WHUFC.com
A terrific afternoon's work left the manager certain that many more good
days will be coming the Hammers' way
27.11.2010
Avram Grant was full of praise for his players for the vital 3-1 victory
against Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Valon Behrami and Scott Parker each
scored on their return to the midfield, either side of Victor Obinna's first
Barclays Premier League strike in claret and blue. It was a perfect
afternoon that also saw Robert Green save a Mauro Boselli penalty at
two-nil, before the SBOBET man of the match was beaten late on by a Wigan
consolation he could do little about for Tom Cleverley. "It was a big win, a
convincing victory," said Grant. "I am happy for that. I hope and I am sure
that it is only the beginning.
"We were more efficient today. We had played well before Liverpool game and
the performance was almost the same as we have been producing but we were
more efficient. We could have scored a few more goals. We had three or four
other big chances. This is the difference. We scored goals and this is the
name of the game."
Even so, Grant conceded that his reshuffled team - that also included James
Tomkins in at centre-back alongside Matthew Upson and winger Junior
Stanislas for his first appearance of the season - had begun in hesitant
fashion. "We started a little bit nervous, which I understand with our
position in the league and the game against Liverpool [last weekend]. Even
then, the players always tried to do the right thing, they were always
fighting and I am very happy because they responded."
It was Parker's return to the side after missing that Anfield date with a
chest infection that most galvanised the team. The midfielder - who scored
his sixth goal of the season - was simply outstanding again despite feeling
the effects of that illness. "He was great," added Grant. "Scotty represents
the good old fashioned character of the English game better than anyone. He
always gives 100 per cent, even if he is sick. He pushed to play and he did
very well.
"He scored a fantastic goal. He is doing unbelievable things. He is the
modern midfielder player. He wins balls, block shots, scores goals, gives
assists. What else can I say? He was not at his best [health-wise]
afterwards but he was happy. When you win you feel better."
Obinna and Piquionne proved they can be a potent partnership, with the
former making Parker's goal and the latter setting up his fellow striker for
his goal and also assisting on Behrami's opener. The manager, who was
optimistic on Behrami's apparent injury late on, was delighted to see
Obinna, in particular, break his league duck. "Victor was close to goals in
many games. Today he scored and gave a good assist. It is very important for
him. Freddie also did a good job, he missed chances but he set up two goals.
The other players worked very hard to help the strikers. We had seven or
eight good chances overall."
While Wolverhampton Wanderers' win against Sunderland keeps the Hammers on
the bottom, they are a win away from getting out of the bottom three. They
welcome Manchester United in the Carling Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday
before heading to Sunderland themselves next Sunday. Both games will be
televised and Grant expects his team to rise to the occasion. "It doesn't
matter what other teams do. We need to do our job and only when you come to
the last ten or eight games is it important what other teams do. A team in
tenth position now could still end up at the bottom. We are only seven
points from ninth place. This isn't a gap you cannot close with more than 20
games to go."
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West Ham 3 - 1 Wigan
BBC.co.uk
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer, Upton Park
West Ham United eased the pressure on manager Avram Grant with victory over
Wigan in what had been labelled the "Save Our Season" game. Grant came under
renewed pressure after a dismal performance in last week's defeat at
Liverpool - but there was a mixture of relief and elation around Upton Park
as the Hammers secured only their second Premier League win of the season.
West Ham remain rooted to the foot of the table, but Grant and his players
can at least take comfort from an improved performance, and more importantly
all the three points. After a nervous opening, Valon Behrami released the
growing tension 11 minutes before the interval by bundling home Frederic
Piquionne's header inside the area. Victor Obinna's first league goal of the
season doubled the lead early in the second half, although they still had to
survive a scare before sealing what was ultimately a comfortable win.
Wigan were awarded a penalty after Danny Gabbidon fouled Tom Cleverley, but
substitute Mauro Boselli was inexplicably allowed to take responsibility
only moments after coming on, with West Ham keeper Robert Green almost
inevitably saving. West Ham grabbed gratefully at the let-off and the
outstanding Scott Parker swept home a third from Obinna's cross after 75
minutes. Wigan's Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United and clearly a top
talent for the future, sent a composed finish beyond Green to pull a goal
back, but a comeback was never a serious possibility for the visitors. After
attaching such an important tag to this encounter, it appeared pivotal to
the future of Grant - who had new right-hand man Wally Downes at his side -
that West Ham emerged victorious.
And watched from the stands by Paolo di Canio - a guest in the hospitality
lounge named in his honour - they came out on top in a game marked more by
endeavour than quality. One game, especially in November, will not be
enough to save the Hammers' season but, if they can actually build on the
foundations laid by this win, it may just buy Grant more time. Carlton
Cole's reward for his public complaints about West Ham's current plight was
to be demoted to the bench. Junior Stanislas came in, while Parker was also
able to return after illness kept him out of the defeat at Liverpool. And it
was Parker who brought Upton Park to life after a subdued opening period
with a couple of trademark tackles, setting the tone for the Hammers to go
ahead after 34 minutes. Lars Jacobsen's cross was headed down by Piquionne
and Behrami timed his arrival perfectly to score from close-range, to roars
of elation and relief from the crowd. The surge in West Ham's confidence was
instant, with Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi saving twice in swift succession
from Stanislas' rising effort and Piquionne's header from only six yards
out. Piquionne was guilty of an awful miss as West Ham pressed for that
crucial second goal early after the break, putting the ball wide from only
eight yards out when unmarked right in front of goal. It was only a
temporary reprieve, though, as Obinna added the second after 56 minutes,
receiving Piquionne's pass in the area before firing a thumping left-foot
shot across Al-Habsi and into the bottom corner.
The goal prompted a double substitution from Wigan manager Roberto Martinez,
sending on Boselli and Victor Moses for Jordi Gomez and Franco di Santo -
and it proved to be a dramatic introduction. Boselli had only been on the
pitch for a matter of minutes when referee Mark Halsey pointed to the spot
after Gabbidon brought down Cleverley. It was the substitute's first
involvement as he stepped up to take the spot-kick, only to see a dismal
effort blocked by Green. West Ham made them pay for the miss with 15 minutes
remaining, Parker feeding Obinna before surging into the area to slide in
the return pass, a goal his performance richly merited. Wigan's reply from
Cleverley did not even count as consolation - this was all about West Ham
getting three points, and Grant showed his relief as he applauded the loyal
and vociferous home support at the conclusion.
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West Ham manager Avram Grant issues rallying call
BBC.co.uk
West Ham manager Avram Grant insisted his side can climb to mid-table safety
after their 3-1 home win against Wigan. They remain bottom of the Premier
League, but only a goal difference from Wolves and two points behind Wigan.
Grant said: "We are only nine points from the middle. That's (a gap) you can
close with more than 20 games to go. "We have played only 15 games, so at
the moment it does not really matter if Wolves win or the others do - we
need to do our job."
The Hammers had set up the game against fellow strugglers Wigan as the "Save
Our Season" game and Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker put them
3-0 up at Upton Park. Wigan substitute Mauro Boselli failed to convert a
penalty for his side when they were 2-0 down before Tom Cleverley scored a
late consolation goal for the third-from-bottom visitors, who are just two
points ahead of West Ham. "It was a good win and a convincing victory, I am
happy for us and hope it is only the beginning," said Grant. "We played like
we have all of the other games, but were more efficient [against Wigan]. "We
won, this is the difference and this is the name of the game. "We started a
bit nervous, which you can understand from our position in the league and
the last game [when we lost] at Liverpool. "But the players always tried to
do the right thing, were fighting and they have responded. "We are trying to
build a good mentality, which is important."
Grant also dismissed speculation concerning his own future at the club
following the poor start to the current campaign. "I never think about
myself, I am in a job where there are always rumours," said the former
Chelsea and Portsmouth boss. "I just need to concentrate on my job, that is
what I have done all my life and will do in the future." The Israeli brought
in Wally Downes as his defensive coach this week and, although there are
rumours former Hammers favourite Paolo Di Canio could come in as a coach to
the strikers, Grant said no approach had been made to the Italian. He added:
"There have been a few names, but I did not speak with him. "We want to
build West Ham step by step and are looking for more specific coaches which
will do specific jobs. "For me, Di Canio is always welcome at this club. He
is very respected and I had the honour to see him playing a few times, he
was a great player. "If he can teach our players how to play like him, I
will take him!"
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez was left to rue the manner of the goals his side
conceded as he believes his players failed to do themselves justice. "We
conceded three very cheap goals for our standards, and that is something we
will work on," said Martinez. "We had a few players missing, but that is not
an excuse. You got the feeling nothing was going our way. "There was a good
opportunity to get back into the game with the penalty, and then even at the
end we got a good goal ruled out. "It is quite clear to me the things we
need to work on, but I was pleased with the reaction towards the end. "It
was a day of a real test of character, and that was there, but in football
you cannot concede cheap goals, otherwise you are making things very
difficult.
"We just weren't ourselves, and that is where the work is going to be."
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West Ham Utd 3 Wigan Ath 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 27th November 2010
By: Staff Writer
West Ham remain bottom of the league - but with spirits high following a
convincing win over fellow strugglers Wigan at the Boleyn. Goals from Valon
Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker saw the Hammers through to a second
Premier League win of the season in front of a nervy east London crowd,
boosted by the presence of former player Paolo Di Canio. Swiss midfielder
Behrami opened the scoring when he bundled home Frederic Piquionne's header
on 34 minutes, much to the relief of the home support and manager Avram
Grant, stood on the touchline alongside new coach Wally Downes. United's
lead was doubled 11 minutes into the second half following a fine finish
from Obinna, who prior to today's game was officially the Premier League's
most profligate striker. The Nigerian strode into the penalty box before
unleashing a fierce drive that found the far corner of Wigan 'keeper Ali Al
Habsi's net.
The Hammers survived a brief scare on the hour mark when Rob Green saved
smartly from substitute Boselli's penalty kick, awarded after Danny Gabbidon
clumsily felled the on-loan Cleverley inside the box. Scott Parker ended the
game as a contest to put the Hammers three up fifteen minutes from the end
of normal time when he completed a fine move involving the tenacious
midfielder and Piquionne, grabbing a second assist of the game. But Wigan
still had time to grab a consolation through Athletic's stand out player
Cleverley, who fired an unstoppable effort high into Rob Green's top corner
with four minutes of normal time remaining.
The win reduces the gap between West Ham and 17th placed Fulham from five to
three points; next up for United are Man Utd who visit the Boleyn on Tuesday
evening in the Carling Cup.
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Grant opens door for Di Canio
Hammers boss says club legend may return as coach
Last updated: 27th November 2010
SSN
West Ham manager Avram Grant admits the door is always open for Paolo Di
Canio at Upton Park. The Hammers boss saw his side earn a vital 3-1 win
against Wigan on Saturday afternoon, as they bid to claw their way up the
Premier League table. Di Canio, who became a club legend while playing for
the Hammers between 1999 and 2003, watched the Latics victory in the stands
after visiting a hospitality suite named in his honour. The Italian has been
linked with a return to West Ham as an attacking coach in a week where Grant
appointed Wally Downes as a defensive coach, following the departure of
former assistant Zeljko Petrovic. And the Israeli tactician says he would
welcome Di Canio with open arms, commenting: "For me, Di Canio is always
welcome at this club. "He is very respected and I had the honour to see him
playing a few times, he was a great player. "If he can teach our players how
to play like him, I will take him."
Grant is looking to reshape his backroom staff following the departure of
Petrovic, but denies approaching Di Canio. He added: "There have been a few
names, but I did not speak with him. "We want to build West Ham step by step
and are looking for more specific coaches which will do specific jobs."
On new coach Downes' arrival and his own position, Grant remarked: "We
wanted to do something about the coaching staff, which I spoke about with
the board when I came here. "We had a chance to bring a defensive coach in
after Petrovic asked to leave. "I interviewed a few people and am very happy
Wally came. He is a good guy with a lot of knowledge about the game. "I
never think about myself, I am in a job where there are always rumours
(about potential sacking). "I just need to concentrate on my job, that is
what I have done all my life will do in the future."
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Grant relief at vital win
Grant looking for coaches to join club with Di Canio in attendance
Last updated: 27th November 2010
SSN
West Ham boss Avram Grant was delighted with his side's response after they
secured a comfortable 3-1 victory against fellow strugglers Wigan at Upton
Park. The Hammers claimed their first win since the end of September
following goals from Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker. However,
the Irons - now within three points of safety - remain bottom and had keeper
Robert Green to thank for saving a penalty from substitute Mauro Boselli
just after the hour which could have set up a nervous finish, although Tom
Cleverley did net a late consolation. But Grant believes the club are
putting together a bit of a run following three successive draws before last
weekend's defeat at Liverpool.
Efficient
He told Sky Sports: "I think, if you look at the performances before the
Liverpool game it was the same kind of display like today, but we were more
efficient. "We defended well except for their goal and the penalty, but for
me it was the same performance. We are playing well for most of the games.
"Everybody feels that we deserve more, but we need to do our job. When we do
the right things, the points will start coming." The Hammers boss reserved
special praise for inspirational midfielder Parker following his return from
illness. He said: "Scotty has been unbelievable for us this season. He is
doing everything. He wins balls, he wins tackles, he takes on shots and he
scores goals. "We weren't sure whether he was going to make it today but I
would say he has a good old English mentality."
Passion
Grant also hailed the appointment of Wally Downes as defensive coach,
commenting: "I think Wally is a very good guy. He has plenty of knowledge
and passion for the game, which I like and I'm sure that he will be good for
us." Grant, however, dismissed reports that former star Paolo Di Canio is
ready to be offered a role at Upton Park, although admitting that he is
looking for coaches to join the club to help with youth development.
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Bashing the Latics
Charlie's not impressed by woeful Wigan
Last updated: 27th November 2010
SSN
Charlie Nicholas said Wigan looked like relegation candidates as they
slumped to a 3-1 defeat at West Ham. Both sides were in the drop zone at the
start of play, but goals from Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker
saw the home side surge into a comfortable lead before Tom Cleverley's late
consolation. Wigan are now just two points ahead of West Ham, and Wolves
also narrowed the gap to the Latics by beating Sunderland 3-2, completing a
miserable day for Roberto Martinez. And with the exception of the
goalscorer, Nicholas was not impressed by their performance at all. "Wigan
were awful, I mean awful, he told Soccer Saturday. "Going forward the only
lad of note was Tom Cleverley, who scored the goal and won a penalty. He was
the only one who did anything to make a contribution to this game for Wigan.
"Defensively they were all over the place as well."
Cleverley had won a penalty in the 62nd-minute and with the score at 2-0,
substitute Mauro Boselli had a golden opportunity to put Wigan back into the
game only two minutes after coming on to the pitch. But he fluffed his
spot-kick and Nicholas felt the decision to let him take it was indicative
of Wigan's failings on the day. "He was petrified, he was chalk white," he
explained. "He was just on two minutes and you thought: 'He hasn't even
warmed up. Why doesn't someone else want to go up and hit it?' "He decided
to take it, I don't know if that was in agreement with the manager, but it
was the worst penalty. Robert Green dived to the left and dived beyond it,
but it was so poorly hit that it hit him in the shins and went clear. "It
was an awful, awful penalty and if they'd scored that it would have put a
little bit of pressure on West Ham. "Wigan deserved nothing from this. If
they continue playing like this and if Roberto Martinez thinks they're doing
okay then he's wrong. "They'll go down if they keep playing like this."
Contribution
Nicholas felt West Ham deserved more than three goals and he also praised
the contribution of the central defensive pairing of James Tomkins and
Matthew Upson. But he says they must show more attacking intent from the
start of matches if they are to get out of the bottom three. "A very good
win for West Ham, it could have been a lot more," Nicholas added. "Maybe the
confidence is just starting to come back a little bit. They were a little
bit more inventive in the last 30 yards of the pitch in the second half, but
they need to do that quicker. They can't wait until 35 minutes to get their
game going.
"They still lack quality for me. Parker came off, I think through exhaustion
and Behrami took a groin injury, so maybe the injuries are starting to pile
up also. "The positives I would look at are that Tomkins was better today
and I thought Upson was a little bit more solid also."
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Hammers steamroll Latics
Hammers claim crucial victory over fellow strugglers
Last updated: 27th November 2010
SSN
Man of the match: Tight call as Rob Green and Scott Parker both produced
outstanding displays but Frederic Piquionne was everywhere and had a hand in
two of the Hammers' three goals, so he gets it from me.
Goal of the match: Victor Obinna bagged his first Premier League goal with a
sizzling strike which flew into the far corner. He gets it despite Tom
Cleverley's late stunner.
Moment of the match: The relief around the ground was clear when 'Mr West
Ham' Scott Parker scored the third and Paolo Di Canio applauded the
midfielder from his private box.
Save of the match: Rob Green dived to his left as he saved Mauro Boselli's
spot-kick with the Hammers leading 2-0 at the time, proving to be a pivotal
moment in the match.
Talking point: Has the result saved Avram Grant's job at Upton Park? Can
Wigan recover from this massive loss?
West Ham secured only their second home win of the season with a 3-1 victory
against Wigan to relieve the pressure on under-fire manager Avram Grant.
Goals from Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker ensured the points
but only after Robert Green had saved Mauro Boselli'sspot-kick. And, despite
a late Tom Cleverley consolation goal for the visitors, the Hammers have
moved to within three points of safety. Behrami gave West Ham the half-time
lead with a goal after 34 minutes. Lars Jacobsen's angled cross was headed
down by the impressive Frederic Piquionne and despite a touch by defender
Steve Gohouri, Swiss midfielder Behrami, on his return to first-team action
after injury, bundled the ball past the advancing Ali Al Habsi. Eleven
minutes into the second half Obinna scored his first Premier League goal in
West Ham colours. Just after the hour mark, Wigan were rewarded for their
persistence when Danny Gabbidonbrought down Cleverley for a penalty,
however, substitute Boselli saw his spot-kick superbly saved by Green,
diving to his left. And Parker secured the points 15 minutes from time by
slotting home Obinna's delicious cross from the byline. Cleverley scored a
late consolation for Wigan, whipping the ball into the far corner from the
edge of the box, but the Hammers had done enough to claim a vital win. The
Irons, however, still remain bottom after Wolves' late winner against
Sunderland.
Positive
The match had been billed by the West Ham board as the "save our season
game", although Grant maintained that was more aimed at supporters to get
behind the team than a shot across his bows. Grant had relegated Carlton
Cole to the bench after the England striker had labelled last week's 3-0
defeat at Liverpool as "diabolical", while Wigan were without suspended duo
Hugo Rodallega and Antolin Alcaraz following their red cards against
Manchester United.
It was a positive start by the Hammers, as Piquionne looked lively at the
head of the attack. However, Wigan came into the game and midfielder Mohamed
Diame dashed to the far touchline. He pulled the ball, which looked to have
gone out of play, back for on-loan United youngster Cleverley to test Green
with a low effort from 20 yards. The home side were under pressure again
when a low cross from Ronnie Stam had to be hacked clear in the six-yard box
by James Tomkins. There was more than a sense of frustration beginning to
grow inside Upton Park as the half-hour mark passed and the Irons again were
unable to make any real progress in the final third. The Boleyn Ground,
however, erupted in relief on 34 minutes when Behrami bundled in a knockdown
from Piquionne after Jacobsen's high ball into the Wigan box. Junior
Stanislas, back in the side after a groin injury, sent a snap-shot goalwards
from 20 yards and Al Habsi had to be alert to tip the ball over. From the
corner, the Wigan keeper then produced a brilliant reaction save to parry
away Piquionne's bullet header. West Ham should have been 2-0 up at the
start of the second half when Piquionne found himself unmarked on the
penalty spot but dragged the ball wide.
Cushion
After both Pablo Barrera and Obinna dragged shots wide, the Hammers had a
two-goal cushion on 56 minutes. Piquionne carried the ball into the left
side of the Wigan penalty area before cutting it back to Obinna. The on-loan
Inter Milan forward promptly drilled a low strike into the bottom corner for
his first Premier League goal. Wigan responded by making a double change as
Franco Di Santo and Jordi Gomez were replaced by Boselli and Victor Moses
after 61 minutes. The visitors then were awarded a penalty when Gabbidon
tripped Cleverley. Boselli stepped up to take the spot-kick with what was
his first touch - but Green guessed right to make a fine save. West Ham
broke and felt they should have been given a penalty when Gohouri looked to
have tripped Piquionne, but this time referee Mark Halsey waved play on.
Despite their lead, West Ham continued to look less than comfortable.
However, the points were secured with 15 minutes left when Obinna broke down
the left and Parker arrived in the six-yard box to crash the ball past Al
Habsi. Piquionne was replaced by Cole for the closing stages, while Parker
was given a standing ovation when he went off with seven minutes left.
Cleverley netted a consolation with a dipping drive on 85 minutes. In
stoppage-time, Behrami fell to the ground after slipping and looked to have
injured his groin and Wigan had a close-range effort from Gohouri ruled out
for offside as finally it was West Ham's day.
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Self-harming Hammers
Are Hammers owners doing more harm than good?
Last updated: 28th November 2010
SSN
Duncan White admits he is baffled by West Ham's treatment of manager Avram
Grant. The Israeli was appointed by club owners David Sullivan and David
Gold over the summer, but the Hammers have only won two games this season
and currently sit bottom of the Premier League. The club declared Saturday's
game against Wigan as 'Save our Season' day at Upton Park and newspaper
reports have suggested that the owners are considering replacing him. And
despite the 3-1 success on Saturday, Sunday Telegraph Football Correspondent
White feels the interference from the club's hierarchy is making life harder
for the manager and his players. He told the Sunday Supplement: "The main
problem is he's being undermined by the very people that appointed him.
"They gave him a long four-and-a-half year contract and you can't cut
someone off so early after you've invested so much. "It's absolutely
baffling to me the way the club has brought pressure upon itself. Sure, the
team is struggling and some of the performances have been absolutely
shocking. "But the fact that institutionally the club seems to be putting
pressure on its own manager is just baffling. "The team needs to improve.
Scott Parker is much celebrated in the middle, but you've got some players
like Victor Obinna who can turn in very good performances, but is slightly
erratic.
"What they need is as much stability from above as possible, but the owners
are putting more pressure on than protection."
Credentials
Hammers striker Carlton Cole publically criticised the manager's tactics
last week and Neil Ashton of the News of the World agrees that Grant does
not have the credentials to continue in his role. He was relegated with
Portsmouth last season and with the West Ham fans starting to turn on the
team, Ashton doesn't believe that the Israeli has the personality to inspire
better performances. He said: "He's a lovely guy, but I'm just not
convinced that he's a top-class football manager. "Those players need
someone around them that they can believe in, someone who will encourage
them and foster a team spirit and a united dressing room. That's what they
haven't had so far this season. "We saw a little bit of a change against
Wigan. I noticed that when Carlton Cole came on he got a little bit of stick
for his comments last week. That just shows you that the supporters don't
trust what's going on at that football club at the moment, they're not fully
behind the team and they're not scared to have their say. "Ultimately, if
you look at the season Grant had with Portsmouth, he took them to the FA Cup
Final, but that masks the deficiencies that they had in the Premier League.
"Avram has won six or seven Premier League games in the last 35 or 36. That
is a record that tells you that not only did he get Portsmouth relegated,
this is a guy who can't win a Premier League game either. "He's won two this
season, both at home, and they have to string a set of results together."
Popular
Former West Ham striker Paolo Di Canio was at Upton Park for the game
against Wigan, amid rumours he could be brought in as a coach - or even as a
replacement for Grant. And Ashton says the fans' favourite would be able to
give the club a lift. "He's a popular figure at West Ham and is someone who
has got enthusiasm and passion for the club," he said. "He was in the
executive box with friends and he was cheering every goal as if he was a
supporter in the chicken run. "It was great to see that because that's what
West Ham need at the moment. "The only problem is he's so demanding. If you
don't meet his expectations I wouldn't want to be around Paolo Di Canio."
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Grant - Board happy with win
Hammers boss brushes off 'Save Our Season' day message
Last updated: 28th November 2010
SSN
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Avram Grant admits the West Ham United board were happy with the 3-1 victory
over fellow Premier League strugglers Wigan Athletic. Saturday's game at
Upton Park had been billed as 'Save Our Season' day by the club's hierarchy
following the team's disappointing start to the campaign. West Ham had won
just once prior to the fixture, but enjoyed a much-needed fillip as goals
from Valon Behrami, Victor Obinna and Scott Parker see off Wigan. Grant,
whose position has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, confirmed he had
received a positive response from the board following the win.
Very happy
"The board were very happy with the result and one of them came down to say
it," said Grant. "I won't say which one, but one of them." The Hammers boss
was also not concerned about how much emphasis had been placed on beating
Wigan by owners David Sullivan and David Gold. "It was a marketing thing,
and I always say to them you can do anything you want, as long as you don't
come in my area," he quipped."Maybe because of them the supporters were very
good today."
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Reasons to Love Wally Downes: No 1
West Ham Till I Die
From Wally's Wikipedia entry.
In January 2007, Downes was involved in a touchline scuffle with Sheffield
United manager Neil Warnock after he accused Warnock of telling his players
to 'break legs'. However Warnock said: "I made the kicking gesture to tell
the referee that Steve Sidwell's tackle on Chris Armstrong had been the
worst of the game. Fortunately for me, the referee heard exactly what was
said and confirmed that." Downes has been charged with improper conduct for
his role in the affray.[1] The incident inspired Reading fans to start a
chant for the enigmatic coach, saying "Wally Downes is magic, he wears his
magic hat, and when he saw Neil Warnock he punched that f**king tw*t!". This
chant has become popular for the fans of the Berkshire-based club whenever
they play teams managed by the unpopular Warnock, particularly due to his
teams negative physical method of play.
Already a Hammers cult hero, eh?
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Grant would welcome Di Canio presence
November 27, 2010
ESPN
Avram Grant feels his West Ham team could learn a thing or two from Paolo Di
Canio - but maintained there had been no formal contact regarding the
possibility of bringing the striker back to Upton Park in a coaching role.
Di Canio, who played for the Hammers between 1999 and 2003, was back at
Upton Park for Saturday's 3-1 Premier League win over Wigan to visit the
hospitality suite named in his honour. The Italian has been touted as a
possible strikers' coach for the club, who this week appointed former
Brentford boss Wally Downes to work with the defence. Grant is looking to
reshape his backroom staff following the departure of assistant manager
Zeljko Petrovic, but insisted Di Canio had not been approached. "There have
been a few names, but I did not speak with him,'' Grant said. "We want to
build West Ham step by step and are looking for more specific coaches which
will do specific jobs.'' "For me, Di Canio is always welcome at this club.
He is very respected and I had the honour to see him playing a few times, he
was a great player. If he can teach our players how to play like him, I will
take him!'' Grant says he is happy with Downes' contribution so far, though
the Hammers did concede their 26th goal of the season. "We wanted to do
something about the coaching staff, which I spoke about with the board when
I came here,'' Grant said. "We had a chance to bring a defensive coach in
after Petrovic asked to leave. I interviewed a few people and am very happy
Wally came. He is a good guy with a lot of knowledge about the game.''
Grant, though, dismissed speculation over his own position, saying: "I never
think about myself, I am in a job where there are always rumours,'' said the
former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss. I just need to concentrate on my job,
that is what I have done all my life and will do in the future.''
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