Bilic to remain Croatia coach despite missing WCup

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ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- Slaven Bilic will stay on as Croatia's coach despite the team's failure to reach next year's World Cup.

Bilic told reporters Friday that he still has support from the national football federation and the players.

"My earlier wish to stay prevailed and I have decided to remain" as coach, Bilic said.

Croatia finished third in Group 6 behind England and Ukraine. Next year's tournament in South Africa is the first major football event Croatia will miss since its independence 18 years ago.

Bilic -- who played for Croatia when it surprisingly finished third in the 1998 World Cup in France -- has led the team since 2006 and his current contract expires next year.

In his 37 games in charge, Croatia has won 26 and lost four.

Under him, Croatia qualified for the European Championship last year, where it was ousted by Turkey in quarterfinals.

Before the World Cup fiasco, the 41-year-old Bilic was hugely popular in Croatia, and there have been constant speculation that he would take a higher-paid job abroad, particularly in England.

With the latest failure, however, several pundits and commentators have demanded his resignation, although some surveys show Bilic still enjoys strong public support.

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