Slaven Bilic lined up for shock West Ham return if Graham Potter gets sacked

Slaven Bilic is a contender to make a stunning return to West Ham if Graham Potter is fired, talkSPORT understands. Potter faces an increasingly difficult battle to save his job after a nightmare run of only six wins from his 23 Premier League games in charge. AFPPotter is facing the chop having started this season as poorly as he ended the last[/caption] Owner David Sullivan is considering turning to former boss Bilic to rescue the Hammers from their slump. Bilic would be a popular appointment with West Ham supporters after becoming a fans’ favourite as a player and leading them to a seventh place finish during his first spell in the dugout. talkSPORT understands out of work duo Nuno Espirito Santo and Sean Dyche have also been discussed by the West Ham hierarchy. Potter was hired on January 9, taking his first job since an underwhelming stint with Chelsea. His half season saw nine defeats, five wins and five draws, and despite a summer spend of £125million, things haven’t improved this term. The Hammers kicked off with three-straight defeats, losing 3-0 to newly-promoted Sunderland before a 5-1 thumping from Chelsea and then a collapse against Wolves from 2-1 up. What has Bilic said about West Ham? Bilic in fact joined talkSPORT after that EFL Cup loss to Wolves and spoke about the pressures of managing West Ham. “It’s not easy. But there are clubs where it’s even more difficult. And to be fair, West Ham is one of those clubs,” he said. “West Ham is not the biggest club, of course, but it’s a very popular club. It’s kind of a special club. The fans are very demanding. The media, the whole environment around West Ham is very demanding. “So what I’m trying to say… West Ham is one of those clubs that very quickly you get in that trouble zone, and it’s only after three games. Bilic joined talkSPORT to shed light on his relationship with David Sullivan in AugustAFP “Suddenly you are in the trouble zone. And unless you know the club, unless you know the situation and unless you are strong with a clear plan, it’s not easy to get out of there. “Now with West Ham, a lot of people, including me, we say, ‘It’s only three games’. But you have a feeling that it is like 15 games at West Ham now.” When pressed on whether he fears for Potter, Bilic said: “Not that much. He [David Sullivan] sacked me in the start of my third season. I think from my point of view – and objectively – I had a really good couple of seasons. “But he’s not one who likes to sack managers. He likes to give them time. But on the other hand, I’m not saying that it’s a panic zone, but it’s difficult not to get into that kind of environment that is completely negative. “He was my chairman, he likes to talk to you. You speak to him on a weekly basis. He likes to give you time and give you confidence and give you credit. But nowadays, everywhere, and especially West Ham, it’s not easy. It’s very difficult to stay calm.” When asked whether things got bitter him and Sullivan, Bilic said: “No, it didn’t. Based on your two sentences, yes. But we had hundreds of conversations. David Sullivan is facing yet another high pressure coaching changeRex “We are now on very good terms. Of course, I wasn’t happy. And of course, I think now, and even then, that I didn’t deserve to be sacked. “For a couple of seasons, we were extremely successful, the last season in Upton Park. And don’t forget, make no mistake how difficult it is to move stadiums, especially to go from Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium. “It’s a big arena. It’s not easy to do. And West Ham, and the proof is afterwards, West Ham needed a few seasons to get used to it.” West Ham’s managerial struggles After a difficult start for Potter, a 3-0 win away at Nottingham Forest hinted at a turnaround, but those hopes were short-lived as London rivals Tottenham made it four defeats from five last time out. The 50-year-old Englishman is now the betting favourite to become the next Premier League manager to lose his job, continuing the Hammers’ struggles in the dugout. Bilic was a rare high during Sullivan’s tenure, finishing seventh and 11th, while Dimitri Payet shone with some unforgettable goals. Bilic has won of the best win rates of all recent West Ham hires David Moyes is the only man to have matched Bilic’s success since, recording sixth and seventh place finishes in 2021 and 2022. On top of that, the Scot achieved extraordinary highs in Europe, reaching the Europa League in ‘22, before winning the Conference League a year later – West Ham’s first major honour since 1980. Moyes left at the end of the 2023/24 season amid complaints about league form and his style of football, but his replacement was another unforgettable hire. Julen Lopetegui lasted just 22 games, departing with a record of ten defeats, seven wins and five draws in all competitions.

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Slaven Bilic lined up for shock West Ham return if Graham Potter gets sacked

Slaven Bilic is a contender to make a stunning return to West Ham if Graham Potter is fired, talkSPORT understands.

Potter faces an increasingly difficult battle to save his job after a nightmare run of only six wins from his 23 Premier League games in charge.

Potter is facing the chop having started this season as poorly as he ended the last[/caption]

Owner David Sullivan is considering turning to former boss Bilic to rescue the Hammers from their slump.

Bilic would be a popular appointment with West Ham supporters after becoming a fans’ favourite as a player and leading them to a seventh place finish during his first spell in the dugout.

talkSPORT understands out of work duo Nuno Espirito Santo and Sean Dyche have also been discussed by the West Ham hierarchy.

Potter was hired on January 9, taking his first job since an underwhelming stint with Chelsea.

His half season saw nine defeats, five wins and five draws, and despite a summer spend of £125million, things haven’t improved this term.

The Hammers kicked off with three-straight defeats, losing 3-0 to newly-promoted Sunderland before a 5-1 thumping from Chelsea and then a collapse against Wolves from 2-1 up.

What has Bilic said about West Ham?

Bilic in fact joined talkSPORT after that EFL Cup loss to Wolves and spoke about the pressures of managing West Ham.

“It’s not easy. But there are clubs where it’s even more difficult. And to be fair, West Ham is one of those clubs,” he said.

“West Ham is not the biggest club, of course, but it’s a very popular club. It’s kind of a special club. The fans are very demanding. The media, the whole environment around West Ham is very demanding.

“So what I’m trying to say… West Ham is one of those clubs that very quickly you get in that trouble zone, and it’s only after three games.

Bilic joined talkSPORT to shed light on his relationship with David Sullivan in August

“Suddenly you are in the trouble zone. And unless you know the club, unless you know the situation and unless you are strong with a clear plan, it’s not easy to get out of there.

“Now with West Ham, a lot of people, including me, we say, ‘It’s only three games’. But you have a feeling that it is like 15 games at West Ham now.”

When pressed on whether he fears for Potter, Bilic said: “Not that much. He [David Sullivan] sacked me in the start of my third season. I think from my point of view – and objectively – I had a really good couple of seasons.

“But he’s not one who likes to sack managers. He likes to give them time. But on the other hand, I’m not saying that it’s a panic zone, but it’s difficult not to get into that kind of environment that is completely negative.

“He was my chairman, he likes to talk to you. You speak to him on a weekly basis. He likes to give you time and give you confidence and give you credit. But nowadays, everywhere, and especially West Ham, it’s not easy. It’s very difficult to stay calm.”

When asked whether things got bitter him and Sullivan, Bilic said: “No, it didn’t. Based on your two sentences, yes. But we had hundreds of conversations.

David Sullivan is facing yet another high pressure coaching change

“We are now on very good terms. Of course, I wasn’t happy. And of course, I think now, and even then, that I didn’t deserve to be sacked.

“For a couple of seasons, we were extremely successful, the last season in Upton Park. And don’t forget, make no mistake how difficult it is to move stadiums, especially to go from Upton Park to the Olympic Stadium.

“It’s a big arena. It’s not easy to do. And West Ham, and the proof is afterwards, West Ham needed a few seasons to get used to it.”

West Ham’s managerial struggles

After a difficult start for Potter, a 3-0 win away at Nottingham Forest hinted at a turnaround, but those hopes were short-lived as London rivals Tottenham made it four defeats from five last time out.

The 50-year-old Englishman is now the betting favourite to become the next Premier League manager to lose his job, continuing the Hammers’ struggles in the dugout.

Bilic was a rare high during Sullivan’s tenure, finishing seventh and 11th, while Dimitri Payet shone with some unforgettable goals.

Bilic has won of the best win rates of all recent West Ham hires

David Moyes is the only man to have matched Bilic’s success since, recording sixth and seventh place finishes in 2021 and 2022.

On top of that, the Scot achieved extraordinary highs in Europe, reaching the Europa League in ‘22, before winning the Conference League a year later – West Ham’s first major honour since 1980.

Moyes left at the end of the 2023/24 season amid complaints about league form and his style of football, but his replacement was another unforgettable hire.

Julen Lopetegui lasted just 22 games, departing with a record of ten defeats, seven wins and five draws in all competitions.