There's no escape from it - West Ham's start to the season has been horrible.

They are third from bottom after losing four of their first five Premier League games this season and only Stoke and Sunderland have fared worse than the East Londoners.

They narrowly beat Accrington Stanley the other night but were actually outplayed by their League two opposition for long periods during the match.

The new London Stadium has had its troubles, too. There is a problem between those fans who want to stand and those who want to sit being put next to one another. With Chelsea coming to town in the next round of the EFL Cup, there could well be more trouble.

West Ham need to get their act together this season but turning their back on Slaven Bilic is not the way to go about it.

They had a wonderful season last year and finished seventh. They need to show faith with their enigmatic Croatian boss and here's why:

He's a good manager

Just because they have started the season unsatisfactorily doesn't make him a bad manager.

Looking long term, Bilic and West Ham were great last season on a reasonably consistent basis. That doesn't automatically change overnight. Obviously, things haven't quite gone to plan at the beginning of the season but that's no reason to abandon the good work that has already been achieved.

Who are they going to get who could do a better job?

He's a great personality

We all loved him on our screens throughout the summer during the European Championships.

He was one of the most insightful pundits and definitely one of the most fun to watch!

West Ham are one of those teams that is all about the heart and soul of the club. Bilic is the kind of manager that suits them, a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and should definitely keep his place as manager.

He's tactically astute

Bilic famously managed Croatia to an impressive 3-2 win against England at Wembley which meant that the Three Lions didn't qualify for the 2008 European Championship.

He brought the best out of Niko Kranjcar and Luka Modric in that Croatia side and made them one of the dark horses, which they still are nowadays.

If given the time at West Ham, he could definitely achieve big things in the coming years.

He's a West Ham man through and through

Between 1996 and 1997, Bilic made 49 league appearances for the Hammers, scoring two goals.

His time in London obviously stuck with him as he has returned to manage them. He is creative, exciting and a West Ham man.

He may have only played for a short period but it's clear how much of an impact the Irons had on him so he'll do all he can to turn it round.

He's honest

It might seem like a strange thing to give as a reason to keep a manager but there is nothing better than a Slaven Bilic interview.

He is one of the best managers around for being honest in his press conference whether he has to comment negatively on his squad or not.

He doesn't hold back and it's refreshing listening to him rather than the generic, prepared speeches some managers give to the media.