Frank McAvennie delighted at West Ham-Europa League decision
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has delivered a scathing assessment of Slaven Bilic’s Europa League campaigns in charge of West Ham.
The Irons are currently participating in the 2021/22 Europa League group stage having finished sixth in the Premier League last season.
It’s the first time the club is playing in Europe since the 2016/17 campaign, when they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition by Romanian side Astra Giurgiu in the play-off round.
They were defeated by the same opponent in the season prior, this time in the third qualifying round.
Both losses came under the tutelage of Bilic, an ex-Irons defender who developed into something of a cult hero during his playing days in east London.
Bilic was also a popular figure as manager until events started to unravel in 2017, with the club suffering a loss of form that cost the Croat his job.
West Ham are now thriving in Europe under David Moyes, with the Scot’s team selection compared to Bilic’s not lost on former Irons forward McAvennie.
“The fans, the same as me, are delighted that David is taking this competition seriously,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“[Slaven] Bilic put the kids out last time and it was just embarrassing, it was embarrassing. You work all week to get to Europe and you put the kids out every week?”
In other West Ham news, the Irons have made contact over this 16-cap centre-forward amid his contract impasse.
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