In Zola we trust! Dear God, the situation becomes more farcical by the day. With Fulham still seeking £500,000 compo over the Tevez affair, Sullivan rightly sought redress over the selection of a weakened team for the game at Hull. If he can prove the rules were broken, we could put in a claim for substantial damages against Fulham should we go down. I still maintain that Shafting United were relegated because Liverpool fielded a weakened team at Fulham as much as because we fielded Tevez.
But Zola has blown our chances there! Not content with orchestrating our relegation through poor team selection and tactics, the Italian maestro has now given his full backing to Hodgson's decision to rest players at Hull! Zola is quoted saying,
"As far as I'm concerned a manager can play his best team. I have no doubts that Roy Hodgson is doing the best for his team. He's a person I respect for his loyalty and I have no complaints with that. He decided to do that and I'm sure he has done the right thing for his club. Plus from what I read in the reports Fulham weren't that bad, so I have no problems with that."
How is this going to sit with Sullivan exactly? Zola is appearing as a witness for the bleeding defence! It is beginning to feel as if Zola is trying to goad Sullivan into sacking him! Zola has adapted the catch phrase of the Gingerbreadman - "Sack me if you can!"
Come On You Gingerbread Irons!
30 comments:
Unfortunately, and I say that as I want Zola to go, we cannot afford to sack Zola. Perhaps Zola has decided that he does want to go but he doesn't want to walk away empty handed and therefore wants to be sacked. There are no good guys in football, players, managers etc are all about money and self, self, self.
It is high farce isn't it? Sullivan's head has probably blown into orbit!
Zola has actually gone up in my estimation as a result of his forthright backing of Hodgson! It shows integrity and also indicates a strong sense of self-belief, which are indicators that he is a good role model for all young Hammers fans. This guy if supported will come good! Look at what he has had to endure this season. Survival is key and if secured, let him have the money he didnt get last Summer and give him the chance to shape his own team. I do agree however that he should be provided with an experienced mentor up to season end and that left and right hitters play on their respective sides in addition to 5-5-1 for the next few games.
Sorry that would be an interesting formation, of course I meant 4-5-1
So Dublin, you recognise that his team selection and tactics are poor but he is a nice guy? Great! Let's appoint one of Hugh Grant's screen characters and have done with it! Personally, I don't give a stuff about good role models for youngsters at the moment, I want a winner!
5-5-1 would help but with Zola in charge, still wouldn't secure a victory!
I'm sure we will get fined if we play 5-5-1! What a joke our club has become, in a time when 'unity' is supposedly the answer something like this comes along. Firmly believe we're doomed and in the remaining games we will sink further and further as players begin to think about their next destination. Mind the language but if I were Sullivan I would be so f**ked off with the man that kept so quiet about the clubs affairs before I arrived and so outspoken now.
Yep. Duxbury had his hand firmly up Zola's arse at that point of course. Now the puppet master has been replaced by the Punch and Judy show and Zola doesn't like being bashed about the head with Sullivan's stick!
You are misquoting me to suit your own purpose. Firstly I do not associate integrity and character with being a "nice guy", that is a simplistic conclusion. Secondly role models are important, infinitely moreso than the instant gratification being sought by G&S in terms of their hypocritical complaint against Fulham, they are generating more embarrassment than Zola. Finally, I recognise that he is panicking at the moment due to lack of experience of being in this dilemma. He performed a miracle last season, and has already illustrated his potential, many fans validate this by saying that he will prove to be a top manager in the future... for another team. So instead lets develope him, staff development is a key part of any successful business - and it will prove to be so for West Ham. Your comments are reactionary and would benefit from an attempt to become less hell bent on your subjective passion to remove Zola. Dont forget he patched up Curbs mess, and the latter was meant to be our saviour at the time! God dont be so fickle and show some faith. If we do survive and he is kept on and we are in the same position this time next year, I will concede to your points, but I actually believe he will serve us well. Dont mind Sullivans current rants, Gold has already informed us that he cant hold his tongue as he is the most spontaneous person he knows, if we survive he will retain Zola for the right reasons. They were very loyal to managers in Birmingham.
6 defeats in a row. We need to win 5 of our last six for Zola to match Roeder's total of points when we last went down. A miracle last season? We were in top 5 when he took over, we finished 10th. Some miracle!
Correct me if I'm wrong here but did man u not play a weakened team vs you last game of the season you dodged relegation with sheffield united going down?
fulham have had a very busy schedule lately with cup replays europa league games as well as league games they needed to rotate and prioritise match's and their europa league match obviously was more important to roy hodgson than a league match.
have to say though it does seem to be a stalemate on your managers front, zola doesnt want to resign and not get anything (though i think he could make an interesting case for constructive dismissal due to being undermined by sullivan on a weekly basis) and obviously gold/sullivan/that icelandic bank that owns the other 50% dont want to fork out compo for him
good blog btw
Cheers. And yes, the Mancs did rest a few until the 70th minute when they brought on the big guns.
I was being cynical!, you were leading the posse for the removal of "Turds" back in 2008, then you got your wish, he was fired and we now have Zola, so you made your bed, now lay in it!! We need consistency, Moyes says Evertons model of supporting the Manager has proven to work and espouses the backing of Zola, and not wanting to push your very sensistive buttons, but he knows infinitely more about football than you do. You never factor in the context of Zola not doing well this season, managing in a maelstrom of possible insolvency, being directed by non-football bankers, context is everything. Your love affair with Pards is cute, and I too thought he should have been retained at the time, because my rationale is consistant..have faith and develope young managment talent. Only thing though, can you imagine being in this position with two games to go and Pards decides to bed Behramis gorgeous WAG!!!
Behrami would chase him all round the bedroom whilst Pards slipped in and out to his heart's content! We can't afford to develop young managers, we are not a finishing school. Fulham tried that, then went for experience with Hodgson. I opposed Curbishley for very different reasons of course. the trouble is, the football under Zola is no better! So, which of the Orgsters are you? I should remember, sorry. I know there was a guy in Dublin but the name escapes me.
HF,
You could have taken the line that Zola's not a 'yes man' after all no? My fear is that you would have criticised Zola whatever he would have said on the issue.
If I wanted a "nice guy" in charge of West Ham I would appoint Barry Bloody Chuckle!
Zola should just shut the **** up and do what he is employed to do! That is win games! Oh wait sorry, I forgot he is incapable of doing that!
The Daves have every right to say what they want about a BUSINESS (yes, that is what it is) that they own a large part of!
Zola is a twat and should shut up or fcuk off!
anyway looks like the sue and counter sue culture predicted when shafting utd did what they did is taking hold Soon there will be a european league based on the nfl model no promotion or relegation franchises and it'll all be blown to shit anyway even the 2 manchester teams will become one london may retain 2 but probably only 1 The future is bright the future is money
Stani, it is still part of the "I want to be loved" complex. Look at how ALL the rival managers love Zola! Why wouldn't they? He represents 3 easy points!
Tell me, would Ferguson or The Special One have supported Hodgson's team selection? They might have seen it coming and made comments in the RUN UP to the game that would have ensured nobody was rested. Things like, "I trust Fulham will respect the rules and spirit of the competition on Saturday" and "I'm sure the PL will be looking very closely at the team Roy Hodgson selects on Saturday."
Not Zola. That wouldn't be nice! Woy might not like him! Woy might not cuddle him the next time (and last for some time) we play Fulham!
So, Stani, it is all part of being a yes man and a Mr Nice Guy. A REAL manager would be angry about what happened because it was wrong and UNFAIR on our club, players and FANS. I wanted my manager to represent me and express his anger. And I am being consistent here because I said the punishment of Wolves was inadequate if you remember.
Dublin - well done sir - about time someone stood up to HF - he is always too quick to twist everyone's words to suit himself, he is reactionary and fickle and of course lakes faith. There is very little depth to this board and HF seems to prefer people having a go to his outrageous comments than actually propagating actual intelligent discussion.
So Turds Out, when are you going to join in the debate rather than just criticising this blog? Engage in the debate instead of criticising the medium! Why not contribute an article on West Ham? I will run it providing it isn't racist or pornographic. Can you manage that? Or is your sole raison d'etre to carry out a personal battle?
I am neither racist of pornographic... never have been and never will be
HF,
Zola gave a manager's answer in regards to Hodgson resting players. We rested players in our recent games did we not? If Zola had toed Sullivan's line and kicked up a fuss, not only would you have said he is a 'yes man' but you would also have criticised him for being a hypocrite as he too rested players.
That's the problem with a clutch of you hiding behind "Anonymous" and constantly changing names isn't it? You all get labelled together. You have still ducked the challenge. Why not contribute an article on West Ham instead of just making negative comments about this site?
Not so Stani. I'm not certain he rested players. Cole is carrying an injury. Parker was played at Chelsea even when on the brink of suspension and was supposedly carrying a knock for the Arsenal game. Who else was "rested"? We certainly did not rest half a team. Why would I criticise him for being a yes man if he endorsed the concerns? That is the sensible thing to do! Mind you, I loved the gag I read elsewhere that Hodgson is lodging a complaint against Zola for picking a weakened team all season!
But at the time you criticised Zola for not playing Cole? Why would you criticise him if the player was injured?
"Why would I criticise [Zola] for being a yes man if he endorsed the concerns?" Because you would say he's just agreeing with the owners because he's got no dangly bits.
But subsequently there were stories about him still feeling the knee injury.
Just shows you how much we know about what's going on behind the scenes hey?
It's not behind the scenes that concerns me Stani, it's what happens on the pitch!
Stop guessing then!
And one follows the other HF, one follows the other.
Yep mate, one follows the other. Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose. Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose.Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose.Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose. Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose. Zola explains the tactics, selects the team, uses left footers on the right, right footers on the left and we lose.
Is that six? And tomorrow at Everton? Wonder what Zola will do? Hmmmmm. Moyes is probably having sleepless nights trying to second guess him!
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