ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:GIANFRANCO Zola flew home to Sardinia yesterday morning in search of head space, reports Paul Doyle. On Saturday he had seen his West Ham United side suffer their sixth successive defeat and slip perilously close to the relegation zone.
The normally upbeat Italian was so downcast after the 1-0 loss to Stoke City that he questioned his ability to do his job and revealed he would contemplate quitting.
“I have to find out what the problem is,” he said. “If the problem is me then why not [resign]? I will consider overnight whether I am doing a good job.”
West Ham players have a day off today but are due to train tomorrow - whether Zola joins them depends on the result of his reflections. Confusion reigns at West Ham.
It is 43 years since West Ham last suffered six consecutive league defeats. Back then the rotten run barely mattered because top-flight survival was already ensured; by contrast, the current streak leaves the club above the relegation zone on goal difference only.
The club’s debts of over €100 million are such that the chairman, David Sullivan, warned upon taking over in January that relegation would trigger “Armageddon”.
