Tag Archives: Hammers

Hammers close in on Grant

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Avram Grant, who resigned as manager of relegated Portsmouth on Thursday, could be unveiled as the new West Ham boss in 12 days’ time, subject to a final interview (check out all ante-post and in-play football markets on totesport.com).

The 55-year-old is the favourite to take the Upton Park post having seen his Pompey side lose in their second FA Cup final in three seasons.

Grant said that leaving the troubled south-coast cloub was one of the most difficult decisions he has to take in his football career so far.

He said: “After a lot of soul searching and under the circumstances, I’m taking a different direction.”

“Portsmouth has given me a feeling of home away from home. I might be leaving Portsmouth physically, but you cannot take Portsmouth away from me and my heart,” he added.

If the Israeli does arrive in at the Boleyn he will take over a side that just avoided relegation last season under former manager Gianfranco Zola.

The Italian was sacked at Hammers manager on May 11 and since then the club, under the chairmanship of David Sullivan and David Gold, have been in the process of selecting a new boss.

Reacting to speculation about Grant, a club spokesman said: “West Ham United can confirm the club is making good progress in the search for a new manager and the appointment will be made by early June.

“The club is in the middle of a thorough selection process which could continue over the next 12 days before being finalised.

“The new manager will then have a month to prepare for the start of pre-season, with all at the club determined to improve on the previous campaign.”

Portsmouth are now in the process of finding a new manager with reports suggesting goalkeeper David James has said he would like the role.

The club’s administrator, Andrew Andronikou, has said that the England goalkeeper, who is likely to be on the plane to South Africa for this summer’s World Cup, has expressed an interest in becoming involved with management.

However, Andronikou did add that the club feel it may be a bit early for James, who will be asked for his input on the new manager, to be considering because he still is performing well on the pitch.

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Holloway slams Hammers talk

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Blackpool manager Ian HollowayBlackpool have been handed a boost ahead of the Championship play-off final against Cardiff on Saturday after boss Ian Holloway distanced himself from the vacant managerial position at West Ham (Holloway 33/1 Next Permanent West Ham Manager).

Holloway has been linked to the Hammers job following an excellent season at Bloomfield Road in which he has guided the club to within 90 minutes of the Premier League (Blackpool 6/5 Promotion) following a top-six Championship finish and play-off semi-final win against Nottingham Forest.

However, ahead of Saturday’s Wembley showdown against Cardiff City, (Blackpool 21/10,Cardiff 13/10, draw 9/4 90 Minutes) Holloway has pledged his long-term future to the Seasiders.

He said: “It’s an honour to be linked with something like that but it’s not genuine is it? If it was genuine then my chairman (Karl Oyston) would be talking to me about it. I think a lot of journalists are quite lazy. They look at things and think ‘oh, we can throw that name in’.

“At the end of the day it’s the people at the top of the clubs who make these decisions. You read the stories but these newspapers will be wrapping someone’s chips tomorrow. Never believe what you read in the papers. I don’t.

“I’m doing a job as well as I possibly can and I’m more than happy to keep doing it.”

Holloway’s outburst comes on the back of Blackburn’s denial that West Ham have made an approach to take Sam Allardyce (16/1) to Upton Park, while Portsmouth have paved the way clear for Avram Grant (1/10) to leave Fratton Park and take the job by saying they will not demand any compensation.

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Hammers axe Zola

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West Ham have announced manager Gianfranco Zola has been sacked following a meeting with the owners and board earlier today, Tuesday (Check out the latest football betting markets).

A statement from West Ham read: “West Ham United confirm that they have terminated the contract of Gianfranco Zola.

“The board of directors would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future.

“The club will now be focusing its efforts on seeking a replacement. The club will be making no further comment on this matter.”

The former Chelsea star, known as ‘Magic Box’ in his days as a player, had been at the club for less than two years having taken over from Alan Curbishley in September 2008.

West Ham was Zola’’s first managerial role but his position quickly came under scrutiny following the takeover by former Birmingham owners David Sullivan and David Gold in January 2010.

Sullivan in particular has been heavily critical of the team’s performances in the latter half of the season, at one point he branded the Hammers ‘pathetic’ following defeat by Wolves.  However, despite the off-field tensions Zola successfully helped West Ham avoid relegation from the Premier League after a difficult campaign for the east London side.

Speculation increased that Zola was set to depart West Ham following their final day of the season draw with Manchester City at Upton Park.  The 43-year-old’’s match programme notes seemed to suggest he was saying his goodbyes to the Hammers faithful, who enjoyed a good relationship with Zola, although Sullivan’s comments were perhaps more telling.

“The current management and team know that what they have delivered was below the expectations at the start of the season and we simply have to do better next season,” wrote Sullivan in what was hardly a ringing endorsement of Zola at a time when speculation surrounding his position had intensified.

As the season drew to a close a number of names were linked with the manager’’s job at Upton Park and speculation is bound to increase now Zola has been axed.  Portsmouth boss Avram Grant and former Hammers boss Curbishley have been mooted as possible replacements for Zola, while Croatia boss Slaven Bilic, a former West Ham player, has also emerged as a contender to take over.

Grant is the early favourite, although the Pompey boss will not make any decision before Portsmouth’’s FA Cup final date with Chelsea on Saturday.

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Clarke talks Hammers up

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Rafa Benitez and Gianfranco ZolaWest Ham number two Steve Clarke admits there is always pressure in football having experienced it at both end of the Premier League table.

The former Chelsea coach is currently helping Hammers chief Gianfranco Zola mastermind their survival in the top flight and is in bullish mood ahead of Monday night’s trip to Liverpool, who in their own way have flopped as badly as the east Londoners this season (Liverpool 1/3, draw 18/5, West Ham 9/1).

West Ham have not won at Anfield in almost 50 years but Clarke reckons he has seen enough over the last few weeks of the campaign to travel in good heart.

He told the club’s website: “When I first went into coaching I was challenging for trophies at the other end of the table, but there is pressure on that as well. In every football match, there is pressure involved.

“That’s why we do it and what we’re in the game for.”

The weekend has been kind to the Hammers so far after Burnley were beaten and Hull could only draw at Birmingham, so Zola and Clarke will be keen viewers as fellow strugglers Wigan entertain Arsenal on Sunday.

Barring a massive shock at the DW Stadium, a win for West Ham at Liverpool would move them up to 16th place, six points clear of the drop zone, and while that prospect might appear fanciful to the neutral, Clarke is fully behind his side (West Ham 9/2 to go down).

He added: “We’ll focus on the fixture on Monday night at Liverpool and, if we continue doing what we have been doing, we’ll be OK.

“Obviously the last couple of results were good for us and we have to build on them. The finishing line is in sight and we have to keep going.

“It’s been a difficult season right from the start, but we’re still in there fighting.

“We have to achieve the objective of staying in the Premier League and we’re all confident we can do that.”

West Ham’s mission could be boosted by events in Iceland – positive ones for a change.

After the banking crisis saw the Hammers taken over by asset management company, CB Holdings, a subsidiary of its then main creditor, the Icelandic bank Straumur, almost 12 months on the volcanic eruption has hampered Reds striker Fernando Torres’ bid to visit a Barcelona-based knee specialist.

Kop chief Rafa Benitez does not want to risk the Spain ace until he has been given the once-over, but the volcanic ash cloud has hampered the former Atletico Madrid ace’s journey to the Catalan capital.

Liverpool also look set to have to field Daniel Agger at left-back again as a temporary measure following injuries to Emiliano Insua and Fabio Aurelio.

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