Source: Daily_Mail
'I'll fight to keep West Ham up' - Under-fire Zola battles on for survival
Gianfranco Zola has vowed to do everything in his power to keep West Ham in the Barclays Premier League after confirming he will stay as Upton Park boss.[LNB]As exclusively revealed by Sportsmail, the Italian has decided that now is not the time to quit, despite a 1-0 defeat by Stoke at the weekend that leaves the Hammers above the relegation zone on goal difference.[LNB][LNB] Defiant: Under-fire Zola has returned to Italy but has vowed to stay at West Ham [LNB] [LNB]Zola flew back to Sardinia at the weekend to consider his future, but has confirmed he will be back with renewed determination this week.[LNB]MARTIN SAMUEL: Sullivan missed his cue to axe Zola, and he knows it'I am determined to carry on,' he said. 'Losing on Saturday was emotional for everyone, but I know we can turn it around and we have the ability to achieve our objectives.[LNB]REMAINING FIXTURESv Everton (a), Sun Apr 4[LNB]v Sunderland (h), Sat Apr 10[LNB]v Liverpool (a), Mon Apr 19[LNB]v Wigan (h), Sat Apr 24[LNB]v Fulham (a), Sat May 1[LNB]v Man City (h), Sun May 9[LNB]'The owners have backed me and I am grateful for that. My only thought for now is to keep this club in the Premier League and that remains my goal. [LNB]'I will give everything I can to make this happen between now and the end of the season.'[LNB]The weekend defeat, a sixth straight loss, seemed to be rewarded by Zola giving three days off to his beleaguered players, his assistant Steve Clarke, and himself.[LNB]But with six matches to save their top-flight status, he said: 'I have had time to think and reflect, and will have to work harder than we have before. I know we can get the results we need and it is just a question of making it happen. [LNB] They're off: West Ham's losers have been granted three days away from training [LNB] [LNB] 'The performance was better on Saturday but it is still not the level we should be at. We can, and we will, do better as a team.'[LNB]Defeat was compounded by striker Guillermo Franco picking up an achilles problem and injury-dogged Kieron Dyer failing to last beyond the first half.[LNB]Reflection: Zola considered his future following another defeat[LNB]'That is typical of our season,' said Zola. 'But we will not make excuses and we will keep on going.[LNB]'I have a great staff and we will work together to find the solutions. We have a responsibility to turn things around and that is what we will do. [LNB]'I am here and I am ready to do what I need to do to get the results. There is no doubt about that. We have seen before that we are capable of playing at a high level.' [LNB]Next up on Sunday, West Ham go to an Everton side who have won sixstraight games at Goodison Park, but Zola is determined to getsomething out of the game.[LNB]'We will go to Everton determined toget a result,' he said. 'People might not expect us to get somethingfrom the match but we will be positive. [LNB]'No one shouldwrite us off. Although we are in a serious position we have time tosort things out and be in control of our destiny at the end of theseason.[LNB] 'We said before Stoke that one game would not define the season but we also know that each of the games we have left will be cup finals. [LNB]'They will be massive and I know the fans will once again get behind us starting with Everton and we will give everything to reward their support. They have been brilliant and we owe them.'[LNB] EXCLUSIVE: Zola vows to fight on after handing his losers a three-day break Mido: West Ham are too good to go down... and Zola will keep us upWest Ham 0 Stoke 1: Gianfranco Zola's motley crew are all at seaMARTIN SAMUEL: Sullivan missed his cue to axe Zola, and he knows itWEST HAM UNITED FC
