It’s been brewing for half the season but the simmering unrest over Slaven Bilic’s backroom staff has the potential to break out into an all out row should the team’s drift goes on.
And even if it is halted and turned around there will be some serious conversations going on between the manager and board over the need to freshen things up on the training ground.
After regular complaints about a lack of training ground intensity – at one stage admitted by Bilic himself – the board believe the manager needs to look seriously at the make up of the staff, a move he is likely to resist strongly.
Bilic is a fiercely loyal individual and is unlikely to budge from backing his staff which includes assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic, former Croatia international and first-team coach Edin Terzic, the 34-year-old former coach at Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas.
Completing the set up are 69-year-old fitness coach Miljenko Rak, who was part of the manager’s staff during his time coaching Croatia.
Rak, a former long jumper, has also coached the Croatia national handball team and Olympic gold medal skier Janica Kostelic.
Completing the team are former West Ham favourite Julian Dicks and goalkeeping coach Chris Woods.
Both sides will be keen to avoid a showdown but the unrest has been rumbling on all season and is a matter which will be discussed at the annual review of the season.
– A 69 yr old fitness coach…. that is boarder line unbelievable
– Julian Dicks… club legend… aka the terminator… I only every hear what a top bloke he is, can’t believe he puts a rocket up the players arses when required. Think he’s just there for nostalgia. Was a flop as manager of Canvey Islsnd.
Blimey that’s a bit harsh Reggie. I’m nearly that age & I can still tie my own shoelaces, find my way home after 5 pints & remember which side is playing in claret & blue. And it has just taken me only four goes to get my password right for this site. But point taken-a fitness coach might not be the job most suited to a 69 year old.
Well in 69,soon to 70 and i will take you out in Rd1 Reggie,dont you worry about that young’un lol
Bloody ageist lol
Lol Reggie you won’t be winning the grey vote 😉 I make you right on the coach though, certainly age is not the problem if you have enthusiasm and ability, sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, the problem though is it doesn’t look as a supporter as though the players are doing enough high intensity training and as a result they don’t have the base fitness to play an aggressive pressing game. If you think back to the way the players attacked matches in the very early days of last season when they were all trying to impress him, not letting players have space at free kicks, goal kicks, throw ins etc and look at how that effort has dwindled away over the space of 18 months, the coaching speaks for itself.