HAMMERS TALK: Irons want to interview Bilic over manager's role

8:55am Sunday 7th September 2008

WEST HAM are trying to arrange an interview with Slaven Bilic about the possibility of becoming the club's manager.

Club officials are eager to set up a meeting with the Croatia manager in Zagreb within the next 48 hours, just before his country's World Cup qualifier with England on Wednesday.

The News of the World have even suggested that chief executive Scott Duxbury is flying out to Croatia today to speak to Bilic, with reports saying the club are ready to offer the 39-year-old a £2million salary.

He is the last of seven candidates to have been sounded out for the job by the east Londoners, who will then select two or three managers who will sit before a six-man board later this week.

Bilic - who would be a popular choice amongst Hammers fans after a one-year spell as a player with the club between 1996-7 - was considered to be out of the running after his advisers told West Ham he would not be available until January.

Although he has distanced himself from the position, reports are suggested the former Irons defender would welcome a return to Upton Park.

Some reports from this morning are even suggesting that the Hammers are so desperate to land Bilic that they would initially even allow him to continue his role as Croatia boss on a part-time basis.

However, there are some other top names in the hat.

Roberto Donadoni, John Collins and Gianfranco Zola have already been interviewed, while talks with Gerard Houllier, Roberto Mancini and Michael Laudrup are to be held tomorrow.

Around the site