One of the biggest talking points throughout any season, in any league, is which manager is leaving their club.
Fans love to speculate who will go and who their replacement will be. With big names such as Jose Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri somewhat surprisingly leaving in the last couple of years; mid-way through a season, who can really accurately speculate who’s up next for the sack.
A strong candidate for departure this time around is West Ham’s boss, Slaven Bilić. Following three defeats on the bounce at the beginning of the 2017/18 season, the Croatian is facing unwanted pressure right from the outset.
Manchester United and Southampton have both dispatched the Hammers already, which may not be such a surprise with both teams finishing higher in the table last year. However, newly promoted Newcastle comfortably dealt with the Irons 3-0, an unacceptable result by West Ham standards.
The man in charge at the London Stadium could therefore be facing the axe. Various sources seem to suggest time is running out for Slaven, some suggesting he has just four games to turn things around. This poor start comes as a major surprise to those involved at West Ham, especially given the stature of their summer signings.
Following an ascendancy in league positioning since Bilić’s arrival back in 2015; including an FA cup final appearance subsequently resulting in Europa League Qualification, Bilić quickly became a big hero at West Ham once again. The commanding centre back’s displays at the Boleyn ground made him a firm fan’s favourite.
After some top class arrivals at the club including Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez (for around £16 million) it was to be an exciting season for Hammers fans. However, hopes of fans have been shot to pieces early on following their shocking start.
With the pressure put on any manager of a team performing at substandard levels, Bilić could well be the first manager to depart their club this season. Slaven will be hoping he can turn things around and fast, to ensure he remains at the London Stadium. Is Slaven Bilić capable of turning things around or will a fresh face be the answer for West Ham?
Written by Sam Brazier.
