BILIC: DON’T RUSH BACK, JURGEN

SLAVEN BILIC has told Jurgen Klopp not to come back too quicjly from his appendix operation after a speedy return left the West Ham manager hospitalised for three months.

Liverpool boss Klopp will return to the dugout for tonight’s FA Cup replay at Upton Park after missing Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland as he went under the knife.

Opposite number Bilic thinks managers have a tendency to believe they can slip back into their day-to-day work too easily. The Hammers boss made that mistake 10 years ago while managing Croatia Under 21s in the build-up to a European Championship play-off against bitter rivals Serbia and Montenegro. A team containing Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar and Eduardo lost 5-2 on aggregate after their manager had back surgery.

‘It was one of the worst experiences I’ve had,’ Bilic recalled. ‘Ten days before the first leg I felt a huge pain in my back. In the space of three days the pain got really bad and I went for an operation. I wanted to be in charge of that game but only after the doctor told me it’s OK.

‘I went but unfortunately I came back to hospital two days after, for two operations, and then I was in hospital for three months because of that.

‘I know a lot of successful people, they are very optimistic regarding their health and they’re like, “I can do it, I can do it” until you face a situation that it’s hitting you big time.’

Meanwhile, Bilic has welcomed talk of a new contract for star man Dimitri Payet. ‘Payet is our best player,’ he said of the 28-year-old midfielder. ‘I would love to have him happy, long term, at the club.’

Once again, Klopp will make changes to his side for the fourth-round replay.

Striker Daniel Sturridge is expected to start from the bench but, judging by what Klopp has seen at Melwood, his return may come against West Ham at some point.

‘When we saw him in training you know why everybody is waiting for him,’ the Liverpool manager said.