Finding it hard to manage?

Posted by Jon Champion on 17/09/2009

Gianfranco Zola describes his stewardship of West Ham as his "project", and this weekend's ESPN live game against Liverpool marks a year in charge at Upton Park for London's favourite Sardinian.

When Alan Curbishley - one of our studio guests this Saturday - departed the club, dismayed by the actions of owners in financial distress, his team lay 5th in the Barclays Premier League. Zola's first season saw the Hammers finish 9th. Now they find themselves in lower midtable, yet still there is a feelgood factor surrounding the "project". League position doesn't necessarily bear direct correlation with any perception of progress.

Zola is blessed with a steady supply of eggs from the same "golden goose" that so helped his predecessors, namely the famous West Ham Academy, run so ably by Tony Carr. Last season, eight graduates appeared in the first team and three more made it as far as the bench. Financial realities may dictate the eventual sale of home-grown talent, but not before these players have assisted the club's development, just like Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard before them.

The manager's method involves an alliance between this youthful supply line and a collection of seasoned foreigners. Last season they included Diego Tristan and David Di Michele, who brought experience and depth to the squad at key moments. This week, Zola added the well-travelled Mexican striker, Guillermo Franco, to a cosmopolitan group already containing Italian Alessandro Diamanti and Chilean Luis Jimenez. The input of Technical Director, Gianluca Nani, is clear for all to see.

At Liverpool, Rafa Benitez has no such help and nor would he want any. Benitez is lord and master of all he surveys from the window of his office at the Melwood training complex. Political battles have been fought and won to earn that position, so one can only wonder how frustrated the Spaniard is by the endless travails of the club's American owners. No sooner had Liverpool announced a recession-busting commercial deal with the Standard Chartered bank than newspaper reports were suggesting that Tom Hicks wants to sell a minority stake in the club. Hardly the stable background that all managers crave.

On the pitch, Liverpool have been underwhelming so far. Two 4-0 wins over Stoke and Burnley have failed to assuage the doubts created by the opening-day defeat at Tottenham and the home loss to Aston Villa. Wednesday's Champions League victory over Debreceni was at best workmanlike. The visit to the Boleyn may provide a more accurate barometer reading.

And whilst West Ham and Liverpool lock horns, spare a thought for an iconic figure from both clubs' recent past. Sixteen miles down the A13, Julian Dicks, terminator turned left-back, makes his managerial debut with Grays Athletic in Saturday's Blue Square Premier fixture against Altrincham. One year after Zola became only the 12th manager in West Ham's history, Dicks starts life as Grays' 14th manager in three years. Maybe Benitez doesn't have it so bad, after all?

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Posted by Trevor Beech on 05/01/2010

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