[AlbionFan]

Matt Wilson Twitter Account

Dowling explains the wait: “We had the opportunity to ensure we conducted a wide range of interviews and were determined to take it. We have spoken to some outstanding candidates and I would like to thank them for their interest in the post.”

Can’t argue with the logic, no matter how frustrated fans felt about the process

[Albion79]

I am very happy with this appointment and got some excitement back for the Albion for the first time in ages.

All managers have a risk but we have somebody with a bit of charisma, who has had a decent success (he isnt perfect, if he was he wouldnt be managing Albion!), seems no nonsense and trys to play good football.

No manager will ever please everyone but judging by the reaction on here, social media, etc there is a large majority pretty happy with this, that gives us a good starting point for next season with most on the same page (which we havent had for a long time, even Darren Moore, everybody was willing him to do well but the fan base was split on his appointment)

It took longer than we hoped but would rather wait and get the right man (hopefully!) than panic just to appease the fans frustrations. I know some have said why didnt Bilic have it in March but if i was looking  at it i wouldnt of rushed to take it, we had sacked a manager who was 4th which indicated that wasnt good enough and the reality was the squads reputation (or past reputation) was better than they actually are now.

Had we gone up we would of been lumbered with a ageing squad on good money just trying to achieve 17th, its a lot easier to rebuild in the championship, get a younger hungrier squad and try and stamp your own style on things.

[darbolina]

Wow - I'm nearly excited! Very good appointment IF Jenkins and Dowling back him with the playing and coaching squad including culture overhaul needed.

Come on let's not waste the opportunity to begin again.........................

COYB

[boinging_along]

Matt Wilson Twitter Account

Dowling explains the wait: “We had the opportunity to ensure we conducted a wide range of interviews and were determined to take it. We have spoken to some outstanding candidates and I would like to thank them for their interest in the post.”

Can’t argue with the logic, no matter how frustrated fans felt about the process

True, but they have had since 9th March really, and that's being generous.  They should have been looking before that.  Happy with Bilic though, need to give him time as he has a big rebuilding job to get through.

[seteefeet]

Very pleased with this , shows a bit of ambition. Bilic is no fool and needs to rebuild his reputation so, if this was a hiding to nothing,  due to lack of funds, I don't think he would have taken it.
Hope he does a Roy (without the bogging off to manage England bit)

[mulliganstired]

Very pleased with this , shows a bit of ambition. Bilic is no fool and needs to rebuild his reputation so, if this was a hiding to nothing,  due to lack of funds, I don't think he would have taken it.
Hope he does a Roy (without the bogging off to manage England bit)

I hope he does a Giles (without actually playing of course... although if HRK can get a game...)

[Mister AT]

Happy with the appointment, shows a bit of ambition by the club which pleases me.

Have to be honest at times I was fearing the worst, when we were linked with O'Neil, Cowley, Bowyer etc I did have a feeling I would end up underwhelmed, but the appointment of Bilic is high profile and a big signing for a championship club.

If Boro had got Slaven in, then I'm sure many of us would have been annoyed we hadn't gone for him.

I'm quietly confident that he will get backing this summer to build his own team aswell, he doesn't seem the type to agree to come here without their being an agreement that he can bring in some players of his own and have some money to work with.

He has a week/10 days to assess the background of the club, have a look at the squad, identify what positions he wants to strengthen, then when the players come back he can have a chat with them and decide whos committed to being here for the season and who needs to be shifted out.

Good appointment by the club and one which will please 95% of the fans.

[BalisPen]

Absolutely delighted with this appointment after some of the names we have been linked with, only Bilic, Jokanovic and Labbadia were acceptable to me. This is only the start, Slaven has a massive rebuild to orchestrate starting today.

Bilic was unemployed when DM was sacked and you didn't mention him then. But you did say:

"If we can't convince Jokanovic then Hughton is my pick.


No more average ex-players, with a 'knowledge of the club'.


Rip them out root and stem... "

[Droitwich Baggie]

Great. Let's hope that he can show West Ham were wrong/stupid to get rid of him.

[NathWBA]

New song for the stadium prematch playlist?

https://youtu.be/-RYg8Dy3xk4

[TheJacko2000]

Bilic was unemployed when DM was sacked and you didn't mention him then. But you did say:

"If we can't convince Jokanovic then Hughton is my pick.


No more average ex-players, with a 'knowledge of the club'.


Rip them out root and stem... "

It wasn't for me to link him to the club though, now I've seen all the links the 3 I mentioned earlier were the only three I'd have been happy with... Hughton would have been acceptable. Nothing more.

[kris_boing]

Wouldn't have been my number 1 pick but have to say I'm pleased with the appointment. Could have been much worse. I had zero faith in those at the club so they have surprised me. Welcome Slaven. Got a tough job ahead.  Good luck.

[phbaggies]

Fair play to whoever had £20 on Bilic to be our manager at 28/1.....oh that would be me then! 

[geoff]

Fair play to whoever had £20 on Bilic to be our manager at 28/1.....oh that would be me then! 

Nice one mukka
Welcome to the Hawthornes Slaven. You have a big job on your hands after years of neglect in the transfer market so here's hoping you have a little black book with some good (cheap) talent in it.
Bong Bong

[pete]

Welcome to the mighty Hawthorns Mr Bilic!

I wasnt too impressed with the phrase "rebuild the club on a shoe string budget" Hopefully that means he will blood some of the talented youth and some steals from around Europe. Come on the board youve made a good decision please back him!

[divinewind]

Very pleased with this, and a lot better than what we could have ended up with. Hughton FFS.
I have heard he is a  believer in bringing through young players, so some of our prima donnas with their feet under the table will be on shaky ground.
New start, no links to the club, no favourites.
Welcome Mr Bilic.

[costa blanca baggie]

Happy with the appointment, shows a bit of ambition by the club which pleases me.

Have to be honest at times I was fearing the worst, when we were linked with O'Neil, Cowley, Bowyer etc I did have a feeling I would end up underwhelmed, but the appointment of Bilic is high profile and a big signing for a championship club.

If Boro had got Slaven in, then I'm sure many of us would have been annoyed we hadn't gone for him.

I'm quietly confident that he will get backing this summer to build his own team aswell, he doesn't seem the type to agree to come here without their being an agreement that he can bring in some players of his own and have some money to work with.

He has a week/10 days to assess the background of the club, have a look at the squad, identify what positions he wants to strengthen, then when the players come back he can have a chat with them and decide whos committed to being here for the season and who needs to be shifted out.

Good appointment by the club and one which will please 95% of the fans.

Well if it is, by some stroke of luck on your part, 95% of pleased fans at the moment, let’s hope it doesn’t level out to the normal 50/50 split when things get tough. I’m certainly happy with the announcement.

[AlbionFan]

Is Slaven the highest profile Head Coach / Manager we’ve ever appointed?

I’m struggling to think of anyone with a better CV in our modern era. Roy maybe. I’d like to read what others think.

[phbaggies]

Is Slaven the highest profile Head Coach / Manager we’ve ever appointed?

I’m struggling to think of anyone with a better CV in our modern era. Roy maybe. I’d like to read what others think.

Roy Hodgson definitely, biggest 'profile' since Ardiles or Bryan Robson maybe but they made their names as footballers more than managers?

[alex1]

I'm reasonably pleased with Billic and didn't mind the extra wait if it has resulted in finding the best available.
He does seem very determined to get us back in the Prem, which has to be a priority, and at the same time we will see an emphasis on attacking football, which is almost as important. I expect he will want to bring in some of his own backroom staff, but I hope there is room for those with an Albion pedigree, esp. Shan, who can provide him with lots of vital background information. Now its hoping he can get the right players in, which he can blend into a winning team.

[NJS]

There's been a lot of speculation about what's been going on between Dowling, Jenkins and Lai over the period since before DM's departure.  We don't know. Maybe they had someone lined up who let them down maybe they didn't.  It may be they vacillated over what type of football manager would be best, we don't know for sure.  We only know that they took their time - which may be a good thing.

The important thing is to get behind the manager who isn't a cheap option and who won't be cowed by the senior players because the players he's worked with were better than any of them.  I hope he shows courage and reads the game and reacts to how the match is going.  I hope he is allowed to build a squad that enables him to call upon the occupants of the bench when the situation demands.

[Standaman]

I doubt we could have found a more high profile coach as a Championship club and with any luck the board and the fan base will stay star struck long enough for Bilic to survive the short term and possibly influence the longer term. Basically he has 2 years to get promotion after that all bets are off.

 I am pleased with the appointment largely the because Bilic at least tries to play progressive football however he doesn't have a magic wand that is going to fix every problem overnight.  Whether he is the best technical coach is at best debatable. I wouldn't take too much from his time at West Ham as that was a particular set of circumstances with it's own challenges.

 

[alex1]

I wonder how long it will take before the club is re-branded by the national media into "Slaven Billic's West Brom".

[ex coseley kid]

Delighted with this, best appointment since Roy. And with the right backing could do even better for us.

Board forgiven for being embarrassingly long in this, maybe they were doing it right. Maybe we should cut some slack now and see what happens.

Welcome on board, Slaven; I begrudgingly admired you at West Ham. Now instead of blowing bubbles, let's blow some smoke up the competition.......

[KYA]

I thought I had stumbled onto the wrong site so much optimism    keep it going lads   .