The Croatia squad for the Mexico friendly on May 27th at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was announced today, and based on comments around social media, the fans ARE NOT happy.
The team will consist of only 16 players, 12 of which currently play in the Croatian Prva Liga. The “biggest” players coming are Bayern Leverkusen’s defender Tin Jedvaj and Sporting Gijon’s (who were just relegated from La Liga this weekend) Duje Čop. Between the 16 players chosen, they have been capped by the Croatian senior side 29 times with only one goal to their name.
For those of you disappointed in not being able to see Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Mario Mandžukić or Ivan Perišić, to name a few, these players were never going to come to Los Angeles.
May 27th is not an official FIFA mandated international day. That means clubs do not need to release their players internationally if they don’t want to. Serie A finishes their season this weekend which means no players in Italy were going to make the trip. Ivan Rakitić and Barcelona play the Copa del Rey Final on Saturday and Real Madrid (Modrić, Kovačić) have the Champions League Final the following weekend.
However, one thing I would have liked to see is if Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) would make the trip with Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramarić. Both could be utilized as starting XI players and this would have been a symbolic moved for Lovren since his falling out with coach Ante Čačić.
On the bright side, look for Ivan Santini to give 100% as there has been rumblings about his play this season. But in the end, we will be seeing the HNL All-Star team at the Coliseum against Mexico.
This is not a designated FIFA Friendly date. Clubs do not need to release players. Agreed that some players seasons are done, but they probably have commitments with their clubs.
We are lucky to have the players we have going. Otherwise call up the diaspora to play the game.
@Anonymous
Great list. Is Simunovic injured? Do they already know about him well enough to not call him and figured they would call players who they haven’t really seen much of but are in and around the general talent pool? I know he’s played this year I think steady for Celtic aside from some injuries.
I think i will jack off during the game.
Hopefully this group of players play with something to prove
Maybe the HNS did this purposefully to piss off the Hrvati in America who are protesting the Suker/Mamic hierarchy.
I never knew anything of this Adrien Thomasson until I read Anonymous’ list of players, anyway those of you interested in him, in an article I just read, it says that he has a Croatian mother, he can play DM, CM or wing if need be, a fast and modern player and one of the Nantes coaches favourite players!
The HNS still treats friendlies like a B or C team practice.
Sorry that anonymous comment was me =U=
What a bunch of sucks don’t go don’t watch .
@Colin – thanks for heads up on players to watch.
That said, I disagree, we won’t be playing Mexico’s scrubs. Their list of 32 players are the best they have at the moment.
Plus, Mexico would never disrespect their fans by fielding a shit team.
@Idemo-all good, we don’t see eye to eye on some topics, but diversity of thought isn’t always bad. That said, I do agree sending our stars on this flight before Icrland would have been a mistake. I just don’t like the way this game was scheduled. It almost seems like we are the Washington Generals and Mexico will be the Harlem Globetrotters.
Posavec
Jedvaj Simunovic Lovren A.Milic
Halilovic Kreilach Rakitic Brekalo
Santini Cop
@Deus Vult
“Protestants are also anathematized.”
That is true, I understand that protestants aren’t Christian, and that’s what made those debates when they were trying to find out who would get the Republican nomination so funny, listening to idiots talk about the Bible was hilarious, especially the modern Croat and apostate Kasich. I think Rubio and Jindal were the only real Christians. How come a Catholic person can’t win an election in the shit ol’ U.S of A? A Catholic can’t be the Prime minister of the shit ol’ England, but Croatia a majority Catholic country has already had two filthy agnostics leading us! I find that strange.
@Crnkovic
Get to know some of our players. Antonio Milic from KV Oostende is a LB that should’ve had a look by now in my opinion.
http://www.soccerway.com/players/players_abroad/croatia/
I can just see Mamic and Suker sitting first class on this 11+ hour flight, while the players were probably crammed at the back of the plane. Hopefully they werent stowed away with the animals like Captain Harris and Proctor from Police Academy.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjEqZ_Z94bUAhULK1AKHQ_nC1YQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D67sKqvyGaNY&psig=AFQjCNHawWBcV7fbPboEo7b_kP2Uffdo3A&ust=1495660489207076
Not trying to be a dick, but wasnt it a big story on how our National Basketball team had poor traveling conditions for the olympics a few years back. Interested to see how this list of players were treated.
wow anonymous. you really know some players. are you their agent?
These could have been way better options:
Strikers:
Duje Cop (Sporting Gijon)
Ivan Santini (Caen)
Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim)
Federico Rasic (Arsenal Tula)
Midfield:
Filip Krovinovic (Rio Ave)
Josip Brekalo (Stuttgart)
Alen Halilovic (Las Palmas)
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona)
Damir Kreilach (Union Berlin)
Ivan Paurevic (FK Ufa)
Fabian Benko (Bayern Munich)
Mijo Caktas (Rubin Kazan)
Anto Grgic (stuttgart)
Adrien Thomasson (fc nantes)
Robert Zulj (SpVgg Greuther Fürth)
Mario Kvesic (FC Erzgebirge Aue)
Defenders:
Jozo Simunovic (Celtic)
Tin Jedvaj (Bayern Leverkusen)
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool)
Antonio Milic (KV Oostende)
Karlo Bartolec (FC Nordsjaelland)
Marin Leovac (PAOK Thessaloniki)
Stipe Vucur (FC Kaiserslautern)
Marin Pongracic (TSV 1860 Munich)
Dino Mikanovic (Aarhus GF)
Mario Ticinovic (KSC Lokeren)
Goalies:
Marko Maric (Hoffenheim)
Lovre Kalinic (KAA Gent)
Mate Delac (Chelsea)
It’s cool my bad for blowing up
C team, D team … Still bummed I can’t go. Worst case scenario, keep your eyes out for Lovro Majer, Borna Barisic, and Denis Kolinger. They’ll be some good young guys who might try to make the best of this opportunity and will pop up down the road.
Filipovic started din all 32 matches for Zapresic. He’s been strong this year. No telling how these guys will do against Mexico’s scrubs though. Just guys to keep an eye on.
Idemo-Relax, I wasn’t even trying to argue with you. And I certainly didn’t think referencing the “C team” would make you angry. My apologies.
@bz you’re probably the biggest fag on the internet u come on another post to make sly remarks behind a moniker
I can argue why this is C team but it doesn’t matter c j k Z whatever u want to call it ur just a cunt looking to argue
Ha ha ajde Nizicu =U=
Za dom
Cop and Jedvaj have more caps than the rest of the team combined.
@Soul Champ- Some say this is our C team, but D or E team seems more accurate. Where are:
Rebic,Brekalo, and even Coric?
No high profile team is going to book us in the future, in fear we will send the least quality we can contractually send.
See Argentina, Estonia, Mexico, and the USA game in England that fell through. I guess we will only send our A team to our future friendlies against San Marino.
soul champ, unfortunately for any of you guys going to the match It looks like we’re going to get beat pretty bad. having said that the line-up against argentina under kovac was very inexperienced as well and the played some great stuff. maybe the Mexicans will send a young team..
@ Laknat
First time ever … you are spot on about Halilovic. This is an ideal match for him to play in. We could use his tight dribble control against the aggressive Mexicans.
Rebic would have been a good look to come back from oblivion. Started to show a pulse with Kovac at Frankfurt this season.
Hopefully Duje Cop is ready to be a leader. It is great opportunity for him to shine, if he can get some service.
Who knows …
Maybe one of the HNL players will take this opportunity to ball out and show their skills?
lol. “she’s not as accepting as Trump” classic
traditional croat, I really feel for guys like you. you should get out more, stop drinking in your kitchen. lmao
chicken grill please
fans should bojkot this pathetic lineup.
@Traditional Croat
Protestants are also anathemized. A “traditional” Croat should be very versed in the Council of Trent. And even then, Trump seems like a rather weak protestant.
i mean this team was always gonna be pretty piss-weak so im not surprised, hopefully we dont get too embarrassed
thoughts go out to UK today after the Manchester bombing, they have had some real issues lately with this
@Crnkovic/modern Croat
Trump is protestant, he says he believes that Jesus is God.
His daughter is now an othodox Jew, and like Muslims they don’t believe Jesus is God.
So what’s true for Trump, is not true for his daughter!
They’re not focusing on the “finger pointing at the moon,” which is what your wife made you do! Lol, she’s not as accepting as Trump!
Are you impressed with Trump for not focusing on the “finger pointing at the moon,” which is the advice you gave the Croatian people on this site?
@LAknat
Halilovic is Muslim, he is an infidel, therefore he is a satan, but, religion doesn’t play a part in who plays for the NT, and I agree with you that Halilovic should’ve been selected.
well said laknat
The God of Halilovic Revelation should be there.
Cacic just adding his sin and become more satanic without listening to our potential player and make them severe in vain
Excellent move by Čačić.
Šuker is the idiot here.
I want my money back
It’s for the best no legitimate players were called. Jedva probably shouldn’t even play with his injury history. Granted he jedva igra so i guess any chance he gets to see the field, maybe he should.
Ps Kramaric not even on Iceland roster. I guess his achilles injury was worse than we knew…making his season at Hoffenheim even more historic.
This team wouldn’t win the San Pedro mali goals tournament.
Could have put Ante Kvartuc on the roster and gotten more name recognition!!