About this time final week, Slaven Bilic was again house in Croatia mulling over his subsequent profession transfer when the cellphone rang. Now put in as Watford’s tenth everlasting supervisor up to now 5 years after Rob Edwards was relieved of his duties after 11 matches in cost, the previous defender who was a part of the historic aspect that reached the 1998 World Cup semi-finals is definitely not one to shirk a problem.
“If I wasn’t assured then I wouldn’t be right here,” Bilic responded when requested whether or not he anticipated to last more at Vicarage Highway than predecessors equivalent to Roy Hodgson, Claudio Ranieri, Xisco Muñoz or Vladimir Ivic. “This job shouldn’t be about securing a pension or a very good payout or no matter. This job is concerning the alternative to do one thing good for me and for the membership. That’s the solely motive I’m right here. The pitch is my alternative now.”
That is Bilic’s third administration spell in England after stints at West Ham and West Brom, where he was sacked the day after a 1-1 draw at Manchester Metropolis in December 2020 having led them to promotion months earlier. Reasonably than approaching his activity of steering Watford again to the highest flight with worry, the 54-year-old – who has not labored since leaving the Chinese language Tremendous League membership Beijing Guoan in January – insisted that he might thrive beneath the strain of working for the trigger-happy owner Gino Pozzo.
“You ought to be in your toes,” Bilic mentioned. “There’s nothing fallacious – quite the opposite it’s preferrred; what I need from my gamers is to maintain them on their toes. It’s a great way. That’s a advantage of Watford. This membership could be very well-run. I’ve been round right here and round Europe and world wide and this membership is an excellent membership.”
He added: “Each proprietor and board care about their membership however they’re right here, they’re current. In case you are weak it might probably get in your nerves however in case you are sturdy then it is a bonus. Generally it’s right down to the supervisor and his employees to regulate every part. However right here, they’re there. In case you are a powerful character that may solely aid you and that’s how I see it. It’s one thing that may assist me and I can rely on, not one thing that could be a risk to me. They don’t wish to sack me, they need me to do good.”
It’s understood that Pozzo and his father, Giampaolo, who owns Udinese in Italy, are on the lookout for traders and could possibly be prepared to promote minority stakes in both membership. Bilic denied that that they had been in contact with him earlier than appointing Edwards in Could, though he did trace that there had been some curiosity from Watford earlier in his profession.
Wanting refreshed after practically 9 months throughout which he travelled earlier than spending the vast majority of his time in Croatia, Bilic faces a check of his skill to win promotion with a squad shorn of confidence after their disastrous Premier League marketing campaign. With Watford solely some extent off the playoffs and a lot of the season to play, Bilic – who acknowledged he has had solely a “few days” to arrange for his return – feels able to hit the bottom working at Stoke on Sunday after his break.
“That helped me so much as a result of I used to be at house and people golf equipment which can be in your record you might be following them,” he added. “So once they referred to as me I didn’t need to go to Transfermarkt to see who’s enjoying for Watford or what number of factors they’ve. I already knew that, so I didn’t begin from zero. Look, I wasn’t determined to come back to Watford or to return to England or to begin working immediately however I wished to come back right here.”
