Moscow, July 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Recently appointed Lokomotiv Moscow coach Slaven Bilic said Wednesday the team’s weak character was to blame for the poor results at the end of the last season.
Lokomotiv finished seventh in the league in 2011-12 and failed to qualify for European competition, suffering five defeats and three draws in their last eight games.
In May the club announced that Portuguese coach Jose Couceiro will not have his contract renewed and was to be replaced by Bilic, who signed a three-year deal with Lokomotiv.
“My players are very talented, I see it,” Bilic was quoted as saying to the club website. “But we can fulfil our potential only by our character.”
“That’s what has been missing over the past six months.”
“I want my character and the character of my assistants to be transmitted to players as well.”
Before taking over at Lokomotiv, Bilic, 43, lead Croatia to finishing third in Euro 2012 Group C behind finalists Spain and Italy.
Bilic coached Croat champions Hadjuk Split before being appointed to the national post in 2006.
Before that, he had a successful playing career as a defender with German Bundesliga side Karlsruher and English teams West Ham United and Everton.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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