Slaven Bilic named as West Ham Manager (09.06.15)

Lukerz

Cuz - it may be that anybody with a brain would try and get the fans on side, but not everybody does.

This appointment has a nice feel to it. Like we're all in this together.

Lukerz

So what do people think.

Was Bilic a no.1 choice or was he on standby if everybody else said 'no'? ;hmm

Vorselaarhammer

;hmm

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33069209

Lukerz

Noble's thoughts:
http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2015/June/9-June/Noble-welcomes-new-boss-Bilic

KingHammerAbroad

I don't think he was a 1st or 2nd choice or possibly 3rd. If I was a betting man I would say their 1st choice was Benitez and 2nd would've been moyes.

However that matters for nothing now as Bilic has the job and I hope he does well for us.

Looking forward to see who he brings in as his assistant roles and what transfers he can attract.

Lukerz

Vorse - interesting. ;ok

So:

Positives:
Good in the transfer market
Plays an energetic, passing style
Good man-management skills

Negatives:
Tactically weak
Inflexible subs
Not won anything

Vorselaarhammer

Luke ;ok here is another one from the Guardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jun/09/slaven-bilic-west-ham-rock-star-manager

You get the impression the guy is a good coach and says the right things, but.....

I suppose if he had won cups and leagues he would be somewhere else by now...

MrsGrey

We know it's a three-year project and said we would love to be in the top eight this season and do well in a cup competition.”

Read more at http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2015/June/9-June/Joint-Chairman-thrilled-by-Bilic-appointment#9vwbUJOO0mZlfCPK.99

So there's his target for Yr 1.

I would love it too ;thumbsup

Lukerz

Get your wallet out then Dave.

No way is 8th achievable unless we strengthen considerably.

baracks_a_hammer

Agree with KHA - I think the Dave's really wanted Rafa or Moyes, probably the latter as first choice.

There may well have been other candidates but I reckon Slaven would have been the only willing to accept various caveats such as being binned if we were relegated, etc and also other parties having the greater say over transfers. So other than going to the likes of Mcleish, Slaven was probably last man standing.

SuzanneClaret

;ok

SuzanneClaret

So what do people think.

Was Bilic a no.1 choice or was he on standby if everybody else said 'no'? ;hmm

I am convinced the DDs wanted Raffa and did all they could to get him, but as soon as the Real job became available they stood no chance.

I think Bilic was their next choice but they looked at other options just to be sure.

Pearces_Left_Foot

One thing I read about his time as Bestikas is they were rebuidling the stadium so he did n;t have any home games for something like 15 months they played all their home games quite far away.

baracks_a_hammer

Vorse - interesting. ;ok

So:

Positives:
Good in the transfer market
Plays an energetic, passing style
Good man-management skills

Negatives:
Tactically weak
Inflexible subs
Not won anything

One of the things I am most looking forward to is seeing how we perform at the likes of Anfield, the Emirates and Etihad. Because one of the frustrating things for me about Sam (and his players) was that these games seemed to be pretty much handed over to the opposition without them having to break sweat.

ASLEFshrugged

From the BBC link

"With a 4-2-3-1 formation, he built a team with two dynamic defensive midfielders, one creative playmaker and wingers able to cut inside" .

Hmmm, big Andy up top with Valencia and Sakho playing on the wings, Downing in the middle with Noble and Kouyate in front of the back four? Sounds rather familiar.......

PLF - Besiktas played the home games at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, on the western edge of Istanbul, its the Turkish national stadium so it would have been like us playing home games at Wembley.

Pearces_Left_Foot

Cheers Aslef ;ok he played Ba up top so maybe Valencia ;hmm maybe we will sign a few wingers or even play Jarvis !

Bazshuayi

Although I originally preferred a couple of other names linked with the job, I have to admit that subsequent comments I've read today ( allied to the knowledge I already of Bilic ) now mean I am glad we appointed him. I think there are a few things that made him an outstanding candidate now too. Very pleased he already has studied the players ( the strengths and where he wants to improve etc ) and I now feel pretty optimistic about the whole thing ;thumbsup Hopefully we can bring in some higher quality players in and be pushing at the top part of the table ( that 5th to 8th bracket area ). Although we ultimately finished 12th, with even an average second half of the season we would've easily been in the hunt to qualify for Europe from a league position as opposed to a fair play one.

baracks_a_hammer

Cheers Aslef ;ok he played Ba up top so maybe Valencia ;hmm maybe we will sign a few wingers or even play Jarvis !

Jarvis needs to go, end of. We need a Bolasie type winger - that's the type which does well in the prem - fast and runs directly at defenders and takes them on

ASLEFshrugged

PLF - I just don't like lone strikers, he did play Ba in a front two a few times last season so he's not adverse to the odd bit of tinkering but when he did he stuck with his two DMs and dropped the AM. Then again he often played 4-4-2 with Croatia so we'll have to wait and see how we set up. At least we don't have long to wait, first Europa game in three weeks!!!!!!

Lukerz

Adrian
O'Brien - Tomkins - Reid - Cresswell
Noble - Kouyate
Downing - Zarate - Valencia
Sakho

Randolph, Collins, Hendrie, Obiang, Nolan, Jarvis, Carroll

Ravel49

M11M

ASLEFshrugged

Luke - we really need another RB, if JO'B gets injured we've got no one. I'd rather have Downing in the middle, he did so much better there than he did pushed out wide.

Yeoldhammer

Bring Jenkinson back on loan, even if we cannot get him Perm, he knows the club now, he knows he will get games, he was a good player for us. I think all parties would welcome it. Wenger also has the added knowledge of knowing Jenkinson could face European opposition.

Seems a win win, obviously would like him on a Perm but personally feel the midfield needs an overhaul and having a steady RB in Jenkinson would help relieve fears for that position until next summer/January

ASLEFshrugged

Yeold - agreed

Pearces_Left_Foot

Looking forward to see what formation he plays , good job we have plenty of Europa cup games so he can experiment a little. He is quoted as saying midfield and upfront need strengthening so be interesting to see who we bring in . Getting mildly excited for first game already !

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

any person can say the right things, i hope he can follow it up with performances.

Yes Indeed. Zola also said the right things - he said a lot of wonderful things about fitness yet his sides notoriously could not last 70 minutes

Still, if Slaven ends up talking things up and not delivering, he can always point to his employers and say he is taking a leaf out of their book...

Zola did a good job. We played fantastic football and finished 8th. The second season wasn't as good but he kept us, just like Sam did, who got plaudits for that ;ok

First season....Curbs team...but did well.

Second season "wasn't as good"?!?!

It was downright awful....stayed up on a lpw points total and was the beginning of the "Save our Season" theme....

Sam (somehow) didn't come close to finishing 17th in that manner.....no matter how you cut it.....and Zola didn't get record breaking first half of season.

;ok

MrsGrey

Looking forward to see what formation he plays , good job we have plenty of Europa cup games

;hmm We have 2 guaranteed. The rest depend on us getting though each round....

baracks_a_hammer

any person can say the right things, i hope he can follow it up with performances.

Yes Indeed. Zola also said the right things - he said a lot of wonderful things about fitness yet his sides notoriously could not last 70 minutes

Still, if Slaven ends up talking things up and not delivering, he can always point to his employers and say he is taking a leaf out of their book...

Zola did a good job. We played fantastic football and finished 8th. The second season wasn't as good but he kept us, just like Sam did, who got plaudits for that ;ok

First season....Curbs team...but did well.

Second season "wasn't as good"?!?!

It was downright awful....stayed up on a lpw points total and was the beginning of the "Save our Season" theme....

Sam (somehow) didn't come close to finishing 17th in that manner.....no matter how you cut it.....and Zola didn't get record breaking first half of season.

;ok

Zola was out of his depth, simple as. If he wasn't, why hasn't he managed to get another top flight post since (except for a brief unsuccessful stint at Cagliari)?

Great player, lovely guy, but seemingly not cut out for top level management. worse win % at West Ham than Grant!!

Pearces_Left_Foot

Looking forward to see what formation he plays , good job we have plenty of Europa cup games

;hmm We have 2 guaranteed. The rest depend on us getting though each round....

I am feeling confident Mrs Grey ;lol

MrsGrey

Loss.