Wigan Athletic 3 // West Ham United 2
WIGAN // When Wigan Athletic visited Upton Park in November, West Ham United branded it "Save our Season" day. Now it is beyond salvation, a day of demotion and dismissal culminating in the departure of their manager, Avram Grant.
Unemployment is the reward for underachievement. There was no great escape, no reprieve, no consolation to be taken from a shockingly bad season. They have gone down to the Championship with a team whose pedigree - not to mention their wage bill and spending on signings - suggested a top-half finish was feasible.
Instead, they are officially the league's worst side, one who contrived to squander a two-goal lead against relegation rivals and lose.
It was a match to sum up West Ham's slide; by taking one point from seven games, they have squandered a promising position.
The consequences were swift and brutal: Grant was gone within the hour. The messages from the directors' box and the away fans, chorusing insults, were uniformly negative, the only support a taunt from the sky.
Minutes after Conor Sammon scored the goal to effectively demote West Ham, a passing plane trailed a banner reading: "Avram Grant Millwall legend", no doubt sent by fans of rivals Millwall, a team they will face next season.
"Whatever people will want to say, it's OK," Grant said, conducting a press conference while his employers determined his future. "Football is a game of results. My job was to keep the team in the league and I failed. I take responsibility."
Magnanimous as that sounded, few were in any doubt the Israeli was culpable. A familiar list of excuses followed, incorporating the club's financial situations and injuries, along with refereeing decisions.
He disputed another yesterday, for the free kick that led to Wigan's first goal: not for the first time, his claims did not stand up to scrutiny. West Ham's co-owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, almost sacked him in January. Four months later, they pulled the trigger.
Thus, in all probability, ends a managerial career in England that has been a curiosity - his mumbling persona bemused many - but has resulted in abject failure at Upton Park. This was his second successive demotion, after Portsmouth tumbled a division 12 months ago and, if he escaped censure then, there was no repeat.
West Ham's frustrations have increased in his ill-fated reign. They were apparent again, from supporters causing significant damage to the toilets in the away end to Scott Parker's post-match confrontation with Wigan supporters who had staged a pitch invasion. He had to be restrained by his coaches.
It was a day of extreme emotions. Wigan, when trailing 2-0, were all but relegated themselves.
They rallied, staging an extraordinary comeback and ending the match amid scenes of jubilation
The normally restrained Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was on the pitch after Charles N'Zogbia's 94th-minute winner. "Today's game was something unique, a unique moment in our history," Martinez said.
Three points may be needed at Stoke City on Sunday to rescue his side, but they have earned a chance that appeared impossible.
"At half time it was a real, real mountain to climb," Martinez added. His side trailed to two Demba Ba headers, with Thomas Hitzlsperger involved in both goals.
Wigan rallied. N'Zogbia's rising free kick flew past Robert Green. Ben Watson then set up Sammon, who turned and shot to defeat the goalkeeper. When Ben Watson's 90th-minute shot hit the post and rebounded to Green, victory seemed to have eluded them.
Instead, N'Zogbia fired in an effort that Green allowed to squirm in. A lifeline for Wigan brought the death knell for Grant.
sports@thenational.ae
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Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
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Jawan
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
SPECS
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
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Wonka
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort: