I bring glad tidings. Julian Dicks is the club’s latest signing! No, not as a new left back but as part of Slaven Bilic’s coaching staff. I have to say that I think this is a brilliant move by Bilic. I hope he joins him in the dugout. It’s at moments like this I am glad I sit just behind it, although that won’t be the case when we move to the Olympic Stadiu, (Grrr).
Julian commented on his new role…
‘I was with the Ladies last year and I thoroughly enjoyed that, but to get the opportunity to work with Slaven, his coaching staff and the first-team players is a dream come true. This is a Premier League club with some very good players already in the squad and some more very good players set to come in this summer. It is exciting times for me and exciting times for West Ham. I met up with Slaven last week and, although we had not met in person for a few years, it was like we had never been apart. We had a hug and a kiss and sat down and talked all about West Ham and all about football. ‘We had a great relationship when we played together in the same team here and I am sure we will work well together again as manager and coach. And while Dicks may not have seen Bilic for a few years – he has kept an eye on his managerial career from a far. His teams play a high-tempo pressing game and I am sure he will instil that style of play here at West Ham. ‘I have always said that the first quality that players must illustrate is hard work. If you then have very good players who work very hard, then you can achieve great things and hopefully we can do that here at West Ham. I understand that I will be involved on the training pitch and in the meetings and I cannot wait to get down to work with Slaven, his assistant and his other coaches.’
What brilliant news for Aaron Cresswell and Stephen Hendrie too. They couldn’t wish for a better coach than the man who has done it all at left back.
The Terminator is back!