West Ham board gives Grant three games to save his job
The board of Premier League club West Ham United, have handed Avram Grant a three match ultimatum, according to BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan. The manager has been told that he will stripped of the managerial position at Upton Park, if he does not
manage to obtain at least one win from the next three matches. Grant took up the job at West Ham in June, but has seen his side struggling in the Premier League.
The manager has won only six of the 21 matches he has been in charge, and has managed to secure only a single win in the past eleven Premier League fixtures. Due to their dismal on field performance, the club have slumped to the bottom of the Barclays Premier
League table, with only twelve points from 17 games. Wallowing in the pit means relegation for the Hammers, and the board members are keen to avoid slipping into the Championship.
The club were in a similar position four seasons ago, but managed to avoid relegation through a significantly improved performance, after Argentinean striker Carlos Tevez joined the club and scored the goals needed by the Hammers for survival. The Hammers
finished the season in 17th spot, and former manager Gianfranco Zola was given his marching orders. Avram Grant, who has managed Portsmouth and Chelsea, took the reigns after Zola’s departure from the East London club.
The Israeli manager’s achievements include steering Chelsea to the Champions League final in 2008 in his only year managing the club; a feat even the self styled Special One, Jose Mourinho could not achieve. While in charge of Portsmouth, he guided the club
to the final of the FA Cup. West Ham subsequently recognised his potential and handed him a four-year deal, which could be cancelled if Grant does not manage a win against either Blackburn, Fulham or Everton.
His most notable achievement of late has been defeating Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United 4-0 in the Carling Cup, although the Scottish manager fielded a fairly young and inexperienced side.
West Ham have seen an overwhelming large number of injuries to their squad, meaning that the manager is not entirely to blame for the team’s poor performances this season. Six quality players have been absent for large parts of the season, which include
Valon Behrami, Jack Collison, Carlton Cole, Mark Noble, Kieron Dyer and Thomas Hitzlsperger. Many of the players have not been given new contracts and will be on their way out of Upton Park at the end of the season.
West Ham United’s vice-chairman Karren Brady hopes to improve the club’s position in the Premier League, and the other competitions the team are participating in (FA cup, Carling Cup) by taking advantage of the January transfer window. Speaking to the BBC’s
Radio 5 live just three days after the club drew with Blackpool she said, "January gives us the ideal opportunity to do things help our football team."
Commenting on Grant’s position at the time, she explained that "Not only is he [Grant] going to keep his job, but we also accept that we have responsibility. We are the board, we put our hands in our pockets.” Brady further added that “lifting the spirit,
and bringing a sense of calm” was a responsibility which lies with the members of the board.
A possible replacement for Grant is perhaps Sam Allardyce, who was given the boot by Blackburn this week. Allardyce is reported to have the most successful record in terms of lifting relegation-threatened clubs out of trouble and keeping them in the English
Premier League.
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