Tom Oldfield


Recent defeats to Liverpool and Everton were neither good indications of West Ham’s talent, nor more importantly, of the fantastic job that Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke have done at the club this season. With limited resources and external pressures, the duo have persevered to transform a club in disarray into a young, fit, promising team playing increasingly attractive football and challenging for European places.

Everyone in the football world is aware of West Ham’s off-the-pitch problems this season. On top of the Carlos Tevez – Sheffield United saga, which was only ended in March, the club has had to live with the threat of financial crisis after the collapse of West Ham’s Icelandic chairman’s bank, Landsbanki. West Ham are still looking for a new buyer and the ongoing fear has undoubtedly impacted upon the club’s players and management. However, Zola and Clarke have impressed in fighting against these external issues and focusing the squad on the football side of things, despite additional problems on the pitch. Few Premier League clubs have had to contend with so many injuries to key players this year. Scott Parker, Valon Behrami, Kieron Dyer and Carlton Cole have all missed significant chunks of this season, while Dean Ashton and Danny Gabbidon have not been available at all.

So how have Zola and Clarke persevered to take West Ham to a top-half finish? The answer is a combination of retaining key players, allowing young players to develop and, above all, intelligent and inspirational management.

Undoubtedly, West Ham’s main strength is the English core of Rob Green, Matthew Upson, Mark Noble, Parker and Cole. One of Zola’s greatest achievements so far has been retaining these players despite intense speculation during the January transfer window. Zola was told that he would have to accept all offers on players during that period, and yet Craig Bellamy was the only key player to be sold, in a deal which saw the removal of a negative attitude for a very attractive £14M transfer fee. Parker, Upson and Green in particular, however, pledged their future to the club, impressed by Zola and Clarke’s start. Upson has likened Zola to England boss Fabio Capello, Cole has hailed Zola’s faith in his players and Parker has expressed admiration for his manager’s hands-on approach. The Hammers certainly have full confidence in their manager.

In the absence of many key first team players, another of Zola’s great influences has been in developing a number of exciting young British players this season, arguably more than any other Premier League team. Jack Collison and James Tomkins are the stars but Junior Stanislas, Freddy Sears and Josh Payne are also talented prospects. All of these youngsters have made significant contributions to West Ham’s top-half finish and have learnt a lot this season. Collison in particular has always been quick to praise the impact of the Italian and in particular his one-on-one tuition with his young players.

Under Zola, West Ham are now a noticeably fitter, more stylish side and the Italian has put together a squad with confident, flowing football in mind. Noble is developing rapidly as a capable playmaker while reliable but average performers such as Matthew Etherington, Nigel Quashie and Hayden Mullins have rightly been deemed surplus to requirements. Zola has also trimmed his squad wisely by sending Lee Bowyer and Julien Faubert out on loan, thus cutting the wage bill instead of having to sell another player.

Zola now has a squad which, with one or two effective additions and one or two fewer injuries, could make a big splash. The free signing of Diego Tristan has worked out well so far and if he continues his adaptation to English football and his return to full fitness, he will be a big threat next season alongside Cole and Ashton. The loan signing of Radoslav Kovac has not gone quite so well but he has performed admirably in the absence of Parker and with more Premier League experience, he could be a very decent back-up should the Hammers choose to sign him permanently. The jury is truly out, however, on £10M striker Savio Nsereko. The West Ham supporters are yet to see the promise in him and he has been used very sparingly so far. But, he was bought as a player for the future and he will undoubtedly develop given time, along with the rest of Zola’s youngsters.

However, the Italian still has a lot of work to do, a fact which the defeats to Liverpool and Everton have highlighted clearly. Outside of this core of English players, there is a lack of depth and consistency, which has hindered the side’s progress. A team fielding both David Di Michele and Luis Boa Morte is either going to win impressively or lose spectacularly. In the past both have contributed to West Ham victories but, against Liverpool, the former missed a glorious chance to put the Hammers back in the game and the latter let his frustration get the better of him in giving away the crucial penalty. Both were substituted – a sign perhaps that the manager is not satisfied with these fringe players.

West Ham have now missed out on the Europa League places but this could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Zola’s squad is not yet ready for European football and with so many bright young players, starting next season in July could well have led to serious burn-out. Instead, Zola and Clarke have three months to work with their players, buying and selling to create the squad that they truly want. With players returning from injury and hopefully a solution to the club’s financial problems, West Ham will be a happier and better team next year and Zola and Clarke must continue the great job that they have started.

 

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