Another qualifying campaign for Croatia has hit a major setback. The ability to win big games, particularly away from home has become an unattainable task. During the 2014 World Cup qualification stage, Croatia produced a meager two wins, two draws, and one loss. The 2012 Euro Cup qualification stage wasn’t much better, as they recorded three wins and two losses that featured a humiliating 1-0 loss to Georgia.
Throughout this recent campaign, Niko Kovac’s side has only one win, two draws, and the recent loss to Norway on the road. The lone win at Bulgaria contained one shot on target. Scarcity has become a common theme for Croatia’s attack throughout recent games. Following a dreadful World Cup campaign that included only twelve goals scored, many fans believed that the team had to improve from being toothless in front of goal.
The inability to score during a 180-minute span against Azerbaijan and Norway showcases a new low for the national team. Mario Mandzukic continues to be wasteful, as the once proficient striker had several opportunities to end his goal-scoring drought. Darijo Srna provided a rare accurate cross that found him with only one nearby center-back. Somehow his header ended up on the wrong side of the post, which seemed to have demoralized his confidence. As the game wore on, Mandzukic seemed to teeter off and didn’t show “heart” that Kovac has started to specify through various interviews.
The major inquiry of Croatia’s debacle comes from who should be labeled as the prime culprit. Is Mandzukic the main problem for wasting a plethora of chances once again? Srna has to be on top of the list based on being responsible for both goals. While his positioning and fragileness has always been rightfully criticized, the captain has never been embarrassed quite badly. Jo Inge Berget left him searching for answers with multiple dummies that led to creating both goals.
Despite poor individual performances from two key players, Kovac deserves to be criticized once again. His lineup looked to be ideal based on Danijel Pranjic being rightfully benched after several poor games. Sime Vrsaljko was one of the standouts based on his defensive positioning and reliability. The unorthodox left back saved Luka Modric from embarrassment of being robbed of the ball, which led to a breakaway opportunity. Marko Pjaca showed flashes as well with his first touch and ability to track back to defend.
It was arguably the most encouraging starting eleven that Kovac has unveiled as manager. The encouragement immediately changed from witnessing senseless long balls to being unable to keep possession within the midfield. Besides Ivan Perisic sending multiple accurate crosses into the box, there was no creativity or fluidity. They played ultra conservative and looked desperate to steal a goal through any circumstance. Kovac has to take some responsibility for the ineffective attacking play.
Experimenting with Marcelo Brozovic in an advanced role continues to be a nonsensical decision. They implemented that strategy against Malta and Bulgaria to start the qualifying campaign. Both games were fairly underwhelming, as a fortunate own goal and excellent solo effort by Modric earned them six points. Brozovic doesn’t possess the same level of creativity or control on the ball like his fellow counterparts. Ivan Rakitic received the ball in Croatia’s own half and was limited to sending hopeless long balls to spark an attack. They continue to utilize him as a deep lying playmaker, while Brozovic is exploited through an advanced playmaker role. That couldn’t have been more detrimental for a team gasping for goals.
Instead of taking at least partial responsibility for the team’s poor performance, questions of heart and spirit from the players were Kovac’s immediate answers. That never seems to be a wise idea, as Igor Stimac did something relatively similar following Croatia’s home defeat to Belgium. They couldn’t have looked more disinterested in a 2-0 defeat to Scotland four days later. Public criticism has left Modric firing back within the media. A potential rift could be looming, although more drastic changes can commence within the next day or so.
Kovac’s job is on the hot seat, which is pretty remarkable considering they were in first place only five days ago. They were expected to continue their unbeaten streak with relative ease. Nobody expected Mandzukic’s below average form to continue or Srna being exposed worse than Pranjic defensively. What fans should have expected was more control through the star-studded midfield and fluidity to break down a well-organized Norway side.
It’s hard to justify Kovac remaining as manager, although the lack of managerial stability can be toxic for any team or club. You look at English clubs such as Sunderland and West Brom constantly going through new managers on a yearly basis. They have battled through relegation battles over the past three seasons. Both clubs clearly lack above-average talent to push for a place within the top ten. Constant shuffling within the managerial position can’t be healthy for these respective clubs or nations searching for sustainability. It could easily alienate players from coming to a respective club and damage morale in the locker room.
Would it be wise to hire a third new manager within the past three years? Not to mention, who are the ideal replacements out there? Zlatko Kranjcar has been rumored, due to his managerial experience and success through an unbeaten World Cup 2006 qualifying campaign. Fans have voted for Jurgen Klopp as the most suitable replacement, but that is nothing more than a pipedream.
If a new manager were to be hired, they will likely need several years of experience to be considered. Kovac’s lack of experience has caused serious issues, along with his deficiencies from a tactical and man management perspective. It takes more than being a former captain to evolve into becoming a successful manager. The honorable four-year captain will always be cherished for his contributions from 2004 to 2008. Croatia hasn’t qualified smoothly for a major tournament since Euro 2008, when Kovac was ironically still captain.
Change seems to be imminent, but certain players can’t continue to be coddled. Modric was underwhelming through both games. A potential serious issue with Zdravko Mamic could have affected him mentally. Although Rakitic hasn’t been utilized properly, his poor set pieces can’t be discounted. The Barcelona standout was supposed to be a substantial upgrade over Srna.
Similar to the recent World Cup campaign, a new manager can only generate so much inspiration. It will take far better performances from players such as Mandzukic, Srna, and Modric to secure their place for next summer. Despite not controlling their own destiny, Norway still has to play Italy away from home next month. The odds slightly favor towards Croatia avoiding the dreaded playoff round. A drastic change within their attack and possibly coaching staff will be required for them to recover from this downfall.
Twitter: @Allen_Strk
Fair enough King. I apoligise to Bodulo.
@Hammer, get the fuck off that man’s back you fucking wanker. What have you got against boduli, they speak the purest form of Croatian i.e. cakavian ikavian, and they’re the least ass fucked and mixed of all Croats – together with Dalmatinci, Hercegovci and Istrani all of whom speak ikavian so don’t embarrass yourself. You write a lot of silly comments, my friend.
Razlikuje = different
Antonym for resemblamce is difference.
Remember I have learning difficulties and trouble comprehending what is written, so please take it easy on me. What made you think I thought Bodulo and Budala are the same? Willing to learn.
You do know the majority are happy that Kovac got sacked? The majority is the stream. So if you’re not in the stream you agree with me that Kovac shouldn’t of been sacked. Can you explain to me how you’re not in the stream? Maybe you feel like a regular pied piper and you’re just watching everyone follow your opinion from beside the stream.
Even if Bodul isn’t your surname. What are the origins of the name Bodul? Was Bodul in use before the 7th century?
I just thought if you wrote cekic maybe I wouldn’t of understood and this little beef we had going could’ve been over, but seeing you wrote hammer you’d like this to continue. And you said you were wasting your time with me.
I didn’t know you were the first one to be against Kovac’s appointment, so everyone else followed you. So you took umbrage with me because I was the only one who disagreed, that’s just me going against the stream. I don’t give a fuck if my opionion differs to everyone else’s, were you the first to say Pranjic sucked as well?
So why did you write “Bodul and Budala aren’t the same thing,” I told you I was working with Bodulo that’s where the resemblance is? Bodulo and Budala, do you see a resemblance?
Against the stream? In my opinion NK never should have gotten the job and he confirmed that with his first roster. Im not with the stream i didnt like him from the start. My surname isn’t bodul, seriously you have issues with comprehending what was written.
Why call him cekic when he is hammer?
@Bodulo
Why no write cekic?
My ancestors are from Lika. Croatian surname, Catholic and with no muslim links. Look Bodulo and Budala, is there a resemblance, yes or no? But you say they’re not the same, no shit Sherlock! Then for some reason you put me on a journey to find out where you surname Bodul came from, why? And all this because I am a Kovac fan. Bodul you see you’re a dead thing, that’s why you go with the stream, and not just with everyone’s opinion on Kovac, but on social issues as well, it’s your personality. I on the other hand am alive, I go against the stream.
Sveti Ante moli za Hrvate, a naj vise za Bodula.
Ja nimam nista protiv bosne, tamo ima puno dobrih hrvata, samo kad ti svira ovaki kao ca je hammer moras mu malo stati na zulj. Da je jasno ono ca san napisao samo se odnosi na njega i njegove, a ne na sve is bih
@Bodulo: Sto imas protiv Bosna???? That is Croatian land. You don’t hear people telling you that you are Italian. Pamet u glavu!
I dont use a translator, you will have to forgive me for writing in the dalmatian dialect, there is no google for that
Vrime, all the translators spell it vrijeme. Nothing wrong with learning. Vrime, vrijeme same thing, like Bodul and Bodul. Maybe vrime is an old islamic spelling, who knows. All joking aside which translator do you use? So you think I’m lying when I say I’m no mutt, are you seeing in me what’s really going on in yourself?
You are a mutt, you cant even speak the language and you will school me. Learn the language half breed.
You wasted my time. Is Bodul and Bodul the same, maybe it’s not? Maybe Bodulo and Budala are. I believe all muslims go to hell, you’re lucky for that Bodul who converted. I’m Roman Catholic and no mutt.
Dumbshut you are the mujo so you use the word in your peoples context, most Hrvati who can speak, read and write know that a bodul is someone from an island. It’s not too late for you, you can still learn the language. Joj s kakvom budalom ja gubim vrime?
You said Bodulo and Budala aren’t the same. Bodul and Bodul is exactly the same,and I’m supposed to have learning difficulties. Go get some help from Ziva.
You are an at risk child and as ziva says your parents failed you
Just focusing on your name Bodul which has it’s roots in Islam. You spell it Bodul the Muslims spell it Bodul, now I’d be mildly retarded if I didn’t realise that that’s the same. No resemblance, exactly the same. I have big respect for your Catholic ancestors, some where along the Bodul line someone became Catholic, big respect for that Bodul.
You’re a dumb cunt, bodul, bodulica, bodulo is a HRVAT who is from one of the many islands of Croatia. I notice you dont deny bring some sort of mutt bosanac kin to those who whored themselves to the turks
Why the name that has it’s roots in Islam then? What translator do you use?
Svaka ti cast kurbin sin, though i doubt you can even read and write HRVATSKI, i am a 100% Croatian Catholic, unlike you who is from bosna and has mixed blood because your ancestors whored themselves to the turks. Odjebi se govno turkso
I’m Catholic, you Budala, your ancestors were the cowards. Notice how you didn’t say you’re not a muslim. So you can’t spell or read, definitely your ancestors were desert wanderers.
Bodul means God fearing you stupid muslim. You saw for yourself Turkish donkey. HaHaHa
Vec kad si glup kao stina “Bodul: izvorni otočanin, izvorni stanovnik hrvatskih morskih otoka.”
You’re the fucking turk, you are definitely from over the boarder and your ancestors took it in the ass for a tax break.
So what was I supposed to learn on google, am I on the right track Budala ya mutt.
@Bodulo the Muslim
You should consider a suicide bombing.
@Bodulo
And yet you responded to @Budala, you saw the resemblance to Bodulo yourself ya donkey. Bodul means donkey as well. What ya know I learnt something.
@Bodulo
Luke chapter 12
And I say to you, my friends: Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. [5] But I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him.
How can Bodul mean God fearing when your ancestors feared men and not God. Maybe you can explain it to me since you’re a great learner.
@Bodulo
Bodul or Budool,It’s pronounced the same. What’s your ancestry, is it Turkish?
http://quranicnames.com/bodul/
You can even spell it like this, Bodool.
So it’s Bodul now. You fucking stupid Muslim. I was working with Bodulo ya mutt.
Once again you prove my point, bodul and budala aren’t the same thing, i wont mock you as its not nice to mock people with learning difficulties
Why would I go to google when it’s clear I see the resemblance, how is ask google even an option? Sounds mildly retarded.
Hammer svaka ti cast budalo, nadam se da znades da bodul se razlikuje od budale, ako ne pitaj google.
Yes i havent liked NK since before the wc and especially since, our play has been uninspiring under him the whole time. The wins and draws you can put down to a bit of talent luck and opp fear, but we have been read and our coach has no idea. As for the italy match, ive never seen 2 more disinterested sides
@Budala
So you didn’t like NK when we were 4w 2d. You don’t even know how to spell Budala, and I’m retarded.
No. I don’t give a fuck what your kind haven’t liked. Good riddance but more of the same in the future with Mamic & co, so just keep sacking coaches because the little semite Modric wasn’t happy, I guess you don’t think that’s retarded.
Hammer are you mildly retarded or something? People haven’t liked NK for a long time almost since he first put forward a roster with pranjic on, good riddance but the future is more of the same with mamic & co
Dont agree with many things Kovac did – however – do believe that there is no coach who will be good for any of our players who have secured big contracts. Our player mentallity does not accept authority. Only those without contracts will accept authority unitl they get a contract.
If it’s the coaches fault for these two poor performances, then he was responsible for the 4w 2d start. Like Kovac said ask the players for their poor performances. Now I know you guys believe that Croatia can’t beat Azerbaijan without little troll Modric, but I believe the mistake Kovac made was playing him at all against Azerbaijan. Little troll Modric should’ve only played the Norway game then he would’ve had a lot more to give, a lot more to leave out on the pitch while he was trying his best.
JM is spot on.
@Rafael……….what makes you think Zoran Mamic is a good coach? You can’t really judge dinamo by what they did in the Cro league. A monkey could coach them to the title. Dinamo looked out of sorts in last year’s Europa League.
I guess you can give Mamic credit for them making into the Champions League, but you have to admit the draw they received was very kind.
At this point, why not make Zoran Mamic the coach. It will make it that much easier for the fans to turn on the repka even more.
Stop beating around the bush and put Zoran Mamic in.
You guys all know the definition of insanity…..repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
Nothing will change. A new coach may get this group inspired enough to win the last two games and perhaps a playoff if need be, they will squeak in, the Savez will get its cash, we will crash out of the group stages and then onto the WC qualifying……round and round we go, where the crooks stop nobody knows!
Maybe Vladimir Petkovic for coach?
Romeo Jozak is world renowned educator. Best described as a teacher or professor. Brilliant at developing talent. I don’t think he would be the right man for the job but his youth national team curriculum is what developed the likes of modric, kovacic, halilovic etc…
Nenad Bjelica is a hidden gem. Took an average Austria Vienna team to the Champions League and coached Spezzia to 5th spot last season in the Serie B.
Cico makes the most sense.
Prosenecki is making big $ in Az so there is no point for him to leave that post for a year or 2.
Zoran Mamic is actually a solid coach but we all know who his brother is…
One game wont make or break Srna. I don’t see him being impactful at RM either to be honest with you.
It won’t matter who they hire as coach becasue I don’t believe that person will have full control.
A great question to ask Puppet Suker would be how can he justify not giving his resignation since he was the savez president when Struncjak Stimac and Kum Kovac were hired.
@Ziva
I’m a Romeo Jozak fan, but moreso for his ability to scout and secure talent.
I do know that he has a FIFA pro license and that he’s coached in the past, but who did he coach?
Honestly, he can’t be worse than Cacic.
@Ziva
Another option is for Srna to simply stop playing RB, and just have him at RW with Vrsaljko behind him at RB.
I’ll bet you the next coach wouldn’t want to outright bench Srna or kick him off the team, but would also be afraid of starting him at RB after watching that disaster happen against Norway.
http://www.vecernji.hr/nogomet/evo-sto-je-niko-kovac-porucio-u-oprostajnom-pismu-1023755
class act by Niko Kovac, no mud throwing or anything, just wishing the team the best
Conditions are already being placed on the new coach. Puppet Suker saying that Romeo Jozak will be on the bench. For those of you not aware of who he is, Jozak is the technical director of youth national teams. He gets tons of credit for develoiping the kids that Dinamo has sold over the years. But, his role is not for the senior national team bench.
Show my any self-respecting coach who will take a job while being told you must have a certain individual on the bench with you.
Just give it to Mamic. He’s not that bad…
1st choice – Klopp
2nd – Kek
3rd – Prosinecki
Klopp is the man. Some German steel is needed
Regarding Srna…….everyone can have a bad game. I wouldn’t bench him because of the Norway game. I would bench him because his play has been below his standard for some time now. Whoever the new coach has to ask himself the following………..Is Vrsaljko’s current form better than Srna’s current form. If so, you go with the Vrsaljko. Then, the next thing you do is have a one-on-one meeting with Srna and tell him that he is not in the starting 11 any more. Is that a problem for him because he will no longer be a captain. If he has issues with that, then you explain to him how he no longer will be called up. If he is ok having alesser role, then you call him up if you think he deserves to be on the roster.
The same holds true for every new coach. I would only invite those who deserve to be called up. Right now, that would mean a guy like Rebic would not be called up until he shows he deserves a spot.
I like the guy in many ways but Ciro is 80 years old this year. We’d be a laughing stock if we brought in a coach that age. He would need help just to get on and off the pitch.
@ Ziva – funny you mention that, I literally had a buddy say the same thing regarding Ciro when I asked what he thought.
Question for everyone
Do you guys think the “new” coach will start Srna the next game?
We all saw, the world saw, he was turned badly, twice, by the same guy, from Norway, who only has 2 international goals, both against Croatia. At least Lilian Thuram is/was known when he did in 98 to us.
@jm
you are correct about this coaching change
doesn’t matter who you bring in, these pussies will just get upset and same pattern
The game has passed Ciro. He would be someone you bring in to motivate a team. American team sports are big on brining in motivational speakers.
@ everyone
I don’t think it would happen but what about Ciro? Your thoughts please
Igor Biscan will be the next coach.
Kovac won 10 times in 19 games.
That’s not that great, especially when you consider that none of those wins came against anyone ranked in the top-50.
Jm, they went from pole position to a possibility of not making it…that’s enough reason to sack a coach.
Also, as much as I like Kovac as a person, he was disastrous vs Mexico, Azerbaijan and Norway…3 terrible games!
Yea. Cacic said today that nobody spoke to him. I think he’s just a Plan B in case they can’t come up with something better
@ slavonac
but don’t you see the spiral there? if you replace a coach every year, the players can easily turn their backs on him.
if you have someone they know is in place for sometime, it becomes on the players to adjust and do what the coach says
based on this precedence, any future coach must handle all these guys with kids gloves less they become unhappy with him, lose one game, and get him fired
The lack of communications is how the savez is positioning this. Gee, what did they think would happen by having the coach living full time in Austria. I hope Kum Kovac is willing to come out and speak to the media to at least give his side of the story.
If we are to beleive everything that is being said and written in Cro media (and they have been correct so far), Cacic will get the job in two weeks.
It might not be a done deal, because if it was I don’t see why he wasn’t named yesterday. I’m sure Puppet Suker and Mamic have something in mind and maybe will try to find a foreign coach in the next two weeks. But, for now, all signs are pointing to Cacic.
Jm, apparently…if we believe what’s being said, Kovac lost communication and respect with his players and that’s a disaster dude. Any coach that doesn’t have the respect of his players is a lost coach…they don’t believe in him and the rest is displayed on the field.
I remember when Mandzukic said the players didn’t understand Stimac’s system…Modric just spoke out about Kovac…it’s their way of saying they don’t function well under that leadership!
Realistically, we will not get any foreign coach to come in.
In this situation, we will only be able to get a domestic coach, and likely one who isn’t in a better situation right now (i.e. Tudor, Barisic, Bilic).
The best ‘realistic’ coaches that I can think of off the top of my head are:
– Matjaz Kek
– Nenad Bjelica
– Robi Prosinecki
– Cico Kranjcar
– Zoran Vulic
Kek is by far the most proven (having done extremely well with Slovenia), but he has a good thing in Rijeka, so he probably would not leave Rijeka for Cro. He seems to do well wherever he goes. He’d be my top pick.
Nenad Bjelica took a weakass Austria Vienna team to the Champions League and was one point shy of making it to the Round of 16. That alone is enough to make him a candidate. He’s rotting away in Serie B right now, so I think he’d come.
Prosinecki is far from being experienced and successful, but his stints in Turkey, Serbia, and Azerbaijan were positive at least. His resume is better than Kovac, Stimac and even Bilic’s before they got the jobs. Robi probably wouldn’t come, but still, it’s worth a call.
Cico Kranjcar may be a drunk, but he’s had some serious success with both Croatia and Montenegro. He has club experience, but nothing too impressive. I’d want him solely because his ultra offensive style would be a welcome change to this squad.
Zoran Vulic is just a HNL coach, but has done well with RNK Split. At this point, I am reaching here. I can’t think of anyone else at this point really.
I don’t like Cacic, Gracan, Jurcic, Pamic, Ivankovic, and Zoran Mamic (obviously). These guys may be somewhat experienced, but only in the HNL (with most of them barely being able to hold onto a gig for more than a year).
Kovac wasn’t fired because he lost the last match against Norway. He got fired because he lost the hearts and minds of the players.
Some might say he also got fired because our performance at the last two matches was so poor it will have depressed the transfer prices and marketability of some players in the team such as Pjaca – so Mamic and friends will have agitated for a new coach to change things quickly and stop that downward trend in their own investments.
@ anonymous
Hmmm Pamic may be overqualified. I think a Jasmin Agic or Ardian Kozniku could bring them to the promise land.
We asked for foreign coaches right lol?
@ slavonac
i know you thought kovac made some tactical errors (which coach doesn’t)
but do you really think changing coaches yearly is the right way to go?
i think the stability of a coach who the players know will be there is more valuable then thinking you’ll find some new magician from the sidelines of the HNL
I’m pretty satisfied Kovac is now gone but I’m also worried about who will replace him!
@Croatianperson85
I want Pep Guardiola.
We’ll get? Probably someone like Igor Pamić?
Alright everyone, who are your picks for coach, Ziva your thoughts ?
Both who you want and or think will actually get the job.
what a joke to replace kovac
the guy lost one game in qualifying
losing one game as being grounds for being fired in the middle of a campaign establishes your organization as unstable
there is no way for the players to ever view a coach with authority if they know he can be removed after 1 loss
for those of you, who think coaching is the only problem and there is a coaching savior in croatia at 300k a year, get real
this probably opens the door to a bigger krony of mamic and suker getting in
part of me feels kovac bothered those guys with his refusal to take in dinamo players as regularly as they would’ve liked
they looked for the first chance to get rid of him as a result
i heard that Ivica Mornar will be the new coach….
Kum Kovac is gone………..gee, nobody saw that coming when he was hired two years ago.
Today should be fun.
Miroslav Blazevic wants to take over as manager, I say let him have a shot, he said if he coached that he guarantees the next games vs Bulgaria and Malta will be 5-0
http://www.vecernji.hr/nogomet/hns-odlucio-niko-kovac-vise-nije-izbornik-1023719
Kovac is gone guys fyi
Like you Iggy I don’t see any of the HNL, so I checked him out on Wikipedia. I think it’s his assistant coaching role at Libiya that impresses me the most.
Kovac also coached one of the youth teams too remember, as someone else said of Bilic. I remember when he was given the job (kovac) he was at that time coaching the u21s or something
i asked before who cacic is and none of u cunts responded?
If Cacic becomes the new coach we have officially sunk to the lowest of lows. And on hammer’s point, he hasn’t played for any big clubs (none at all professionally actually) nor has he coached any big clubs unless you think Dinamo & Maribor are big clubs.
If this is true, Ante Cacic has plenty of experience. Played for bigger clubs than Niko Kovac, played under better coaches than Niko did under whom he would have learnt plenty. I forgot he has coached better players than Niko has. Just don’t upset little Modric and he’ll do fine.
Ante Cacic will be announced as the new manager within the next few hours
True. But still, we should be going after coaches who have at least put together 2-3 years of successful coaching experience.
For example, a guy like Tudor right now with his 2 years of coaching experience at Hajduk and 1 year coaching experience at PAOK (by season’s end) would be something that we should be aiming for at the VERY least.
These guys won’t cost millions, but are experienced enough that you at least know what you are getting. Taking a wildcard flyer on random former players is just a crazy and stupid risk.
@Maminjo, Bilic had some experience coaching the U23’s, I believe. I recall him getting some pretty good results with them as they were led by DaSilva and Modric, so atleast he did have something of substance on his resume.
@Hammer
Not sure why you have such beef against Modric. Luka played very well during this campaign and was one of our better players last week against the Azeris. Yes, he played poorly against Norway, but sometimes you have a bad game.
Kovac was trying to deflect all the anger that people had for the Azeri game in addition to the Norway game, onto Modric.
Kovac made bad substitutions in the Azeri game that he would not take accountability for. Then in the next game, he insists that Modric and all the rest of the players take accountability for that performance. He has to be a leader, and lead by example.
How can he expect others to take accountability for something when he won’t take any himself?
Bilic, Stimac and Kovac were all given the job with no experience. None should have been given the job. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that.
Bilic, unlike Stimac and Kovac, actually seems to have some talent, but was definitely still learning on the job. His humility and interpersonal skills is what kept him there so long. Stimac and Kovac’s unjustified arrogance caught up to them.
Ziva thinks Jozic did a good job. Maybe give him another try.
@David Tarabocchia
Bilić was a hack!
Are you trolling?
Bilić was just as incapable as Stimać and kovač.
2010 was unforgivable.
I miss Bilic as coach!
It’s poetic justice that Mandzukic’s inability to score has put Kovac out of a job. With just a few minutes of Kramaric on the field the long underperforming midfield actually clicked. Any half decent coach would have seen this. Niko chose to suck up to Mamic instead of focus on team building.
When Muslims die they go to hell, even that little Mujo who went swimming and drowned.
Why wasn’t Kovac a hack when we started 4w 2d is the question no one can answer.
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2015/09/08/german-media-ignore-7-year-old-german-girl-savagely-raped-by-a-north-african-muslim-invader/
Blazevic blaming Suker mostly on Croatian TV for installing Kovac in the first place.
Anyways, even if you dont think kovac is at fault, the reality is sometimes there is a breakdown between players and coach. This happens. In this situaiton, the coach has to go. There is no alternative. You cannot sack every player, but you can sack one coach. So even if Kovac is not at fault, the relationship has obviously broken down and he will have to go.
Precious little Modric got offended when Kovac said ask the players for their poor performance. His response, he left everything he had on the pitch and tried his best. The little troll has to realise Croatian NT isn’t Real Madrid, he can’t just sit in the middle and pass the ball to Bale, Ronaldo and James and then become a spectator, he has to get involved more for the NT.
If it came down to a choice between Kovac and Modric, I’d tell Modric to fuck off.
Niko Kovac and Luka Modric can both fuck off.
@Maminjo
Got his job being kumovi with the right family, I know how to fucking read, Ziva told us that from the start. I don’t give a fuck how he got his job, we still got off to a 4w 2d start, why wasn’t he a hack then?
They got no heart, that’s why they have this inferiority complex when it comes to Kovac.
Or the other option (which I would hate to see but you guys will love) get a Serb to coach the team.
@ hammer
That is not the answer.
These players need to play with pride, show us that heart and spirit.
@Maminjo
So who was responsible for the 4w 2d start?
LOL, great idea.
Let’s build our team around Kovac, instead of Modric and the rest of our team.
Kovac, a guy that couldn’t even hold onto an assistant position at Red Bull Salzburg.
He’s no boss. These players know that he’s a hack who only got the job as a result of being kumovi with the right family.
Kovac was good enough to get a 4wins 2draws start, and now when they suck these last two games Kovac sucks. Kovac should drop Modric to show the other players that he’s the boss, and if the players don’t like it they can fuck off.
No that is not the reason. They don’t give a damn. Period. Nothing will change with even a new coach.
Or maybe they don’t give a damn about Kovac and knew that this would get him pushed out.
Real shame all media attention is pointed towards Kovac. These players were downright awful from mando to Modric. Wish these players would man up.
I see a new coach coming aboard and watch us still loose points in the final two games. These players don’t give a damn.
@Bobby
Croatia is one point behind Ukraine, but that doesn’t include our one point deduction. Once we lose that point, we drop down below Hungary and are tied with Albania for third.
The good news is that Ukraine’s final game is against Spain, so they may drop points.
The bad news is that Albania actually has a game in hand on us. They could easily end up leapfrogging us if they get a positive result against Armenia and Serbia.
More bad news is that Hungary’s last game is against the Faroe Islands, and since Greece are likely to finish below the Faroe Islands, then the points that Hungary lost to Greece will be removed.
There’s still a chance for us, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
There’s more of a chance that Norway chokes in Italy and the score ends up 0-0 and we go through automatically.
Croatia is 1 point behind the Ukraine for the best third place record in the Euro qualifiers, which means automatic advancement to EURO2016 next summer.
I’d like to see Zlatko Kranjcar become coach and then put the best striker we have right now on the field to start the last two matches – his son Niko Kranjcar.
He’d be a Gerd Muller type, wouldn’t he? 🙂
25-5 record in NY and i only counted one, maybe two HRV jerseys in the crowd.
Onya Marin da Man ! Good job !
Now will lose to djokovic 100 % confirmed but SF is a good result
Fair enough, I was alluding to the three missed match points and the tie break debacle.
Cilic isn’t a choker. He’s actually really good in pressure moments. Have you seen him play?
The repka could take a fucking massive leaf out of Cilic’s books. He plays pretty well to his level. He’s def not as good as Djokovic or Federer but he is a grand slam champ and again here making the SF (looks like he will anyway) is a solid performance.
If the repka played to their potential the way Cilic does we’d all be laughing. We can only dream they maximise their potential the way Cilic does.
Nice to see Kyrgios dumped today from the Aus Davis Cup team too. Nice news story to wake up to.
I’d like to see Kyrgios booed 100 % of the time at every match he plays for the rest of his career. That would make me content.
He is a cunt.
I have a few good names for Cilic: “choker Cilic”, “challenger Cilic”, or “Flash in the pan Cilic”. heheheeh
Every match he plays out there that i have seen, the fans are actively wanting him to lose.
It’s pretty disappointing. If you just listened to the audio and didnt know who was playing – judging by the raucous applause for one guy and the silence for the other when points are won u would think it was kyrgios playing or something
very disappointing
From the Heartland!
Tons of Dalmatinci and Istrijani.
During work hours. He’s a doper. And he’s from Hercegovina, which to Istrijani and people from northern Dalmacija, is figuratively another country to many of them.
@Ziva
Sounds like Marin’s due!
Put a $50 on it. The odds should be good.
@iggy………..the match is being played during work hours. Plus, isn’t the NYC area full of dalmatinci. They have no interest is supporting a hercegovac, at least that is my view.
Three match points. Can’t close.
what is it with you americunts ?
Every match i have seen with Cilic in NY he has ZERO support. FUCKING ZERO.
HE is a grand slam champ. Where the fuck are the Croats supporting him?
Fucking loooosers
Oh cheers id idnt know he was playing now ! loaded it up in firstrow and watching now (US Open is not on TV in aus)
Suker will be a the Mayweather fight this weekend. Maybe we can get Floyd to KO him permanently.
Ziva, I do like your idea. That would be true entertainment. Have them all right in the front of press row.
Doper Cilic very close to making it to the US Open semis. Tsonga trying to stay alive.
If Doper Cilic get into the semis he is probably looking at a match with the half-hrvat Djokovic. And nobody, I mean nobody, beats Doper Cilic 14 times in a row, nobody. So, that will be working to Doper Cilic’s advantage.
ROLF
some great suggestions guys
now, forgive my ignorance but can someone explain who Cacic is ? I dont follow dinamo or the HNL or know anything so some brief background plz from someone?
I think Suker should step in and manage the team for the last 2 qualifiers and playoff.
Imagine the heart the players would show for him.
I think former coaches should the post game interviews with the current coaches, especially after a loss. The level of awkwardness would be awesome. And I would make sure no softbal questions get asked.
Kum Kovac and Strucnjak Stimac doing the pre and post game analysis for HRT during NT games would be magical.
@Poglavnik……………….no celeb lists, but he is comped when he stays in Vegas because he has lost some serious coin at one specific casino.
We need Jurgen Klopp! I pray they hire a real coach!
Unless this “guy who knows a guy” is Croatian he’ll be like “Davor who?”
Don’t think the Sukerman is cracking too many Vegas celeb lists.
Do any of you watch European basketball in general? Do they also believe in forcing 3’s during league play. Transition game for Cro is still pretty slow.
If Kum Kovac is fired, I hope HRT is smart enough to hire him as an analyst for the next set of games. Don’t you guys agree that it would be great TV for Kum Kovac to show up at a press conference and then ask players/coaches detailed questions. It would be awkward for the players, but great entertainment for the TV viewers. This needs to happen.
@Sepp………..i don’t know it, but I can get it. I know a “guy who knows a guy” and as long as he knows the name of the hotel a person is staying at, he can get your their exact location. This “guy know knows a guy” has connections at all the big casinos and pockets some nice change from the TMZ types who pay him to find out where/when a specific celebrity will be at a Vegas location.
@ Jure
exxxxxxxactly… talk about a merry band of losers they talked to in that article
i’m surprised they didn’t get Stico himsef and maybe a line or two from the godfather himself, Ciro.
@Sudi Mi
That article is too funny. Someone is crying about the injustice done to Igor Stimac and to bring him back! Had to laugh at that one. I refuse to read anything from jutarnji. Just garbage.
Cro down to Makedonija after two and were down 2.
The knives are out….
http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/sto-hrvatski-treneri-misle-o-debaklu-u-norveskoj–kako-je-kovac-dosao-na-klupu-reprezentacije-tako-treba-i-otici-/1412408/
Me…crappy auto-complete!
@Sepp, I think Ziva is a bathroom attendant at one or two of the gentle men’s clubs in Vegas. Hes quick with a light of your smoke or a towel for your hands. I guess that is how he gets some of his intel???
That was me if not obvious….
@Slavonac
Cestitam! LOL
ziva – how would you know his hotel and room number?
WOW…this is a record…I agreed with Sude Mi, twice in the same day!
😉
Very similar scruples.
I’m on to him!
think about it this way, Mamic and Suker fucked over countless people and organizations and god knows how many people they’ve throw under the bus to get where they are at. they’ve scratched and clawed (obviously only for the betterment of themselves) to get where they are at. shady deals, lies, you name it. you think a handful of players who ‘strike’ will bring their house down?
@mile………..that point deduction is not going away.
@Poglavnik
All kidding aside, based on his Suker insight, I think Ziva not-knowingly just outed himself a bit . . .
A strike, in my eyes, would do nothing.
Mamic and Suker would immediately go on the defensive and paint out the players to be these terrible players. It would get very, very ugly. Mud slinging at its finest. The Mamic propaganda machine would be at a nice hum at that point.
If just 3-4 players do this, I see the above happening – if we have most of our starters boycot (8+) I could then maybe see them changing things or other parties stepping in.
Mamic/Suker would keep on going though and whatever players would be out of the fold.
@JimmyCro…………nope. Not if done to expose and humiliate him. This is the opposite of fanboy-dom.
@Sude mi……….agreed. I’m not saying you are worng. In fact, I think evenutally we will see the more wealthier football nations leave FIFA and form their own organization. We came close to seeing this with the clubs in UEFA. UEFA revamped the Champions League and the payouts to accomodate their demands.
In terms of qualifying, the appeal of the one point deduction is very important in the standings. If the one point deduction is upheld, there is a chance Croatia could win their last two games and still only get third place. Assuming this one point deduction, if Italy, Norway and Croatia win their next game, the standings would be:
Italy – 21
Norway – 19
Croatia – 17
So going into the last game, Italy will have already clinched a Euro spot. The Italy-Norway game wouldn’t mean anything to them. If Croatia beats Malta, Norway would have to beat Italy since Croatia own the tiebreaker over Norway. However, a reversal of the one point deduction would guarantee Croatia a Euro spot if they win both games.
I know, based on how they played the past week, that is a big ask.
Ziva, what you are proposing is in some ways what I suggested Dinamo needed to do to burn it to the ground. I don’t really want to get into that again for obvious reasons, but the one big flaw in a strike or some other major act that exposes the cancer(s) is that you pre-suppose there are good, honest, transparent, honourable professionals in place that would/could do a better job….are there?
Btw, our savez is not the only one with this malaise…..many are like this. We focus on it given our nationality and this forum.
The problem is global in scope. In fact, I still don’t believe a Platini or Prince Ali or some other World Soccer Apartchik will change very much within in FIFA.
AND, it FIFA, UEFA and all the other world bodies are not cleaned up, made to be transparent then I don’t hold out any hope that HNS will come clean.
This is systemic. It is not just about the general indifference to corruption within Croatia (which certainly doesn’t help), but rather world football in general is a cesspool of shady characters, kickbacks, criminal activity, illegal betting, match fixing, etc.
You really want to clean up the HNS? In my view the top 25 world soccer nations in the world would need to leave FIFA and look to set up a brand new world governing body that would over-see everything. Only then could you begin to clean out the rot at every level.
Otherwise, you are just pissing in the wind.
So now we know Ziva’s true identity — a Vegas transgender prostitute. Explains all the free time to post on this site and addict like gambling action.
Ziva is Suker?!
@Ziva getting someones room # isn’t that beyond “jock sniffing”?
@Sepp……he wasn’t really a divisive figure in the locker room. Suker was the most divisive figure we have ever watched put on a jersey for the repka, but his play on the field overcame his inadequacies as a human being.
@Denis……….it wouldn’t be a manhunt. I would be able to tell you the name of his hotel and probably his room number.
I’m beginning to think a strike is the only answer to drive out Mamic and Puppet Suker. Anything less continues the status quo.
Then again, I wouldn’t expect sunch acts from our mental midgets. You’ll recall these are the same mental midgets who turned their back on Suspension Joey.
Wasn’t NK a divisive figure in the locker room as a player? Which also explains why he hired RK as an assistant.
Bottom line, the guy played with heart for the NT, but he doesn’t have what it takes to coach the NT (both the tactical skills and “soft” skills).
A players’ boycott would not be viewed as heroic by the rest of the world. They would just laugh at us. Same shit goes on at many other NTs. They need to play hard/win despite the shit show behind the scenes.
@Ante B,
“I’d be fine with Klopp.”
fine? I would almost wear a Dinamo jersey for a day if we hired Klopp.
@Ziva,
“To the guys who run this site…………..If I told you next time Suker is in Vegas, would you be interested in ambushing him on camera (TMZ style) and asking a few questions?”
You’re really trying to turn this into TMZ.
If an interview was set up I would go. Otherwise, I wouldn’t go to Vegas on a man hunt.
This was difficult at Indian Wells much less a city the size of Vegas.
Lastly, I’m sending questions over to a Croatian Basketball Center in a few hours. Any last second questions?
.
Denmark ’92
Greece ’04
Hrvatska ’16
An underdog is due!
Too much talk here about the coach and leadership. At the end of the day these players wear the jersey and represent the country. The way they play clearly shows they don’t give a damn. i’m convinced if they got anyone inlculding Klopp it would still be the same crap. Modric and rakitic underperforming along with team. This team is not as good as many think they are.
@Sepp…………..Kum Kovac never had the team. The players know he was hired by Mamic. Tough to gain respect for a coach hired in that manner. The truth is the players didn’t care for Kum Kovac – good or bad.
What the players need to do and we as fans need to encourage is for them to refuse the next call up to the national team. Imagine if all or most od the top players refused to show up in Ocotber for the Bulgaria game and Cro had to use second and third tier choices. The players would be considered heros in Cro and around the world. Would we miss the Euros? Sure, but that could be what is needed to get rid of the scum. Plus, the Euros will still be on TV and everyone would be able to still watch on tv.
@Ante B….Oliver??? I’m not following you.
NK has been a disappointment. And he has lost the team. Now is the time to get rid of both NK and RK. They should get an interim manager (someone with actual managerial experience) for the last two games and any playoff games. Then re-visit the issue.
If you’re a legit coach, you wouldn’t take this job given all the snakes in the closet…
Slavonac
Agreed!
So who has some free time and wants to make a couple extra bucks coaching the NT? Who is even available realistically? ANTE CACIC?? Jeez. His coaching staff should just include Jurcic by default. Is Ciro in the running? Ivkovic? Matjaz Kek? What’s Vahid Halilhodzic up to these days? Or Branko Ivankovic? He at least led IRAN to the world cup. lol Give it another season. Zdravko will fire Zoran after Dinamo get embarrassed in the Champions League and Zoran will become coach of the Repka.
Ziva,
Oliver concert?
Cacic will be king!
Hope this happens!
To the guys who run this site…………..If I told you next time Suker is in Vegas, would you be interested in ambushing him on camera (TMZ style) and asking a few questions?
Suki will bring on his former team mate at Sevilla as the new manager—DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA:)
If we had to pick from Mamic’s coaching selections at Dinamo, at least pick Ivankovic. He worked with the majority of the guys at Dinamo when they went like 1,237-0
our savez has been reluctant to hire NT coaches from even Slovenia and some think that Mamic/Suker will bring in a German like Klopp? LOL
its hard to say about Jozic, he did good things but they lost to Ecuador and Mexico….the one thing I respect the man for was that he himself resigned…it was noble and he didn’t make a circus in the media from what I remember.
to me, Bilic seems psychotic about soccer….he really lives and breathes the game, which is why I admire him. also, he seems to be a hybrid of structure, discipline, details…but is also inventive and creative…which has proven to be good and bad…I guess its a learning experience to know when and when not to take chances.
Lets play make believe for a second……………
If the likes of Rakitic, Perisic, Modric and a few others all came out and said they will not play for the repka while led by Mamic and Puppet Suker, would you back them? Even if it meant not qualifying for the Euros?
Remember, short term pain for long term gain.
Klopp…..this is wishful thinking, but he would be great. If he is taking this season off, I wonder if he would be interested to be a caretaker coach and leave after the Euros. And I think we can stop with the Klopp talk.
I’m not that high up on Rebic…
the talent is there, but like so many others – the kid suffers from mental midget syndrome – makes bone headed decisions, takes terrible cards – i think if anything, he’s due to mature a bit and that will help him out a lot
Bring in Cico!
Drunkard Cico for coach!
Pijan Zlatko Kranjcar za trener!
Ante Cacic? Ante fucking Cacic? Like I said before, the repka has become Dinamo. It wouldn’t shock me if Jurcic is after Cacic…then Pamic. At this point, give me a foreign coach. I’d be fine with Klopp.
@Slavonac………….I had no issues with Bilic as coach. You know who I thought did an good job coaching the team? Jozic. I just don’t think he had much talent to work with. Not saying he was great. He wasn’t. But he didn’t have any difference makers on that team.
I’ve been saying that all this your potential is nothing more than potential right now. The likes of Rebic and Halilovic are both in different situations right now and neither of them deserve a minute with the repka until they show something with the national team. Until they show something – anything – at the club level, there is no way they will play for the repka. If you can’t produce at the club level, what makes anyone think they will produce at the international level. Now, Halilovic will have his chance this season. Lets wait and see on him. As for Rebic, the dude has not played at all for a full year and we have the naive fan boys wanting him to get minutes for the repka.
@ Ziva
I agree with all your points. Well stated.
I mean I would be ok everything just going down the shitter for a few years, I just hope whatever replaced the current regime gets us in the right direction…
German newspapers here sayin Klopp has agreed to coach Croatia…. Hope this is true
A foreign coach will not be influenced by savez
Ziva, go back to a time when Mamic didn’t have such a strong hold on the league and National Team and let me know who you felt did a great job as the coach? both of us know Ciro and the ’98 team were not a result of his brilliant coaching…
my point with this is qualified and credible enough to not be influenced by his peers? how many times in the past have we seen terrible decisions made?
for the many of you that hated Bilic, I can say that other than some really stupid decisions he made (which I believe were him over analyzing rather than being stupid) he did a pretty decent job as head coach. under him, Croatia was usually seeded in the top 10…he ensure he got results to keep the team in a favorable position, something few before him have been able to do. he quickly added youth to the squad and although he later had some tunnel vision, I’ve yet to see anyone do better…prior to him and after him.
I think the downfall of many coaches is they can lose sight of the overall goal and they often think they can miraculously change a player…ie…Pjaca playing in a central role vs an outside position…Pranjic at left back vs a very strong side that has excellent attackers down the wings.
Sude Mi,
you are right and yes I agree, Real and Barca are world class…but I believe that at this point, only Modric and Rakitic can be considered at that level, Kovacic has a ways to go, Perisic has been the most consistent and playing very well….thats where this all ends….we have NOBODY that has proven anything for quite some time…Rebic, Halilovic, Pjaca, Rog, Radosevic, Pasalic, Coric, Balic…..none are ready and none can be relied on.
We could be 24 hours away from Cacic being introduced as coach. THink about that for a second.
Now, I haver no clue if it will happen or not, but for his name to even be mentioned or considered is insane.
Assuming Kum Kovac is fired (I’m sure he will receive some nice parting gifts to take back home to Austria), Cacic would be about the last guy on any possible coaching list.
This is almsot to good to be true. I kind of wish Cacic gets the job, but too bad no fans allowed for the Bulgaria game. Can you imagine the sabotage that would take place by the fans if they were alowed in to watch him coach the repka. What took place in Poljud or in Milan would be nothing.
At the end of the day, like always, the national team will do enough to scrape by and as a result that will keep Puppet Suker and Mamic in their current roles.
We will eventually qualify for the Euros which means those tow idiots will remain. But, because of them we will never be more than a quality side that makes major tourneys. I would be OK with that because it is really hard to win Euros and WCs and we don’t have the roster to win one of those. But, I would also like to know that we had people in power who cared about positioning the national team to acheive its best, instead of using the national team to improve their own financial interests.
@Slavonac
My reference to world class was in relation to the clubs they play for….Barca, RM, Inter, Juve….I’m sure you’ll agree they would be considered world class given their history of championships, longevity, leagues, etc….peace out.
@Slavonac
My reference to world class was in relation to the clubs they play for….Barca, RM, Inter, Juve….I’m sure you’ll agree they would be considered world class given their history of championships, longevity, leagues, etc….peace out.
@Slavonac…………..Mamic has blocked the former players from trying to come back and do anything because that would mean he would lose power and influence. Look at what Mamic did to Simic when he tried to organize a players union. Look at the name calling he did when Biscan, Simic, Slivio Maric and Sokota came out and asked for changes within dinamo. Even behind closed doors when Boban showed some interest in becoming more involved years ago, Mamic made sure there were no opportunities for Boban.
The only former players who have become active are two of the biggest pieces of garbage who have ever put on a national team dress: Puppet Suker and Stimac. Puppet alligned himself with Mamic, while Strucnjak Stimac was the opposition to Mamic.
I want the people in power to put our players in the best position possible to win. That is not the case right now and I don’t feel the savez has that view or that mindframe.
My life doesn’t change if we are ranked 6th, 16th or 66th. I just want all of the scum removed from Cro soccer. Now, if that means we implode for a few years and that eventually results in a cleaner savez that positions our players, club teams and national teams with a better chance to advance and reform, then I am OK with that.
By the way, one way I like to judge a team is to see how a team/players react when things don’t go that way. As we can see with the last two games, players and coaches have started to attack each other.
Great entertainment.
http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/i-srna-se-ne-slaze-s-izbornikom—ma-recite-da–sam-bio-ocajan–ali-zelju-mi-nemojte-osporavati-/1412835/
good comment Armada…yeah, where are these former players that have played for the repka and country?
there has to be a middle road between
a. keeping that status quo
b. watching our savez, 1st league, NT, etc. implode and our football becoming just completely unwatchable
i don’t know what that middle road is….? players speaking up? some savior (boban? simic and his crew?) coming in and saving things? really don’t…
@ Ziva
no point in that, lets not get silly…
i’m all for change, but how far do we have to stoop here?
i hate bringing them up, but do you want to become the next Serbia? 66th in the world? they hardly make major tournaments? most of their NT players are completely jaded when it comes to their savez, no one gives a shit anymore, etc. and i don’t think they even see light at the end of the tunnel really…?
you clamor for this very thing, but i really doubt you would be ready for the full scale ramifications of our savez completely imploding…
At this point I kind of want Cacic as the coach just to see how much lower this shit show can become.
@horvat…..agreed. if any of the players had any courage, they would come out and say they refuse to play for the repka until all the shit is gone. By shit i mean Mamic and Puppet Suker.
Agreed. Lets stop using the word world class. Modric and Rakitic are really, really, really good, but they are not the top players at their respective clubs. We have not seem them dominate games for the national team. Yes, they play a great game every now and then, then have solid performances, but all come up with a good number of performances that are well below what they do on the club side.
Mahir Mandzuka benefitted from playing at Bayern and scoring tap in goals from the likes of Robben, Ribery, Mueller, etc…..He never was elite.
I can live with these results if we had a coaching staff that was hired based on experience and various intangibles. But, oh no, we have a coach hired based on being a family friend and nothing more. We deserve what we get.
It is just a question of we receive the short term pain we need for long term gain.
If Cacic or Jurcic become coach, I’m done with following the national team until things change.
The players need to go on strike until Mamic and Suker are removed.
“World class” who?
Modric and Rakitic are the only two “world class” starters on their respective teams…
After that, the best player we have (the best on the NT for the past 2 years) has been Perisic…then who?
god, I hope they don’t bring on a Cacic/Ivkovic/Jurcic…
replace Kum Kovac with a ZM disciple. That’s exactly what the team needs.
You may be right, although knowing the Savez their replacement would be another newbie on the cheap which in my mind does not put us any farther ahead.
I just don’t see a ton of options up top or in the mid-field; you can move around the pieces but in the end the guys on the pitch play at world-class clubs and have done little to nothing in the last number of games. I’m always more about the players and their effort, cohesiveness and commitment to the cause. If you compare the talent of Croatia v Norway it is not even close, yet the Norwegians CLEARLY wanted it much more…..to me that is a huge indictment of the leadership group of the repka. Huge!
I just left Zagreb this morning, rumors are that Wednesday or Thursday kovac gets the axe
If you are coaching a team and use tactics that are illogical and aren’t proving to be useful…you lose not only your audience but you lose credibility and the trust of those you command.
I was one of those that welcomed Kovac, thinking he had a strategic mind and although he didn’t have coaching experience, he played the game at the highest level for one of the best teams in the world…he obviously was nothing more than a role player that didn’t learn much.
His decisions in the World Cup were questionable but during that time I felt his bench was weak and he was limited with choices…the recent choices he’s made from standing in pole position have been abysmal!
I mentioned we looked terrible in the first 30 minutes of the Norway game and was criticized, that’s fine but the truth is, we were terrible! Croatia has to control the play, feet to feet, calm and patient…force the Norweigans to open up and commit…we played their game of no possession, open centre of the field, back and forth possession, tons of breakages in play…who does that benefit?
Kovac has to go, he’s nowhere near smart enough and his ego is far too big!