What a week its been in terms of transfer gossip and internal wranglings at West Ham United. After the dramatic win at home to Wigan last Saturday and Gold’s suggestion that Zola deserved another chance next season there was a new feeling of optimism. However as it had been a while since we had heard from David Sullivan, this image of harmony was not to last long.
The PFA Fans’ Player of the Year in the Championship, Graham Dorrans, was the subject of a written bid from West Ham in the region of 4 million pounds. This does indicate that the club has some cash despite the presumably ongoing debt troubles. Moreover Dorrans appears to be an exciting, young midfielder who could still reach twenty goals this season. This news was tempered by Sullivan’s comment that Zola was not interested whatsoever in player transfers. This raised the unnerving picture of Sullivan, Gold and Brady thrashing out potential transfer targets. Sullivan went on to say that every player is up for sale this summer, at the right price, apart from Scott ‘Mr West Ham’ Parker. Our tactful and diplomatic Co-Chairman was at it again when he was quoted as saying that Zola could well leave at the end of the season. Once again Gold has proved to be the more thoughtful and considered of the two as he tried to put Sullivan’s comments into some context. He attempted to reassure fans that despite Sullivan’s evident hyperbole the club would strive to keep their best players and reinforce the squad.
Zola indicated in his press conference the other day that he has enjoyed a closer relationship with David Gold who he said had always been supportive to himself and the players. But during an insightful pre-match press conference the Italian made no attempt to conceal his displeasure at the events of this week. He said the comments surrounding players being for sale was unpleasant and argued that other key players in the squad would not be best pleased at Sullivan’s populist move to cite one player as being beyond reproach. He also said he would not have known how to react if the bid for Dorrans had been successful as he only knew of the decision when it reached the press. “I have been surprised so many times this year – so I am not surprised that I am surprised.” From these comments it is difficult not to conclude that Sullivan in particular has systematically tried to exclude Zola from club business and undermine his position as manager. It now looks increasingly unlikely that our amiable manager will not be in charge next season. But the shambolic (to coin a phrase from Sullivan) way in which the club is being run will make it hard to attract any decent, self respecting managers.
I’m off to Fulham tomorrow and if we can get a win there full credit will go to Gianfranco who must be questioning the point of geeing up the players for these final two games with all the nonsense going on behind the scenes.
