Feeling at home

I like new cultures.

The good thing about being born in the ex-Yugoslavia is that you are ready for everything. Like when I went to manage Lokomotiv in Russia. Moscow is an unbelievable city, but the people from the club were telling us: “Wait until you go to Vladikavkaz or Samara.”

After a few weeks we played in those places – and it was okay, because it was similar to Serbia.

When I managed Besiktas, Istanbul was a fantastic city, but people said: “Wait until you go to Anatolia.” Then we went there and it was like what we had seen in Bosnia.

When I was in China and now Saudi Arabia, the local people have told me: “Coaches from ex-Yugoslavia gel straight away with our mentality.”

But when somebody comes from England or Germany, sometimes they are shocked that everything is different. Too different.

For example, if my salary was late in Turkey, I wasn’t surprised. When I was playing in Split, it was normal that the salary was a bit late. There was no panic, just: “Okay, it’s going to come.”

"When you have grown up used to these things, you are prepared to deal with situations that are not ideal"

When I went to Besiktas, I took Nicola Jurcevic as my assistant and Edin Terzic, who is now manager of Borussia Dortmund. Edin is Croatian, but he was born and raised in Germany.

Back then, Edin was Dortmund Under-19 manager and scouted opposition for the first team. I wanted one of those guys who is a coach but also an analyst, so I approached Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc.

Zorc said: “We have plans for Edin, big time, but I’m going to loan him to you for a couple of years.”

It turned out to be five years, but Edin did go back to Dortmund in 2018. Anyway, he is a brilliant guy – he’s like my younger brother – and he joined me in Turkey.

We were told they would give us cars when we got to Istanbul. But the cars didn’t come straight away. Then the salary didn’t come straight away.

My staff from Croatia just shrugged and said: “Ah, same old story.” But Edin was like: “What is this? Where is the salary?” In Germany, your salary always comes on time.

"the fans rated what we did because we didn't have a stadium for two years"

I said: “It’s okay, just relax and wait.” Sure enough, the salary was paid – a bit late, but it came. When you have grown up used to these things, you are prepared to deal with situations that are not ideal.

I really loved Turkey and Turkish people. They give you everything, they give you heart. Istanbul is a town where you have so much – great weather, great people, great history. And Besiktas is a brilliant club.

The Istanbul clubs – Besiktas, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray – are not football clubs. They are a way of life. They are states. When results are good, it’s great. When you lose, it’s not that great.

But we had a good time. Okay, when you finish third with Besiktas in two consecutive seasons, it’s not a great success. But the fans rated what we did because we didn’t have a stadium for two years.

The club was building a new stadium, so we had to play a lot of home games in Ankara, which is a one-hour flight away, or at the Olympic Stadium. It was a very difficult time, and they appreciated that.

In Europe we did well, which was good for the club. Personally, it also helped me get a chance to go to the Premier League. 

"It was a historic night: the first time Liverpool had lost on penalties in Europe"

Rarely do Turkish teams beat clubs from England, but that is what we were fortunate to achieve. At first, we started with an aggregate defeat when we played Arsenal in a Champions League playoff. It was 0-0 in Istanbul and we lost 1-0 in London, to an Alexis Sánchez goal.

After that game, Arsène Wenger told me: “Chapeau! I played against Turkish clubs over two legs many times, but this is the first time that a Turkish club didn’t break in 180 minutes. Well done.” I was proud to be told that by Wenger. 

Because of the Arsenal defeat, we dropped into the Europa League group stage, where we played Tottenham. We drew at White Hart Lane, but we beat them in Istanbul and topped the group. 

In the knockout stages, we played Liverpool, who had also dropped down from the Champions League. They came with a strong team, including Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli in attack. We beat them on penalties. It was a historic night: the first time Liverpool had lost on penalties in Europe, with a 63,000 crowd there to see it.

In 2015 that helped me get a chance to go to West Ham, a club I had played for in the 1990s. At West Ham, we managed to beat Liverpool three times in that 2015/16 season. Unbelievable.

We won 3-0 at Anfield – the first time West Ham had won there in 52 years – and 2-0 in the return game. Then we knocked them out of the FA Cup in a replay, when Angelo Ogbonna scored after 121 minutes.

"The Olympic Stadium was more like an arena. It was like going from a dirty, popular pub to a fancy bar in Mayfair"

It was a great season, and we were so close to qualifying for the Champions League. That year we were on fire against the big guns. In 12 league games against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham, we lost only once – away to Spurs.

A tough spell in November and December cost us. We had six or seven players out, including Dimitri Payet, Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Winston Reid – all important players. 

It was a special season, too, because it was the last one at the historic Boleyn Ground. The last game there, a 3-2 win against Manchester United under the floodlights, will live with me forever.

But I am even more proud of our second season at West Ham, because that was so difficult. People say: “First season you were seventh, second season you were 11th. It’s a blow, a disaster!” Nowadays people make comments without going deep into the issue. Go deeper, and you find what we had to deal with.

The club changed the training ground, from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green. At the same time, we changed the stadium, too. West Ham definitely benefited from that, but it needed time to settle.

The Olympic Stadium was more like an arena. It was like going from a dirty, popular pub to a fancy bar in Mayfair. A lot of people are not comfortable in bars, they are comfortable in pubs. You need time to get used to it.

"West Ham have got that feeling. West Ham is a cult club"

I spoke with Wayne Rooney when I was at West Brom, and he told me at Manchester United they used to say: “Who are we playing next? West Ham away? Oh my God.” They didn’t look forward to going there, it was a bit intimidating.

But when we played at the Olympic Stadium, I saw Sergio Agüero an hour and a half before the game, looking around. He couldn’t wait to play a game there.

Also, you need good memories. At Upton Park, every player had their seat in the dressing room. They are superstitious, and have routines. Those little things that can make the difference, we didn’t have at the new stadium. That’s why I’m even more proud of that second season.

There might be bigger clubs. But in Europe, in Croatia, when you say West Ham, it is different. Because of 1966, London, Iron Maiden and that movie. West Ham have got that feeling. West Ham is a cult club.

So when I came back to England, to manage in the Championship at West Brom, I would say the Championship also had that feeling of being different, of being special. Okay, when you are in the Premier League, you don’t want to manage in the Championship. But it’s a league you would love to try, even for just one game. It’s not: “Oh, the Championship.” It’s: “Yeah, the Championship!”

When you speak of the Championship, you don’t have to ask which country you mean. Even the second leagues in other countries are now called championships because of The Championship. 

"You can be 12th in February and still only three wins away from a playoff spot"

You have unbelievably big clubs in the Championship, and you can attract players from abroad. At West Brom we signed Matheus Pereira, who had offers from big clubs in Germany’s top division. 

West Brom is a massive club that means a lot to the community. You have a responsibility to those people, and your quality of life depends on your results. But I enjoyed it, big time.

Everyone talks about the playoff final being worth £200m. At least half of the clubs in the division, before the season starts, has the right to say: “We can make the playoffs and, with a little bit of luck, promotion.”

You can be 12th in February and still only three wins away from a playoff spot. I don’t know how, but it’s true. You can have more defeats than wins and you are still three wins away.

The difference between the Premier League and Championship is not necessarily that players are more skilful or quicker. The difference is the mental strength and consistency. 

Whether it is Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne or Mark Noble, those types of guys perform all the time, on autopilot. Lower down, players’ performances can go up, down, up, down, up, down. That is why everybody can beat everybody in the Championship.

"The passion was already there. Now they have a plan, they will build the infrastructure – and they have the patience"

Fortunately, for us at West Brom, in that 2019/20 season it clicked. We played good football, and it was Leeds and us in the top two. Then Covid came and, while there were bigger problems in the world, it spoiled it a bit. We got promoted, but it wasn’t with the full crowd and everything.

Still, I am proud of that promotion, and that we achieved it for the West Brom fans. The Championship is tough, but being a part of it put a smile on my face.

Now I am managing Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League. The first time I came here was after the 2018 World Cup, as manager of Al-Ittihad. Back then, my friends knew I was coming and some of the media reported it. But that was it.

Since then, the interest in football here has skyrocketed. There isn’t a single day without somebody calling me to ask: “Can I come?” I’m not exaggerating if I say that you could add up all the calls I got from players and agents when I was managing in England, Russia and Turkey, and it wouldn’t compare to the 2023 transfer window with Al Fateh.

The games are now shown live in Croatia, in England, and I think it’s going to last. The people in Saudi have been football-crazy for years and years. For many people here, football was the only hobby they had. The passion was already there. Now they have a plan, they will build the infrastructure – and they have the patience.

In a way, they are acting like Roman Abramovich did when he bought Chelsea. Abramovich didn’t act like some owners, who think they know it all. He said: “Who is the best chief executive? Peter Kenyon? Okay, bring him in. Who is the best coach? José Mourinho? Bring him in.” Then he supported them.

"a player can come to Saudi and then move to the Premier League. That is a big advantage for the project here"

In Saudi they are bringing in top people – like former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo, who is now director of football for the Saudi Pro League. And things have changed for players who move here.

When I was 26, I was playing in the Bundesliga for Karlsruher. Fenerbahçe’s president, Ali Sen, came to watch me play and offered to triple my salary. 

I said: “No thank you, I can’t.” I thought that if I moved to Turkey, it would be difficult to come back to a big European league. Back then, it was hard to follow the Turkish league if you were outside.

Now, because of technology, the football world is different. Oscar has been in Shanghai for five years, and last year there was talk about Barcelona trying to sign him. People knew he was playing good in China.

A decade ago, players might have gone to Saudi Arabia at the end of their career. Now, a player can come to Saudi and then move to the Premier League. That is a big advantage for the project here.

It is a top-10 league, and I am enjoying it. No matter where I manage – whether it is against Liverpool, against Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, or the Croatian Second Division – there is pain when you lose and joy when you win.

I feel I am at the best age, full of energy and enthusiasm, but with knowhow. I have that drive to take responsibility, to thrive on the pressure of a match day.

That desire is there, big time.

Author: Craig Bloomfield

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