In truth, the Slaven Bilic era at West Ham United can be split into two distinct parts. The Dimitri Payet era, and life without the club’s once-talismanic and now-tainted playmaker.
Overall, the Croatian’s 35 per cent win rate makes him the fifth-most successful West Ham United coach since the Premier League began.
Had Payet not forced through that controversial move to Marseille in January 2017, staining his legacy in the process, one suspects Slaven Bilic may sit a lot higher in that leaderboard.
Bilic’s Hammers won 41 per cent of their league matches with Payet on the pitch. West Ham’s record without the mercurial Frenchman drops to a miserable 22 per cent, however.
And five years after both Payet and Bilic saw their once-highly-successful Hammers careers come to a close – Payet forced through that Marseille switch for family reasons, he would later reveal – suggestions that the Croatian is in line for a stunning return to the London Stadium have largely gone down like a lead balloon.
And not just because Bilic’s win rate without Payet pulling the strings is actually worse than Potter’s during his miserable eight-month tenure.
West Ham United fans respond to Slaven Bilic return claims
Hammers News have been informed by chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey that a shock return for Slaven Bilic is a possibility.
The former fans’ favourite retains a strong relationship with owner David Sullivan despite his sacking in November 2017.
Yet, while there are some who would welcome the sweet embrace of nostalgia – Bilic still brought West Ham statistically their greatest Premier League campaign, tallying 65 points in 2015/16 – others cannot ignore the irony of harking to the distant past while the club insist their ‘focus now is firmly on the future’.
A statement posted on the club’s official website, in response to incessant fan criticism, made frequent references to the ‘future’ and ‘long-term’ planning. Slaven Bilic’s potential return, however, would create the impression of precisely the opposite.
Delving back into the past for a short-term quick fix.
“That statement. The shambles on the pitch. The shambles off the pitch. Slaven Bilic. I’ve never been closer to giving up with all this,” one fan writes on X, their fatigue almost audible through the written word.
“Hilariously, I think the Bilic link completely unravels any claims made in that statement yesterday. Make it make sense,” another says.
“It’s exactly this [stuff which explains why] we are fed up with this board. Absolutely clueless and so was that poxy statement released last night. I love Bilic but, at the end, it was useless. [We] couldn’t defend and played [Michail] Antonio at right-back!”
“Right, let’s nip this in the bud now. I and many others absolutely love Slaven Bilic and have fond memories of him in his previous stint as manager. Unless he has drastically changed his style and tactics, I struggle to see how he is the answer to our problems.”
Bilic brought exciting football to West Ham with Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini
There are, though, others who would welcome a break from the Potter-era malaise, and the potential of something more enticing.
“We played more exciting football under Slaven, but how much of that was the Payet effect?” one fan wonders. “That said, he also gave [Manuel] Lanzini his debut, so I’d be more confident that he’d at least take a proper look at some of our youth.
“At least Slav has got some passion for the club.”
“Bring Bilic back. He was derailed by Payet last time and stadium move. Give him the job back.”
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