
Zola had initially been expected to appoint colleague Pierluigi Casiraghi, another former Chelsea player and joint-coach of Italy's under-21s, but Casiraghi has since rejected suggestions that he will join Zola at Upton Park. He said: "If Gianfranco decides to go to England, I will lose a great coach and more importantly, a true friend. But I don't want to leave this national team."
Focus has since shifted to Clarke. West Ham advisor Kia Joorabchian confirmed that Zola's close relationship with the Scot, coupled with Clarke's solid experience of Premier League football gleaned from serving under Jose Mourinho and Scolari, have made him a leading contender.
"They are looking for assistants," he said. "Gianfranco has a very close relationship with one particular person, Steve Clarke. They are very close and they feel his experience in the Premier League, working under very big coaches at Chelsea, has given him a lot of experience."
He added: "He is more defensively minded than Gianfranco so he brings good balance. I think that is what he is going for." There is some concern over Clarke's wage demands, however, with West Ham considered unlikely to be able to match Chelsea's pay packages.
now i support westham, newcastle, chelsea
this joker...
wasn't he the one with the special big hat when Mourniho was banished to the stands.
guess roman was not rich enough to get those small earpiece and mouthpiece..
ouch
he there oso be assistant manager....abit no point.
he shld learn some tactics from scholari first thhen go join others.