Gianfranco Zola has admitted that Sam Allardyce’s West Ham problems are almost certainly down to the style of football being played.Whilst many may consider that self evident, it’s highly unusual for a former manager to try putting his finger on the problem with most preferring to remain very much on the fence.
But Zola – interviewed on TalkSPORT said: “Over the last 14 games West Ham have not done very well. That’s the problem with Sam. He did fantastically well at the start of the season though.
“”Sometimes there was a difficult relationship between the way Sam played and the sort of football West Ham supporters wanted to see.
“I know how important the style of football is for West Ham fans. That might be the biggest problem to overcome. I don’t know what is going to happen.”
Would still be a great first team coach but not a manager…his last statement says it all.
I’ve always respected Zola as player but above all as person; he’s very kind, polite, modest. He hits the nail on the head: “I know how important the style of football is for West Ham fans. That might be the biggest problem to overcome. I don’t know what is going to happen”.
Zola, the problem is that the fat man is a dinosaur, he always has benn and always will be.
There only one solution: he has to as soon as possibile.
*there’s
* he has to go… my mobile doesn’t work… lol
Zola is a gentleman,i always liked him at the club.Just didnt seem to work out for him.Maybe just not quite good enough 😉
At last some common sense and honesty from the professional ranks. Only thing I disagree with is the references to BFS doing well in the first part of the season. We all know this was due to a fresh injection of David Sullivan signings and injuries to Sam’s boys. It forced him to produce an accidental line up and system which produced entertaining football and success making him appear like a football genius.
ahaha… yes Hammer, I didn’t underline that point only out of respect for Zola… but I agree with you 😉
Agree with Rads a very nice man. He seemed to work well with hard man Steve Clarke. Maybe he was a little soft.
And NCS is who?
ahahah… it’s a Sam’s nickname invented by Bubs… lol NCS = No Cojones Sam …ahah
NCS is No Cojones Sam,apparently Bubs renamed him because he has no balls when it comes to leaving us,i think 😀
NCS because he has not got any on many things
1 he should have grown a pair took KN to one side and said sorry you can’t cut it any more move on or think about taking a player coach role,
2 he should have sold AC a year ago when Newcastle were interested and admitted he got it wrong,
3 stuck to the new style of play we stared with at the begging if the season instead of bricking it the first time it did not work out and returning to plan A,
4 stopped getting shot of players who would not bend to his dictatorship high were bad business for our club which means he put himself before our club
5 instead of blaming everyone and everything when he has got it wrong and doing the manly thing and handed in his resignation
Hence NCS ( no cajones Sam )
Back to subject Zola like so many nice people and brilliant players do not make good managers because when hard decisions are needed they can’t find that cutting edge,
Like billy bonds, ect
But hard not very elegant players make good managers because the same as when the played no nonsense football they can do the hard things when necessary,
Just my opinion ( don’t know why it hasn’t worked for NCS )
I enjoyed our football under Zola’s first season, just missing out on Europa, due to injuries to key players (Collison was on fire).
The meltdown that insued, with Duxberry cleaning up his own mess, was just too much for a rookie manager to cope with IMO.
Loved type fact he got a tune out of Carlton, Stanislas, Hines etc.
Well said hammerforlife. Nice to see someone else putting those early months in perspective.
Why,does anyone actually believe it was Sams great summer planning & tactical brilliance that brought about our great start.They must be smoking crack if they believe that,lol