new manager

[hammermolder]

Zola to be unveiled as hammers new manager on thursday,forget all the chelsea crap,this is a great signing for the club,im beginning to think the owners do now what there doing!!

[claret50]

From the Beeb.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/7605386.stm

[Hammerette 1]

I wouldn't say signing a manager with next to no managerial experience was a great move. Especially when Duxbury and Nani were doing the interviewing, one clueless and the other just making sure his own position didn't come under threat. May work, may not but the whiff of a manager who was a cheap option and a yes man comes across pretty strong and we all know the last manager who was appointed on those terms.

[15woodcroft]

great player but not sure about as a head coach (he's no manager by our former understanding of the term) and i haven't followed his coaching career (with u-21's) but my italian friends assure me that he is a very progressive coach who likes his teams to play the game going forward, and i would say i think he also understands the english game.

but none of that means he'll have any success.

this is obviously a gamble by the board as the sense seems to be that if mancini or bilic could have been had it wouldn't be zola. third choice it is. feels like terry brown all over again.

a bright spot might be that zola brings over steve clarke from chelsea, and from what i understand he is a very highly rated coach. can't hurt.

[Footstomper]

Could he handle Bellamy?

[Hawaiian Hammer]

As far as Zola is concerned, I am sitting on the fence being neither for or against his appointment. The fact that he has no experience managing a club is a big concern and it looks to me that there is no middle ground with him being appointed, he will either be an inspired choice or will go pear shaped very very fast but he deserves the opportunity to show what he can do before all the "Zola out" chants start.

[blainehammer]

If he brings half the flair that he had as a player then he will be ok in my book.

All this talk of letting a "manager" manage is garbage. When you think logically, coaching alone is a massive task and should be left to those who have obtained coaching badges etc. Managing the money side of the game is a whole different story.
In North America the trading/transfer/salary business is all done by a general manager. In Hockey, that man is usually a trained lawyer or equilivant knowledgable in contract law. Why would that side of the business be left to people like, say Harry. When I was a kid growing up in Poplar, Harry missed so much schooling..... although I have to admire him as he is street smart. However street smarts do not cut it anymore when we are talking about 1/2billion pound franchises.

The new set up at WH is correct. The only question that remains is are the right people in those jobs. We must wait and see.

[canzano55]

I can't say if Zola will bring success but I can guarantee you'll see a change in the ideology. It will be attacking galore in West Ham this season.

[pething101]

I am excited by this appointment.

That said, I voted for George W. the first time around.

At least I learned the second time around.

[Hawaiian Hammer]

I am excited by this appointment.

That said, I voted for George W. the first time around.

At least I learned the second time around.

Showing your age the Pething if you voted for George Washington first time around :)

[Hawaiian Hammer]

I must admit this has really turned out to be an anti-climax, all of the people on the short list have withdrawn their interest in the job except for Zola.

If the Hammers were serious about making the champions league then they should have been moving heaven and earth to get Mancini, sadly Zola was the weakest of the candidates on the short list in regards to managerial experience and achievement.

If nothing else it will interesting, particularly if the Hammers play in the same manner that Zola used to.

[Footstomper]

I am excited by this appointment.

That said, I voted for George W. the first time around.

Daft git! And they let you teach kids?:eek:

[blainehammer]

Yeh. But he is a quick learner!

ps. too many pinkos teaching kids as it is!

[Footstomper]

Yeh. But he is a quick learner!

ps. too many pinkos teaching kids as it is!

Oi!

[servotron]

I have nothing but optimism for this.... Zola is my footballing hero and we as football lovers can only hope his attitude is infectious to the entire team and the entire league.

[blainehammer]

If the cap fits ............

Give me a gun toting, red neck, cracker from Alaska any day!!!!!

[amancalledmikey]

*sighs* No experience, none. Why is it that year upon year, Premier League managers on average have less and less experience? He could be awesome but I just wished we'd appoint people with some pedigree.

[harkes6]

i think this could be very exciting. they call it a gamble for a reason. we'll have to see how they play. i've never minded a little gung ho attack myself. a young, attacking flair sounds like the zest we lacked for much of last season.

and stomps: wouldn't, on paper, in terms of mentality, bellamy and zola get along? a striker and a coach who likes to attack seem like a good mix. as long as they spare the coke fueled golf outings.

[claret50]

Done deal, Zola has officially been appointed as manager on a 3 year contract.

[Footstomper]

and stomps: wouldn't, on paper, in terms of mentality, bellamy and Zola get along? a striker and a coach who likes to attack seem like a good mix. as long as they spare the coke fueled golf outings.
Sadly Bellamy doesn't exist on paper. He is a great striker, brilliant footballer (with whom the lovely lovable Zola would get along brilliantly). Sadly he is also an unpredictable, temperamental, mindlessly violent welsh git. I don't see too much of a connection there.
I think that Zola could be a really exciting prospect. Cant wait to see how it pans out, even tho' it's the end of West Ham as we've known it.