West Ham co-owner David Gold told media that he and the board is fully behind manager Slaven Bilic.
The dreaded vote of confidence.
“There is no issue between me and the board and Slaven … and in the board [meetings] there have been no discussions over Slaven’s future,” Gold said after a meeting of Premier League executives in London. “He’s our manager, we all like him, he’s a great guy. I like him very much. He’s very passionate and I love the passion.”
West Ham’s season has been a massive step back from Bilic’s first campaign, when he led the Hammers to a seventh place finish. This year, the club sits in 12th place with 14 losses on the year and a -12 goal differential. The club was also bounced from the Europa League before the group stage.
“Would I like to be two or three places higher than we currently are? Of course I would,” Gold said. “Tell me a club apart from Chelsea who wouldn’t. There are no issues. There never has been a new contract on the table. He still has the rest of this season and next season.”
Bilic was asked about it his job security at the pre-match press conference prior to the Hammers’ visit to Hull City on Saturday.
“Nothing has changed in the last few days,” the 48-year-old said. “What do you want me to say? There is nothing new I can say about it. I just concentrate on my job. I am totally focused on the next game. That [speculation] does not worry me. I am not reading it or making phone calls or whatever.”
Bilic cited the fact that his contract doesn’t run out until the summer of 2018, which keeps his mind at ease. “My head is clear and I am totally motivated and focused. I’ve been here long enough to know what to do – over a year and a half – with an objective here and there is still a job to do and I have my contract. At the end of the day my contract is not running out. I have another year here.”
