CroatianSports.com caught up with 2014 US Open and 2018 Davis Cup champion Marin Čilić at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA.
Čilić was reluctant to name the greatest Croatian tennis player of all time, but he did talk about the Vatreni at the World Cup and where he watched the Final. Čilić is currently tied with Ivanišević at one Grand Slam apiece. With Nadal, Federer, and Murray all entering the final hoorahs of their career, will Čilić bag another Grand Slam title?
The answer is yes.
Hate or love em
Dinamo know what quality looks like
They can now claim they have developed a Balon Dor
Great post maminjo
Great work getting this interview Ante !
The good news now for us is that Dinamo no longer sells their youth for peanuts, so the buying teams are pretty much forced to develop them.
Dinamo sold Pjaca for 23 million euro, they sold Benkovic for 15 million euro…they will likely sell players like Olmo and Moro for 15-20 million (or more). They even sold that bum Jozo Simunovic for 8 million euro to Celtic, and he had no chance to play for Cro.
I personally think they sold Ante Coric to Roma because they saw he was not progressing, and they decided to cash in.
I’m noticing that all the “highly skilled but small in stature” Croatian prospects that are being dubbed “the next Modric” are not looking good right now.
Guys like Halilovic, Andrija Balic, Ante Coric…they are all small framed guys who probably have no place in today’s football as star players (since everyone is looking for the tall, strong, highly skilled box-to-box midfielders like Pogba).
Modric may be small, but he is VERY strong. His calf muscles alone are frightening to look at. These guys like Coric, Balic and Halilovic are not at all built like Modric (other than the short height) and are way too easily pushed off the ball.
Our best prospects are skilled players who can can handle the physical element.
We all saw in the World Cup how effective guys like Rebic and Mandzo can be (despite not having the elite skills on the ball). Add in players like Modric, Perisic, Brozo and Raketa (who are skilled AND can play physical) and you can pretty much win a World Cup.
If you can develop youngsters who have the best of both worlds (like what Pjaca was looking like he was going to be before his injuries) then you have yourself a true high-end prospect.
I think Dinamo realizes this, and I think it’s the reason why they were quick to sell of Coric for only 6 million euro.
HNL needs to put a no sell to like 20 rule
But then a team couldn’t flog a quality talent to pay the electric bill on the stadium
Reuniting Zidane and Modric, is like reuniting Obi Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker!
Modric played some of his best football under Zidane’s tutelage!
Also, Kova played well under Zizou. As he provided excellent cover for Kroos and Modric, allowing them to stay fresh. It’s possible that Zidane recalls Mateo, but in what role and would Kova be satisfied with it?
@CroatiaU14
I too am pleased with Youth Dinamo’s progress. It’s a testament to fact our youth pipeline is flowing. I just hope these kids stick around until they’re 22, and then get sold for a nice sum.
Instead of being sold at 18, for a sacka potatoes, and then being benched by their clubs because they’re is no pressing need to develop them since they paid so little for them.
Dinamo Youth into the quarterfinals of Chanpions League!!
Kovačić ?
He played well under Zidane.
Kroos is out and the Spanish kids are no big shakes.
Zidane sees his quality.
Real Madrid already own his contract.
Does zidane going back to Madrid influence modric to want to stay?
Anglo countries like the US, Australia and Canada are really big on backpacks and camping-related things.
I always see them walking around with backpacks (instead of briefcases for work, or suitcases for travel) with all kinda of buckles and straps hanging from the bags.
They like those fishing hats too, fanny packs and cargo pants. Anything with an extra pocket or pouch to stuff junk in I guess lol.
What’s with the backpack? Did Kvartuč mug a 12 year old just prior to this interview?
Goran still has the most aces in a season with over 1400 back in ’96.
It’s Goran all day for me. Their characters are night and day too. Marin is also boring as fuck and a doper.
You can filter each of their accomplishments to favour one over the other.
They are both at the same level.
But I like Ivanišević because he is such a typical Croat character, breaking his rackets and being overly emotional (in a funny self-destructive way, and not a “crying at the Finals” way).
I love that Ivanišević (along with Karlović and Ljubičić) are in the top 10 all time Ace list. Lol.
Čilić might make the list during his career too.
It’s insane that we make up almost half of the all time list lol.
Ivanisevic had 4 slam finals with 1 win clic has three slam finals with 1 win
Great work Ante!
GORAN =U=
Za Dom
Ante… Thanks for bringing that to us. Marin Cilic seems like a good dude. Also… Ante, thanks for the weekly highlights from Prva Liga. I love watching them. Keep it up
Thanks for the interview!
They each won a Slam, but Goran is still the best since his highest ranking was #2 by age 22 vs #3 by age 29 for Marin. The same goes with the highest Year-End Ranking which was twice #4 for Goran and twice #6 for Marin . Goran also still has more singles career titles (22 vs 18), more singles finals (27 vs 14 ) more Slams finals (3vs 2) and more doubles titles (9vs 0).
The only thing that Marin has got on Goran is a team Davis Cup title (+1 final), but Goran got 2 bronze Olympic medals, one Grand Slam Cup, one World Team Cup, one Hopman Cup as well as still holding the record for the most aces in one season (1,477) which even Ivo cannot beat.
I truly wish that Marin wins another Slam, but when it comes to overall skills and raw talent it is quite obvious that Goran is the best Croatia has ever had so far…