Bloody hell, Ilan's comments to the Smut of the World must be amongst the most sensational ever to come out of Upton Park. At last, a player has broken ranks and said what this blog has been saying for the best part of a year now, that Zola isn't up to doing the job!
Ilan doesn't pull ANY punches despite claiming that he doesn't want to "say bad things about Zola". I'd hate to hear him when he wants to knife his manager in the back!
How about this for an assassination of your manager? These are Ilan's words, not mine!
"I don't want to say bad things about Zola because he is a good person, but you know sometimes a good person working in football doesn't work. If you give your players a lot of freedom, they will not obey you anymore. That is what is happening now at West Ham, especially with players who speak Italian. Zola has lost control of the team and it is impossible for him to recover it."
"Zola never uses me in my position as a centre forward," he added. "He puts me out on the flanks or even as a second forward. He and the other coaches in the Premier League have an obsession with putting the players in positions different to the one they are used to."
"Whatever happens, I'm going to leave England. I have received offers from France and Spain and even from three clubs from Brazil," he concluded.
Well, Ilan is clearly one unhappy bunny but what should we make of, "If you give your players a lot of freedom, they will not obey you anymore. That is what is happening now at West Ham, especially with players who speak Italian." Who speaks Italian exactly? That would only be Daprela, Behrami and Diamanti presumably? Does that explain why we have not seen Diamanti for the last two games? There were rumours that he wasn't injured for the Everton game and these comments add to the suspicion that there has been a falling out. That would also explain, perhaps, why Noble was talking all last week of "a united team", as the club tried to throw a blanket over the fire. Might it also explain why Daprela has been out of favour and maybe even why Behrami was withdrawn late against Everton? Or is Ilan talking about the indisciplined way that Diamanti and Behrami play?
Then there are the comments about playing players out of position. Ilan nails it when he says Zola has, "an obsession with putting the players in positions different to the one they are used to"; isn't that what I've been saying all season?
What happens now? When Davenport criticised Zola, he was dropped and sent to Sunderland on loan. And when he returned unwanted, the Mafia were sent round to visit him! Will Zola drop Ilan now, and risk our survival because of his personal pride? Or will we be told that Ilan was misquoted and that his true words were "lost in translation". I suppose he might have said...
"I don't want to say bad things about Zola because he is a good person, but you know sometimes a good person working in football doesn't work. If you give your players a lot of freedom, they will not obey you anymore. That is not what is happening now at West Ham, especially with players who speak Italian. Zola hasn't lost control of the team and it is not impossible for him to recover it."
"Zola never uses me in my position as a centre forward," he added. "He puts me out on the flanks or even as a second forward. He and the other coaches in the Premier League have a clever obsession with putting the players in positions different to the one they are used to."
"Whatever happens, I'm going to leave England. I have received offers from France and Spain and even from three clubs from Brazil," he concluded.
That's not so bad is it?
Come On You Ides Of March Irons!
20 comments:
I think Ilan is being clever, he's looking for a Brian Laws, Burnley, Joey Gudjonsson kind of response :)
Footballers are thick HF and I think this story was first broken by news of the world which says it all. This is the same newspaper reporting that Fergy's players think he 'hasn't got a clue'.
I think it may look like Zola is closer to the Italian speaking players but it would look like that because they speak the same language. Zola has probably worked closest with Carlton Cole more than anybody else. The last I knew, Carlton wasn't fluent in Italian.
As for having lost control of the team and players not obeying him, I think even you will disagree with Ilan on that one HF.
Rob Green says: "He's a great man and a great manager and you could see on Saturday that it's not through want of trying. He's been hamstrung through the season with selection problems and players leaving and injuries and things like that and he's just putting out the teams that seem fit for the games."
Who do we believe? A guy who has been here a few months and wasn't speaking English in a report by the news of the world, or Rob Green?
I wouldn't take too much notice of such bollocks, coz that's exactly what this non-story is, a load of old bollocks. We don't even know if this so-called interview really took place and if it did, you can bet that all of Ilan's comments were taken completely out of context as this is what these arseholes who have the sheer temerity to call themselves journalists do. As per usual, just as we have a reason to feel a little bit more positive, some scumbag hack attempts to piss on our bonfire, wankers!
It was probably written by a Hull City fan. Coincidence it came out right after the win that could keep us up!
I think Ilan said something along the lines, but most of the context is lost in translation. As someone said on a forum, Ilan could of said this weeks ago, for instance between the Wolves and Stoke games where we were in our darkest position and Ilan wasn't playing.
I don't think it's really too much to worry about, ALL the players (even Ilan in yesterdays match-day programme) said that everyone was behind the manager.
But even though there behind the manager dosen't mean he hasn't lost them.
I think were playing well, not because of Zola's tactics, but because everyone wants to win for Zola and their utilizing the talent that we all knew they had.
So it's really a nothing story. I think the most dissapointing this is Ilan is doing so well at the club and he's already decided he wants to leave!
gorgon zola's claret & blue army!
"When Davenport criticised Zola, he was dropped and sent to Sunderland on loan. And when he returned unwanted, the Mafia were sent round to visit him!" hahahaha u joker
Ilan has not timed this too well. Yes HF, he has waited until he entered the Senate before stabbing him a number of times. No matter what the truth, we don't need this now. What a pity, Ilan was scoring goals. I have not agreed with some decisions Zola has made, but i do believe that he has done his best under difficult circumstances. Injuries, financial problems, change of owners, rumours of walking, etc. Another nail in his coffin as far staying with us is concerned. From my point of view, something underlying is wrong at the moment & it is bigger than just Zola. I sense that he is a quiet man & things have just snowballed into a situation where he himself has a negative outlook & finds it difficult to motivate. That may give Ilan the impression of what he speaks about. I believe that the majority of the squad are behind him, but that it is a collective feeling. This is his first managerial position of any responsibility really, & it has taken it's toll. It has been a difficult season for even an experienced person. The players would do well to take stock of what is happening, not let Zola be remembered for having taken us down, & just get on with last four matches as they know best.
The "sitting in cold storage" argument is the most plausible. How will Zola react is the big question though.
By the way, how clever is that picture given Ilan came over from French side St Etiene who play in green. I don't just throw this blog together!
I think Zola will respond in one of two ways:
1. Get McCarthy fit
2. Send the mafia around
What I want to know is why would he say that when he was in pole position to start the remaining games? What a dodo
Yes, you always seem to look for a applicable picture to post. A picture is worth a thousand words. When i went to school & they asked for a 1000 word article, i drew a stick picture. Being born on Bastille Day, i do like frogs legs, i'd nick em'. Not much meat on them though, but tasty, sort of like snake or goanna. I think we'll see a bit more of McCarthy now. If the article has any truth in it, it is a bit slack from a player to say that, especially now at this point in time, & of course the media will jump over any negative comments about us. They always have before.
At this point of the seaso Ilan should keep his mouth shut and get on with playing football and keeping West Ham in the premiership. A united front is whats needed at the moment. As for Ilan saying he's leaving at the end of the season, so what. He's only another light weight journeyman footballer who's not good enough to to warrent a full time contract at West Ham.
I find it hard to hate players who speak their mind frankly.
Typical West Ham reaction! Ilan is right! Has that entered anybody's head? Three goals in five games and he has only started two of those, one played out of position! Zola is a crap manager and Ilan is being honest. Shame the others didn't speak honestly when the Davids took charge - we might then be sitting above Sunderland in the table!
Zola bought him and played him in those 5 games for him to get those 3 goals. He can't be that crap a manager then.
Zola has never bought or sold anyone he was brought in to work in the continental manner ie he coaches organises and sets up (and I use those 2 things very lightly )the players he's given the club is managed by others
Stani, come on! Zola didn't even know who Ilan was when we signed him. Why do you think he has been reluctant to pick him?
"Bloody hell, Ilan's comments to the Smut of the World must be amongst the most sensational ever to come out of Upton Park. At last, a player has broken ranks and said what this blog has been saying for the best part of a year now, that Zola isn't up to doing the job!"
Someone agreeing with you is perhaps the most sensational quote you will read this weekend.
However, hopefully most of us don't actually read the NOTW as it is it's sensationalist bullshit is the worst of all the papers, websites, blogs etc, bar one... This one!!!
How would you know if you don't read it? And why do you keep reading this blog exactly?
and thats from a bloke who's an imposter to football!!!!!!!!!!!
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