Post Hammers: Zola

Following our 2-2 draw with West Ham, opposition boss Gianfranco Zola said:

"I think it was very tight for us. I thought the way we were playing we could have won the game and, I think, probably deserved to. But to be fair to Newcastle they tried until the end, they were determined to get a point and in the end they did. So fair play to them, they tried very hard.

It was a close one (penalty call on Seb Bassong`s challenge on Carlton Cole) but the referee didn't see it and we have to respect that. The referees are there and we have to help them and not put them on the line all the time. I have to say that apart from that the way we played in the first fifteen minutes of the second half was fantastic - and we could have scored more than two goals.

Even when we were losing so many games we were playing good football. We were positive but it just wasn't happening. We were missing so many chances and the opposition on so many occasions were scoring first.

But we've kept our confidence despite all the bad games and now everything is coming together. It's just down to the work the players put in on the pitch and every day on the training ground - and I'm sure that the team can improve even more.

My beliefs are untouchable - there's no bad result or series of results that can change that. To be honest the players also believe in that and this is a great thing, I tell you."

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