West Ham Whittle Down Shortlist to Four But Bilic is Still the Favoured Choice

The West Ham United board will consider a revised four-man shortlist of candidates for their vacant managerial position this evening which will include the Croatia coach Slaven Bilic despite the fact that he is the only member of the quartet who will not have been interviewed face to face.

The Premier League club's technical director, Gianluca Nani, and the chief executive, Scott Duxbury, each met and were impressed by Gianfranco Zola over the weekend in Italy and intend to speak to the former Getafe manager, Michael Laudrup, today in London. Talks took place with Roberto Donadoni, Italy's coach at Euro 2008, last week. Yet, despite contact with Bilic having only been made through intermediaries, the club's hierarchy still believe the Croatia coach is keen to be considered.

Bilic is currently preparing for his country's crucial game against England in Zagreb on Wednesday, having overseen the Group Six victory over Kazakhstan at the weekend. Duxbury and Nani had intended to travel to Croatia to talk to the former West Ham center-half but, with the Croatian Football Association uncomfortable at the very real possibility that the build-up to a critical qualifying tie might be seriously disrupted with their manager distracted, they have now postponed those plans.

West Ham have privately admitted to being frustrated at Bilic's apparent reluctance to meet them face to face, they need to ascertain whether or not he will be able to free himself from his contract before January... though they are satisfied having spoken with the 39-year-old's agents that their client is interested in the position. It says much for the esteem in which Bilic is held at the Boleyn Ground that the club's hierarchy are willing to bend their own criteria in order to consider the Croatian on their whittled down shortlist.

Talk of a move to London has been dismissed as an "English plot to destabilize the national team" back in Croatia, with the national side's FA unimpressed at the timing of West Ham's interest being made public. The manager, whose contract extends to the 2010 World Cup finals, has dead batted all mention of West Ham as he concentrates on his country's qualification campaign. "It's not frustrating," said Bilic when asked about West Ham. "It's brilliant to be linked to some of the clubs in one of the best leagues in the world. It proves that I and my assistants, and the players, are doing something really well. It can't affect our game or our determination not only for the game on Wednesday, but for this campaign. I have an open relationship with my assistants and we have a laugh about it [the speculation]. They come up to me and say, 'We are going to go with you', so that's nice."

If Bilic remains the favorite to secure the position vacated by Alan Curbishley last week, then Zola has emerged as an impressive alternative in his own right. The Italian travels to Zagreb himself today in his role as coach of the Italian under-21s, alongside Pierluigi Casiraghi, for tomorrow's match against Croatia. The former Chelsea playmaker met Nani on Saturday and Duxbury yesterday, with each impressed with Zola's desire to implement an attacking brand of football at Upton Park in keeping with the traditions demanded by the club.

The Italian boasts the necessary coaching badges and has even been supplied with a glowing report from the Italian Football Federation. The other contenders on West Ham's original list, John Collins, the former Hibernian manager and Scotland midfield player, Ajax's ex-coach Martin Olsen and Gérard Houllier, who managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, have all since been ruled out, while Roberto Mancini is also no longer under consideration. The former Internazionale manager is still embroiled in a battle over compensation with the Italian club.

Who's who on the Hammers' wish list

Slaven Bilic Remains favourite though West Ham have yet to contact the Croatia manager directly

Michael Laudrup The Danish great and former Getafe coach will be interviewed today

Gianfranco Zola Hammers met the former Chelsea favorite and Italy Under-21 coach over the weekend

Roberto Donadoni Talks took place with Italy's European Championship coach last week

John Collins The fiery one-time Hibs manager has been ruled out

Martin Olsen Ajax's former manager has also been discounted

Gérard Houllier Won two titles with Lyon but is no longer in the running

Roberto Mancini In dispute with Inter and not now being considered