The style of football played, by successive Hammers teams over the decades, is something that most fans value.  After all, it is the ’West Ham way’ to play a passing game, combined with attacking flair, is it not?  It is a defining aspect of our club’s tradition and most supporters agree that West Ham teams need to try to play that way, regardless.   Or do they? 

It would be a interesting exercise to pose the question whether fans would accept a more negative brand of football if it brought greater on-pitch success.   I remember Paul Merson on Sky posing this question, with reference to the Hammers, and asking whether it was better to have an under-achieving team, that tries to play the right way, or a more successful one based on organisation, discipline and the grinding out of results?

As I recall, Merson’s conclusion was that most football fans would take success over style.  However, I do not believe that is true of the Hammers support as a whole.  Look at the past antipathy of the crowd to former managers such as Lou Macari and Alan Curbishley who produced teams that were not in the classic Hammers mode.  That insistence upon playing with flair and style is always there and Avram Grant, if he lands the job, needs to be acutely aware of the fact.  

However, perhaps we should firmly reject this false dichotomy between style and results.  Yes, the likes of Chelski and Man City have the resources to attract the big name stars and are probably more able to forge teams that play flowing, attacking football.  But we do not need to play dull, mechanical football to survive and prosper in the PL.  We can safely leave that approach to the Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers of this world! 

Personally, I am of the view that we should aim to build a team that is in keeping with the best traditions of the football club.  However, we also need to add certain essentials in to the mix.  Those are defensive organisation, team spirit, playing as a cohesive unit and with consistency.  After all, the Hammers team of 1985-86, that actually challenged for the title, managed it, if only for one season.  That is probably the best model for us to follow for the future. 

Do clubs outside of the PL elite need to make a choice between style and results?  No, I want to see a West Ham team that combines the imperative to play attractive football, with the capability to battle and grind out a result, if necessary, in a midweek fixture at the Reebok.   A team that will match others for aggression, as well as seeking to outplay  them.  One that will not be intimidated nor psychologically defeated before they even kick off at Anfield or Old Trafford.

Is that asking too much?  Is that not the type of team that our new manager should be charged with building.  One that will make any proposed choice between style and results totally redundant.

Arguably, that is the meta-objective that should be set for Zola’s eventual successor in the managerial hot seat.

SJ. Chandos.

I’ve spent much of the day with a cold towel wrapped around my head calculating the player performances over the season, as voted by you. Here are the results…

1. Scott Parker 7.19
2. Robert Green 6.49
3. Jack Collison 6.42
4. Carlton Cole 6.30
5. Zavon Hines 6.29
6. Allessandro Diamanti 6.28
7. Julien Faubert 6.24
8. James Tomkins 6.20
9. Fabio Daprela 6.10
10. Guillermo Franco 6.08
11. Manuel Da Costa 6.04
12. Matthew Upson 5.96
13. Valon Behrami 5.89
14. Danny Gabbidon 5.82
15. Herita Ilunga 5.75
16. Mark Noble 5.74
17. Junior Stanislas 5.68
18. Luis Jimenez 5.60
19. Ilan 5.48
20. Radoslav Kovac 5.44
21. Mido 5.44
22. Kieron Dyer 5.32
23. Frank Nouble 5.21
24. Jonathan Spector 4.80
25. Benni McCarthy 4.13

Sky Sports News is reporting that Avram Grant has agreed a deal in principle to take over as West Ham’s new manager. The club website has also posted an update, which doesn’t actually mention Grant, so make of that what you will.

Transfer rumours include Burnley’s Simon Fletcher replacing a Villa bound Carlton Cole, Nicky Shorey signing from Villa, Behrami off to Palermo or Liverpool, who also want Matthew Upson and will use Benayoun as bait.

That should be enough for a new discussion!

The co-chairs have today published their ten point plan for taking the club forward.   The ten points are as follows:

Appoint the right manager

Sign new players

More investment in the Academy

Continue to clear the debt

Freeze season ticket prices for renewals

Build the status and image of the club

Make it enjoyable to come to watch matches

Get closer to the local community

Go for the Olympic Stadium

Listen to supporters

All very admirable.   However, the co-owners will inevitably be judged by what they do, rather than what they say!   For instance, lets see what type of manager is recruited,  the identity of the players sold this summer and the quality of those that are incoming?  These decisions will provide an early litmus test of their intent.

While the circumstances in which Zola allegedly left the club has not exactly contributed to enhancing the ‘status and image’ of the club, has it?  Does the club really need the prospect of yet another embaressing Employment Tribunal award being made against it?   On the point about listening to the fans, what structures or processes are they exactly proposing to use to do that?  With regard to the the other points, we shall see what occurs?

Most supporters of my acquaintance were disappointed by the leaked managerial short-list, Avram Grant being, by far, the preferred candidate.  The co-Chairs must surely be aware of that the majority of Hammers fans would find that short-list somewhat underwhelming and lacking in ambition!  Personally, I suspected that the short-list was a media creation,  a clear case of taking unrelated comments and making 2 + 2  = 5!   Least ways, I sincerely hope that is the reality of the situation!

Finally, I have been asked about my recent blog post proposing Sir Trevor as a potential candidate for the Chair of the FA.   For the purpose of clarity, I was basing the proposition on his outstanding reputation whilst the Chair of Sport England.  Basically, he was largely awarded his knighthood for his innovative leadership of that national sports organisation.  And I feel that he could bring the same attributes to the FA post.

SJ. Chandos.

According to Sky Sports there are four managers on the shortlist to succeed Gianfranco Zola. They are Avram Grant, Dave Jones, Ian Holloway and Sam Allardyce.

If Sam Allardyce is appointed I would have to seriously consider whether I wanted to renew my season ticket. I pay £900 a year to watch football, not rugby.

What a mess up!  One day we have the FA delivering the 2018  bid to FIFA , whilst emphasising England’s willingness to listen and that nothing is being taken for granted!  The next, a public relations own goal of enormous proportions and the 2018 bid holed below the water line!

The business case for England staging the tournament in 2018 is powerful at all levels.  Indeed, until we shot ourselves in the foot, our detractors in other national associations would probably have found it difficult to deny the case for England 2018.  Now, of course those nations have been handed an excuse ‘on a plate’ to reject our bid.  In to the bargain, we have also handed Russia, our main competitor, a massive stick to beat us with!  Crazy.

The Chair of the 2018 Organising Committee and the FA, Lord Triesman, has resigned and there is a desperate damage limitation exercise under way with FIFA.   Both the FA and the 2018 bid now need someone of exceptional talent to fill the vacuum.  Preferably, a respected ex-player, a la Platini,  a person of vision and intelligence, a diplomat and first class administrator.  Step forward Sir Trevor Brooking, as the new Chair of the FA!

Sir Trevor can give the FA the gravitas and dynamism that is missing.  He can also help smooth things with FIFA on the 2018 front and command the respect of the Premier League.  Sir Trevor will probably not be considered, its more likely to be a dud political appointment that serves only to reinforce the status quo and the characteristic ineptitude of the FA.  But he is certainly my alternative nominee.  Who knows, as FA Chair he might even manage to clear a path for the vital changes to the game at youth level that he has, in recent years, been fruitlessly championing as the FA Head of Youth Development?     

Elsewhere, Scott Parker has put a timely shot across West Ham’s bow, by stating that he wants to stay, but expects to see the club retaining its best players and investing to strengthen the squad.  Well, when you have just had the truly outstanding season that Parker has, why not chance your arm?  Especially after the club’s co-chairs have lauded him as ‘Mr West Ham’ and indicated that he is the only indispensable player in the current squad, without a price tag! 

Well done for speaking out Scott!  In making this statement he is speaking for all those long suffering Hammers fans who now fear a self-destructive summer sale of key players and their replacement by cheaper, inferior alternatives.   Yes, the squad needs a major restructure, but we must retain our best players and build upon the strengths of the current Hammers squad. 

It will be interesting to see who the club appoint to replace Zola and the nature of the transfer business that they transact this summer.  No doubt many supporters, in common purpose with Scott Parker, are awaiting positive signs to emerge. 

We can but await further developments. 

SJ. Chandos.

We all know Scott Parker deserved to win the official Hammer of the Year trophy, and wi no doubt emerge triumphant among WHTID readers, but let’s do our usual end of season poll anyway! You need to rate each player’s performance throught the season out of ten.

Click HERE to vote.

The initial, 30 man England World Cup Squad has now been announced.  The good news is that Rob Green, Matt Upson and Scott Parker have all been included.  However, the bad news is that Carlton Cole has been omitted.

As I write this, Kenny Samson is arguing on Sky Sports that Scott Parker is not quite good enough to step up for England in the World Cup Finals!  Personally, I do not agree with that at all.   However, opinion aside, Parker needs to take his chance in training, and the forthcoming friendlies, and give Capello no option but to include him in the final 23. 

For me, the writing was on the wall for Cole in the recent England friendlies, when he failed to get a decent run-out.  My view is that Cole should have been  selected ahead of Heskey, but Capello obviously values the less than obvious attributes of Heskey. 

It will be interesting to see how Cole reacts to his exclusion?  Will he blame West Ham’s poor season and, especially after Zola’s sacking, seek a move in the summer?  Hopefully not, but stranger things have happened?

Talking of Zola, not all fans agrees with his sacking, but it has to said that the owners have made a judgement call and taken decisive action.  Whether it is the right judgement call remains to be seen?  That will ultimately be determined by the team performances, next season, under Zola’s  successor.  Whoever comes in needs to put out teams that play attractive, attacking football.  Nothing alienates Hammers fans more than having to watch negative football week in and week out!  The alternative view is that results are everything, but of course we know that is not entirely true where the majority of Hammers fans are concerned.  After all, that has been tested before under Curbishley and surely no one wants to repeat the experience.

However, the question now is who do they have lined up?  Bilic would be popular, although he has no previous PL managerial experience, and Grant has done very well at Portsmouth in difficult circumstances.   I am not particularly keen on Hughes and other names quoted like Hoddle, Pardew and Jones are not very exciting prospects!

Having axed Zola, the onus is now firmly on Gold &  Sullivan to go out and get an exciting  new manager that can delivers the goods.  That of course is easier said than done.  Zola was very popular with the players and it will be interesting to see how the players react to his exit.  No doubt some will use it as an excuse to get a move, but hopefully the majority will react professionally and with a level of commitment to the club.

Also, so far, there has been no mention of  Steve Clarke’s position.  Will he follow Zola out the door?  It is probable, but we shall see?

Finally, regardless of our view of Zola as a football manager, he is undoubtedly a very nice and genuine person.  Personally, I wish him well and I hope that he bounces back from this and goes on to have a successful management/coaching career elsewhere. 

It’s possible, after all Fulham sacked Sir Bobby Robson from his first management job.  That did not exactly prove to be a great judgement call by the Fulham board did it!

SJ. Chandos.

This is the official statement from the club. Very curt.

West Ham United confirm that they have terminated the contract of Gianfranco Zola.
The Board of Directors would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future. The Club will now be focusing its efforts on seeking a replacement.
The Club will be making no further comment on this matter.

I know I am probably in a minority but I think this is a great shame. Zola never really had his own team and I think that given another season and a bit of investment he could have made it a success. Interesting that there is no mention of Steve Clarke. I wonder if he is contention to succeed. probably not, but stranger things have happened.

I’d like to thank Gianfranco for his time at West Ham. At times the team played some sublime football, and he made an enormous contribution to improving players like Carlton Cole. He was clearly loved by the players and it will be interesting to see if the players want to stay when they see who his replacement might be.

Strangely, I have no immediate favourites to suggest as successors so I invite you to come up with some ideas and we’ll do a poll. The devil in me would like to see Alan Pardew return, but I don’t think that will happen, and in all honesty, it probably shouldn’t after what happened before.

Please rate the West Ham players performances against Manchester City by clicking HERE.