Club News

Bilić on Dean and Danilo

Head Coach Slaven Bilić has spoken of his admiration for assistants Dean Računica and Danilo Butorović and recognised the qualities they will bring to his backroom staff.

Računica, 49, played together with Bilić and worked closely with his compatriot during two European Championship campaigns as national boss of Croatia.

Butorovic, 34, is regarded as one of the up-and-coming coaching talents of Croatian football and has also previously worked together with the Baggies boss.

Each are trusted, long-time associates of Slaven, who has provided further details on the attributes they will bring to The Hawthorns.

Bilić said: "Dean played football with me, he played for the national team, he was an old-fashioned, left-footed No.10. He was a top player, an artist on the pitch.

"He played with me since we were 18 and then he moved to Austria, played a little bit for the national team, came back to Hajduk Split but then the doctors told him he had to stop playing football because of some problems.

"Then he went into coaching, he was involved with me at a couple of European Championships, 2008 in Austria and 2012 in Poland, and then he was assistant manger in Slovakia and Australia, he was with me then in Saudi Arabia.

"Now he's with me here. He's brilliant, he's my friend but he's not here because he's my friend, that helps and is important as you spend more time with your staff than your family, but he's here because he's a top coach."

Speaking about Danilo, Bilić said: "When I was at West Ham, the Croatian national team doctor, my great friend who did my hip replacement, called me and asked if one coach, who had finished the Academy in Croatia - which is a very hard one, could come to learn. I said 'yes, come'.

"He came and had top grades. He's of that new generation - great on computer systems, a great analyst, he has that modern (approach) to football with programs, which is very important to have today.

"I know a lot about it but I'm not an expert there.

"He's also a coach, so he's not just an analyst, he has great ideas, he's good on the pitch and on the bench and good with the players.

"He's a top man for me and I thank that professor."

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