Slaven Bilic even now recalls being sat next to his first-team coach and old West Ham United teammate Julian Dicks, fresh from watching West Bromwich Albion bravely hold champions in waiting Manchester City to a draw on their own patch, on the team coach heading back to the Midlands. Little did he know at that point that he'd be very soon out of a job. The decision had been made to relieve the popular Croatian of his duties, despite the impressive point.
The timing was unfortunate. Clearly, the sacking was as a consequence of the Baggies' difficult first half of the season. They found themselves in the bottom three, having won one of their first 13 games and that prompted the Albion powers to act in order to give themselves a chance of remaining in the Premier League - but they chose to act after the side's most eye-catching performance of the campaign.
Despite the meagre points haul Albion had noticeably picked up as the season had progressed; they were unfortunate to lose narrowly to Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle, and they blew a three-goal lead to Chelsea, but it was the comprehensive defeats to the likes of Crystal Palace, Fulham and Southampton which proved to be the death knell of Bilic's reign.
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"I remember I found out on the bus, Julian Dicks showed me," Bilic told BirminghamLive. "I think most definitely they made the decision before the game. They thought we were going to lose at the Etihad, and then it would have been impossible for them to reverse the decision. I didn't see it happening. I was concentrating on the team. It was strange, me and my staff were gaining confidence. We were improving in performances.
"Still, it was very frustrating, because we weren't getting the points we needed at that stage. Okay, there's always a possibility with the way football works now, so I wasn't shocked, but at the same time I didn't see it coming. Especially when there are no fans. The fans are your media, they're your jury. They're honest at West Brom. We missed that.
"You're not gelling with the people - you're only with your team, your staff, your family. The big majority of them are on your side, so you don't have the realistic picture about the whole situation. Points wise, okay, but I didn't expect it. Knowing the owners, who aren't there, and that it is popular to change managers, I wasn't surprised."
Decisions were left to be made by sporting director Luke Dowling and chief executive Xu Ke, before Guochuan Lai made himself chairman. Back then, the lesser spotted Li Piyue made an occasional trip and Bilic even dined with him in September 2019 - but as for the owner himself, Bilic remembers only a single brief meeting which involved congratulations.
"I remember the guy who worked in his company was in Birmingham when we beat Blackburn," Bilic reveals. "I had a casual dinner with his family. That was it. It was only when we won and got promoted, in a corridor, we said hello. He said well done, let's do the job in the Premier League, bye bye. That was it. In the first season, it was Luke there on a daily basis and it was Mark Jenkins. He was everything you need at board level in football. I remember him as brilliant.
"If it wasn't football, when you'd go to Luke, if it was travel related, this or that, it was Mark [Jenkins]. He left before the next season and that was an underestimated blow. Ken, nothing against him, he was trying to fix the bridges because they were burning. We weren't fighting, but maybe the communication wasn't the same. You need it, they're the main people at the club. Sometimes you can feel alone.
"The owner of the club doesn't have to invest millions or billions, but he is the owner. He is the peak of the iceberg who needs to bring stability to the club. Otherwise you only have the manager. It's not only players, it's the staff; at the training ground, you have cooks, kitmen, secretaries, everybody is important. It doesn't have to be on a daily basis, but the owner can make an impact."
Bilic admits that Matheus Pereira went to another level following his own departure from the club. Bilic was responsible for identifying Pereira, who produced 46 goal contributions in just 77 appearances across his two-year period at The Hawthorns. Undeniably the Brazilian - who has recently been handed international recognition - improved further during his brief stint under successor Sam Allardyce.
"He was much better when I left, in the Premier League. Maybe he sorted out some issues. He needed to learn lessons and find out how good he is, and he adapted. He, in the second part of the season, kept the hope," Bilic reflects.
"I gave lots of them my number and I told them straight away that we are forever. I am still in contact with many players from my time at West Ham. They are not mates, but they know if they need anything. Let's say if I was in Brazil and watched Pereira's team, I would text him and see him. With Jake, Kyle, Grady, Sawyers, yes.
"You don't have it at too many clubs, but at West Brom...you feel good there. The training ground isn't great, but it has something. It's like a family. It's like your home. West Brom, as a player you wouldn't want to leave. If you were in Madrid, and said West Bromwich Albion, they'd know. It's big. The name, it even sounds great! The Hawthorns, the town, the jerseys...it's good, and you wouldn't want to leave there."
Even now, Bilic keeps an eye on Albion from afar, having admitted that they and West Ham are amongst the highest in his own personal pecking order. He has been impressed by the job carried out by Carlos Corberan, who he met when Albion faced Bilic's Watford in 2023, and sees an opening for the class of 2024 in this year's Championship.
"I like him [Carlos]. I met him when I was at Watford. We spoke briefly there. He's very interesting, very energetic, I really like him," Bilic says. "Last season, Southampton were a good team, but this season is open. Normally the relegated clubs, they keep their players and they are main contenders and favourites.
"This season, the clubs relegated...Luton, I respect what they did last season was great, but you wouldn't say straight away they'll be a team who go straight up. There is a chance for other clubs, more so than when Leicester, Leeds, Southampton go down.
"I would like to maybe see a game [at The Hawthorns], but normally I don't and if I do, it's normally with a low profile. Many times you go back to your ex-clubs and it's 'why's he here?' It can be misconstrued. I follow them, I follow every club I have managed. I'm a football man. West Brom and West Ham mean a bit more than others, because of the bond, not only the success but it's the whole package."
As for Bilic, family time is currently his priority. Back home, with his children, he is comfortable and relaxed about what the future holds, but he also knows that, when the time comes, he'll be refreshed and reinvigorated, ready to test himself in management again. Having spent time in China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and England previously, Bilic is predictably open to anything.
"I like the cultures. At the moment I like it at home, but of course I'm ready to work," Bilic says, as we conclude the interview he's given his time to generously. "I'm at a good age and part of me would work, but I'm waiting for a good opportunity. For the meantime, I am enjoying this. I am still working with [coaches] Danilo [Butorovic] and Dean [Racunica], I have good people around me."
This is part two of our exclusive interview with Slaven Bilic. You can read part one by clicking here.
