Monday 9 May 2016 17:16, UK
As West Ham prepare to play their final match at the Boleyn Ground, Nick Lustig examines the impact Slaven Bilic has had on the club ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium…
"Be careful what you wish for"
That's what the vast majority said when Sam Allardyce left West Ham at the end of last season. Many feared West Ham could go the same way as Allardyce's former sides - Bolton, Blackburn and Newcastle - in being relegated from the Premier League following his departure.
The impending move from the Boleyn Ground to the Olympic Stadium made relegation unthinkable - West Ham could ill-afford to be playing Championship football in their new 60,000-seater home.
It was not the season to be gambling on a manager, least of all a manager with no Premier League experience. But David Sullivan and David Gold rolled the dice when they decided to appoint Slaven Bilic.
It was a brave and bold decision. Yes, Bilic had impressed considerably during his time as Croatia head coach, but his less successful spells in club management with Lokomotiv Moscow and Besiktas left question marks over him.
His appointment was a risk - Sullivan even labelling it a "gamble" himself - but the West Ham ownership have been rewarded for their bravery and then some.
There can be no doubt now that the decision to part company with Allardyce was the right one. Bilic has led West Ham to their best ever Premier League points total and implemented a brand of football befitting of the 'West Ham Way'. Flair, creativity and plenty of attacking intent - that's the 'West Ham Way' and Bilic has brought that in abundance.
The signings of Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini have been integral in helping Bilic transform West Ham from an uncompromising, direct, defensive unit into an inventive, quick, exciting side that other teams have come to admire.
They have hit their highest ever total for goals in the Premier League - 61 - and with two matches left, there's every chance that could increase.
But this West Ham team not only has style, it has substance. The resilience, gained under Allardyce, has not been sacrificed by Bilic. His adaptability and tactical know-how has been evident throughout the season, and this was no more apparent than late last year when West Ham suffered an injury crisis, leaving Bilic with few attacking options.
A run of draws against West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United, Stoke, Swansea and Aston Villa during that period may have looked uninspiring, but it proved Bilic was able to overcome tricky challenges and be pragmatic when he needed to be.
His influence has also brought the best out of captain Mark Noble, who has enjoyed arguably the greatest season of his career to date.
Other new signings Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna have blossomed under Bilic, while James Collins and Chiekhou Kouyate have provided a reassuring presence in defence and midfield. Even Andy Carroll has rediscovered his goalscoring touch, achieving his best goals tally since the 2010-11 season.
Off the pitch, Bilic has shown he is not a man to be messed with. A "breach of discipline" led to Morgan Amalfitano being banned from first-team training. It proved to be the beginning of the end for the midfielder at the club.
Amalfitano was released two months later and returned to his native France. It was a clear and strong message to the rest of the squad - step out of line and there will be consequences.
Aside from Amalfiitano's act of indiscretion, the West Ham squad has united behind Bilic's way of working and have produced a season fitting of their final year at the Boleyn Ground.
The last hurrah to the famous old stadium has produced a host of memorable moments, an unbeaten run that had stretched back to August until Saturday and a challenge for European qualification.
Home and away, Bilic's West Ham currently look a force to be reckoned with and as they prepare to enter a new era in the club's history, no one can dispute the impact that the Croatian has had.
