Slaven Bilic has expressed his disappointment at having been fired as West Brom head coach, speaking for the first time since he was dismissed on Wednesday.
Bilic’s Baggies earned a 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Tuesday evening, but the manager was sacked the following morning – his newly-promoted team lying 19th in the Premier League on seven points.
Within hours of the announcement regarding the 52-year-old’s future, Sam Allardyce was named as his replacement.
And Bilic has now spoken out about his feelings on the club’s decision.
“I am hugely disappointed to have left West Bromwich Albion,” Bilic said in a statement to The Daily Mail.
“I am honoured to have managed this unique football club with full commitment and integrity. I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to all the players, my hard-working coaching team and our dedicated staff.
“I am incredibly proud that we secured automatic promotion from the Championship in our first season.
“It was a real shame to not have our loyal supporters there with us during that moment and upon our return to the Premier League. In what has been a really difficult year for so many, those special fans have stood alongside us throughout it all. My staff and I are grateful for having had the privilege to serve them.
“They would have enjoyed some of our excellent performances where the team showed how much they wanted us to succeed.
“Ultimately, I am sad that it hasn’t worked out in the way we wanted. But I leave with my head held high, along with some wonderful memories that I will always cherish.
“I’m sorry that I cannot say goodbye to you all properly at The Hawthorns. I genuinely wish the club well for the future.”
Bilic, formerly coach at West Ham – where he played as a defender between 1996 and 1997 – Besiktas, Lokomotiv Moscow and the Croatia national team, took over at West Brom in 2019.
He led the Baggies to a second-placed Championship finish in his first season in charge, securing automatic promotion to the Premier League.
But his side recorded just one win, four draws and eight defeats before his dismissal.
