Slaven Bilic named Croatia head coach as he succeeds Zlatko Dalic | OneFootball

Former West Brom promotion-winning manager Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach, replacing long-serving Zlatko Dalic.

In a post on the Croatian Football Federation’s X account, he said he has full confidence in the players and that it is his responsibility to bring energy, ambition and determination to keep Croatia among football’s elite.

Dalic had led Croatia since 2016, taking them to the 2018 World Cup final and the 2022 semi-final.

Bilic previously managed the national team from 2006 to 2012, guiding them to Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. As a player he won 44 caps, scored three goals and appeared at Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup.

Appointed by West Brom in June 2019, he won promotion as 2020 Championship runners-up in a Covid-interrupted season, sealing it with a final-day draw against QPR.

He was sacked a few months into the Premier League campaign after a 1-1 draw at Manchester City left Albion 19th, with Sam Allardyce unable to keep them up.

Bilic, 57, has not managed since leaving Al-Fateh by mutual consent in 2024 after a year that ended with seventh place. Previously he led Beijing Guoan, winning nine of 29 before departing the following January, then had a little over five months at Watford that ended with the side ninth after one win in eight.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com