Gianfranco Zola promised to play attacking football in the club's traditions when he was confirmed as the Hammers' new manager at a press conference this afternoon.
The Italian has agreed a three-year contract to take charge at Upton Park as successor to Alan Curbishley. He will start work on Monday, with the caretaker manager Kevin Keen leading the team at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The former Chelsea playmaker has moved from the Italy Under-21 side, where he was assistant manager to Pierluigi Casiraghi, to take the reins at Upton Park. Despite a lengthy playing career in England and Italy, and his coaching experience with Italy's youngsters, Zola has no experience of club management.
"I know I am not the most experienced manager around but I have been in football for 20 years so I know what I'm talking about," he told reporters this afternoon. "I am certain I can give something to this club."
"I'm delighted to be here. It is a great honour for me to be involved in such an important job. I can promise to do my best. The club has got tradition and I am just here to help develop the team and to develop the players. That is my duty and I will do it with all of myself. I will give to these players all of my experience and all of my knowledge - I am here to be somebody good for them."
Zola said it was important that everyone at the club worked as a team, in response to a question about the discord that prompted Curbishley's departure last week, and said he would have no problem working with a director of football. "My work is on the pitch and my first duty is to develop the player," he said. "My philosophy is to play attacking football and to make it enjoyable."
Zola becomes West Ham's 12th full-time manager and his appointment represents something of a break with recent West Ham tradition - Curbishley and his predecessors Alan Pardew and Glenn Roeder had gained experience at other clubs before moving to Upton Park. Zola also becomes the Hammers' first manager from overseas.
Zola takes over with West Ham in a healthy fifth position in the Premier League after two wins from their opening three games.
