It is the news everyone has been waiting for.
A few minutes ago WHUFC.com officially revealed that former Hammer Slaven Bilic is the 15th Manager of West Ham United agreeing to a three year contract.
WHUFC.com Statement says:
“West Ham United are delighted to announce the appointment of Slaven Bilic as the Club’s new manager.The 46-year-old will become the 15th full-time manager in the Hammers’ 120-year history, returning to the Club he played for 54 times, on a three-year contract.Bilic will arrive at the Boleyn Ground after successful spells in charge of the Croatia national team and Turkish side Besiktas, subject to a work permit being issued. He becomes the second Croatian to manage in the Barclays Premier League, and has an outstanding career win percentage of 55.16 per cent. A law graduate and multilinguist who takes a meticulous approach to management, the new boss will arrive in London later this month following a family holiday, but has already begun preparations for West Ham’s maiden UEFA Europa League campaign.”
Slav told the official website:
“I’m really glad to be back with West Ham United, It’s in the Premier League, which is among the best in the world. It’s a big challenge and you are competing with the best and what better club to do it with than West Ham. I remember West Ham as a special club. I love these kinds of special clubs. My last club, Besiktas, was that kind of club. It’s not about the size – West Ham is big Club – there is something special about them – they are a cult clubs. It is a great place to play and I felt like I was at home. It is a big privilege and a big responsibility to now be manager and I hope that I will prove it to the Board, players and fans. My first priority when choosing a club is to look at its ambitions. When I spoke to the Chairmen and Karren Brady, they made clear that it is not only the fantastic new Stadium we are moving into, but they showed their determination and ambition to make what is a big club even bigger.I saw their determination and passion that they want to do that. That was the number one reason. I could feel that they really wanted me so it was an easy choice.I would say to the West Ham fans that I will give my best and together we will achieve great things.As a player, Bilic was an outstanding centre-back during a 14-year career that saw him represent Croatian giants Hadjuk Split, German side Karlsruher SC, West Ham and Everton."
Harry Redknapp signed Slaven Bilic for a club record fee of £1.3 million in January 1996. He went on to make his debut on 12th February 1996 in a 1–0 away win against Spurs. Bilic’s shot was saved by Spurs goalkeeper, Ian Walker, only for West Ham’s Dani, another debutant, to divert the ball into the Spurs goal.
He scored three goals in total during his time with the Hammers after making 54 appearances in all competitions; two of those goals came in the Premier League, against Liverpool and Sunderland, and the remaining one in the League Cup against Barnet, heading-in from a Stan Lazaridis corner.
Bilic played 13 games in the 1995–96 season and 41 in the 1996–97 season, a season which also saw him voted a runner-up, to Julian Dicks, for the Hammer of the Year award. In March 1997 Everton manager Joe Royle brokered a £4.5M move for the former Hammer but he only went on to play 28 times for the Toffees through suspension and injury.
Welcome back Slav!
