Slaven Bilic: What’s the point of smiling anymore?

Daniel Storey

Slaven Bilic has explained why he looks down in interviews, saying that West Ham’s form makes it hard to smile.

In his column for the Evening Standard, Bilic addresses West Ham’s wretched recent results, and says it hurts to look in the mirror at his own reflection.

Some manager may stay relentlessly positive through adversity; Bilic is clearly not one of them.

“I have been told that I looked very “down” in interviews after the defeat by Southampton,” Bilic said.

“Well, yes, I was “down” but how am I supposed to be?

“I don’t think there is a problem if a manager is like that after his team have lost, especially four times in a row.

“The defeat did hurt, so why should I pretend that it didn’t? It hurt me personally, totally. It hurts me when I look at the Premier League table, it hurts me when I look in the mirror.

“What is the point of smiling? Does that make me a brave leader? I am a leader and I am very brave but I hurt after a defeat. Most of the managers are the same.

“It doesn’t mean I have lost my faith or determination — on the contrary – but we lost again and I don’t like it.”

West Ham host Middlesbrough on Saturday desperate for a home win to lift the gloom.