Hull veteran Boateng admits great admiration of West Ham boss Zola

Hull City midfielder George Boateng admits he's a big fan of West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola.

Back in November 2002, a typically tasty challenge from the combative former Middlesbrough star left Zola in agony and his features in a mess.

Boateng recalled to The Sun: "Yeah, I had a few tussles with him. What a player Zola was. He gave the Premier League a new face but, as a manager, it's a lot harder.

"I remember I elbowed him once because he's so little. Where my elbow was, his face was there, too. I hurt him really bad, he was hurt proper. I spoke with him afterwards and he understood.

"When I saw him last year, he said he was pleased I wasn't playing because he didn't want to get kicked again! He's a fantastic bloke, though. He even organised for my family to go on holiday to Sardinia one year.

"He knew a great place over there and sorted it for me through my old mate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. He got us a 10 per cent discount at this beautiful place we stayed. It was wonderful.

"It says everything about him that after what happened when I caught him in the face, he still found it in him to do something good for me."