The club website has formally confirmed the exit of Ludo Miklosko from the club and the subsequent appointment of Kevin Hitchcock as temporary goal keeping coach, until the end of the season. Some commentators have seen Hitchcock’s appointment as a harbinger of the impending summer arrival of Mark Hughes in the Hammers managerial hot seat. It could well be that, in this particular instance, they really are making 2 + 2 = 5!! Lets not forget that both Zola and Clarke also know him well from their former Chelsea days.
Whether Ludo is moving side purely for health reasons or if it is yet another cost cutting measure remains unclear. Cryptically, the article on the club website states that there will be no further discussion of Ludo’s exit until the terms of his departure have been agreed. As for Hitchcock, my abiding memory of the former QPR, Mansfield and Chelsea keeper is the four goals put past him at Upton Park, as West Ham beat Chelsea to stay up on the final day of the 1987-88 season. And, if I recall correctly, a certain Steve Clarke was also playing at right-back for Chelsea that day.
I also recall Hitchcock joining us on loan as goal keeper cover in 1993, although I do not believe that he actually made a first team appearance. He is a West Hammer, born and bred. So, it may well be an ambition fulfilled to join the backroom staff of his local club.
Also, there is a report in The Guardian this morning that the club have moved to suspend image right payments to players, in light of a HMRC investigation into the tax liabilities of the said payments made by PL clubs. It is reported that some of West Ham’s leading players have contracts that include image right payments at an estimated 10% of wages.
The club are allegedly nervous about being liable to pay back tax and NI contributions on these payments and are said to have moved to curtail any further liability. Obviously, if the story is true, the suspension of image right payments is not going to be exactly warmly welcomed by the players and their representatives! Potentially, yet more great, morale boosting, preparation for the club’s crucial run-in to the PL fixture programme, 2009-10!!!!
SJ. Chandos.
OK I'll believe the good spin on the Ludo situation. I hope it was his choice and he was not pushed. I think we can live without Davenport, but this image rights situation if true has been abysmally timed. How come other clubs have not reached the same conclusion? G&S weren't my choice and I have to say I'm liking them less and less, they seem to be de-stabilising the club deliberately for some reason. Shouldn't all this messing around wait till the end of the season if at all possible?
Whatever the reason is for him going just want to say 'Good luck Ludo, you are a legend!!'
With regards the image rights, Sullivan is quoted as saying 'Every penny they are entitled to will be paid in due course, but until it is agreed with the Inland Revenue we can't release the money'. If tax is deducted at source then this makes sense to me whilst it is sorted out – maybe the media is getting frustrated that they have not had any dirt on West Ham for a few weeks. HMRC are gunning for everybody at the moment so we need to be squeaky clean.
I read the Guardian piece and as a person who was working for a company in Poland where there was a dispute with the same organization over here.
In that company’s case they lost and to pay back millions to the tax authority plus interest as they continued the illegal process whilst trying to fight their case.
Financially 2Ds action is completely the right business practice, and shows how they have their heads screwed on correctly finiancially.
However, when it comes to “How to make freinds and influence people” ,
they are babbling baffoons and I am also disappointed with the way they are running things and am quickly understanding how the Birmingham fans felt:-(
I'm very sad to see Ludo go and am very suspicious that he may have been pushed judging by the wording of the statement on the club website. If this proves to be the case, and there is no very good reason, then I hope mighty mouth Sullivan feels the full wrath of the fans. I for one am getting pretty fed up with his antics. If the truth turns out to be Ludo resigned and was not pushed in anyway, then I suggest mighty mouth considers making a cost cutting in his PR dept; whoever drafted that announcement has not got what it takes!
steve clarke was a right back…then its his fault spector's tucked in so much he virtually plays center half.
I don't need anymore info now,final nail in coffin.
Who ever plays in front of our fullbacks has the unfortunate task of having to play wing back,tactics from the stoneage.
U amaze me with your tactical knowledge. Top drawer
no probs
seriously CLARKE kent is the only person who can play this position.
[...] Does 2 + 2 Really = 5, as Image Rights Cause a Potential Stir … [...]
gary johnson looses his job….has football gone bonkers !!!!.
wait dd i just say that !
If new rules affecting image rights are going to be implemented by the tax man we will be small beans compared with the big boys. It may just be that the Davids are onto the situation more quickly than other clubs.
The long term future of the club is what is most important and getting rid of the personal rights bonus/payments can only help, I would think that the players should have all the motivation they need in as much as staying in the PL and keeping there current wage deal, after all they only have to go out on the pitch and DO THEIR BLOODY JOB !!!!
the timing is awefull. a loss at arsenal this weekend could put us back into the relegation zone. what the hell are they saying this now for? why cant they leave stuff like this to the end of the season when we know weather we are up or down. i'm really not taking to david sullivan and gold.
also, whilst doing a jedward and putting their names together i noticed you get either 'Gollivan' or 'SOLD'.
SOLD would be more apt as this is probably what will happen to any player with a smidgen of class at the club in the summer.
"BRING BACK BROWN!" teehehe, only kidding!
also, does anyone else think that, whilst i think tony carr is an absolute legend and fully deserves a testemonial this year, is it really necissary to have his testemonial planned for the 5th of may?!?!?!?! thats in the week before the last game of the season! can anyone please explain this? and midweek too?? whats that all about? cant we do this the saturday after the champions league final when everyone is available?
Incidentally, did I miss something – where's Celtic? I know I've been pretty busy and a less frequent poster recently, so I may have missed his reason for absence?
he owes devo money
Celtic would post even more if that were the case!
He is the little one of the 2 Dave,s with the fur hat!
I am sorry if this is considered off-subject or an inappropriate use of this thread, but I am moved by tonight's results to say that we have been put to shame by Fulham, a club in every way smaller than West Ham. Well done to Fulham, Roy Hodgson and Bobby Zamora (great move to sell him eh?) and even Fayed (learn some lessons G&S). Why can't we do it?
Great comment MickeyN. I was made up for Bobby Z especially. Always thought he was a tremendous asset to us even when most people labelled him as "Championship at best." I hope they go on to win the thing – and Bobby to go to the World Cup and prove himself at the very highest level.
In answer to your final question, though, Roy Hodgson is the reason they're where they are. One of the most under-rated managers in the game today.
Mickey, it cannot have escaped the notice of any West Ham fan that at the end of Last season, until the last few games, we were vying with Fulhamand the Spuds for the Europa league spot and, in the end, narrowly lost out. The gulf in class between out two sides is, at the moment, significant and most of that is attributable to Woy, in my view. In so far as that is true, posters like dear chris must actually have a point re zola, if you think about it.
Not quite as catastrophic as the fall of Charlton to league 1 (having thumped us 4-0 at the Valley, of course) but a most stark and regrettable contrast nonetheless.
Love all the Zola knockers, when will the penny ever drop? no money no hope of improving forced to sell Ginge missed out on Chamakh and I cannot remember the last time Fulham really turned us over?we have always smashed them.They have been able to buy and add value to their squad Zola was forced to sell by bankrupt bankers.Too many of you expect to much at the moment give the 2 Dave,s time all will be well.
Besides would anyone swap Carlton for Bobby Z?Bobby bless him has failed to set the premier league alight the only gulf is we think as fans we are Barcelona however it took even that well oiled machine years to get to the top now they have to stay there!
zola knockers- even with the sale of ginge/our best centre back , belemy and so on its hard to find whats right with zola there's no shape or proper formation to his sides from one week to the next …………roy hodgsons teams will know every weekend what formation and which positions there going to play are's dont , our players are shipped around from pillow to post on the pitch ……the sooner we get a more pragmatic manager the better ……..AND AS FOR ZOLA NOT HAVING THE MONEY he has hade more than stoke…………and they play the worse football ive seen for years but yet not in our position
Sounds like you have had your head in the sand,when was Zola given money?Ginge was a forced sale remember,DERR!and you should go West and support Woy cos he will win JACK ALL!
head in the sand- you stay in zolas camp mate because your one of the reasons teams like fulham are above us and doing better on and off the pitch. GINGE WAS A FORCED SALE YOU k**B HEAD. WE HAD THE CHANCE TO SELL THAT WASTER UPSON . for at least ten mill but did not and as for zola been given money…..behrami………savio…….da costa……..kovac……… diamanti….and dont tel me he didnt have anything to do with the buys. the day west ham sack him the better ….i would rather see gary johnson at the helm at least you know what your going to get every saturady rather than a half baked formation and tactics .
I reckon you must be at least half witted or half asleep Gary Johnson got the sack cos he is shite similar to your ideas on life!
but i forget where west ham so loosing 6-nill but playing well means more than putting 3 points on the table . the whole set up is diseased and the sooner sullivan and gold get to the summer and rip it aprt with a new man the better …..
Right guys, big game again tomorrow away at Arsenal. 1st thing Zola must do is remove Spector, Ilunga is bck so we can just put him on the right as i like Daprela on the left, or we have an option to take the young lad out and replace him with Ilunga, show Gabbidon to right back, with Tomkins and Upson in the centre. Team could read as follows:
Green
Gabbidon/Ilunga Tomkins/Gabbidon Upson Daprela/Ilunga (sz if its confusing but just pick the best 4 that you would go for)
Parker
Behrami Dyer
Diamanti
Cole McCarthy/Franco
It depends on how we should look at this but Spector must be removed, if Walcott plays, he will be tormented all afternoon and we will get battered, we must get wallcott out of the game by blocking a route to goal down the wings which will make Arsenal play down the middle, with Parker a holding midfielder, he is certainly strong enough to get into some hefty tackles, the problem with Parker is do we rest him tomorrow for tuesdays massive game vs Wolves and put Noble in for him instead tomorrow as Parker would get a ban if he recieves another yellow card. With Diamanti in the hold behind the front two of either cole and McCarthy or Cole and Franco, we then would have a relatively strong side out that could get a point from this game. Just of topic, anyone who wants to watch the game tomorrow, i reccomend you get ESPN as although it cost a bit more money, West Ham appear to be on it a few times in our remaining games with both wolves and everton away on sky sports.
spector will play coz zolas a pratt.
Zola says his not in it for the money,thats bad news what we need is a manager who needs success and the money that comes with it.
Lets be honest we where all deceived by the dark side!
ilunga and deprela on the left makes sense, with diamanti in the hole or dyer in the hole,but it won't be, expect laurel and hardy to field 5 kickers straight across the park,won't be long before we're losing then on comes the cavalry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!