Zola takes charge of West Ham

[Shanks]

Breaking News SSN.

Zola has left his role as assistant coach of the Italy Under 21s to take up the role and his first job will be to find a new assistant at Upton Park.

Caretaker boss Kevin Keen will take charge of Saturday's clash at West Brom with Zola expected to watch the action at the Hawthorns before taking up the reins.

[-V-]

Never really thought of him as being an authoritive figure. Coz thats what you need to be to cut it as a Premiership Manager. Unproven and a risk in my opinion. I don't think they will progress under Zola

[Shanks]

an authoritive figure. Thats what you need to be to cut it as a Premiership Manager.

I wouldn't class Harry Redknapp as authorative, he has a great deal of knowledge about the game though.

[Rich]

James Richardson was basically saying it looked like Zola's role with the Italians was right much on an ad-hoc basis. Big gamble by the 'appy 'ammers!

[Sisterstiffticket]

Buggar! The antitheses of the Sunderland scenario. Club I cant stand with manager I like.

[Parm]

good luck to him, he seems like a decent bloke

[Harv]

Good luck to him.

Absolutely loved the little fella as a player

[bobbyfallon]

Good luck to him.

Absolutely loved the little fella as a player

one of the best to play the game

[Woobus]

One of my top 3 players from outside Liverpool, great player and hope him all the best.

[anfieldanfield]

Ridiculous appointment. Almighty gamble.

[Rich]

Zola looked positively amazed and dazed by it all at the press conference...

[Dessy]

Strange appointment? Would imagine he'll have a free flowing philsophy and look to restore the 'we play good football' ethos but having said that West Ham ain't been pleasing on the eye for some time.....he's got his work cut out.

Still, great player in his day and hope he gets given the support and backing to make his mark.

[dww]

I don't really think it was all that much of an odd appointment. West Ham aren't going to get a top manager and their best bet is to bring in a young and up coming player who might a/ attract players by his reputation and b/ if he does well bring in a decent compensation fee while having cost relatively little to employ.

Who would realistically have been a better option. The choices who were interested Collins and Donadoni to a large extent were both unproven and the latter did not have any direct PL experiences to draw on.

It's not as if he will be without experienced backup as he has bought in Steve Clarke as an assistant.

[Reece]

From what I've heard from West Ham fans their number one priority is to play entertaining attacking football, which is what Zola has promised.

[Shanks]

Steve Clarke has handed in his resignation as Chelsea assistant first-team coach, with West Ham having made an approach to take him to Upton Park.

The Hammers appointed Gianfranco Zola as manager on Thursday and appear to want Clarke, 45, to be his number two.