Julian Dicks back at West Ham as former defender is appointed boss of ladies' team

• Dicks spent 10 years at West Ham during two different spells
• The defender also played for Birmingham City, Liverpool and Canvey Island 
• Dicks, 45, said he 'can't wait to get started' in his new job

By David Kent for MailOnline

Published: 12:01 BST, 19 June 2014 | Updated: 15:09 BST, 19 June 2014

Julian Dicks has returned to West Ham after agreeing a deal to take over the management of the club's women's side.

The 45-year-old enjoyed two lengthy spells at Upton Park during his playing career but also hit out at current boss Sam Allardyce when the Hammers were going through a difficult spell at the turn of the year.

Dicks has previous managerial experience with Wivenhoe Town and Grays Athletic, and revealed on Twitter he had accepted the job to take charge of the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division outfit.

'Looking forward to my new challenge in football, just been appointed the new manager of West Ham ladies, can't wait to get started,' he wrote.

The former Birmingham and Liverpool man reiterated his passion for the east London side and is looking to make progress with the team.

'It's absolutely fantastic to be back at West Ham. I love the club and for me it's an absolute honour for me to be associated with them once again,' he told Sky Sports News.

'I've managed before at Grays and at Wivenhoe and I've played at the highest level, and this is my opportunity to give something back.

I'm an ambitious person. I was ambitious when I played. I am ambitious as a manager and I want to take West Ham Ladies as far as I can.'

Dicks was vocal in criticising Allardyce as West Ham fell to successive heavy cup defeats in January, with a 5-0 FA Cup third-round loss to Nottingham Forest followed up three days later with a 6-0 Capital One Cup semi-final thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

Those disappointing cup exits came with the Hammers winless in over a month in the Barclays Premier League, and Dicks was one of many to call for Allardyce to lose his job as supporter pressure continued to grow.

'I can't (see how Allardyce can keep his job),' he told BBC Sport at the time. 'The football isn't good, the lack of passion and pride is awful. I can understand where fans are coming from.'

Despite that bad spell, Allardyce kept his position and steered West Ham to a 13th-placed finish and has been busy in the transfer market this summer - with Wednesday's signing of Cheikhou Kouyate joining the earlier acquisition of striker Mauro Zarate.