Source: Telegraph
Avram Grant and Tal Ben-Haim set to miss West Ham game for Jewish holiday
Manager Grant and on-loan Portsmouth defender Ben Haim are expected to be absent at the Britannia stadium for Saturday's bottom-of-the-table clash while they celebrate the Jewish holy day.[LNB]The Israeli pair are required to participate in 25 hours of fasting and prayer over the course of Friday and Saturday, during which time Grant's assistant Zeljko Petrovic is likely to take charge of team affairs.[LNB] Related ArticlesBenni McCarthy still a weighty problemWest Ham United 1 Chelsea 3Avram Grant won't be pushed off West Ham tightropeParker never tempted to join SpursWest Ham seal Lars Jacobsen dealLiverpool to offer Babel in exchange for ColeGrant observed Yom Kippur prior to his first match as Chelsea manager three years ago before flying by helicopter to Old Trafford for the game against Manchester United.[LNB]Ben Haim made his league debut for West Ham in last weekend's 3-1 home defeat by former club Chelsea, which left Grant's men still searching for their first point of the season.[LNB]The defender could be replaced in the squad on Saturday by fellow new boy Winston Reid, who made his comeback from a torn buttock muscle in this afternoon's reserve team victory at Everton.[LNB]
