Slaven Bilic defends West Ham players after team bonding night out in London

Night out: West Ham enjoyed a team bonding session on Monday
Louis Wood
James Olley29 September 2016

Slaven Bilic today defended his West Ham players after they were pictured out at 7am, admitting he sanctioned a night out in a bid to improve the club’s slump in form.

The Hammers have lost five of their first six Premier League games and Bilic allowed his players to hit the town in a “team bonding” exercise on Monday evening.

The squad reportedly racked up a £5,000 bill during dinner at a Kinghtsbridge restaurant before Andy Carroll, Darren Randolph and Aaron Cresswell were pictured in the same clothes in a McDonalds at 7am the next morning.

“The team bonding was completely my idea,” Bilic said this morning. “I told Mark Noble to take the guys out and go for a meal, to spend some time together.

“I am totally concentrated on the game on Saturday. It is good for us all to stick together and good for team building.”

The club are believed to be investigating their players’ behaviour and will decide on any punishment in due course. Carroll and Cresswell are currently sidelined through injury, although Bilic revealed today that the latter could return after next month’s international break.

Bilic enjoyed a superb debut season in England last term but he is under pressure as West Ham seemingly struggle to adapt to life at the London Stadium.

They host Middlesbrough on Saturday and he said: “I am concerned and it has been a bad start. “But with one win we can build everything back with a win over Middlesbrough over Saturday.

“I am asking myself a lot of questions even when it was good last season. You think about how you can change things. You can't sit still.”

Bilic also gave his reaction to Sam Allardyce’s departure as England manager following a newspaper sting in which he was caught offering advice on breaking FA rules regarding players transfers and agreeing in principle a £400,000 payment to represent a Far East firm.

“I followed what has happened with England this week,” he said. “It is very sad for English football. “I am sorry for Sam. We all love our jobs and I am so happy with my job. I don't remember seeing someone who was so happy to get it.

“He has not lost his position from results on the pitch and I feel very sorry for him.”

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