Nenad Bjelica’s reign at Maksimir is OVER. Fabio Cannavaro, the 51 year-old Italian World Cup champion, will take over 3rd place Dinamo Zagreb in the HNL, with two games remaining in the UCL League Phase; versus Arsenal and AC Milan.
Cannavaro captained the Italian national team and played for Real Madrid, Juventus and Inter Milan during his football career.
Bold move by the Croatian champs! It will be fun to see him and Gattuso go at it in 2025.
Given 99.9% certainty Dani Olmo leaving Barca on a free tomorrow (bc they can’t register him)
Chance he does Dinamo / Croatia a solid and helps them win the HNL ?
He’d also get Arsenal and AC Milan in the CL
What a story if he could carry them thru to the knock-out round(s) on his back
Would be a good influence on Baturina and Petar Sucic
Dinamo did a lot of his career – perhaps he feels at least a little bit that he own Croatia after deciding to go w/ Spain – and can repay us back this way – also the big $$$ typically happen in summer (when clubs have the budget) so he’ll be able to negotiate a better deal for himself then
Never going to happen – but imagine if it did – what a story – Netflix doc all written on it
Hypothetically if Olmo was to come back to Dinamo?? he could help them in HNL but forget about CL as he has already played for Barcelona and cannot play for another club in Europrean club comps till next season in 2025/26.
…wrong again lol
Why you hating on MART so much lately? haha
https://amp.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/can-clubs-add-to-european-squads-january-bayern-munich-champions-league-30166
3 new players can be added to Dinamo squad for CL knock-out stages (but not Arsenal and AC Milan)
As we expect w Perisic at PSV
Given 99.9% certainty Dani Olmo leaving Barca on a free tomorrow (bc they can’t register him)
What are the chance he does Dinamo / Croatia a solid and helps them win the HNL ?
He’d also get Arsenal and AC Milan in the CL in Jan
What a story if he could carry them thru to the knock-out round
Would be a good influence on Baturina and Petar Sucic
Dinamo did a lot of his career – hopefully he feels at least a little bit of “guilt” not chasing to play for Croatia – and can repay us back this way – also the big $$$ transfer typically happen in summer (when clubs have the budget) so he’ll be able to negotiate a better deal for himself then
Never going to happen – but imagine if it did – what a story – Netflix doc all written on it
😉
Luka Vušković
“In my game, I am satisfied with everything except one thing – speed. I work on improving it every day.” [SN]
What’s with the wops coaching in Prva Liga? Back to the boat!
They’re sick of spaghetti and linguine, and developed a taste for fuži, šurlice, mlinci and makaruni.
I don’t blame them.
I think it is good that HNL clubs are getting foreign coaches if they can afford it. Don’t care if they are Italian, Spanish or whatever ? Most of the HNL coaches are useless and employing tactics from 70’s with slow tempo and with majority of the teams being physically unfit.
Our clubs apart from Dinamo cannot compete in Europe and struggle big time e.g Rijeka got thumped 5 – 0 by Olimpija a few months back in the second leg of Conference League. Olimpija for that match had a Spanish coach and played with high intensity and absolutely destroyed Rijeka.
Gattuso at Hajduk is not a great tactician, maybe I’m being a fit unfair because Hajduk does not have a lot of quality players. However, what he has done is bring in discipline and the players are physically fit, and most can run now for 90 minutes including Livaja who has shed a few kilos.
So as far as I’m concerned foreign coaches are good for HNL at this point in time.
Was waiting for the “theory” from the poster obsessed with foreign agents that Italy has planted Gatusso and now Cannavaro, respectively, as foreign agents tasked with reappropriating Dalmatia and now Istria, respectively, on behalf of Italy
Dalmacija has like only 1000 Italians in the entire state.
Australian expats have a higher chance for appropriation than Italians do.
Halfway through the season and 3rd coach for Dinamo. This is good news for Rijeka and Hajduk. It will take some time for Cannavaro to get to know all the players and their capabilities plus two CL fixtures against Arsenal and AC Milan in late January and early February.
With Rijeka and Hajduk seven points ahead of Dinamo, it is now or never? for either of the two to take the title away from Dinamo.
Cannavaro is an absurd choice. Zero coaching pedigree. Never lasted anywhere as a manager in serie A. Middle East and China are not relevant. Perhaps Bjelica and the board weren’t on the same page but cannavaro is a “fast fashion choice”!!! brutal
It’s an unnecessary risk.
Bjelica has the experience, and the team doesn’t seem like it’s falling apart.
They have been missing several key players and are visibly prioritizing the Champions League games.
If losing the HNL title was the concern, then I guess they could get reinforcements this January and have Bjelica focus more on the league than the next couple of games against Milan and Arsenal.
Bjelica is a hot-head, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he got into an argument about this with the board.
Cannavaro is a complete wildcard with little to no experience…but probably comes with a high salary.
Am I missing something here with Fabio Cannavaro?
What makes him someone that is worth firing a coach mid-season (and paying two coaches) for?
Could just be a puppet coach. Its been revealed that not everyone was on the same page about bringing bjelica back in the first place. This winter bjelica wanted to bring some trabzonspor players but the board didnt agree with his vision.
Not surprising at all, I wrote a few weeks back that his head was on the chopping block. In HNL 9 matches in charge for 2 wins, 4 draws and 3 loses. This really puts in doubt if Dinamo can win the title and with it 30 million EUROS for a spot in next year’s CL. That is why he has been sacked.
With Rangers unlikely to win the title in Scotland and Shakter struggling in Ukraine, and Dinamo with their current high UEFA club coefficient is guaranteed direct qualification to the CL providing they win the HNL?
Bjelica was a bit unlucky with injuries to some key players but let’s be realistic Dinamo has enough quality squad players for HNL that they should be winning against the likes of Slaven, Istra, Gorica etc.
Bjelica is making good money by being regularly sacked as a coach most recently by Trabzonspor, Union Berlin and now Dinamo. He has earned 4 or 5 million for termination of his coaching contracts alone.
On recent coaching form he should definitely not be considered to replace Dalic anytime soon.
Bjelica was focused on Champions League, which cost him his job.
Dinamo don’t have the depth (especially with these injuries) to focus on two leagues at the same time.
We talked about this in earlier threads, that even though his Champions League results have been good… the financial benefits of winning the HNL are much greater than simply advancing to the CL knockouts this year.
Also…
Fabio Cannavaro? Really? LOL
Mart
Great input. Thanks for the post.
lousy take, do more research
Wow! How long did Bjelica last, 60 days? Like Juric at Roma.