Former West Ham captain Julian Dicks would love to work with Gianfranco Zola at Upton Park.

Dicks told the People: "I made it perfectly clear to West Ham that I would walk back to the club tomorrow. I put in a request when Glenn Roeder and Alan Pardew took charge.

"I know people have been talking about Di Canio and you need someone who cares about the club.

"We both showed so much passion when we were playing for the club and that is what the West Ham fans are looking for."

But Dicks believes Zola has got to stand up to the West Ham board after former manager Alan Curbishley accused them of going behind his back when it came to transfer activity.

He said: "If you have got anything about you as a person, you are not going to be told as a manager who buys your players.

"He will need to be ruthless and ensure he is making his own decisions."