Slaven Bilic: West Brom will play every game as if it's their last
Slaven Bilic has promised supporters his Albion team will play every game as if it’s the last one of their lives.
The new Baggies boss wants to play ‘positive’ and ‘attractive’ football, but says the way he approaches games will depend on the players at his disposal.
Bilic wants to find an all-important balance on the pitch, but he is aware that Albion fans will demand energy from his team.
“The style of play and the system depends on who you have,” said Bilic, when asked to elaborate on his own preferred approach.
“Of course we’re going to be stubborn as a team, but we’re going to be full of energy.
“We’re going to try and play every game as if it’s the last game of our lives."
Albion tried to play out from the back last season under Darren Moore, with limited success at times.
The board believed the Baggies should have adopted a more pragmatic approach.
Bilic says his style will depend on the strengths of his squad.
He said: “Whether we’re going to open from the back or not open, it’s not down to me and the amount of exercise we do, it’s down to the players that we have.
“I like to play positive, attractive football, but it’s not totally down to me.
“The second season at West Ham wasn’t the same as the first season because some players left, some players didn’t want to play, some players we got didn’t click straight away. Then you get a few defeats and it’s all linked.
“Also you have to listen to the fans – that is not against my philosophy.
“People here don’t like boring football, stale football, they like energetic football.
“Find the balance between being energetic and keeping the shape and discipline – because without that you are dead – is an art.
“But hopefully we’re going to do it. I am optimistic because we have done it before.
"In this very moment we have good players on board. Hopefully it stays like that.”
Bilic is keen to keep some of his best players, but he’s acutely aware that many of them will have Premier League clubs sniffing around.
“I’m not 30, I’m 50,” he said. “That situation can change in one hour's time. You can’t play them all of a sudden.
“We have to act like they’re going to stay with us forever, but be ready that they leave tomorrow. It is like that.”
