The Vultures Circle

‘THE vultures are already circling overhead, ready to feast on the carrion of what was once West Ham United Football Club.

West Ham reveal new signing

Bolton’s win against Middlesbrough yesterday condemned the Hammers to relegation – and now, according to the Sun, ‘it is a scramble for the lifeboats’.

The paper dubs the Hammers players ‘the most talented bunch ever to be relegated from the top flight’ and predicts plenty of interest from other clubs.

‘Keeper David James interests Manchester City,’ it says. ‘Joe Cole has been targeted by Everton, Manchester United have their eyes on Jermain Defoe and Freddie Kanoute may switch to Fulham.’

The Star says Juventus have expressed an interest in Kanoute, while Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier is a long-time admirer of Cole.

But the Mirror asks whether other clubs will be interested in what it calls ‘this bunch of losers’.

‘It means West Ham’s biggest worry may not be relegation but how on earth they will survive without the riches of the Premiership while being saddled with a squad of overpaid under-achievers,’ it says.

What was agony for West Ham was ecstasy for Bolton, whose boss Sam Allardyce is pictured in several papers doing an after-match jig with star player Jay-Jay Ococha.

Allardyce agreed that it had been ‘a freak season’ in which West Ham had been relegated on a record 42 points.

‘I feel the whole world has come off my shoulders,’ he tells the Express. ‘I’m floating six feet above the ground.’

At the other end of the table, Chelsea secured the fourth Champions’ League spot by beating Liverpool 2-1 and Blackburn pipped Everton to a Uefa Cup place with a 4-0 thrashing of Spurs at White Hart Lane.

The Mail says there was a poisonous atmosphere at Spurs on Teddy Sheringham’s farewell game for the club as some of the crowd shouted: ‘We want Hoddle out.’

From two Glenns managing in the Premiership this season, we may have no Glenns next season.

‘

Posted: 12th, May 2003 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink