Gold has explained the process behind the appointment of Wally Downes and it has that familiar old ring to it. Remember how Duxbury told us that all team decisions were made by Zola, including who was bought and sold? Does anybody believe that now? Did Zola really want Collins and Bellamy sold? Did he really want Savio? If so, he was even more hopeless than I have given him discredit for. Not that anything changed under Gold, Sullivan and Brady. Look at Zola's initial treatment of Ilan - anybody would have thought the guy had bird flu in his early weeks at the club!
Here's what Gold said:
"The board felt we needed to make some changes to the coaching staff because something wasn't quite right. We proposed to bring in Wally and Avram was thrilled to have him. So I guess you can call it a team decision.
"It was Avram who had the final decision. Anyone who comes in on the football side will always be the manager's decision.
"We do our best to be supportive, but I wouldn't want anyone to get the impression we do anything other than what the manager wants."
Note where the initiative came from! Not Avram. "The board felt" admits Gold, and sitting bottom of the table, Grant was in no position to disagree was he?
I can just imagine how "thrilled" Grant was when called in to the office to be told that his appointment, Petrovic, wasn't cutting it so the board had decided on his replacement. "You're still manager mate, but we pick your coaching team. And, by the way, 4-3-3 aint working is it? And Boa, really? Drop him for Saturday eh? What about that kid Stanislas? Might be worth a look you know. Not that we're picking the team you understand. But David, Karren and myself would like to see Junior have a run out."
I can picture Avram turning cartwheels of joy in the meeting!
"And of course," Gold might have continued, "You have the final say. If you don't want Downes then we won't appoint him. By the way, have you read the Daily Mail? Where do you think these stories about you getting the sack are coming from? Just because we are bottom and have only won one game! Bloody journalists! So, anyway, your choice. Wally?"
Well something definitely needed to be done. Supporter's unrest was evident and the D's certainly are concerned about that, and so they should be.
ReplyDeleteGrant's choice of some arrogant idiot from Bosnia or Montenegro or where ever he come's from raises severe doubts about the man's judgement.
It would appear there was player unrest about the man and something had to change and they have started to do it.
If Paulo is brought in to coach the attacking side, I would be delighted because he is a talented, skilful, experienced player with very good technical knowledge, a fitness fanatic who would want to win, and I think he is a man who would in time get the best out of the players and have them trying 110% as they should do for the money they get.
Wally Downes I have a feeling will do a very good job in tightening up our defence and he is probably a much better acquisition than most of us first thought.
If the D's do acquire the services of Paulo as well as Downes it raises the question of why Grant is really there and what will he do and will he be any good at what is left for him to do.
That is why we will never have a decent manager for any significant period as long as these 3 rogues are running our club.
ReplyDeleteGrant's West Ham record in all competitions following the 4-0 thrashing of United.
ReplyDeleteP W D L F A
19 6 7 7 24 28
Yes only two of those wins have been in the league but it's hardly a terrible record nevertheless, hopefully with two wins in a row, including the tonking of Man U, we can get outselves out of the relegation zone and into safety.