Bilic: No distractions

The interest of West Ham is proof that we are doing a great job with the national team.

Slaven Bilic
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Croatia boss Slaven Bilic has warned England that he will not be distracted by speculation linking him with the West Ham manager's job.

Bilic is reported to be on the Hammers' short-list of possible successors to Alan Curbishley, who resigned last week.

The Croatian Football Association has described the rumours as a 'dirty trick' to unsettle Bilic ahead of Wednesday's 2010 World Cup qualifier against England in Zagreb.

But Bilic insists that he and his players remain focused upon the job in hand and has revealed that they have been making light of Upton Park conjecture in training.

Joke

"It is great that I'm linked to the club from the best league in the world but it doesn't make my work with the national team harder," said Bilic.

"In training we always make jokes. Players tease me to take them to England as well.

"The interest of West Ham is proof that we are doing a great job with the national team."

Bilic also believes England will face a stronger Croatia side than the one that ended the Three Lions' hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008.

Supremacy

Croatia recorded home and away victories over England, with the latter placing progression to the finals out of reach, and Bilic is hoping for more of the same.

Bilic's outfit began the road to the World Cup finals in two years' time with a victory over Kazakhstan and he believes Croatia have improved since reaching the European quarter-finals this summer.

"Since the Euros we are playing even better," added Bilic. "There is no reason to suspect that we will now fall down. Our ball is rolling forward.

"We expect a great game on Wednesday. Against Kazakhstan we played as we planned, the only question was if our supremacy on the field showed on the scoreline."