West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic is more likely to be sacked than his counterparts at fellow strugglers Sunderland and Stoke City according to bookmakers.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
A woeful start to the season and life at their new 60,000 Olympic Stadium home has left morale on the pitch and in the stands at a new low.
Five defeats from the first seven Premier League games is the club’s worst ever start to a season and Bilic’s side were also unceremoniously dumped out of Europe in qualifying too.
West Ham United’s Adrian, Dimitri Payet and team mates look dejected
The Hammers have just four points from a possible 21 so far and so abject have West Ham been that it has also led to questions being raised over Bilic’s future for the first time, with many fans speculating he may have lost the dressing room.
And now – following the sacking of Swansea City boss Francesco Guidolin on Monday – Bilic has been installed as the new favourite to be the next to lose his job despite Sunderland boss David Moyes and Stoke City’s Mark Hughes suffering worse starts to the season than the Hammers.
Headache for Bilic
According to Oddschecker, the former Croatia manager is now 7/4 to be sacked next, making him favourite above Moyes (23/10), West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis (3-1), Hughes (9-1) and Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew (16/1).
Should West Ham relieve Bilic of his duties, it would leave co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold searching for an adequate replacement with no standout candidates available.
West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold before the match
Historically Sullivan and Gold stand by their managers through tough times but with the financial rewards on offer just for being in the Premier League, the weight of expectation is greater than ever.
And they must remember too just how well their side did under Bilic in the last ever season at the club’s beloved Boleyn Ground.
West Ham finished just four points off the Champions League places last term and enjoyed their highest ever Premier League points total and a first positive goal difference for 30 years.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
