West Ham get Clarke !!

[bennythedip2]

West Ham have appointed Steve Clarke as first-team coach after a compensation package was agreed with Chelsea.

Clarke tendered his resignation to the Blues hierarchy last Friday, which was initially rejected, as he sought to join new Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola at Upton Park.

Chelsea demanded substantial compensation, reported to be as much as £5million, for the former Scotland international, but the London clubs are now thought to have settled on a lower figure.


Clarke spent 11 years as a player at Stamford Bridge from 1987 and returned to the club as a youth team coach following a short spell as Newcastle's assistant manager.

He was promoted to become Jose Mourinho's assistant manager following the Portuguese's arrival in 2004 and went on to work under both Avram Grant and current Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.

West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "We are very pleased to welcome Steve Clarke to the club.

"Steve is rightly regarded as one of the top coaches in Europe and his experience and knowledge will be a huge asset to us.

"He recognises what we are trying to achieve at West Ham United and wants to be a part of that.

"We have worked very hard to bring him on board and are confident we now have the perfect coaching team."

Clarke has agreed a three-year contract and will work alongside fellow first-team coach Kevin Keen and goalkeeping coach Ludek Miklosko.

Zola's revamp of the Hammers backroom staff has also seen Antonio Pintus, another ex-Chelsea employee who has worked with Juventus, brought in as fitness coach.

Pintus had his first involvement with the players in a training session today.