Slaven Bilic sat down with the media on Thursday afternoon to give a typically insightful press conference.
The West Ham United boss was asked for his opinion on a host of subjects by broadcasters, but strangely Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Southampton was not one of them!
We will have more on the manager’s thoughts on facing the Saints on Friday but, in the meantime, here is what he had to say about speculation surrounding Manuel Lanzini, Andy Carroll’s imminent return, Declan Rice’s promising introduction and the ongoing debate over the transfer window…
Watch Slaven's full press conference below!
‘He is happy and he likes it here’ Part 2
As was the case a week previously, Slaven Bilic was asked about the speculation surrounding the future of Manuel Lanzini.
And, as was the case a week previously, the manager talked of his close relationship with the Argentina international and the playmaker’s happiness in a Claret and Blue shirt.
“I said it last week, I speak to Manu every day, he is very happy,” he said. “He really feels at home here. He feels wanted. You can see it every day – he is smiling and happy. He broke into the Argentina national team.
“He knows if he has a good season at West Ham, he has the chance to improve, to have a better contract with West Ham and to play for Argentina. He is very happy here.
“I am sure he is going to stay with us. He knows that he is wanted. He was voted the Players’ Player of the Year, which is a really good thing. It makes you feel really wanted at a place. He likes it here.”
‘It’s still the beginning for Dec’
Slaven Bilic knows as well as anyone that young players need a combination of hard work, good fortune and talent to make it at the highest level.
As a player himself and manager of both a national team and club sides, Bilic has seen dozens of teenagers given a chance to succeed at first-team level, with only a handful going onto establish themselves.
Last weekend, he gave 18-year-old Declan Rice a second Premier League appearance at Manchester United and the midfielder generally impressed.
The manager is rightly happy to have blooded an Academy product, but urged restraint when it comes to putting pressure and expectations on the young Irishman’s shoulders.
“Although it’s nice to have a situation (where a player comes through the Academy), we are never trying to force that,” said Bilic. “We didn’t go ‘Let’s put Declan in to gain something from the fans’.”
“He’s a boy, a very mature and good player for his age. He thinks about the game and has the quality and has impressed everybody – the players, staff, West Ham family. In pre-season, he played every game. He was very important. He did very well in all our games.
“It’s still early for the kid, but is he improving and doing good? Yes, he is.
“OK, we’ve had some injuries in that area, but the reason he has played is because he was the best option and I was confident he can do it. He has done it already in the last couple of months.
“He came on against Burnley and it wasn’t because of any other reason – it was an important game for us and we brought him on because it was the best option for us.
“We don’t want to praise him too much – him and his family are down to earth and will stay focused. It’s still the beginning for him but he is doing really well.”
Transfer window 'should end before season starts'
Eight months ago, Slaven Bilic was the Premier League manager dealing with a high-profile player who reportedly and publicly wanted to move elsewhere.
Dimitri Payet was that player and, come the end of the transfer window, he was wearing the white of Marseille, rather than the Claret and Blue of West Ham United.
Fast forward to this summer and a number of players are reportedly digging their heels in to force moves elsewhere.
So, does Slaven have sympathy with the likes of Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Southampton’s Maurico Pellegrino? You bet he does, while also endorsing the view that the transfer window should close before the season stars to avoid ongoing and unsettling speculation.
“Of course, I have sympathy for that [situation],” he said. “That would stop at least if the season starts after transfer window has closed.
“You want to have your team and concentrate only on the game and you’re not because of those things.
“Sometimes you’re on the other side of the story and you’re the one getting the player, but it definitely doesn’t help the managers.
“It’s a great idea, and I’m definitely in favour. We end the pre-season with a team and we are into the season with the same team.
“Some teams lose 30% of their team or whatever [between the start of the season and end of the window], but it definitely should be across Europe [and not just England] otherwise there is no point.”
England due making an impact
West Ham United have lots of leaders in their dressing room these days.
The Hammers have three England internationals – Joe Hart, Andy Carroll and Aaron Cresswell – and no fewer than ten others who have featured at major tournaments for their respective countries.
When asked about the impact England’s No1 has made since arriving on loan from Manchester City, the manager was effusive in his praise.
“Joe made a big impact,” he confirmed. “He is No1 for England he’s very vocal in a positive way and he is in games and training. You need that from a goalkeeper, to organise the defence and shout. We are very happy with him so far.”
And what of Carroll, who has returned to full training and could make his first appearance of the season at former club Newcastle United a week on Saturday? What kind of impact can he make on his comeback?
“We don’t want to rush him into the game against Southampton,” Bilic said. “He has a great impact on the pitch but we don’t to put him in a situation where after a few days’ training, he plays for us.
“Maybe in that game he would be great, maybe he would score, but that kind of approach has caused new injuries for Andy in the past.
“So we don’t want to drag it too long, but he has to have at least kind of a short pre-season before he enters the pitch. Only then can he maintain his fitness.”