In recapping Croatia’s exit to Turkey on penalties in the 2008 European Championship, Tim Rich of the Telegraph noted how current West Ham manager Slaven Bilic had all the qualities to one day become the manager of England. In addition to Bilic’s time in Premier League at West Ham and Everton, he also had the unique experience of “losing a quarter-final from 12 yards”.

Indeed, the most surprising aspect of Bilic’s success at West Ham this season is that it didn’t happen years earlier. Whereas Jurgen Klopp wanted his football to be played like “heavy metal”, Bilic is the lead guitarist in a heavy metal band named Rawbau (they wrote an anthem to inspire the team in the lead up to the tourney). There are further comparisons between the two personalities, with both managers wearing their passion on their sleeve, with the sense they both unlock opponents not with tactics or long nights at the office, but by inspiring their own players. That also puts Bilic as the first rock star manager of the social media age.

As an aside, Croatia’s squad for the Euros also introduced to the world to Luka Modric’s metronomic playmaking talents as he powered Bilic’s attack. Modric signed from Dinamo Zagreb to Juande Ramos’ Tottenham before the tournament, and there was a mystery surrounding his ability with the YouTube scouting genre in its infancy (not to mention the tension of Croatia knocking England out of the European qualifying - Oliver Brown’s article on the matter also hints at Bilic moving to the Premier League in the future). A midfield four of Modric, Darijo Srna, Niko Kovac and Niko Krancjar foreshadowed Croatia’s play for future senior tournaments: loads of technique and passing, with defense as a fatal flaw. It’s a great combination to produce exciting matches and cult heroes, a bad one to win tournaments. But as we see with Bilic’s career, cult heroes live forever in their own way.

Croatia started the tournament historically strong, beating Austria, Germany and Poland in their three group matches to take maximum points in the group. The victory against Germany raised expectations for the side, whose results were magnified by the chain smoking Bilic. In their Euro 2008 diary, Dave Hirshey and Roger Bennett summed up the “rock star coach” Bilic’s “trademark sharkskin suit and gold earring” style, observing that he represented “both Croatia and Marlboro Country”. His most famous quote in the run up to the tourney was that with respect to women, “football is the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Bilic, Modric and the Croatian side then ran into Turkey, the team of destiny, in the first knock out round (Turkey tied the match in added time of extra time, then came back from two goals down in the last 15 minutes to beat Czech Republic in the next round, including two goals in the last three minutes). By then, the damage had been done. Bilic was the chain smoking manager with a law degree and an earring, equally at home writing lyrics at a smoky Balkan cafe as he was in a coach’s box in front of 50,000 fans in an elimination match in Vienna. He brought “fun” back into management. The soccer was attractive, dynamic, and passionate. The question seemed when, not if, he would take over one of the biggest teams in the world. 

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But Bilic was also driven by national loyalty, and through his socialist philosophies, seemed not to care about money nor status. His salary during the 2008 run was “only” just above $175,000 (but a raise from $68,000). Whereas Modric eventually realized his ambition at Real Madrid, Bilic stayed on as national team manager until 2012, and was applauded for his long standing tenure and reviving interest in the squad.

The four-year period from 2008 and 2012 represented an entire lifetime on social media. By the time Bilic left Croatia to manage FC Lokomotiv Moscow after the 2012 Euros, an entire cycle had passed. Spain won the 2008 Euros, their first senior trophy in over 40 years, signaling the rise of tiki taka at the international level. The period was dominated by Barcelona at the club level, and Spain at the national one. And Klopp took Bilic’s place as rock star manager du jour, backed by social media, television, and a transfer budget. 

Meanwhile, Bilic guided Lokomotiv Moscow to their worst finish in 20 years and was sacked a year later in 2013. He then became manager of Besiktas, describing his team’s philosophy as “power to the people”, and a side with “no classes”. He lasted two seasons. A Turkey correspondent remarked that he will be remembered as a “good motivator but not a great tactician,” that his sides passed the ball well but didn’t focus enough on defense, and that he listened to Turkish rock to bring him closer to his supporters. Bilic was appointed at West Ham less than a month later. 

West Ham have beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City away from home to open the first two months of the season, and currently sit in third place. The City match was won with only 28% possession, with signs of a rugged, physical defense led by Winston Reid in addition to the one touch passes that have defined his past sides. Although the side have scored in every match this season, questions of his tactical acumen, and whether he can win big matches (especially at home), remain.  

But West Ham supporters wanted something different than the steady, mid table results that Sam Allardyce provided. Bilic is Allardyce’s opposite in pragmatism, for better or worse (West Ham gave up four goals at home in a loss to Bournemouth, then beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield a week later). But in the world according to Bilic, those are minor details. In 2007, Fabio Capello remarked that his England side needed to channel the spirit of Bilic’s Croatian side. After losing in penalties in 2008, Bilic remarked that Turkey “have something about them, something not easy to define”. Upon his return to West Ham, Bilic observed that the club have “something special about them.” With the league table as tumultuous as it’s been in years, this season represents the best chance for Bilic to unveil just enough tactical nous for West Ham to claim a Champions League position. We replaced Bilic’s 2008 folk hero status with other managers during his final years with Croatia, Moscow and Besiktas. This season, his excitement and acclaim are in the results.