David Sullivan has announced that he’s likely to hand Slaven Bilic a new contract – probably next January.
He says that he has to be assured that the manager is not a “one season wonder” so will bide his time on the decision.
Is he right? ClaretandHugh’s readers have been offering their opinions at https://www.facebook.com/groups/363174467150521/
O Slav has been excellent and far exceeded any of our expectations. However, I do agree with the board let’s wait and see policy with the new stadium and pressure of teams working out how to stop our top players. Just look at Swansea. Seventh last season and bottom six this year. A few top additions to the squad in the summer and we should be looking at same again.
O I think he’s too intelligent to be a one-season-wonder, but also people can’t expect the same EVERY season these days-ask Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea-top spots have to be shared more.
O The club need to give him the money to build. If we get in to Europe the current squad isn’t strong enough to compete on both fronts. Coming from the club that gave BFS a 4 year contract and made him the 13th highest paid manager in the world. Slav has exceeded what BFS did in four years in the time he’s been there.
O Can you imagine BFS signing the likes of Payet and Lanzini – it took the club four years to realise BFS was taking us nowhere. This season we’ve played some of the best football in years, the fans are united, the club are united , players want to play for Slav, and we want to wait and see…?
O Slav isn’t just about the money, he loves the challenge AND West Ham. ⚒
O The TV deal coming in next season is a huge leveller. The skill set of a teams manager will be more important next season. No more signing quality players and sitting back….eg Chelsea/Mourinho, Man City/Pelligrini, Liverpool/Rogers. The likes of City United Liverpool Arsenal etc will have to sign the very best to maintain top four…very best being..Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Suarez etc The Premier League looks to be levelling itself out. Look at us and Leicester.
There,s no rush really , we still haven’t finished this campaign yet and while we are having a great season , there are still a few games to go and everything is still up for grabs .We are only 3 points in front of Southampton so European football is not guaranteed let alone top four and Champions league . We still have the chance to achieve something special this season whether in the cup or league or both but we may still come up short . Whatever the end of season holds for us it’s still been a great one so new contracts are a little premature .
I don’t think Slav is going anywhere ,which is a little different from the need to tie your best players down with long contracts which we have done .
It is brinksmanship to leave it till Jan, but it is DS paying the money. Dangerous game. So many clubs would LOVE to poach Bilic…Our nemesis Everton?? Ugh! Vomitsville Arizona! Chelsea, Man U? Mourinho? Do me a favour? He really IS a 1 hit wonder, and arrogant loud mouth at that!
Whilst highly unlikely because of the classy type of person he is, Bilic might nevertheless feel that the owners are being disrespectful by not backing up their fancy words with hard cash – whether he actually wants the money or not. Bilic’s managment and the 2 Ds are the rerason we are walking in Dreamland.
BUT if we lost Bilic, the whole dream could unravel as fast as it has been created….
We’re Hammers, how many times have we seen our dreams shattered? In all my years as a Hammers fan, the ONLY consistancy has been WHU shooting itself in the foot…UNTIL NOW! This feels different…this feels permanent….IF we can keep the dream team together…and that means keeping Bilic.
As DS fears, Bilic COULD be a one year wonder (like many other managers), but it doesn’t feel likely. He is a highly intelligent man; inc’ lawyer, rock musician…He can think out of the box. He isn’t a tunnel-visioned one-trick pony.
I’d prefer improving Bilic’s contract sooner rather than later, but that is why I am a mere punter, and DS is an owner!! Ultimately, I trust the 2 Ds + K to keep our dreams alive…with Bilic being with us for generations!
For whatever reason, we have never REALLY sorted a manager since Lyall, who, in turn, was an acolyte of Greenwood. I still believe in a long term stability and consistancy like I grew up with. I think we are on the verge of that consistancy again, but with far greater success.
Watch out world, here come WHU!…New days. New Dreams. Believe it. It’s happening: Bye bye ‘fade and die’…. providing we don’t shoot ourselves foot at the 1st hurdle by losing Bilic!
COYI!
(Is that a gun I hear being loaded?…!)
Vomitsville,lol 🙂
No rush as far as I can see.Everything will fall into place when the time is right.I am 100% relaxed with the whole situation & still ain’t bothered about what Sully said earlier.No drama,relax gentle folk of C&H.The wheels will be in motion.
Slaven did not seek an increase…that’s fact…so…why raise that issue on the first place..
lol… seeing the length of 247’s post I thought it was the speech of the king to the people… Slav is doing a superior job and Davids are not stupid… they won’t want to let him go, no panic … lol 😀
David Sullivan is probably right. from a business point of view due diligence is sensible. However the ‘one hit wonder’ comment in public is disrespectful to Slav. Let’s hope he doesn’t take it personally. Make no mistake Slav is not business minded or money oriented. Slav is a man who is ruled by his heart. Let’s hope he is not wounded by the remarks. Slav will be a manager in high demand by many top clubs.