Is Zola good enough to keep us up?

I reckon Zola lost the battle of the managers last night & Grant stole a point from him/us but Zola & his inexperienced smile and soft words, allowed 2 vital ones to slip by.

There are now very few winnable games left for us to play in order that we get the points on the board which we will so desperately need to survive. Fortunately I think that 36 will be good enough this term due to lack the of quality in the premiership. If we do stay up this year it will be because of the crap below us not because of our ability.
Sixteen games left with a minimum of sixteen points needed to retain our top-flight status can we do it, can Zola do it?
One thing I think is for certain Zola won't be sacked but only because there is no time or sufficient games left for Gollivan to bring someone else in that would do an effective job (keep us up) for us. If there were 21/22 games left he'd be gone, his record is appalling. He was the best we could get under the circumstances but he is a budget manager with no experience and his approach and attitude are far too soft.

Do I think he is good enough? No I dont. If we stay up it will be by luck rather than Zola's judgement

McCarthy and Gudjohnsen

McCarthy and/or Gudjohnsen, if they come, will do us no favours at all - absolutely NONE. They are both want-away players and need to move to us for very different reasons, none of which are to play football for a struggling West Ham in a relegation dog-fight. McCarthy will be here for the money and to be closer to Stanstead & so Spain. Eidur wants to be close to the London buzz he misses so much

You also have to ask yourself why are Monaco loaning the Icelandic (ain't we had enough of them?) out so soon after signing him, he has only been there six months hasn't he? Just because he is apparently a former friend to GFZ & Clarkie is more bullshit I think, once he gets his feet under the Boleyn table it will be more of the same Real Madrid & Monaco crap he serves up to us, because why wouldn't be? He owes our two management muppets nothing and West Ham even less!!

These two players are both now very much over the hill - with less than exemplary attitudes (McCarthy even refusing to drag his fat carcass back up north to his employers - too cold for him is it?) and they each want the east London mugs, who - because they felt sorry for him - brought Dyer back to London on a permanent holiday to be closer to his family and gave him 60k a week as spending money too. Dyer's arrival at The Hammers had naff all to do with football, not a thing. These 2 new old dead-weights want us to sponsor their final flings before retirement with a good salary so that they can build a little nest egg before they hang up their boots - very much the same way as Dyer took the piss.

If we sign either of them we deserve all we get from them because we have been round that learning curve with Freddie Ljungberg & Kieron isDire; more of the same with these 2 - more fool West Ham

Does our survival plight continue despite the seeming life-line that Gollivan have given us?

The fate of rest of West Ham's season is very much in our own hands but will Zola and the players realise that in time and fight accordingly? I don't think for one minute we are out of the woods yet there is still a long line of bread to follow even though Gollivan may have banished the wicked witch.

Pompey v The Hammers

I think this Pompey game tonight is very much Grant versus Zola, with Grant holding the aces, because he is at home and his home form is pretty good so far. Although Portsmouth may be a club/business in crisis - from a company viewpoint - they, the team, are full of confidence under Grant. Don't let that dour persona of his fool anyone he is a very well respected & competent manager who knows his job. He is underestimated but already has quite an impressive record - Zola beware 

Gianfranco will be very much aware that this is the first of four games in 16 days then home to Hull on the 20th, (we're fortunate that the Wolves game got postponed again) but that is still a gruelling schedule by anyone's standards. 

All four are winnable though and if GFZ has his wits about him he'll want to keep some of his powder dry, as in Cole, for the subsequent matches; God forbid we pick up any injuries and it's not a good time to rush him back. I hope that GFZ is thinking that a nice little 4 game winning run will turn our season round. 

Looking forward to a hard earned three points maybe a 1 nil reverse

Gollivan Versus Al-Faraj - No Contest

Only time will tell whether The Hammers new owners will succeed in their latest venture, but it appears to me there’s currently slight doubt that their intentions for West Ham are honourable (their moral character(s) is/are another story) although time will put that belief of mine to the test.

If people make money from an investment surely that’s a good thing and testament to the success of the business, isn’t it?. They may turn out to be less than what they profess to be in the long run, but their involvement right now has given us a stay of execution and for that I am truly grateful. I do hope on the other hand that history does not prove them to be liars. Gollivan & the Stratford Bull Terrier or the Al-Faraj family – given the choice right now I know which one I’d have, but that is not to say I have reservations

Nightmare Scenario

I have just listened to the David Sullivan interview on the BBC's Radio 5 Live - my first impressions

Curbishley left because he said that he had a clause in his contract which gave him autonomy in the transfer of players to and from the club and that the club had breached that clause which left him in an untenable position therefore he had to leave. His legal team then won a lawsuit against the club for constructive dismissal.
My point here is does Zola have that same autonomy as Curbs? If he doesn't why not, but if he does why is DS saying that they will not sell in this window and that they have offered 100k a week to a "special player". Gollivan have also employed Barry Silkman as a transfer target entrepreneurial guru - where is Kia in all of this? Is Zola being treated with contempt, has the likeable little Italian become insignificant in their 52.5 million pound investment? Why are they all over the transfer dealings of the club now when it should be the Zola/Nani/Clarke/Kia team, shouldn't it? They said they are drawing blanks, surely not the same blanks that the previous regime were following up whom Gollivan have criticised so strongly? 
Despite what Gollivan have said about Zola being safe are his days numbered too? Is he 52.5 million pound safe?

He talked of a 110 million pound debt and we also know that West Ham are in hock up to the eyebrows too; 110 million, what were the Icelandicks doing, they must have been throwing money around like a hyper-active muck spreader.

Gollivan are "in partnership" with the bank as DS put it (by that I take "the bank" too mean Straumur) but they are trying to put together a consortium to buy the other 50% within the next few months. It's interesting to note that Straumur would not sell to them a controlling 51% interest but retained 50% themselves presumably to have a say in what goes on still; it would be interesting also to know to what extent that influence would be.

When the interviewer also asked DS about the possibility of relegation, because let's face it that is still a very real possibility, he was noticeably taken aback and said that would be horrendous.
Gollivan are terrified that relegation will leave their recent investment in tatters and are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to stay in the Premier League – sound familiar? David Sullivan actually said “they have invested “high-risk” money and could lose EVERYTHING.

Sullivan also told BBC Radio Five Live that his club (our Hammers) needs an injection of special talent NOW before it is too late, which begs the question (and I point you to my previous post) what do they really think of Carlton Cole? Cole is supposed to be back for the Pompey game (surely that’s three points by the way) but is there no faith in his ability to keep us up? "We have a crisis and you have to have a different strategy to what our long-term strategy will be."

We are 16th in the table level on points with Hull who are in the relegation zone and Sullivan knows that because the deal for the club dragged on, he has come in at a difficult stage in the transfer signing window, only 9 days left as we speak.

He talked of an unbalanced squad and the real need for a couple of strikers and a defence player presumably a RB and a back-up keeper. The keeper choice, I feel, will have to be a long-term signing because Green is off in the summer if not before.

Although he said a Nightmare scenario he did say that they have a five year plan and that people would look back in 5 years time when West Ham were solvent again, and say that the 2 Davids had done a good job - let's hope so eh.

5 games in 16 days to come - 2 strikers and a RB coupled with a current fit squad and will be talking Europa League next, relegation will have become  a figment of our imaginations in the dark an distant Icelandic past.
The next 16 days could see our season made or broken - a little over 2 weeks to save 52.5 million, I'm grateful it's them and not me and I really do hope we are playing top-flight football because of them next season

Are Carlton Coles Days Numbered?

It is rumoured in the papers today that Gollivan are eyeing up attacking reinforcements for The Hammers; here are just some of the strikers we are apparently being linked with, don’t laugh…                                       
Eidur Gudjohnsen
Benni McCarthy
James Beattie
Dick Mar van Nostril Boy
Robbie Keane

Who they are is not really the point here, but rather is it a realistic possibility that Gollivan are going to bring in 2 additional front men before the window closes? If they are then that little scenario gives rise to the meaning of my headline and would be possible concern or curtains for Cole.

Let’s make this clear from the outset – I am not a great lover of Cole never have been never will be - if he was any good he’d still be at Chelsea imho (same with Frank Nouble for that matter too - but that's a whole different debate) and the recent paper talk of Liverpool & Arsenal wanting him (CC) was just laughable, and what was the money being touted for him, 20 million? ROFL.  No other sensible offers for him yet in this window just goes to show what other premiership managers think of him; the offers are conspicuious by their absence.


He has some ok points but those are far outweighed by his glaring inability as a premiership goal scorer - remember that brilliant 'forward' slotted ball through to Thefoe (see picture) oh dear!!! Thought he was playing for England, I'm sure he did, slotting through to his 'team mate" on international duty whoops

When Marlon Harewood, Bobby Zamora and the now unfortunately ill-fated but brilliant Dean Ashton were in the squad Carlton was little more than cannon fodder - a bench warmer first class. It was only on a needs must basis that he found himself in the starting line-up at all, very much a case of no one else so in he goes. In those early days of his career as 'top-dog' he was continually booed by the West Ham faithful and often, whilst I was at our home matches (S/T holder), I would hear him called the Dagenham donkey on very many occasions.

No doubt he has improved under Zola for sure, but let’s face it he had to because there was no other direction for his 'ability' to go but up since his ‘skill’ as a striker was so blatantly obviously poor more down would have been subterranean; he also had growing up a little on his side too – he had to get better with age surely, didn’t he? But if you are completely useless and then improve beyond recognition, all to the good, is it not possible you are still not good enough because you were so bad to start with? I truly believe that this is the case with Carlton


Remember also that our now dearly beloved, can't do with out him Carlton is very much a confidence player, being two behind in the starting stakes will not do his self-belief any good whatsoever especially if Gollivan's pair hit the ground running - wait a minute there's that slippery slide back to his Chelsea days again. Will Gollivan tolerate him in bad form - on his wages n'all?

If Gollivan really do bring in two strikers and they are anywhere near the calibre of the little short list above, I think that once again Cole will be found out and found wanting. I believe he will find himself once more the third choice striker option. New hit-men on board he may find - during a few of our remaining games - he could discover he does not even have a place on the bench, depending on what tactics Zola/Clarke choose to adopt and should there be a greater need for a more attacking mid-field set up or a player who is more versatile, or one that has a greater work-rate. Let's face it CC is rather limited in his abilities - but he does hold the ball up well

Excerpts from the diary of a Londoner who moved to the Highlands of Andalucia.

Dec 20 - It’s started to snow. The first of the season and the first we’ve seen here for a couple of years. The wife & I took our hot toddies out and sat on the terrace watching the fluffy soft flakes drift gently down clinging to the trees and covering the ground. Its so beautiful and peaceful.

Dec 24 – Awoke early to a lovely blanket of crystal white glistening snow covering the Olive Tree landscape. What a fantastic sight, every tree and bush covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shovelled snow for the first time in a long while and loved it. I did both our driveway and our pavement, next door's too. Later a snowplough came along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street. The driver smiled and waved as he drove happily by. I waved back and shovelled it away again.

Dec 26 – It snowed an additional 5 inches last night and the temperature dropped to around minus 8 degrees. Several branches on ours trees and bushes snapped due to the weight of the snow. I shovelled our driveway again.. Shortly afterwards the snowplough came by and did his trick again. 
Much of the snow is now a kind of brownish-grey icy slush.

Jan 1 – Warmed up enough during the day to create some slush which soon became ice when the temperature dropped again. Bought snow tyres for both our cars. Fell on my a*** in the driveway. £100 to a physio but nothing broken. More snow and ice expected.

Jan 5 – Still cold. Sold the wife’s car and bought her a Landrover to get her to work. She slid into a wall and did considerable damage to the right wing. Had another 8 inches of white s*** last night. Both vehicles are covered in salt and iced up slush. More shovelling in store for now. The b****** snowplough came by twice today.

Jan 9 – More f****** snow. Not a tree or bush on our property that has not been damaged. Power was off most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and a paraffin heater which tipped over and nearly burnt the house down. I managed to put out the flames but suffered 2nd degree burns on my hands. Lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows. (Car hit a f******* deer on the way to casualty and was written off.)

Jan 13 – F******* b****** white s*** keeps on coming down. Have to put on all the clothes we own just to get to the post box. If I ever catch that a******* that drives the f****** snowplough, I’ll chew open his chest and rip his heart out with my teeth. I think the b****** hides round the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then he comes down the street at 100 mph and buries the f****** driveway again.


Jan 17 – 16 more f****** inches of f****** sleet and f****** ice and God knows what other kinds of white s*** fell last night. I wounded that b****** snowplough driver with an ice axe but he got a way. F****** car won’t start. I think I’m going snow-blind. Can’t move my f****** toes. Haven’t seen the sun in weeks. More f****** snow forecast. Minus 20 degrees. F*** this. I’m moving back to Seven Kings & sunny Ilford

West Ham 'Supporters' New Home Shirt

Wow - I've just gotten through reading a few of the so-called West Ham 'supporters' blogs this morning and there the subsequent posters comments and replies; all I can say is what sad negative lives some of you so called fans must lead.

Since Terry Brown left (and I am not singing his praises, although some would do well to research a little of the man before sending him to the gallows based on the media's crucifixion of him over very many years or buying into the slaughter of him without knowing any more about him other than what is said by those that would put him to the sword for their own selfish ends - I digress) since he has been gone this club has been in turmoil, quite literally.

As a club we are as a shot up Spitfire during the blitz that has been ravaged by the enemy without, as well as those that would sabotage us from within. The brave little fighter is spiralling earthward at terminal velocity, smoke and flames billowing heavenward as we plunge to our inevitable end where we crash and burn. And what do 'we' do? West Ham fans look on and are discussed by our inability to die with a little better flair.

Some have even given Frank Nouble a slagging for his performance in his début for us - is that what being a West Ham fan has become? Burn our own players, our own urban warriors at the stake because of the ineptitude of the owners and board? Slag the 600 who rode so valiantly into the valley of death "cannon to right of them, cannon to left of them, cannon in front of them, volley'd and thunder'd"... as they took the Crossed Hammers forward into battle once more odds completely against them? A little dramatic? That's as maybe, but a suitable & fitting metaphor given the war that is now raging against this West Ham side by it's very own so called supporters. You know who you are - now hang your heads in shame.

Maybe we were unable to die with any flair yesterday - given our realistic position and uncertainty that is crisis West Ham at the moment - that is so very understandable to the loyal; but like the brave Tommy called upon to do his duty in times of hardship by a needy nation, our lads may have died in the oldest and most prestigious football club competition in the world, die we did, but we died with dignity yesterday against a side that is riding high still in with a shout at the top slot whilst we are fighting for our very lives.

---------- ~ ----------

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.


For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
                                                                                                  -Rudyard Kipling