Leroy: Hammers board must be brave on Bilic
It’s understandable but to getting rid now is the wrong thing to do in my opinion. I see nobody on the staff or currently available who could come in and have anymore chance of keeping the Hammers safe than the bloke in charge.
A quick look at the game against Hull shows clearly that we won the first half by some distance but just couldn’t cope when they came out and gave it a real go after the break.
Our problem has been that we don’t know what Hammers system we are going to see from week to week – sometimes it’s three at the back -sometimes four, some times one up, sometimes two.
Slav needs to decide how he is going to play throughout the rest of the season and stick with it but to sack him now would be entirely counter productive and could cause more trouble than ever.
I’m sure the board is covering it’s back and sounding out agents as to which managers may be available. That sounds callous but it’s the way it works.
However, to fire him now is the wrong move – we have to sweat it out…there’s nothing else for it and somehow scrape the required points together.
It’s going to be nervy but he’s shown before he can sort things and with Antonio back, possibly Sakho and maybe Ogbonna things can turn.
I believe they will but it’s getting a bit too tight at the bottom and whatever happens in midweek at Arsenal next week’s game against Swansea is a total MUST WIN.
Then comes Sunderland and that could take it to six or at least four which would give things a much healthier look.
I still take the view that Slaven Bilic is a good manager who is having a bad year – it happens to many managers and in times like that you simply have to be brave and back your man.
I hope the West Ham board shows real bravery and does exactly that!
COYI
Leroy is ClaretandHugh’s chief pundit and top analyst for the Premier League