Former Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola has claimed the team needs to be performing far better under Slaven Bilic.
Zola – who managed the club between 2008-2010 said: “I think it’s a club that deserves to always be in the top half of the table, in my opinion.
“They have great supporters and a very good philosophy of play, but they haven’t been playing well this year, to be honest. I don’t know why, they have good players, but they haven’t been playing well.”
He sympathises with the plight of current boss Bilic, who has spoken of the pressure he is starting to feel at the club.
He said: “Whether it’s down to confidence or the fact that they were missing some players, I don’t know, but I think they have to do better than this. It’s a club that deserve more than this,” he added.
I saw Gianfranco the other night in ‘the Debate’ programme on Sky (with the ‘charmless’ Craig Bellamy) – he just mentioned West Ham in passing, not really saying anything of note, he praised the West Ham fans and the Club’s ‘philosophy of play’ but echoed what just about everybody is saying that the present form and play is disappointing.
He was very self deprecating, admitting that his own performance as a Manager has been poor, but still hoping to get back into Management in the near future.
Whatever is said about Zola, he was the only Manager to get Carlton Cole to play half-decently!
Michael – F***ing Harry Potter couldn’t get a game out of Carlton. But what I wouldn’t give for a Bellamy type now!