Avram Redux

Just when I all but gave up on West Ham manager Avram Grant, he wins three in a row, culminating with today's 3-0 away win over Stoke (who face West Ham in the FA Cup on their turf next weekend). Grant rekindles the faith of the masses just one week after many were ready to forsake him.

He's a maddening hero.

Like Job, Grant is tested fatalisticaly. First he endures the loss of Chelsea after a miserable team descent; second, he endures the loss of Portsmouth through debt and relegation; and third, he endures the inexorable slide of West Ham until the acquisition of Ba and Hitzlsperger a couple of weeks back.

Now the fortunes of Grant and West Ham are changing. Wins are wondrous contributors to self-belief.

Prediction? West Ham will clamber to the top of the bottom third of the Premier league. A good place to grow from in the 2011-2012 season.