Beşiktaş to part ways with Bilic at season’s end

The decision to annul the contract with the 46-year-old, who established his reputation as a coach with his national side before becoming a folk hero at the Black Eagles, came at the end of a four-hour board meeting on May 20, Beşiktaş chairman Fikret Orman told Hürriyet.

He said the annulment would be problem-free, referring to former coaches – including Bernd Schuster, Jean Tigana and Samet Aybaba – who were dismissed in the past at the cost of a large amount of compensation.
“At the end of the season, we will sign a deal with a coach who will suit Beşiktaş and who is unquestionable,” the chairman said.

Bilic himself admitted for the first time on May 18 that he did not expect to be retained as coach for next season, after a shock league defeat to Konyaspor that ended the title hopes of the black and whites.

“My intention was to stay here. Now I don’t know if this is possible,” Bilic said after the 1-0 loss. ”I don’t see myself being given a chance to manage Beşiktaş next season.”

Beşiktaş enjoyed a superb first half of the season under Bilic, sensationally knocking Liverpool out of the Europa League and also topping Turkey’s Spor Toto Super League.

The team was the league leader until the match week that begin on May 8, but has gone winless in three since then, falling seven points behind front-runner Galatasaray and four points behind Fenerbahçe.

Beşiktaş and Galatasaray will meet May 24 at the latter’s stadium in Istanbul. Beşiktaş is entertaining diminishing hopes of overtaking Fenerbahçe to qualify for the Champions League qualifiers next season.

Bilic guided Croatia to the Euro 2008 and 2012 finals.