Gianfranco Zola has put his future at West Ham United in doubt by telling the club's new owners that he will not allow anyone to "walk over my principles" after warnings of pay cuts at the London club and the suggestion that Zola could be "too nice" to be a successful manager.
Today the co-owner David Sullivan, on the eve of tomorrow night's crucial match with his previous club Birmingham City, warned of a financial "Armageddon" at West Ham and promised pay cuts this summer for all staff, including the players and Zola.
While the Italian said he had no desire to walk away from the club, he hinted that he would not suffer excessive interference from Sullivan and David Gold, who bought 50% of the club last month.
"I don't like to leave situations unfinished but I am a person with principles and I won't allow anybody to walk over my principles or my person," said Zola.
Despite claiming that he "speaks and communicates a lot" with Gold and Sullivan, the West Ham manager knew nothing of their plans to cut wages during the summer, whether the club – currently third from bottom in the league – avoid relegation or not. The first he saw of Sullivan's plans was in the newspapers, immediately before training.
For Zola – preparing his under-performing team for the visit of Birmingham, who have lost only once in 18 matches – it was the timing rather than the substance of Sullivan's statement that rankled. "I think that article should have been done maybe at another time," he said. "Before a match like this it would have been better to say that at another time, and maybe to talk to us first before talking to a newspaper."
The Italian reacted with surprise when told Sullivan had compared him to Ossie Ardiles, the affable but unsuccessful Tottenham manager of the early 90s. Commenting on his manager's demeanour, Sullivan said: "The question is, 'Is he too nice?' Ossie Ardiles was the nicest guy you could meet but look what he did to Tottenham."
Zola pointed to his success last season, when he guided West Ham to ninth in the league after replacing Alan Curbishley in September. This term has, in comparison, been a disaster with doubts over the club's finances and a spate of injuries contributing to the record of just four victories. Third from bottom, above Wolves only on goal difference, only Portsmouth have gathered fewer points.
"This year, obviously, so far the job has not come out the way it should, but the season is not finished," said Zola, who compared West Ham's problems to opening a Russian doll. "To be honest we have been dealing with so many problems it is like a Matryoshka, no? You open up a box and there's another box then another box and another box. For me it has been the same with problems; you sort one and then another one comes out."
West Ham have taken just two points from a possible nine since Gold and Sullivan paid £44m for their stake, with the Icelandic bank Straumur retaining the other 50%. Zola, in his first managerial role, has had to adapt to Gold, and in particular Sullivan, taking a heavy interest in the day-to-day running of the club.
"I am not getting in to a debate about I am like this and they are like that. I am what I am and I respect that they are different," he said. "There is no concern there and it's not my interest to judge them."
One of the new owner's first signings, Mido, accepted a basic salary of £1,000 a week and Sullivan has expressed disbelief at the club's wage bill: "Every position is overpaid, whether in administration or on the playing side."
High earners may be sold in the summer to reduce the club's debt, estimated to be over £100m. Zola and his assistant, Steve Clarke, are paid £1.9m and £1.2m per annum respectively.
"I came here because I had a plan and a project," said Zola. "Then, after a while, the club called me in and proposed me a new contract. It's not about money, it's about working for something positive."
