Monday 28 December 2015 15:14, UK
David Sullivan has revealed that he was "two hours away" from appointing Rafael Benitez as West Ham manager.
The Hammers co-owner told Sky Sports News HQ that Benitez decided to go to Real Madrid instead, so he offered the job to Slaven Bilic - a manager Sullivan calls the 'best of the rest'.
Sullivan said: "I interviewed Slaven four or five years ago and he said he wouldn't come unless we gave him £30m to spend. He was my first choice four or five years ago. We saw three or four people before we appointed Avram (Grant).
"This time around, it is common knowledge we tried to get a very high level of manager, with vast experience and one of them went to Real Madrid after we had agreed everything with him, and therefore we went with the best of the rest - and Slaven was the best of the rest.
"We were two hours from getting Benitez and then Real came in. We had agreed a contract and everything. I'm a great believer what happens, happens. He is a top manager whatever anybody says and I think he'd have done a wonderful job for us.
"We tried (Jurgen) Klopp as well but he wouldn't come because he said he wanted a break. But I'm glad with the manager we have got."
Sullivan was speaking at an event to publicise the launch of a film he has produced called 'The Fall of The Krays', which is released on January 1.
