Whatever your view of Slaven Bilic, the former Hammer demonstrates honesty and likeability over and over again.
And unlike so many he is never afraid to speak out and put all his emotions on the table – it may be a fault as a manager. I’ve always seen it as strength of character.
Now – within days of getting the bullet from West Brom – he has typically spoken out on when and how he realised he was going to be sacked from the hawthorns.
You have to feel for a bloke who always tries to play the game the right way and to be fired within what is effectively a handful of games since taking the Baggies back to the Premier League is pretty brutal.
And I’ll show my personal prejudice too. Being replaced by a certain Sam Allardyce isn’t the best either!
Speaking at https://www.teleing the graph.co.uk/football/2020/12/18/slaven-bilic-exclusive-interview-realised-coach-back-manchester/ – and it’s a very good read indeed – he says: “Some people felt that I smelt it. But I felt in a good position.
By the time the team coach was heading down the M6 after a top result at Manchester City one of Bilic’s assistants had checked the headlines on his phone, and all that had changed. “Then I knew something was happening,” he says.
At training the next morning when there was a knock on his door. Technical director Luke Dowling and chief executive Xu Ke wanted to speak to him, and the news was not good.
Bilic’s services were no longer required and, less than 24 hours later, Sam Allardyce had been confirmed as his replacement.
“I can’t say I was shocked when they told me,” Bilic says. “But I also can’t say that I saw it coming. I knew there was always a possibility because I know how it works.
There are always two, three managers who are in that red zone – you are in the papers, the bookmakers – but this season is different. The biggest signal a manager can get, for or against, is the reaction of the crowd. Nowadays you don’t have it.
Click on the link for a very good read.
I like Slav and feel sorry about his sacking just like many supporters of the clubs that he played for and managed probably do……
But, I have to go back to when he managed us, at some point, you reach inevitable conclusions and the conclusion that I came to when he managed us, was that he wasn’t capable of taking us to the next level, due to him not being able to command that fear factor amongst his players because he was like a mate instead of the manager (Zola also had this problem).
As many people will understand, as manager there has to be a line between manager and players, one of respect with an equal measure of fear…. and I don’t believe he got this right at West Brom as was the case previously with us.
I predict that West Brom’s result will now pick up as Big Sam (whatever anyone may feel about him), will have a plan and does command respect amongst his players.
What ALWAYS surprised me about Slav, was the fact that as a very good central defender in the past, his teams were so defensively naive and poor.
Whilst with us, I believe he allowed our board to bully and cajole him into many poor decisions but his management of Payet and his lack of a plan whilst our team fell apart, made me come to the conclusions that I did. I wish Slav the best for the future, but I don’t think it looks too bright right now.
I agree with every single letter you have written in your comment. Every single one.
Good article and true comment from “The Cat’ – I sometimes feel sad when a manager leaves – but when Slav left I felt relief – like he had been put out of his misery – some of it seemed so avoidable – the last minute equaliser conceded at Palace (as Slav himself said Mikey wouldn’t have crossed if there weren’t three players in the box) – doing well with 3 at the back and then abandoning it to play “beautiful football” – including against Liverpool – and getting destroyed on the break – I wish him luck for the future – and let us see if BFS can keep WBA in the Premier league – a tough ask