West Ham would be 'crazy' to sack Slaven Bilic despite poor start, says Wales boss Chris Coleman

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James Benge13 October 2016

Wales manager Chris Coleman has warned West Ham that they would be “crazy” if they considered sacking Slaven Bilic after the club’s calamitous start to the season.

Expectations had been running high at West Ham after Bilic’s first season in charge when his side challenged for Champions League football for much of the campaign and ultimately finished a creditable seventh.

That form has not been replicated in the new campaign, with the Hammers lying in the relegation zone after one win and one draw from their first seven matches of the season. West Ham have also crashed out of the Europa League, eliminated by Astra Giurgiu for the second year in a row.

But Bilic should not be the one to pay the price for West Ham’s current travails, according to Coleman.

“If you look at Slaven he has managed big clubs, he has managed his country, he has been in tournaments. I think West Ham would be crazy to even think about going down that road," said Coleman on The Premier League Show. "He won't be surprised. People are starting to point fingers at him, where last year he was the best thing since sliced bread.

“This year they are in the bottom three, everyone is analysing everything and double analysing it. He's in the middle of that. The fingers are pointing at him but he's a strong enough character to come through that. He'll be ok…

“You can't just look at Slaven. He's the same manager that he was last year, the same way the team is the same as last year. They've got great players, they've just got to get it together, don't make any excuses and get on with the job.”

West Ham’s move from the Boleyn Ground, their home of 112 years, to the London Stadium has not aided the club this season. A section of supporters have not failed to make clear their unhappiness over the departure from Green Street for Stratford.

Coleman believes that the new stadium lacks the feel of Upton Park and will have an effect on West Ham’s performance.

“That old West Ham stadium when I played there, it was a special atmosphere and now it's completely different,” he said. “The supporters are sitting in different areas compared to where they used to sit at the old ground.”

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