Source: Daily_Mail
West Ham boss Avram Grant reveals lucky scarf has helped mini-revival
The reason behind West Ham's recent revival has been revealed - as Avram Grant's lucky scarf.[LNB]Hammers boss Grant was offered a claret and blue scarf to beat the cold when his side took on Manchester United in the Carling Cup in November, and the team responded with a famous 4-0 win.[LNB]Defeats to Sunderland and Manchester City followed, leaving the Hammers bottom of the Barclays Premier League, so kitman Bob Oteng suggested the neckwear should make a reappearance at Fulham on Boxing Day.[LNB]Cue a 3-1 victory, helped by Carlton Cole's double strike which wasinadvertently set up by Fulham players Dickson Etuhu and Aaron Hughes.[LNB] Surely there's snow way the scarf is helping: Avram Grant has enjoyed a change of fortune[LNB]The scarf stayed for the meeting with Everton two days later, in which Tony Hibbert's own-goal put the Hammers on the way to a 1-1 draw, and Saturday's 2-0 win over Wolves when Ronald Zubar put through his own net.[LNB]So Grant will once again be wrapped up against the chilly north-east wind when he takes his rejuvenated side to Newcastle on Wednesday.[LNB]'Bob gave me the scarf,' he said. 'It started in the game against Manchester United when it was very cold.[LNB]'I liked it because it is the scarf of the club and since then I wear it a lot and we are winning.[LNB]'I don't think I will wear it in the summer, unless everyone believes it will do us some good.[LNB] May the fourth be with you: Carlton Cole completes November's Carling Cup rout of Manchester United[LNB]'Once in Israel I wore the same clothes and my team won 11 games in a row. But then it was raining, I changed my shirt and we drew, and everyone blamed me![LNB]'I'm not a big fan of superstition but I'm not going to go against it either.'[LNB]Striker Freddie Sears also appears to have benefited from a change in luck, breaking a 73-game goal duck against Wolves.[LNB]The youngster, who was only recently recalled from a loan spell at Scunthorpe, is set to start again at St James' Park.[LNB]'I am happy for him and for the team because he is part of the vision of this club,' added Grant.[LNB]'We want to use the young players but they need to be good and prove themselves.[LNB]'If he continues like this he can play a role for us until the end of the season.'[LNB] West Ham target Ba goes on strike to force through move from HoffenheimSidwell completes medical ahead of switch from Aston Villa to West HamWEST HAM UNITED FC
