Sullivan: “Bilic’s “eyes had gone…he needed a rest”

David Sullivan has revealed that he was forced into making a change of manager at West Ham  because Slaven Bilic looked an entirely spent force.

And he has explained how Sam Allardyce’s words that he had the worst job in football came back into his mind as he realised the deed had to be done.

Sullivan said:“Sam Allardyce once told me he had the worst job in football.

“I said, ‘Are you mad? You are a Premier League manager, you are in charge of West Ham United, you earn a fortune . . . ’

“Then he said he was exhausted. That is what the job does to you.”

It was a position Bilic was in over recent weeks and Sullivan told the Sun:“Slaven is a good man, but he needs a rest to recharge. “We had to make a change. His eyes had gone — and the fight had gone.

“When I told him, it was almost a relief. It had run its course. He wants to be liked, but we need to win football matches. I probably should have made the change in the summer, but we decided to wait. Slaven is worn out.”

Many have been making it clear that they believe Moyes too is a spent force but Sullivan said:  “Jose Mourinho had a blip at Chelsea in 2015 and was sacked when they lost ten games before Christmas — does that make him a bad manager?

“He’s resurrected himself at United and won three trophies in a season. A run of bad results can happen. David accepts what happened at Sunderland but, in my view, it is the kiss of death going there anyway.

“You don’t manage a club the size of Everton for ten years if you are a bad manager — he is a good manager.

““When I was at Birmingham we tried to get David before he went to Everton — and recently tried to get him before he went to Sociedad. Since the appointment, people have been talking very highly about him.

“I looked him in the eye and told him we have not got anybody else signed up or lined up for next season.

“He is an excellent manager — but has to prove that by keeping us in the Premier League.”