West Ham United decided to part ways with the Croat this afternoon.
While there has been plenty of speculation and more than a few final chances given to Split-born footballer and manager Slaven Bilić, West Ham United decided that it was time to end their agreement with the famous Croatian coach this afternoon.
A statement from the club on the West Ham United website on Monday, November 6, 2017:
“The Chairmen and board of West Ham United would like to place on record their thanks and gratitude to Slaven and his team for their services over the past two-and-a-half years, but believe a change is now necessary in order for the Club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition.
West Ham United can confirm that Bilic’s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the Club with immediate effect.
The Club’s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is underway, and an announcement regarding Bilic’s successor is expected to be made over the coming days.”
Bilić became the manager of West Ham in 2015 on a three-year contract. In his first season with the club, Bilić finished in seventh place in the English Premier League and became the first West Ham manager to defeat Liverpool at Anfield since 1963. During the 2016/2017 season, Bilić’s West Ham finished in eleventh place.
This current season has been disastrous for the Croat with West Ham only winning two of their first eleven league games. After losing 0:3 to Brighton at home and another heavy defeat to Liverpool over the weekend, it was only a matter of time that the club and the Croat would go their separate ways.
Apart from coaching the Croatian national team from 2006 - 2012, Bilić has managed Hajduk Split, the Croatian U-21s, Lokomotiv Moscow, Beşiktaş, and West Ham. A former Hajduk footballer as well, perhaps the timing is all too perfect after the Split club also sacked their manager today?
We wish Slaven the best of luck in his future endeavors!
