Slaven Bilic is prepared to face “the situation and the consequences” after West Ham United’s latest capitulation at the London Stadium further loosened his grip on the manager’s job.
Wretched defending resulted in West Ham suffering a 4-1 home defeat by Liverpool which leaves them a point above the bottom three and with a tough decision to make about Bilic, whose contract runs out at the end of the season.
West Ham have so far shown a reluctance to sack him but the team’s poor form means the board’s patience is wearing increasingly thin. Bilic joked that he will not turn off his phone if David Sullivan or David Gold, West Ham’s owners, attempt to contact him. “I am not like that,” he said. “I am facing the situation and the consequences. I am strong and I am always strong and never hide behind anything.”
While Bilic admitted he does not know if he enjoys the backing of the club’s hierarchy, he insisted he is strong enough to steer West Ham away from danger. “I believe in myself and my staff and my team,” the Croat said. “I came so far from a small country, first as a player and then as a manager. I don’t feel a broken man. I am very, very strong. On the other hand the situation for West Ham is not good.
“I know my value. If I am anything, I am a big believer in myself. I am the one who takes the bullets all the time when I have to and I don’t have to. But are we playing well? No. It’s a responsibility and I am taking it. It shows how strong I am.”
The game was even before Liverpool swept into a 2-0 lead midway through the first half. The first goal came when West Ham were caught on the break from their own corner. “You want to have enough players at the back to stop the opponent,” Bilic said. “We had three players at the back. Maybe they weren’t in the position where they had to be. We are conceding too many goals in that manner.”