the next seven games he looks like the best manager of all time. If he loses the next seven games he's the worst manager of all time. What people forget is there is 18.4% of the season still to go. That's a large chunk of the season.
"Three of the five defeats we've just suffered were expected. But to lose at home to Bolton and Wolverhampton in consecutive home games is appalling. I think we all accept that. But we will see what he is made of in the next few games."
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Matthew Upson admits West Ham's performances have not been acceptable
Matthew Upson maintains the West Ham players must take a hard look at themselves as they battle to get out of trouble at the wrong end of the Premier League.
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 5:29PM GMT 24 Mar 2010
Irons co-owner David Gold on Wednesday stressed confidence under-pressure manager Gianfranco Zola could guide West Ham to safety following the disappointment of Tuesday night's 3-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Wolves. Fans chanted for Zola's dismissal during the match, and afterwards striker Carlton Cole was involved in an altercation with one such disgruntled supporter following what was a fifth straight defeat. Zola stays calm for West Ham Chants of "You're not fit to wear the shirt" also rang out around the Boleyn Ground, and England defender Upson appreciates efforts have just not been acceptable of late. "We are in a position where, certainly at home in the last couple of games, we have not delivered performances that were acceptable," Upson said. "At this stage of the season, looking at our league position, you could say we are close to that point [rock bottom] and perhaps we need to realise that before we can make forward steps. "It is not a nice feeling, but what we are going to do about it is what we need to be focusing on and there are enough games left for us to accumulate the points we need. "We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we are doing.
"It is up to us, the management and the players, to do something."
Upson added: "It just looks like we have lost that ability to work as a team at the moment. "We need to go back to basics on that front and realise what we've got to do tactically to get the three points. "We need to work on that on the training pitch, and probably off it as well, and be more of a group. Hopefully, that will change our performance against Stoke for Saturday." Upson understands why some supporters vented their frustrations so publicly. He said: "It is because the supporters are passionate and it works both ways - we are worshipped when it is going great and when it is not, you're at the other end of the stick. "That is part of the game and part of the pressure of playing for a club like West Ham. "The expectation is high and, when it is not delivered, you get told about it. "I like that, personally, and I would rather have that than play at a club where people are not too bothered. "Is it helpful? Probably not at this time, but it is a test of us as a team - and if you can't deliver then you should not play for West Ham."
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David Sullivan urges Hammers to pull together
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
March 24, 2010
David Sullivan has told Soccernet that West Ham must present a united front if they are to avoid a potentially disastrous relegation which could cost the club around £40 million.
A disappointing 3-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Upton Park on Tuesday night leaves the club just three points clear of Burnley and Hull City, in 18th and 19th place respectively, although the Tigers have a game in hand over Gianfranco Zola's side. Sullivan has previously warned that relegation could represent "Armageddon" for a club that is mired in financial difficulties. The Hammers were £110 million in debt when David Gold and Sullivan bought a 50% stake for £52 million in January, and the pair have instigated cost-cutting measures to reduce the debt to just over £90 million. The stakes, then, could hardly be higher and Sullivan has urged the players to unite behind the under-pressure manager ahead of another important home game against Stoke on Saturday. Sullivan told Soccernet: "Yes, I am sure we will stay up, but only if players back the manager and everyone pulls in the same direction."
It is little wonder there is intense pressure on Zola - the manager the new owners inherited. The Italian may only have one game left to save himself from the sack, with victory against Stoke absolutely essential for the Hammers. If Zola loses his sixth straight game, Sullivan and Gold will have no choice but to think about bringing in a new manager, if not immediately then at the end of the season. Clearly, Gold and Sullivan are stuck between a rock and a hard place because, even if they axe Zola, they do not have a ready-made replacement. Managers are reluctant to risk their reputations by taking charge of a team that might already be heading for relegation. West Ham might look at Mark Hughes, Slaven Bilic, Steve McClaren and Glenn Hoddle, but it remains to be seen whether they would want to take over at this point. It might mean bringing somebody in on a short-term basis, who might not make the desired impact. Whatever the circumstances, Zola lives on to fight another day, at least.
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Little confidence left after latest Hammers blow
Posted by Robin Hackett
ESPN
Gianfranco zola's position at West Ham is under intense scrutiny after the 3-1 defeat at home to Wolves in what had been billed as a must-win game. For Dominic Fifield in the Guardian, the most worrying factor is the complete absence of spirit in the dressing room. It was the atmosphere in the home dressing room at half-time that damned West Ham United most of all. Scott Parker had struck a Wolverhampton Wanderers upright in the seconds before the interval on Tuesday night. Though they were still a goal down, that clear-cut opportunity could have carried them through the team-talk and fuelled conviction that the deficit could be clawed back and relegation rivals overcome. It was a moment for players and coaching staff to offer back-slapping encouragement and raucous gee-ups. Instead there was numbed silence.
The reaction said everything. "The manager tried but everyone's head had dropped," admitted Benni McCarthy. "We hadn't performed and everyone was hiding their head in their shirts, too shy to show their faces. It was really hard. It's hard to know what to say any more because it was just shocking. At least we've reached rock bottom. We can't get any lower than this. But we didn't expect that performance."
The second-half display was easier to explain in that shoddy context. The capitulation, when it came around the hour-mark, shredded what little confidence remained. West Ham are one place – and three points – above the relegation zone and a sense of panic is spreading. That was expressed by the owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, in their post-match meeting with Gianfranco Zola, the Italian crestfallen and dumbfounded by the mishmash he had just witnessed. The prospect of demotion to the Championship, with its cataclysmic financial implications, is unthinkable at the Boleyn Ground. This team has to survive but, on this evidence, they may do so only courtesy of the deficiencies of those below them.
The knee-jerk reaction would be to dismiss the club's manager of 18 months, particularly as he was appointed by the ancien régime at Upton Park. But Zola and his assistant, Steve Clarke, signed new three-year deals only last May and, with annual salaries of around £1.9m and £900,000 respectively, compensation would be hefty. Perhaps more significant is that no obvious short-term replacements stand out. The Premier League's "impact manager of the moment" is Iain Dowie, a man still living off a reputation forged largely over five giddy months in the second tier at Crystal Palace in 2004. There appears to be a lack of firefighters available.
He concludes: Stoke City visit Upton Park on Saturday. A repeat of Tuesday's fiasco will not be tolerated by either owners or supporters. The club teeters on the brink.
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Gianfranco Zola quit fears grow as West Ham board demand change in tactics to avoid relegation struggle
By Simon Cass
Last updated at 10:29 PM on 24th March 2010
Daily Mail
Gianfranco Zola has been forced to deliver a playing report to the new West Ham owners - in a bid to convince them he can still save the club from relegation. After five successive defeats and a chronic lack of confidence in their rookie manager, senior West Ham officials have demanded what is effectively a survival dossier. The report is expected to cover tactics, formation and selection. All have been questioned in the aftermath of the 3-1 home defeat by Wolves and they suspect Zola is making too many mistakes. Drastic changes are being called for and Zola and his No2 Steve Clarke are being asked: 'Do you have the answers?' West Ham considered Zola's future on Wednesday, but it would cost £3.5million to sack the pair. There is also the fear that such dramatic action could be counterproductive. As time runs out for West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola, Sportsmail remembers his highs and lows at Upton Park. Also, alternatives such as Mark Hughes, are currently unwilling to step into the hot seat. Zola, who feels the board have been over-zealous in their management since taking over in January, may find the latest intrusion intolerable. His players have held a team meeting, with senior squad members demanding a greater all-round effort. West Ham play Stoke at Upton Park on Saturday and Zola must win that game. His long-term future is already uncertain. It is expected he may resign at the end of the season, when a fair financial agreement may be thrashed out. He and Clarke Clarke signed new four-year deals last April but West Ham co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan were stunned to learn, on taking over in January, that no provision had been made to reduce their salaries in the event of relegation.
Zola was handed a deal worth £1.9m a year by the previous owner, Iceland businessman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, despite his lack of managerial experience. Clarke has a £1.2m-a-year contract, more than double that of his Manchester United equivalent, Mike Phelan. However, the owners are understood to be furious at the naivety being shown by the pair. Experienced alternatives have been discussed, with Hughes a long-term possibility. Hughes, however, is believed to be unwilling to discuss the role while Zola is in charge as he is still angry at the way Manchester City dismissed him and brought in Roberto Mancini.In footage posted on YouTube by a fan, Sullivan described West Ham's situation as 'a mess' and admitted the team need 'a new centre- half ' after watching the talented but overexposed James Tomkins hand Kevin Doyle an opening goal for Wolves fol lowing a dreadful back-pass. Even so, Zola is expected to be given another chance to steer West Ham away from the relegation zone when they take on Stoke. But defeat could seal the Italian's fate. Striker Benni McCarthy has revealed the gravity of West Ham's situation is not lost on the players. Following the demoralising 3-1 defeat by Wolves, he said: 'It's hard to know what to say any more because it was just shocking. 'The fans started showing their frustrations and it made things even worse on the pitch. We should have shown our character and changed people's minds but we didn't. We let it affect us. 'Everyone started hiding a little bit and that's no way to go about it when things are not going your way. 'In the dressing room afterwards everyone was too shy to show their faces. It was really hard.'
Gold said on talkSPORT: 'I had a chat with Franco after the (Wolves) game. He's disappointed, we're all disappointed. People are going to question the manager because people look for someone to blame. Every West Ham fan will be asking "who can we blame?". 'The fans are entitled to be disgruntled when a team loses 3-1 at home, it's the way of things but we can't carry that negativity into the next game.' After the final whistle on Tuesday, Carlton Cole became embroiled in an angry confrontation with fans near the tunnel. Police say one fan was thrown out of the stadium 'for using abusive language towards a player'. On the club website, captain Matthew Upson said: 'We need to have a long, hard look and change something about what we are doing. It is up to us, the management and the players, to do something. It just looks like we have lost that ability to work as a team.'
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