da bet7k： It’s a tough life at the bottom, and Avram Grant should know, having spent almost all of the past two seasons rooted to the foot of the Premier League. Unfortunately for him, this doesn’t afford you much time in the hot-seat of any club, and if it hadn’t been for the financial meltdown at Portsmouth, he could have been given his marching orders long before his summer departure. With West Ham co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan sending extremely mixed messages out of Upton Park, with Gold stating that he would, “be devastated if Avram Grant is not with us for three, four, five, six years,” and Sullivan noting that it is imperative that West Ham pick up seven points from four games (a feat which is now unattainable), otherwise they will need to “shuffle the pack”, Grant’s future is looking increasingly unsure. Although the pair stick resolutely behind Grant, and it is true that perhaps he deserves more time, it is becoming increasingly obvious there needs to be a change at the Boleyn Ground if the Hammers are to get themselves out of the predicament they currently find themselves in. Here are five potential replacements if Grant was to get the boot;
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ALAN CURBISHLEY
A former player and former manager, Curbishley remains a firm favourite with the West Ham fans, despite his rather acrimonious departure from the club in 2008. When both Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney were reportedly sold from underneath him, Curbishley resigned from his post as West Ham manager, in spite of the fact he had picked up 6 points from the clubs first 3 games of the 2008-09 season. In 2009 Curbishley won his case for constructive dismissal against the club, who were ordered to pay him £2.2m in compensation. During the case the 53 year-old reiterated his desire to stay at the club, and that only through the club breaching the terms of his contract by selling Ferdinand and McCartney from underneath him, did he find himself in the untenable position that forced him to resign. Curbishley is still without a club, 2 years on from his resignation, having been linked with several jobs since his departure from Upton Park, including the Ipswich Town job. With the ownership of the club having changed hands, it has left the door wide open for the former Charlton Athletic manager to return.
ALAN PARDEW
Another former manager, Pardew was relieved of his duties at Upton Park in December 2006 after the clubs worst run of defeats in 70 years at the start of the 2006-07 season. However, in spite of this, Pardew remains another firm favourite with the fans having guided West Ham back to the Premier League in 2005, and taken them to their first major final in 26 years in 2006, when the Irons were so cruelly beaten on penalties by Liverpool. In fact, in his first three seasons at the club Pardew took West Ham to three Cardiff finals, providing plenty of memories for the supporters along the way. During the 2005-06 season, their first back in the Premier League after a 2 year absence, West Ham played some very attractive football and took some notable scalps along the way, including a fabulous 3-2 win at Highbury.
PAOLO DI CANIO
Another former player and fan favourite, Di Canio has expressed his desire to return to the club as manager, and reportedly even applied for the job following Alan Curbishley’s resignation in September 2008. Following his retirement from playing football in 2008, Di Canio decided to begin training for his coaching badges, and is, according to reports, in line to have a coaching role at Upton Park, supporting Grant. But whether, if things begin to get worse in east London, this role could include taking the reins at the club, remains to be seen. What is clear though, is that Di Canio most probably will take the manager’s job at the Boleyn Ground at some point in the future.
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SLAVEN BILIC
The current Croatia head coach and former West Ham player has previously been linked with the Upton Park hot-seat shortly after his side prevented England from making an appearance in Euro 2008. But as Bilic wished to combine both domestic and national duties, his application for the job was declined. Having failed to take Croatia to the World Cup in 2010 after a disappointing qualifying campaign which included 4-1 and 5-1 defeats to England, Bilic has somewhat fallen off the radar of many in England, but rest assured, if the West Ham position becomes vacant, Bilic’s name will once again be banded around with great zeal in east London.
MARTIN O’NEILL
One of the more famous managers out of a job at the moment, O’Neill quickly rose to managerial fame by guiding Wycombe Wanderers to two successive promotions, before taking un-fancied Leicester City into Europe after winning the League Cup twice, in 1997 and 2000. After a successful spell north of the border at Celtic, O’Neill returned to England with Aston Villa, before leaving this summer. If the managerial position were to become vacant at Upton Park, O’Neill’s name must surely be thrown into the ring, with the 58 year-old hopefully adding a certain steel to a side which has leaked goals this season.
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