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Slaven Bilić begins second Croatia tenure, joining elite group of returning national coaches
🇭🇷 Croatia /Sports

Slaven Bilić begins second Croatia tenure, joining elite group of returning national coaches

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified New plan
  • Slaven Bilić has begun his second term as coach of the Croatian national football team, having previously led the team from 2006 to 2012.
  • The article lists several international coaches who have managed the same national team multiple times, including Rinus Michels, Vittorio Pozzo, and Fatih Terim.
  • Stojan Ormandžijev of Bulgaria is highlighted as a record-holder, having managed his national team seven times, including leading them to an Olympic bronze medal in 1956.

Slaven Bilić has returned to coach the Croatian national football team, marking his second tenure after previously leading the "Vatreni" from 2006 to 2012. This move places him among a distinguished group of international football managers who have undertaken multiple stints with the same national side.

I am especially happy that I could help make the Dutch way of playing known around the world.

— Rinus MichelsMichels' reflection on his impact on Dutch football during one of his tenures.

The article highlights several notable "returnee" coaches. Among them is the legendary Dutch manager Rinus Michels, the architect of "total football," who managed the Netherlands four times. His tenures included leading the Dutch to the 1974 World Cup final and the 1988 European Championship title. FIFA recognized his impact by naming him coach of the century in 1999.

Italian coach Vittorio Pozzo is also featured for his remarkable success with Italy, leading the "Azzurri" four times and being the only coach to win two World Cups (1934 and 1938). He also guided Italy to Olympic gold in 1936. Pozzo is credited with introducing the "Il Metodo" formation, a strategic shift from the prevailing 2-3-5 pyramid system.

The Azzurri were also led by him to the gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

— AuthorDescribing Vittorio Pozzo's achievements with the Italian national team.

Bulgarian coach Stojan Ormandžijev holds a record for managing his national team seven times, accumulating 77 matches and securing an Olympic bronze medal in 1956. The article also mentions other coaches like Iceland's Karl Gudmundsson, Mexico's Javier Aguirre, Turkey's Fatih Terim, and Ukraine's Valeriy Lobanovskyi, illustrating a recurring trend of managers revisiting national team roles across different countries.

Il Vecchio Maestro will also be remembered in football history for the famous "Il Metodo" formation that this Italian strategist introduced to the world at the beginning of the 20th century.

— AuthorHighlighting Vittorio Pozzo's tactical innovation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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