Bilic and Mancini deliver Hammer blows

THE shortlist of names in the frame to replace Alan Curbishley as West Ham manager appeared to shrink by two yesterday, after Slaven Bilic and Roberto Mancini distanced themselves from the position.

Curbishley resigned on Wednesday, seemingly in protest at the sale of defenders Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney and his own diminishing influence on the make-up of the playing squad.

The prominence of the club’s technical director Gianluca Nani appeared to be at the root of Curbishley’s dissatisfaction and led many to believe a foreign coach, more attuned to such a management structure, would be handed the job.