West Ham United defender James Tomkins has claimed that new manager Slaven Bilic has already had a major effect at the club.
Bilic won his first game in charge as the Hammers eased to a 3-0 victory over FC Lusitanos in their first Europa League qualifying match at Upton Park.
The 26-year-old believes that the Croat has a presence which has already inspired the players at the club to have success this season.
Tomkins is quoted as saying by The Mirror: "When he comes in the room, you can almost hear the silence. Slaven was a face here, wasn't he? He's a legend, even though he played only 30 or 40 games.
"Why? I think it was the way he played, the passion he showed. He does that on the touchline as well.I have seen him with Besiktas and Croatia. It is the same. He is an animated man and that is what he was like on the pitch.
"That is what the fans like to see. I was only young when he was here, but I remember seeing him play and I know he loved a challenge! But he has that presence about him that good managers do."
West Ham face Lusitanos in the second leg of their match next Thursday.
Simon Sinclair
