West Ham sack Slaven Bilic as David Moyes is lined up

Matt Stead

West Ham have sacked manager Slaven Bilic and are expected to appoint David Moyes as his successor.

“I suspected it to be fair,” Bilic told Sky Sports News as he left West Ham’s training ground.

“We didn’t start this crucial season well. We hoped that we could make that step (up) from the start and thought we could make it.

“Of course, you are always hoping and believing in yourself that you can turn it around and do it, otherwise you wouldn’t be in this level.

“But it doesn’t mean I don’t understand the move that the club has made.

“No hard feelings. When I look back on my time, I am very proud of my work here.”

The club released a statement confirming his departure. It reads:

‘West Ham United can confirm that Slaven Bilic has today left his position with the Club.

‘The Chairmen and board of West Ham United would like to place on record their thanks and gratitude to Slaven and his team for their services over the past two-and-a-half years, but believe a change is now necessary in order for the Club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition.

‘West Ham United can confirm that Bilic’s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the Club with immediate effect.

‘The Club’s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is underway and an announcement regarding Bilic’s successor is expected to be made over the coming days.’

The Hammers are 18th in the Premier League table after 11 games, and were comfortably beaten 4-1 by Liverpool at the weekend.

Moyes, whose last post as a manager came to an end when he was sacked by relegated Sunderland in the summer, is expected to replace him despite fan unrest over his appointment. This is THE country for old footballing men, after all.

Bilic was a popular figure at the club during his first season, having guided the Hammers to a seventh-placed finish.

He kept his job even under immense pressure last campaign, eventually dragging the club from out of a relegation battle and into 11th place.

But Davids Gold and Sullivan have been unsatisfied with performances and results this season, and Bilic has paid with his job.