Former Everton star Phil Neville predicts the Premier League could soon welcome another high profile German boss, could West Ham United be his destination?
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic finds himself under intense pressure this season having accumulated just four points from a possible 21 in the Premier League.
Although they stopped the rot of four straight defeats with a 1-1 draw at home against Middlesbrough, West Ham go into the October international break in the bottom three.
It is a far cry from last season when West Ham enjoyed their best ever points total of the Premier League era, recorded a first positive goal difference since 1986 and finished just four points off the Champions League places in their emotional farewell campaign at Upton Park.
Under pressure: Bilic
This term Bilic finds himself second favourite to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked after five defeats from their first seven league matches as well as being dumped out of Europe by Romanian minnows Astra for the second consecutive season.
This week former Manchester United and Everton star turned pundit Phil Neville predicted highly rated manager Thomas Tuchel would soon be lured away from German giants Borussia Dortmund to the English top flight like compatriot Jurgen Klopp.
Neville said on Twitter: “Dortmund coach Tuchel will be managing in the Premier League soon.”
Thomas Tuchel
And with the hotseats at all the Premier League’s major clubs currently occupied by a selection of the world’s top managers and Neville’s old club Everton going well under Ronald Koeman, it could leave the path clear for West Ham to make a bold move.
While many Hammers fans still back Bilic, there is no hiding the fact the groundswell of support he had is waning fast.
For the first time in his tenure Bilic’s decision making and selections have been the subject of intense scrutiny and criticism as the East Londoners have badly struggled to adapt to life at their new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home.
Tuchel could follow Jurgen Klopp to the Premier League
Tuchel was appointed Klopp’s successor at Dortmund, who sit third in the Bundesliga after six games with two defeats to his name so far this season.
Whether he could be persuaded to swap the relative comfort of a big job in his homeland for a longer term project with West Ham is debatable.
But if Hammers co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold truly are serious about challenging the Premier League elite then they must surely throw their hat in the ring if Neville’s prediction does materialise.
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