Slaven Bilic cool over reports West Ham have shelved contract talks amid current slump

Under pressure: Slaven Bilic
West Ham United via Getty Images
Ken Dyer20 September 2016

Slaven Bilic said today he is unconcerned by reports suggesting West Ham are stalling on offering him a new contract.

Co-chairman David Sullivan said last season he would wait until January or even the end of this campaign before talking to Bilic about a new deal.

West Ham’s current plight, however, accentuated by two successive heavy Premier League defeats has put the Croatian under increased pressure.

“I didn’t talk about my situation back in March and I am not going to start now,” said Bilic, whose contract runs until the summer of 2018. “I didn’t discuss it with the chairman then because I was totally concentrated on the team and things haven’t changed.

“Back then all I said was I look at the next two games and that’s all.”

West Ham went into the season at their new home, the London Stadium, with high hopes after finishing seventh last term.

However, they are third from bottom with their only win coming against Bournemouth last month. Tomorrow they host Accrington in the League Cup and Bilic is urging his team to use this match and the Premier League games against Southampton on Sunday and Middlesbrough a week later to build some momentum.

“Starting tomorrow we have three mega games before the international break,” he said. “We have a good opportunity to come out of this.

“The boys know I am not happy. We spoke yesterday and we have to show a reaction straight away. We have to do it in games.”

West Brom vs West Ham

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Bilic confirmed he would play a “mixed team” in the third-round tie against League Two Accrington.

Former Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to be involved as is former Sion midfielder Edimilson Fernandes, who has done well in training.

Teenager Reece Oxford, who has still to sign a new deal at the club, also looks certain to be in the squad and Bilic hopes the defender’s future will be settled soon.

“I know his representatives are talking to the club and I hope it ends in a good way,” said Bilic. “In the past players such as Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick all developed here at West Ham and went on to have great careers in the game.”

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