Blame me: Zola tempts fate
WEST HAM (1) v/s WOLVES (3)
UNDER-FIRE manager Gianfranco Zola urged fans to blame him, not the players, after furious West Ham supporters revolted during a defeat that pushed them closer to the drop.
Goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matt Jarvis lifted the visitors to relative safety and left the Hammers dangling three points above the drop zone. Guillermo Franco responded late on but by then the home crowd had either departed or turned against their team, with some singing: ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’.
Relegation would be a crippling blow to the already cash-strapped club and pressure is mounting on owners David Sullivan and David Gold to change managers.
Zola said: “If they want to pick up on somebody they must pick up on me. Last year when we were playing well, I took the compliments. I can take the criticism as well.
“I have to make sure the team react in the right way. I have a long night in front of me to think about that.”
Council could join club in stadium bid
WEST Ham are in talks with Newham Council over making a joint bid to occupy the Olympic Stadium in Stratford after the 2012 Games.
If the two parties can reach an agreement they will then submit a formal bid to the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
Vice-chairman Karren Brady told City PM on Tuesday that the nearby stadium represented “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.