New Head Coach Slaven Bilić is confident he has the tools to spearhead Watford’s rise up the Sky Bet Championship table, after putting pen-to-paper on an 18-month deal at Vicarage Road earlier this week.
Having been out of the game since leaving his managerial post at Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan in January, the 54-year-old is delighted to have sealed a return to English football, where he has pedigree as both a player and a coach.
Speaking exclusively to watfordfc.com, Bilić explained the opportunity to take charge of the Hornets was too good to turn down, and he has high hopes of replicating his promotion success with West Bromwich Albion in 2020.
After settling in his new surroundings, and acquainting himself with the Watford players, the former West Ham and Everton defender is ready to utilise his knowledge to yield positive performances and results.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” Bilić said. “I left China after a season and then spent some time with my family and friends after the pandemic, but then as a coach I was starting to look to go back to work. I started preparing myself, and as soon as Watford contacted me I was ready.
“It’s a massive club with a clear direction in terms of what it wants to achieve. I’ve spent a big chunk of my career in England as both a player and a coach, so I’m well aware of Watford, and I knew the set-up would suit me well. The facilities are great, the structure is well organised, and most importantly I feel the team is very well balanced.
“Some players have been away on international duty, and some have been injured, but I’ve been able to meet the majority of them and they are very positive. It’s usually the case that the arrival of a new coach gives the players a lift, but together we’re ready to get to work.
“It’s been an okay start to the season, but in my view the team has to find that positive momentum and that positive arrogance that has been missing so far. We have to give clear ideas, and most importantly belief, to the players – we have what we need on paper, and we’ll be working hard to produce it on the pitch.”
Despite his success in his only season in charge at Championship level, Bilić is under no illusions about the challenges associated with the English second-tier, with the 10th-placed Golden Boys having 11 games scheduled before the break for the World Cup in November.
Furthermore, the ex-Croatia international player and manager accepts that joining a club partway through the season isn’t ideal timing, but he believes he has a squad capable of quickly adapting to his methods.
Bilić said: “I know what to expect in the Championship – it’s a very hard league. There are a lot of games but you just have to be ready for that. At West Brom I had a wonderful first season, and I know what I need to do to produce the same results here at Watford.
“The best time for a coach to come in is at the beginning of the season, but it is what it is. I knew the situation before I signed so I have no excuses, and I’m happy with how everything has gone so far.
“We have 11 games to come in a short space of time. I want us to be positive, to be on the front foot, to be arrogant in a positive way, and to control games. We need to be solid and compact, and we’re not going to forget about defending, but we want to deliver a dominant team with a lot of running, commitment, humbleness and teamwork, and it’s my job to make sure that happens.”
A trip to Stoke City on Sunday (October 2, 12noon KO) provides Bilić with an immediate opportunity to see his squad in action, and he is excited about getting his tenure underway in what promises to be a tough match against a team ranked four places below Watford in the standings.
The World Cup semi-finalist is also looking forward to meeting the club’s supporters for the first time at the Bet365 Stadium, and he is clear that his and the team’s endeavours in the remainder of the season will be centred around aiming to deliver promotion for them.
“It’s a fast turnaround for Stoke, but we will be ready to go,” Bilić added. “I’ve been in the Championship before, and the players have already played 10 games this season, so it’s nothing new. Hopefully we can get a result to kickstart a good run of form.
“I don’t like clichés, but everything we do is all about the fans. I can only promise them that me and my staff, and the players of course, are going to do everything we can to try and get this club back in the Premier League. Hopefully together we can achieve that.”
