Bilic to step down as Croatia coach in Nov.

By Mathew Burt, Special to SI.com, Goal.com

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A number of top clubs will be put on alert by the revelation from Croatian national-team coach Slaven Bilic that he intends to step down at the end of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Bilic was much in demand last season after leading Croatia to the European Championship -- he was linked with the West Ham post and was mentioned as a possible successor to Roy Keane at Sunderland.

"Four years will be enough," Bilic told Croatian daily Sportske Novosti. "I will be coach of Croatia while the cycle of the World Cup in South Africa lasts but not a second more. We can still qualify and the visit of Ukraine in June will be crucial. Leaving Croatia will replace the Euro 2008 loss to Turkey as the saddest moment of my career but it is time to move on."

Bilic took over the Croatia top job following the 2006 World Cup. His side currently occupies second spot in Europe's Group 6, five points behind leader England with four matches played.