Gianfranco Zola Sacked At West Ham

Gianfranco Zola has been fired as coach of West Ham United, it was announced Tuesday by the club. Zola was notified of the decision during a meeting with the club’s managing director, Karren Brady.

Zola just completed his second season at Upton Park, seeing the Hammers survive in the English Premier League despite accumulating only 35 points. West Ham had finished in ninth after Zola’s first season of stewardship, accumulating 51 points during a 2008-09 season where Zola took over for Alan Curbishley early in the campaign.

The club released a statement on its web site confirming the firing:

West Ham United confirm that they have terminated the contract of Gianfranco Zola.

The Board of Directors would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future. The Club will now be focusing its efforts on seeking a replacement.

A former Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year from his playing days with Chelsea, Zola has had a contentious relationship with new owners, Davids Gold and Sullivan. Since the duo took over management of West Ham in the middle of the season, speculation has held the owners will bring in a new coach.

According to ESPN Soccernet, that coach will be an experienced manager:

Sullivan exclusively told Soccernet: “We hope to have in place within three weeks an experienced manager. We will study people’s past records to find a manager with a proven track record.”

That next manager, according to the Times Online, could be Mark Hughes, with the club’s owners reported to be fans of the former Blackburn and Manchester City boss. Former West Ham player and current Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has been long-linked with the position at Upton Park and is well-respected within England for his nation’s performances against the Three Lion in qualifying for the 2008 European Championships. Former Chelsea manager and current Portsmouth boss Avram Grant is also mentioned with a return to London, while former Hammers manager Alan Pardew is also linked with a return to the Boleyn Ground.

Soccernet adds to that list the names of Real Mallorca manager Gergorio Manzano and Ajax coach Martin Jol.

Zola leaves Upton Park having won 20 times in his 73 league matches, with 33 losses.