The Premier League is the best in the world, says West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, who likened its attraction for star managers to that of Hollywood.
Bilic is entering his second campaign in charge of the Hammers after guiding the club to a respectable seventh place finish in the table last season.
The already popular league has raised its profile even more this this offseason, adding some of the games biggest names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte among others — a haul that doesn’t surprise the Croatian coach.
“It is the best league to work in, to play in, the most competitive one and the most covered one in the whole world,” Bilic told the Daily Mail on Friday.
“This is the NBA, this is Hollywood. And we are human, so we want to be a part of something big.”
The Premier League also brought in the likes of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp among its impressive list of managers over the past year. Bilic credits the Prem’s competitiveness compared to Europe’s other top leagues as the main draw for some of the game’s very best bosses.
“In France, there is a big difference between Paris Saint-Germain and, say, Montpellier. So Mourinho goes there, he wants to compete, but there isn’t the competition in the title. In the end, you win the league at those clubs, you may still get the sack because it is not enough anymore,” Bilic explained.
Bilic is entering his second campaign in charge of the Hammers after guiding the club to a respectable seventh place finish in the table last season.
The already popular league has raised its profile even more this this offseason, adding some of the games biggest names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte among others — a haul that doesn’t surprise the Croatian coach.
“It is the best league to work in, to play in, the most competitive one and the most covered one in the whole world,” Bilic told the Daily Mail on Friday.
“This is the NBA, this is Hollywood. And we are human, so we want to be a part of something big.”
The Premier League also brought in the likes of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp among its impressive list of managers over the past year. Bilic credits the Prem’s competitiveness compared to Europe’s other top leagues as the main draw for some of the game’s very best bosses.
“In France, there is a big difference between Paris Saint-Germain and, say, Montpellier. So Mourinho goes there, he wants to compete, but there isn’t the competition in the title. In the end, you win the league at those clubs, you may still get the sack because it is not enough anymore,” Bilic explained.
“People were looking at Guardiola at Bayern Munich and saying, ‘I can do that’. So they come here because they want to compete.
“This league is particularly difficult because everyone gets the same money. The League basically says, ‘Stuff you, Manchester United — we are going to give Bournemouth enough money that they are not down there, they are up here, and they are going to compete with you …’
“This is reflected in the managers that come. The best managers are happy to take any job in England. Not just the top five. Rafa Benitez goes to the Championship, because Newcastle is a massive club; Puel goes from Lyon to Southampton; Quique Flores — he is a world-class manager. He went to Watford! Now Walter Mazzarri, who did great with Napoli and Inter — he is at Watford, too!
“Managers aren’t just looking for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. West Ham? That’s great — because you feel you have the ingredients.
“Of course, Manchester City and Manchester United are better than us on paper, we know that. But we are good enough that if we play well, and they play a little bit below par — not s—, just a little off — with a bit of luck we can win.”
“This league is particularly difficult because everyone gets the same money. The League basically says, ‘Stuff you, Manchester United — we are going to give Bournemouth enough money that they are not down there, they are up here, and they are going to compete with you …’
“This is reflected in the managers that come. The best managers are happy to take any job in England. Not just the top five. Rafa Benitez goes to the Championship, because Newcastle is a massive club; Puel goes from Lyon to Southampton; Quique Flores — he is a world-class manager. He went to Watford! Now Walter Mazzarri, who did great with Napoli and Inter — he is at Watford, too!
“Managers aren’t just looking for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. West Ham? That’s great — because you feel you have the ingredients.
“Of course, Manchester City and Manchester United are better than us on paper, we know that. But we are good enough that if we play well, and they play a little bit below par — not s—, just a little off — with a bit of luck we can win.”
