(Contributed by Apache)
...and expecting different results!
Until recently (the Wolves game), I was part of the 'In Zola We Trust' brigade. I've grown up supporting a club that has stuck by it's managers, and that is something that I am immensely proud of. But, in the light of recent events, I've taken my claret 'n blue specs off.
Now, other than the fact that he has the players' support, why exactly does Zola deserve saving or backing? Firstly, let me tell you why having the players' support is irrelevant. I have been an extremely successful manager for years (not in football, but the principles are the same). People support their manager when either they have it easy or they are inspired to over-achieve. 17th place isn't over achieving in my book.
So, let me ask again, why does he deserve our support? I don't want reasons (justifications) for failure. That rules out background upheavals, injuries, financial restraints etc, we know all of that. But what has he delivered to justify support?
He appears tactically naive. He's stubborn enough to cut off his nose to spite his face (Davenport, Quashie and now seemingly Diamante). He continually plays players in unnatural positions that cause us no end of problems (How many goals have come down our left because we played a right footer there instead of the left-footer that we do have - with two more today!). What was it that Einstein said? "Insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results". Spector anyone?
He can't seem to decide on his best forward combination. Any signs of motivation? The players may have been happy enough to run to him when they score, but the rest of the time, do they look like they'll run through walls for him? What has he really done to Cole apart from play him consistently? This was, after all, the player that Ranieri said was the best young player he's ever worked with.
So, what exactly has Zola done to deserve our support? IF the football we played was breathtaking and we were just unlucky, I could accept that and give him a chance. If we were getting results and had a manager that was slowly building a team a la Curbs, I'd accept that. But with Zola, I just can't think of a single pragmatic reason to support him. Enlighten me.
5 comments:
So why is Zola still the manager of West Ham Utd? Why.. maybe it's the fans blind support? Yep thats one reason. The main reason is the owners, the icelandic banks and the porn kings. This idiom comes to mind.. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. The point is West Ham Utd the football club is to blame...the fans and the owners who cannot learn from their mistakes and have allowed Zola to take advantage of them repeatedly. No wonder Zola smiles so much!!
Controversial stuff. So you are saying that the fans must carry their share of responsibility. I am inclined to agree. All that "In Zola we trust" guff made it very difficult for S&G to sack him on arrival. That would have got them off on the wrong footing with an already dubious fan base.
As a footballer Zola enjoyed almost unrivalled success. One would presume that having played under a number of top managers over the years he would have developed a cosiderable knowledge of tactics, balance,coaching etc.but this obviously has not happened. One would also have thought that after eleven years in England he would have been able to speak the language quite fluently. Having only ever experienced success for most of his working life it must be very difficult to accept failure. It is certainly time the D's spelt it all out for him
"Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." - Albert Einstein.
Looks like we been working to the wrong quote all this time.
LOL There's a thread all of its own here! Einstein on West Ham!
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