24 Sata reports that only three weeks after West Bromich Albion sacked him, Slaven Bilic (52) has a new job. Without any big announcements, and almost out of the blue, the former Croatia national team coach went to China, where he signed a two-year-contract with Beijing Sinobo Gouan.
We are honored to announce a 2-year contract with our new first team coach Mr. Slaven Bilić and coach team, welcome to Beijing. pic.twitter.com/ICjpusMXsK
— Beijing Sinobo Guoan (@FCBeijingGuoan) January 6, 2021
The financial details are still a secret, but it is no surprise that China likes to offer attractive salaries.
Bilic replaced Bruno Genesi, who left the team in second place below Shanghai SIPG, a club taken over by another Croatian, Ivan Leko, just a few days ago. Soon, there will be a Croatian derby in China.
Beijing will be another step in Bilic’s coaching career after Hajduk, Croatia, Lokomotiv Moscow, Besiktas, Al-Ittihad, West Ham, and the last stint at WBA.
In China, a team awaits him whose most valuable player is the Frenchman Cédric Bakambu. Among the more famous players is former Brazil national team player Renato Augusto and Spaniard Jonathan Viera.
“People thought I was expecting a dismissal, but I felt comfortable. I said I don’t bother with those things in the post-game interview because I was happy we won a point against City, and I wasn’t thinking about the future. When we got on the bus and headed back, one of my colleagues read the news on his phone that a change was coming. It was only then that I realized that something was happening,” Bilic said in an interview with the Telegraph after being fired in England.
“I can’t say I was shocked, but I didn’t expect it. I am aware that in this business, there is always a danger of getting fired. In every league, several coaches are constantly mentioned in this context in the media and with bookmakers. The biggest signal a coach can get that he is not doing well is that of the audience and fans at the stadium. But this is a weird period with empty stands, so you don’t have that feedback. No one can say we played great since we recorded seven points in thirteen rounds, but we definitely made progress. Everyone was saying before the start of the season that we would definitely fall out and that we would be convincingly last. But we coped well with the opponents, and I think we were in the game in every game. On paper, we are certainly the weakest team, but the players have shown that they can fight to stay.”
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