Skip to content

Slaven Bilic targets FA Cup success with West Ham

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match against Everton
Image: Slaven Bilic is hoping to bring FA Cup success to West Ham for the first time since 1980

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic would rather win the FA Cup than qualify for the Champions League.

Bilic made the claim ahead of the Hammers' third round clash with Sky Bet Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Boleyn Ground. 

His statement of intent will be music to the ears of West Ham supporters, who were angry when previous manager Sam Allardyce fielded a team of youngsters in a 5-0 third round defeat at Nottingham Forest two years ago.

Allardyce was concentrating his resources on a relegation battle but, with West Ham currently sixth in the Premier League, Bilic can turn his attentions to bringing a first FA Cup in 36 years to east London.

Asked if he would rather finish in the top four or lift the famous old trophy, Bilic said: "I would like to win the cup. Of course.

Michail Antonio (L) celebrates with Andy Carroll and Aaron Cresswell (R) after scoring the opening goal of the match between West Ham United and Liverpool
Image: West Ham are enjoying a superb season under the Croatian and currently sit sixth in the Premier League

"Over the Champions League? Yes. It is a cup! Win the cup and I can hold it up. Get in the Champions League and I have to buy a magazine to show the league table and shout 'look where we are, look where we are'.

"The proof is silverware. So I would prefer to win the FA Cup...and then finish fifth or sixth!

Also See:

"The FA Cup is special. There was a stage before they changed the format of the Champions League when the cup was good because through the cup you would qualify for the Cup Winners' Cup and only the league champions would go through to the European Cup.

"But then they changed it and made it the Champions League. Suddenly it was more important to finish in the top three or four in the league than to win the cup.

"But in England, the FA Cup for me never lost its value."

Around Sky