West Ham United manager, Gianfranco Zola, looks set to face the same problems this summer that marked the departure of former boss, Alan Curbishley. Zola has had a remarkable first season in top-flight management and will be looking to push on and improve the squad for next year, in order to break into the top six.

The problem is that he does not know if he will have any funding to improve the squad and he also does not know if he will be forced to sell any players in order to get this funding.

West Ham currently sit 7th in the table, just outside the UEFA Cup places for next season. Zola has used all of his skill and intelligence, which he showed in abundance as a player, to use gifted youngsters as well as limited experience to get West Ham to where they are today.

In theory opening up the transfer kitty could result in rapid success. If the Italian can pull strings on a budget and with just a few academy products to put into the side then if he is allowed to approach high calibre signings, West Ham could go on tour for a good few seasons to come.

Speaking today Zola said: “Football is like other things. It’s about knowledge. The more you see, the more you compete with different players, the better you get.”

“It happened to me and I believe it is going to be the same for my players. It is not necessary for big spending. I am sure the club will consider buying some players. Would I get the funding? That’s another question. I would love to answer that. But I’m sure the club is ready to face the challenge.”

The difference in terms of the situation that Curbishley faced is the fact that he did not have a successful season to back himself up and it seemed as though he was causing more problems in the board room than was necessary.

However, this does not paper over the fact that the former manager had limited control over his transfer capability and was forced to let key players leave that he wanted to keep in the squad.

If Zola is forced to do this as well then it is very much a case of West Ham taking one step forwards and two steps backwards. He has to be given free reign as much as is possible in order to take West Ham to that next level.

The Hammers could well finish in the Europa League at the end of this season but this is no good if the club cannot improve for next term. The recent news of new contracts for the manager and his assistant, Steve Clarke, suggest that West Ham are once again showing the face of ambition.

Zola needs to find out what he is allowed and not allowed to do very quickly, otherwise the progress the club has made will be seriously jeopradised. Adequate player acquisitions, accompanied with still the best academy in the country, mean West Ham could find themselves knocking on the top four door in the next two or three seasons.

West Ham United manager, Gianfranco Zola, and assistant manager, Steve Clarke, have both signed contract extensions to stay at Upton Park, which could result in a number of benefits for the club.

The pair have quietly helped West Ham reach 8th place in the Premier League table and the guarantee that they will both be in place at the start of next season is massive news for Hammers fans all over the country.

Both have signed four-year contracts and will be looking to develop the grains of success that they have sewn this season. Zola has shown all of the passion and energy that we loved him for in his time at Chelsea and Clarke arrived in East London hot off the Chelsea press and rated as one of the best coaches in the country.

Their new contracts are the clearest sign yet that the new men in charge are looking to propel West Ham to silverware next season and their innovative ideas and coaching could be just the methods needed to achieve this.

The pair have blooded some of the most talented youth players this season that the league has seen in recent times. James Tomkins and Freddy Sears are just two of the names on everyone’s lips but it proves that the management at West Ham must be doing something right to produce such gifted players.

Clarke spoke openly in the media after signing his contract saying: “I have had a great time since I came here. We have done OK. There is a lot more still to be done and the contract reflects that. It is a long-term contract and what Gianfranco and myself and the rest of the coaching staff look forward to is improving things and working hard every year to make things better and better at this football club.”

“The manager and his staff have to be close and they have to believe in the same things. That is what we do and we try and give that message to the players and so far it has been OK.”

The reason this is such significant news for West Ham is quite simple. It virtually eradicates the days of a power struggle between the club’s owner and then manager, Alan Curbishley that saw the latter leave of an argument about transfers.

When that squabble was going on the team were not performing because the focus of the management and staff was elsewhere. This will not breed success and Zola and Clarke can now funnel every single bit of enthusiasm they both have into making their side better than they currently are.

Centralisation is everything in a football club and it allows success to grow. If each member of the management knows their individual roles then there are no undisputed areas and the team can focus on performing to the best of their capabilities.

Keep an eye on West Ham, they could well break into the top 6 next season and I don’t think many open-minded football fans will be too surprised.