WEST HAM legend Sir Geoff Hurst has cast doubts on manager Gianfranco Zola s ability to lead the club away from relegation trouble after claiming the Italian does not have the necessary experience to be a success in the Premier League. Hurst, who made mor

WEST HAM legend Sir Geoff Hurst has cast doubts on manager Gianfranco Zola's ability to lead the club away from relegation trouble after claiming the Italian does not have the necessary experience to be a success in the Premier League.

Hurst, who made more than 400 appearances for the Hammers in a glittering career at Upton Park, criticised the club's decision to appoint Zola despite a lack of top-flight coaching credentials.

He said: "Gianfranco Zola, I admire him as a fantastic player, one of the best, if not the best player that we've had in the Premier League.

"But my view is that if you go into the position of a manager in a major business or football club you have to have experience."

The World Cup winner contrasted Zola's brief spell as assistant to the Italy Under-21 squad with Fabio Capello's years of managerial experience and revealed concern over the West Ham manager's ability to guide the team away from the drop zone.

"Capello managed Under-16s and Under-19s in Italy. He took six years to do that, learning his trade.

"You need to have experience in the game and to come from where Gianfranco has come from, it doesn't really equip him to be in a dogfight at the bottom end of the Premier League.