Slav’s priorities will put noses out of joint
“A top centre half” was Bilic’s reply at the time of his appointment.
The club was under the impression it was well stocked in that area: after all it had Winston Reid, James Tomkins, James Collins, and emerging young players Reece Burke, Doneil Henry, Reece Oxford plus the ability of Cheikhou Kouayae to slot in at centre back.
But Bilic was adamant that new blood was needed. Which is why his first main target has been Juventus centre back, Angelo Ogbonna, who is now on the brink of signing for the Hammers.
Born to Nigerian parents in the Italian town of Cassino, Ogbonna began his career with Torino and has gone on to win 10 Italian caps. However, the 27-year-old has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Juve side. But that’s largely because he has players of the calibre of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have been ahead of him in the pecking order.
On the face of it, Ogbonna might not be the stellar first signing Hammers fans had hoped for. But an £8 million investment could prove a shrewd bit of business by Bilic, who is adamant that you have to build a team from the back.
He is right of course. And those who have interpreted Bilic’s strategy as somehow similar to the Sam Allardyce approach are misguided.
Bilic will promote expansive attacking football. He wants flair in the final third, and he wants to win with some panache. But to do that, he insists, you need a solid foundation!
It is, of course, the way all successful teams are built.
Brian Clough built some of the most exciting attacking teams at Derby and Nottingham Forest in the 70s and 80s. But he always focussed on his back four first.
That was always the Liverpool way too. The likes of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson were just as key to the club’s success as Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush or John Barnes.
And when Alex Ferguson convinced the Manchester United board he needed to spend big to rebuild the team, then his first big money buy was Gary Pallister. Then, of course, some years later he broke the British transfer record to sign Rio Ferdinand from Leeds United.
And look at how Jose Mourinho builds his teams. There are those who have labelled his Chelsea side boring. Really?
Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas produced some sublime football last season. But they could only do that with the insurance of warriors like John Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic behind them. Yes, Chelsea are mean at the back. And why not? It won them the title.
Biased
As a centre half himself, Bilic might be a bit biased – but it’s the way all good teams are constructed: from the foundations up.
Even Hammers fans who get misty-eyed about the ‘West Ham way’ should know that.
West Ham struggled in the late 60s and early 70s, despite all their attacking talent, because, after Ken Brown retired, Bobby Moore lacked a decent partner. And when Mooro left, Tommy Taylor was then left without a consistent regular partner.
It was only when Alvin Martin and Billy Bonds (and then Tony Gale) got together that the team enjoyed a period of success
For a certain generation, names like Alan Stephenson, John Cushley, Bill Green, Paul Hilton and Joe Gallagher make them wince.
And the irony of the Allardyce’s final season was that so many points were dropped as a consequence of conceding late goals – things you would have thought Big Sam would have sorted.
Bilic has studied plenty of footage of last season, and has clearly concluded the team is not strong enough at the centre of defence.
He feels that he has to sort that out before he can start thinking about adding some colour and gloss higher up the pitch. It’s not necessarily negative focussing on the back four first. It’s just setting up a team from a solid base. In my view, that’s plain sensible.
That is why he has targeted Ogbonna, whose best assets are regarded as his physical power and pace. At 27, he is experienced too and coming from Serie A, he ought to know a thing or two about the art of defending.
Should Ogbonna sign, then it is understood he would start the season alongside Winston Reid.
With the likes of Burke Oxford and Henry coming through, where would that leave James Tomkins and James Collins? Fighting for their West Ham futures I would suggest. For Slav’s priorities may leave some noses out of joint!
Bilic’s ruthless streak will mean he will show no sentiment to the service Tomkins and Collins have given.
The heart of the defence is the rock on which the rest of the team can be built. That is Bilic’s philosophy. Or in other words, it’s about getting Back(bone) to the Future!