Julian Dicks has revealed that West Brom boss Slaven Bilic always goes into a room to calm down at half-time in games rather than going straight into the dressing room, as he focuses on a calm and considered approach.
Dicks served as a first-team coach for West Ham, under former team-mate and then manager Bilic, between June 2015 and November 2017, and now does the same at West Brom.
The 51-year-old, who went on to take charge as the boss of Heybridge Swifts in October last year, has opened up on how Bilic influenced him as a manager.
Dicks revealed that the Croatian tactician rarely berates his players, but admitted that Bilic could do so if he wanted to and the players realise that.
The West Ham legend admires Bilic for being passionate about what he does while staying calm and composed and lifted the lid on how the Croatian holds small meetings with his coaching staff at half-time in games to make sure he is calm with the players.
“When I left West Ham and went to Heybridge as a manager, I took a lot of what I saw in Slaven”, Dicks told The Athletic.
“He very rarely handed out a bollocking. He didn’t need too very often, but when he needed to he could, and the players knew that.
“He never goes straight into the dressing room at half-time.
"We always have a little meeting in a separate room before he goes in, and that is important because it calms you down.
"That is how Slaven is.
"He is passionate but he is normally calm.”
Bilic's West Brom currently sit on top of the Championship table with 22 points, having won six and drawn four of their 11 games so far.
