The executive committee of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) unanimously appointed Slaven Bilic as the head coach of the Croatian national team on Monday. The decision was made at the proposal of the federation's president, Marijan Kustić, and Bilic succeeds Zlatko Dalic, who stepped down after nine years at the helm of the national team.
The 57-year-old manager had previously been supported by the HNS technical committee. The executive committee meeting began at 13:00, with the new head coach scheduled to address the media at a press conference at 14:00.
Bilic's contract is valid until 2028. According to reports in Sportske novosti, his salary is expected to be around one million euros gross per year, roughly half of Dalic's, which exceeded two million euros.
Bilic is bringing in assistant coaches Dean Rašić and Danilo Bišković, as well as goalkeeping coach Vlatko Čač. Vedran Ćorluka remains from the previous coaching staff. The first challenge for the new setup will be the Nations League.
Bilic previously managed Croatia from 2006 to 2012. At the 2008 European Championship, he led the team to the quarter-finals, and in the qualifying campaign, Croatia defeated England twice. His tenure saw the introduction of a generation of players who would later win the silver medal at the World Cup in Russia.
After leaving the national team bench following the 2012 European Championship, he managed Lokomotiv Moscow and Beşiktaş, followed by West Ham United from 2015 to 2017, and West Bromwich Albion, with whom he secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He has also worked in China and the Middle East, at Beijing Guoan, Al-Ittihad, and Al Fateh, and has managed Watford in the Championship.
