About this time last week, Slaven Bilic was back home in Croatia mulling over his next career move when the phone rang. Now installed as Watford’s 10th permanent manager in the past five years after Rob Edwards was relieved of his duties after 11 matches in charge, the former defender who was part of the historic side that reached the 1998 World Cup semi-finals is certainly not one to shirk a challenge.
“If I wasn’t confident then I wouldn’t be here,” Bilic responded when asked whether he expected to last longer at Vicarage Road than predecessors such as Roy Hodgson, Claudio Ranieri, Xisco Muñoz or Vladimir Ivic. “This job is not about securing a pension or a good payout or whatever. This job is about the opportunity to do something good for me and for the club. That is the only reason I’m here. The pitch is my opportunity now.”
