West Ham appoint Slaven Bilic as their new manager

West Ham appoint Slaven Bilic as their new manager to replace Sam Allardyce

• Former Croatia and Besiktas manager signs three-year deal
• Bilic: I’m really glad to be back with West Ham United


Slaven Bilic takes charge of West Ham on a three-year deal.

West Ham United have confirmed Slaven Bilic as their new manager to replace Sam Allardyce on a three-year deal.

The former defender spent 18 months as a player at Upton Park and has previous managerial experience with Hajduk Split, Croatia and Besiktas, who he left last month having guided them to third place in the Turkish Super Lig.

“West Ham United are delighted to announce the appointment of Slaven Bilic as the club’s new manager,” read a statement on their official website.

“The 46-year-old will become the 15th full-time manager in the Hammers’ 120-year history, returning to the club he played for 54 times, on a three-year contract.

“A law graduate and multilinguist who takes a meticulous approach to management, the new boss will arrive in London later this month following a family holiday, but has already begun preparations for West Ham’s maiden Uefa Europa League campaign.”

Bilic added: “I’m really glad to be back with West Ham United. It’s in the Premier League, which is among the best in the world. It’s a big challenge and you are competing with the best and what better club to do it with than West Ham.

“I remember West Ham as a special club. I love these kinds of special clubs. My last club, Besiktas, was that kind of club. It’s not about the size – West Ham is a big club – there is something special about them. They are a cult club.

Slaven Bilic playing for West Ham against Leicester in 1996. Facebook Twitter Pinterest



“It is a great place to play and I felt like I was at home. It is a big privilege and a big responsibility to now be manager and I hope that I will prove it to the board, players and fans.”

The club’s co-owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, and the vice-chairman, Karren Brady, interviewed Bilic over the weekend, with the 46-year-old having made clear his desire to return to east London.

They had explored numerous options since the departure of Allardyce and had hoped to lure Rafael Benítez until the former Liverpool manager was unveiled by Real Madrid. David Moyes and Carlo Ancelotti were also sounded out, while Sevilla’s Unai Emery and Lekhwiya’s Michael Laudrup have opted instead to extend respective contracts at their current clubs.

Guardian