Noble told to “shake up the dressing room”
And he made it clear whom he believes is responsible for the current difficulties declaring: “I point my finger at the players here to wake up and bring back to their game the same passion they showed last season.
The 49-year-old was part of the same Croatia side as Bilic at EURO 96 and the FIFA World Cup in France in 1998, earning 53 caps between 1990 and 2002.
And he followed the manager to east London in 1999, appearing 52 times over two season and remains entirely supportive of his long-time teammate.
He told the official site: “When Slaven got the job, I said that he will be an instant success at West Ham United. He knows what this job is about and how to turn things round.
“One thing I am pretty sure of is that Slaven will not lose his passion, commitment and confidence.
“The one thing which I am confused about is how some people in England question his ability after every game, forgetting how great a job he did last season.”
“We all know that Slaven is the right guy for West Ham and I point my finger at the players here to wake up and bring back to their game the same passion they showed last season.
“Not long ago they played with much more intensity, looking after each other and fighting as a team – defenders need to defend, midfielders to fight and pass the ball quickly to support the front players and make it easy for the them.
“They all stood up for Slaven last season, praising his work, and if they don’t want to lose him then I expect team captain Mark Noble to shake up the dressing room and the team to start producing good football again.”