But the Egypt international, one of five changes made by under-pressure boss Gianfranco Zola following co-owner David Sullivan's brutal public assessment of his side's defeat by Wolves in midweek, failed to bring the rebound under control with the ball bouncing off his thigh and the chance passed.

BBC: West Ham 0-1 Stoke City

For the moment, however, the fear is that Mr Chirac's assertiveness over the presidency could rebound by making the bank even more determined to fend off political control.

ECONOMIST: Wim Duisenberg, in the rough