Hammers eye up surprise managerial candidate
Burnley boss Sean Dyche is set to become a surprise runner in the West Ham managerial race if the Hammers decide not to renew Slaven Bilic’s contract next summer.
The Croatian boss can save himself with a rapid rise up the table and were he to turn the team’s fortunes around with a top seven finish, that may be enough to change minds.
But ClaretandHugh has discovered that a list of candidates is being prepared and that both Dyche and Rafa Benitez’s names are on it.
Dyche, 46, has guided Burnley into sixth place this season having lost possibly his best player in striker Andre Gray to Watford and is a strong fancy at the London Stadium.
The Hammers board have been impressed with his performance since leading The Clarets back to the Premier League and both he and Benitez are high on the list.
The Spaniard is still believed to have a strained relationship with owner Mike Ashley and although contracted until 2019 the Hammers believe they could tempt him out of the north east.
The Hammers would also make an optimistic advance to Carlo Ancelotti but are aware that he hasn’t managed a top out of the elite group of clubs for a long time and that they would probably lose out when he makes himself available next sumer.