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BILIC EARLY FAVOURITE FOR HAMMERS POST
Slaven Bilic is the early frontrunner to be West Ham's next manager after Harry Redknapp ruled out a return to Upton Park in the wake of Alan Curbishley's surprise resignation.
The Croatia manager, a cult hero amongst the club's supporters after a brief playing stint in East London, would provide the charisma and flamboyance that the Hammers' hierarchy are understood to be seeking.
"I always said that, if I come back to English football, I want it to be as manager of West Ham," he confirmed yesterday. Bilic remains under contract with Croatia under 2010 and added that he "intends to honour" his deal. However that is unlikely to deter West Ham if they identify the 39-year-old as their number one target.
That scenario became more likely overnight when Redknapp declared that he would not leave Portsmouth.
"Alan Curbishley may have gone as West Ham boss - but there's no way I'll replace him," he told The Sun.
"Curbs quit because he feels he has been undermined and shown a lack of trust by the owner. I take my hat off to him for sticking to his principles.
"Don't get me wrong, West Ham is a fantastic club, with fantastic fans and - having gone there aged 15 - it has a special place in my heart. But I love it at Portsmouth and I have one big advantage over a lot of Premier League bosses these days: I've got an owner who lets the manager manage."
