While former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan largely sides with David Sullivan over what he describes as a ‘militant’ West Ham United fanbase, even he cannot understand the logic of bringing Slaven Bilic back to the London Stadium.
Hammers News were informed on Wednesday, by chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that former fan favourite Slaven Bilic has emerged as an ‘interesting option’ for a club who appear in danger of sleepwalking into a slaughter.
While West Ham United are also understood to be doing their due diligence on the likes of Nuno Espirito Santo, Sean Dyche and even Gary O’Neil – former England striker Darren Bent talked up the former Wolves boss this week – talk of an unexpected Bilic homecoming has sparked plenty of debate.
Owner David Sullivan retains a good relationship with the likeable Croatian, despite his sacking back in November 2017.
But while the West Ham supporters and Simon Jordan are not always on the same page – particularly with regards to the fury shown towards an increasingly unpopular ownership – even one of the few to take Sullivan’s side cannot understand the thought process behind the potential re-hiring of a manager who left the club languishing in 18th place during his first spell in the dugout.
Simon Jordan stunned as West Ham United consider Slaven Bilic return
It should be said, however, that Slaven Bilic retains a special place in the hearts of most West Ham supporters.
During that highly-successful 2015/16 season, Bilic sent records tumbling.
While finishing seventh, beating Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United along the way, his West Ham team racked up their highest ever points tally [62], their greatest number of goals [65], and their lowest number of losses [eight].
That number of defeats would more than double in the following campaign, however. They would also suffer successive defeats by Romanian outfit Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League play-offs, with a dreadful run of two wins in 11 games costing Bilic his job at the beginning of 2017/18.
A poll run by The Sun at the time revealed that, while the former Croatia boss would always remain a highly-popular presence in East London, 80 per cent of the supporters felt that a changing of the guard was required.
“Why was Bilic fired the first time around? And why would West Ham fans embrace him?,” a bemused Jordan wonders.
“I would imagine he was fired because there was a changing of the perspective, the ownership wasn’t comfortable with what he was doing, and the fans were on the turn.
“With all due respect to Bilic, I like him a lot and I like the way he speaks. He is a great speaker and a great personality. But what has he done since leaving West Ham?”
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To answer that question, not a huge amount.
Bilic left Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad after only six wins in 20 matches, his first post after West Ham. He then guided West Brom to promotion from the second-tier despite winning only 22 of 46 Championship games, before relatively short-lived and fairly unsuccessful stints at Beijing Guoan, Watford and Al-Fateh.
“I come from the position of being a big admirer of his but, if you look at his performance since leaving West Ham, he went to Saudi Arabia with a 30 per cent win record. He had a 40 per cent win record with a West Brom side that was expected to get promotion,” Jordan adds.
“These are hardly high level returns for a manager, so it’s curious. I would imagine the West Ham supporters would greet [Bilic’s potential return] with, ‘Where is the ambition’?
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