Zola's Sacking is a Disgrace

Well, I got into my car and turned on the radio to find out England's final 30, and was still fuming over the selection of Jamie The Selfish Traitor Carragher when, suddenly, Radio 5 slipped in the news that Zola was very disappointed to be sacked by West Ham. And I'm not surprised!

What on earth do Sullivan and Gold think they are doing? Don't they understand that Zola is a great man, a great ex player and a great manager in the making? Have they taken no account of the terrible circumstances under which Zola has been operating? Do they not understand that Zola has worked a minor miracle, given all that has been going on this season? Do the opinions of the players count for nothing? Don't Sullivan and Gold understand how much everybody at the club adores Zola? Fools, idiots, blinkered buffoons, dildo wielding dunderheads!

This decision is outrageous for the following reasons:

1) Zola took over a team in the top 5 and, in the space of two seasons, manufactured a team able to finish 4th from bottom, thereby avoiding relegation. Portsmouth, Hull and Burnley all hold our club in awe. What would they have given to finish where West Ham have finished?

2) Zola has recognised the importance of the Premiership and surrendered our place in the League and FA Cups in two consecutive seasons. Last year, at Watford, he selected a reserve keeper, an overweight Uruguayan left back and a forward line of Di Michele and Sears. In a stroke of genius, he picked Etherington to play on the RIGHT of midfield! Little did I understand then that this was the early blueprint for the Zola masterplan of picking players in positions they are patently unsuited to! In the FA Cup, a competition Zola values apparently, we won against Barnsley and Hartlepool (a tricky fixture!) but surrendered our place in the 5th round despite a home draw against Middlesborough. To be fair, a full strength side was selected in the home tie against the soon to be relegated team, but Kovac and Sears were picked for the away tie. Yes, you remember, Freddie No Goals In The Fizzy Pop Sears up against Huth and Wheater! This season, we did our best to hand victory to our sworn enemy Millwall and, after a stabbing, a riot in Green Street and two pitch invasions, we scraped a victory over the Division Three outfit in extra time. But to what end? We duly surrendered at Bolton, with Zola fielding Hines, all five feet nothing of him, as the lone striker and pairing Da Costa and Tomkins together against that wily old bully Kevin Davies and his supporting cast of thugs. Zola even chucked in Spector at right back for good measure and then used as a sub N'Gala, the guy who may yet be good enough for Plymouth Argyle! Inspired! Wind the clock forward to a nationally televised 3rd round of the FA Cup against Arsenal, and Zola gives a first team debut to Daprela (as a warm up for his next appearance away to Chelsea!) and played Nouble up top on his own. Sears and Edgar were both brought on as subs in an attempt to terrify Wenger's big Gunners!

3) After inheriting a squad that has finished in the top half of the table for two consecutive seasons, Zola has set all sorts of club records this season: the lowest number of points we have collected over a Premiership season, the lowest number of away wins, the lowest number of wins overall, our first defeat at Fulham since 1966, our first home defeat against Wolves and a record 6 straight defeats in a row! Zola's win ratio, stretching over his two seasons in charge, is lower than any other manager in the history of the club. In the round, Zola is a record breaker of the lowest order!

4) And look what Zola has had to deal with! Hull imploded, Portsmouth exploded and Burnley fizzled out. Meanwhile, Zola was forced to sell one player, yes one player, and was allowed to sign Diamanti, Kovac, Da Costa and Jimenez. The Board actually invested in the team over the summer! Then, in January, nobody left and Ilan, McCarthy and Mido were all signed. And, of course, being the great judge that he is, Zola pressed for McCarthy to be signed, and then preferred Mido over both Benni The Gut and Ilan.

I could go on, and no doubt will in later posts. But just taking the above into account, how outrageous is the decision to dismiss Zola? The poor guy must be wondering what on earth he did to deserve it!