Football
PA Sport 8y

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic: Night out was my idea

West Ham will launch an investigation into a players' night out earlier this week after social media allegations.

Manager Slaven Bilic told his squad to go out for the evening on Monday, but pictures surfaced on social media the following day of striker Andy Carroll and goalkeeper Darren Randolph in London, with users suggesting the pair appeared drunk.

The photos have infuriated Hammers fans, with the club in the Premier League relegation zone having lost five of their six matches this season.

But Bilic defended his suggestion of a night out and said the idea was good for team spirit.

"It was completely my idea," he said. "After the Southampton game [a 3-0 home defeat] we had a big meeting and spoke, and at the end of the meeting I told Mark Noble, the skipper, to take the guys out to dinner.

"To spend time together is always good. I've been there before, it's definitely a good idea and good to do it.

"There have been some rumours and all that but it's private, it's not proven, we are going to see what happened.

"I spoke to the chairman, but of course I'm totally concentrated on the game [at home to Middlesbrough] on Saturday. After the game, at the start of next week, we are going to talk about it and if necessary we are going to act.

"But it was my idea, completely. I told them to do that. It's good for team building, and that's it."

In a week where off-field matters have taken centre stage, Bilic said he was worried by their dreadful start to the season.

"I am concerned; it's a very bad start," he added. "It's not only about football then. If it's like that then people start talking about non-football things that are happening. It's not only that.

"If we are talking about the last five Premier League games then it's simply not the way we expected it to be, it's definitely no good and that's why the only thing we are thinking about is the game on Saturday against Middlesbrough."

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