Premier League - Duo pull out of Hammers job race

Eurosport - Mon, 08 Sep 20:02:00 2008

Slaven Bilic and Michael Laudrup have both withdrawn from the running to be the next West Ham United manager.

FOOTBALL 2008 Getafe manager Michael Laudrup - 0

Former Hammers defender Bilic has insisted that he will not leave his post as Croatia national team boss, while ex-Getafe coach Laudrup has agreed to take on the top job at Russian club Spartak Moscow.

According to Spartak's sporting director Valery Karpin, former Real Madrid and Barcelona player Laudrup (pictured) has agreed an initial 18-month deal to take charge of the club.

He said: "His contract term will be one and a half years. We've chosen this coach as we think that he is capable of setting out the team's style and achieving good results.

"Everything went well (during our meeting). I think it will be sorted by Tuesday or Wednesday."

Laudrup, who took unfashionable Spanish side Getafe to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup last season, added: "Spartak are the best-known Russian club, millions support this team all over the world. This situation can be compared with Spain, where we have Real [Madrid] and Barcelona.

"However, the difference is that Spartak haven't won the domestic league for a long time. This team has to be at the top, while also achieving good results on the European stage. I think Spartak have a good future."

Earlier, Bilic was quoted as saying he was flattered to be linked with the Hammers job but was not considering leaving his national side.

Bilic, quoted in The Sun, said: "I'm not going anywhere.

"Any club from England is a great opportunity. Not for money, honestly, for me it's about ambition. It's about working in England, a country you know I adore.

"But it's like, no. West Ham is my club, I have feelings for them but I won't go. And I won't go to Newcastle."

Bilic has impressed in his role with Croatia, leading his country to Euro 2008 at the expense of England last year.

Bilic, who turns 40 this week, is currently preparing his side to face England again in World Cup qualifier in Zagreb on Wednesday.

He added: "My answer is clear. No, I wouldn't go as things stand.

"I had many offers in the period between our win at Wembley last November until I signed a new deal in May.

"I decided to stay. Whether that's good for me only God knows."

West Ham are in the process of interviewing candidates on their shortlist and are keen to speak to Bilic soon.

The Croatia football association, however, expressed anger and threatened to take legal action if they approach him without permission.

They also claim stories of the Hammers' interest are a "dirty trick" to upset Croatia on the eve of their clash with England.

Secretary general Zorslav Srebic, quoted in the Daily Mirror, said: "Bilic has a deal with us and I want him to fulfil his work until we qualify for the World Cup in 2010.

"We have not authorised West Ham to speak to him. They say there has not been contact but if that happens they will be breaking the law and we will take action against them. Croatia is not inferior to an English club."

President Vlatko Markovic added: "This is another dirty trick by the English. They obviously want to cause trouble for us before we play.

"It's typical of the sleaze in English football. For the story about West Ham wanting Bilic to come out now is very poor.

"We are very suspicious and unhappy as it is not the first time something like this has happened with England."

Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola is now thought to have moved into pole position for the job after impressing when interviewed for the second time in Rome over the weekend. Another Italian, Roberto Donadoni, has also been interviewed.

Zola, now joint coach of Italy Under-21s, has also been linked with the vacancy at Newcastle.

Tony Mabert / Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 39 - 58 of 58

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  1. Di Canio is the man ;D
    i love madmen =D

    From zevasti, on Mon 8 Sep 7:58PM

  2. Zola was a legend at Chelsea i wish him all the best of luck if he goes to the pikeys hes gonna need it

    From Bromley Blue, on Mon 8 Sep 7:56PM

  3. Croatia will beat england silly. I never see any english players to stand the Croats. It is not a match per say. They two sides are unequal. Croactia's reserve can do the job convincingly well. So, england fulk.

    From Luxy, on Mon 8 Sep 7:29PM

  4. as a chelsea fan, if its zola i think i might cry

    From sgrant741, on Mon 8 Sep 6:21PM

  5. Just think yourself lucky you West Ham supporters if you can convince Gia franca Zola to come and be your Manager.
    If he can get just one of your players to play half as good as him then you will be extreemly lucky.

    Good Luck Zola you will need it!!!

    From webisan1, on Mon 8 Sep 6:19PM

  6. reply 53 sintayehu; stop talking @#$% about england. West ham want Bilic cos he was a good player for us and has done well so far as a manager, nothing to do with england v croatia, so go back to knitting or whatever u know about.

    From cook.kevin23, on Mon 8 Sep 5:51PM

  7. Di Canio for manager!!! Ideally with Harry as his Director of football???

    Di Canio has all the attributes to be a great manager i.e. never acheived all he could as a player, taken his time and got his badges, worked with a variety of coaches, worked in a variety of countries (must have picked up a few contacts he's not pee'd off lol)

    He definately appears to have grown up a bit and would add to the level of professionalsm around the first team although we all know he wont get the top job as he's not a yes man!!!

    From jm2209, on Mon 8 Sep 5:11PM

  8. England want to qualify for the world cup by stealing the attention of Croatian team and coach.

    From santos, on Mon 8 Sep 3:55PM

  9. Listen Up Guys
    What two innocent young 20 year old Croatian footballers and their 40 year old well travelled coach do between the sheets in the privacy of their own hotel room is there own business I say !
    And yesterday I heard a rumour about Ferguson and Ronaldo (he's too pretty to shower alone)
    Fergie flew himself to Spain to get him to come back to Manchester and they've been seen holding hands picking out curtains for their new lovenest
    There's some talk about marriage too now that it's legal for men to marry each other but they are going to California to tie the knot
    Pushy Spice is Best Man and David Beckham is the Maid of Honour
    It's a "Union made in Heaven" bit like Mike Ashley and Paul Gascoigne

    From Papadragon, on Mon 8 Sep 3:27PM

  10. UNUSUAL TECHNECQUES FROM MR BILLIC

    The mind boggles. As indeed it does with revelations about certain man management techniques employed by Croatia boss Slaven Bilic, who will not quit his national side for West Ham (click on the link below the photo to read more).

    "Sometimes I lie in the bed with my players," he revealed. "I go to the room of [Vedran] Corluka and [Luka] Modric when I see they have a problem and I lie in bed with them and we talk for 10 minutes.

    "You have to do it. Sometimes football managers think "If you do that you're losing the distance and the authority". No, you're gaining."

    From mighty_molby, on Mon 8 Sep 3:21PM

  11. how to win premierleague?
    easy!!!
    buy national team of croatia
    stipe pletikosa 6,8 mil
    josip simunic 7,5 mil
    robert kovac 2,5 mil
    vedran corluka 11,5 mil
    danijel pranjic 6,5 mil
    luka modric 18 mil
    darijo srna 11 mil
    niko kranjcar 9,5 mil
    ivan rakitic 8,5 mil
    ivica olic 10 mil
    mladen petric 9,5 mil
    ivan klasnic 5 mil
    eduardo 13 mil
    niko kovac 1,5 mil

    all team cca 121 mil

    From jakov1983, on Mon 8 Sep 2:47PM

  12. WARNING!!!

    I heard rumours from a quite relible source that West Ham will employ Graham Souness on a short term basis (one season max)in order to work with our defence! Allowing Billic to concentrate on most of the world cup qualifiers with Croatia then joining us in 09. if Croatia look like they'll qualify then he will take on both jobs as the national job is part time, if croatia don't look like they'll qualify then he will be west ham number one. To be honest I can see the board waiting for him they are desperate for him, just need someone in place for now, just please god NOT SOUNESS!!

    if the national job is part time let's have him now with Di Canio number 2! Other managers have managed both club and national side together...

    From mighty_molby, on Mon 8 Sep 2:45PM

  13. Who cares about Bilic, he sleeps with men and looks like a pervert who plays sunday league footy

    From jlaston_85, on Mon 8 Sep 1:14PM

  14. rumours rife that west ham look like haveing to pay compensation over tevez affair - might that be why curbs left and bilic doesn't want the job?

    From joe.allen73, on Mon 8 Sep 1:10PM

  15. Can't wait to see Croatia outplay england once again :)

    From goldpibe, on Mon 8 Sep 1:09PM

  16. Why the hell should he go to West Ham, apart for money, when he is a national hero back home and obviously enjoys his job. After a few months he could be villified here, such is our wont to brand "failures" in our league. Without as huge pot to buy new players then he is best off where he is !

    From Old Mr Happy, on Mon 8 Sep 10:29AM

  17. Sir Trev of brooking doesn't want the job and never has
    he seps in as cartetaker when ever asked but makes it quite clear no way does he want the job permanent
    Bilic went to Everton not Birmingham
    He was signed by 'Arry as an unknown for 1.3m from Zagreb but after 2 months Joe Royle made both of them an offer they couldn't refuse 4.3m and treble wages
    'Arry persuaded Bilic to play out the remainder of the season with WH for a 200,000 quid Loyaly Bonus before furthering his career with a bigger but not necessarily better club
    This he did but he was not a success at Everton and left soon after for where I do not know
    He is a great National coach lives eats and sleeps(by his own admission) with his players all of whould die for him and Croatia
    By the way they all speak the same language too which helps and is more than can be said of Premier league teams
    That's probably why he's not interested in the West Ham or any other job right now !
    Just watch Croatia on Wednesday play with fire and passion and I predict they will outrun outplay outgun the fat lazy overpaid cats from England and win easily 3-0

    From Papadragon, on Mon 8 Sep 10:08AM

  18. There is only one man for this job and am shocked nobody his mentioned him in all these comments. TREVOR BROOKING is the only man who could bring this great club together.I remember his debut when he came on and could not stand up,everybody was laughing at him.He won the fans over and was the second best player ever to pull on the claret and blue.I know he is working for the F.A.but bilic is manager of his national team and still gets called out. Do people forget Bilic walked out on us before to the brummies. He is as bad as Ince and we should not forget it.

    From whubob, on Mon 8 Sep 9:52AM

  19. good move for bilic...if he is able to steer croatio to the world cup and have a decent performance then he can in a position to get better offers from bigger clubs

    From j, on Mon 8 Sep 9:39AM

  20. Given a choice between West Ham and Newcastle which do you think Zola will pick ?
    West Ham is in London close to Chelsea where all his old mates are
    That doesn't mean he won't do a great job at West Ham and if he chooses that Roll & Butter Di Canio to be his assistant I for one wouldn't be too dismayed as long as they put a fence round the dugput and keep the madman on a short chain
    Newcastle however have a lot to offer too cos Wisey and Zola are old mates too as I remember or are they ?
    As a bonus he would get Fat Belly beer Guzzling Newcastle Shirted Stand Creep Ashley and as an extra bonus Joey Barton and a whole bunch of Looney Tune fans
    Don't forget the rusty iron bridges and the coal mines in the sea as advertised in "Get Carter"
    Now who could say No to that little lot ?

    From Papadragon, on Mon 8 Sep 9:04AM
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