The return of the rock star

Slaven Bilic is back in the dugout for Croatia. It feels like a moment pulled straight from 2008, back when he was prowling the touchline in a leather jacket and leading a side that played with a distinct, chaotic menace. The announcement that he has been reappointed as the men's national team manager has certainly stirred the pot in Zagreb.

Bringing back a former manager is usually a sign of institutional hesitation. It signals that the federation exhausted its list of fresh candidates and decided to retreat to what they know. Bilic brings name recognition, sure, but his recent career path suggests he is no longer the tactical innovator who nearly toppled the European establishment two decades ago.

The squad is aging and the pressure is mounting

The core issue remains the transition of the generation. Luka Modric is still pulling the strings, a feat that defies logic at his age, but he cannot carry the midfield forever. Relying on a 40-year-old centerpiece is not a sustainable long-term defensive strategy.

Bilic faces a squad that often struggles when the tempo drops. If he tries to force his old high-pressing style onto players who are clearly past their physical peak, the gaps behind the midfield will be exploited by anyone with a functional wing-back. This is the central friction point for his second stint: bridging the gap between national nostalgia and modern tactical reality.

Why this looks like a gamble

The national team has become a revolving door for coaches who can manage personalities but fail to build coherent defensive lines. Bilic excels at creating a locker room atmosphere, yet his technical setups at the club level over the last five years have struggled to keep pace.

As the BBC recently highlighted, the board is betting on the emotional connection Bilic has with the supporters to buy him time. If results don't improve before the next window, that goodwill will evaporate inside six months. Relying on past glory to fix present fragility is a dangerous game.

Predicting the immediate future

The defensive metrics for the national side have been trending down since the last major tournament. Unless Bilic simplifies the transition phases and stops forcing attackers to track back 60 yards, they are going to concede soft, avoidable goals.

My call? Bilic survives the opening qualifiers by grinding out narrow results, but he will be gone before the next tournament cycle ends. He is a nostalgia pick meant for the short term, and modern international football rarely rewards sentimentality. The final result is likely to be a 1-0 win for Croatia in his opener, followed by a reality check against a disciplined opposition.