Mateo Kovačić, a 16 year old Croatian prodigy, will be included in Dinamo Zagreb’s first team according to head coach Vahid Halilhodžić. With prior interest from Inter Milan, Stuttgart, Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich, Kovačić is considered Croatia’s future Messi. The recruitment for Koavčić was so heated that these clubs were offering his parents money, jobs and houses just so they can acquire his rights. Mateo was first discovered at the age of 12 and at that time was considered the best player in the world for his age group. Since then, he has improved every year and is still considered today as one of the world’s most promising players.
“Mateo Kovačić falls into the category of one of the best and most complete youth players in Europe for his age,” says director of Dinamo’s football school Romeo Jozak. “Kovačić will make it to the Croatian senior squad in the next years to come.”
We all know the Croatian media likes to hype up young players to astronomical expectations where it is almost impossible for the player to reach them. However, from all accounts, it seems like this kid is the real deal. Having said this, should Dinamo be learning from the Mario Tičinović model? Mario made his first appearance for Hajduk at the age of 16 in 2008. He’s currently on loan to Karlovac and not receiving much playing time. Is there a nurture period that all players must go through regardless of how talented and skillful they are? There are LeBron James’ of the world, however, only time can tell.
-Dennis Fistonić
guys, new post is up. Bilic press video and squad.
Ziva is right, they dont know to run or promote the national team.
look at the HNS website for example, it is a fu@##ing Joke. They even post rumours circulating around other sites once in a while. Look at other national teams websites for comparison. The money hungry idiots cant even build a decent stadium, but kazakstan I minnow compared to us in football can have a stadium we can only dream of. Jebem Ti!
Ziva,
I agree Croatia NT is run like its 1965. They are making enough money for themselves and that's all that matters to them even if they can make more they don't feel like its worth a risk to change things that are working but in reality they are only benefiting themselves. Its okay those guys have not much life left in them so its sad to say when they die it will be better for us…but its matter of the fact true. So cheers to those years haha lets run the team like its 2010 please…out with the old in with the new
Why did he call up Ilicevic?????
for the following reason pick any of them).
1. to shut up Mamic and this whole crap with Sammir
2. good start to the year
3. Did not call him in the summer because he played in 2nd division last year, now he plays in the first div.
I am more pissed off about this whole national team must play in ZB crap from markovic than the roster for the zidovi…..way to divide the country on this issue. I have plenty of freinds in ZG and they think its nuts to base all the national team games in Maksimir. Give other cities a chance. These clowns have no clue how to promote anything with the national team.
I once asked Srebric why there is no website to purchase national team products and gear. I told him there are plenty of people in the diaspora who will overpay for national team gear. He basically smirked and said that if they want it they can get it via freidns and have it mailed to them or when they come to Cro in the summer months. Fricken moron, last thing I want to do in the summer months is come to ZG and deal with the heat and humidity.
These fuckers have no concept of how to run a modern day national team, none.
Ziva,
You are right about the conference thing haha but its still frustrating from a fan perspective. We all knew going into that match there was little he could do with the available team and he goes out and excites and then a 5-1 result..dahhh haha
As for throwing out Buljat you are right I dont see him playing but I do see him maybe using Pokrivac and that is the only thing that scares me. He always wants to go so defensive if we score first! But with players like that in he has no idea how to control a game we dont have adequate possession and we are underpressure non stop because he would put him in for Rakitic, Kranjcar, or Modric? somebody who knows what to do with the ball not to lose it.
Regardless of what happens I am just getting to worked up about this match and I just dont want to be saying the same thing after the Greece match. Which to an extent I can understand tying greece because thats what they are best at as long as we dont lose points on them in greece. But this also mean we must come away with 4/6 from the jews.
I believe if your calling up Jerko Leko, Perisic, Mate Bilic and Lakic then you may consider using them from the bench. They are all experienced guys who could have an impact.
Mate Bilic for starters you'd definitely consider using from the bench, maybe even in front of Eduardo. Whenever Mate Bilic has come on its had an effect. That's definitely one you'd consider. Perisic as well… erm yeah i'd definitely be thinking about him if the game was tight and Kranjcar was having a nightmare.
Also Jerko Leko is not a worser player than Vukojevic. Maybe he could do a job as a sub as he has done so in the past. These are all usable guys to have around.
The problem with Bartulovic, Mandzo, Buljat, Pokrivac is actually would you even trust them. I'm not sure i would. I think they are a bit suspect at this level. I would not put Gabric and Ilicevic in the same situation as they can be useful. But with respect to Ivo, why is he in now yet he was not considered good enough to play the Wales, Austria or Estonia friendlies. Why now and not before? I don't understand why he's suddenly gone to Ilicevic as he doesn't bring anything new to the squad at this stage.
I agree that Pokrivac, Buljat and Bartulovic are not going to play against Israel. However, I am worried that Bilic will use Mandzo in the second half. I believe the consensus here is that Manzo does not even deserve a spot on the squad and it's worrisome that he might be given a chance.
I agree about the players who guys are mentioning. But, you are arguing about players and there potential replacements who will not be playing against Israel either way.
throw out Pokrivac, Buljat, Bartulovic and whoever else you want….none of these guys are going to play in this match anyway. This is to have enough bodies for practice.
As for the comments about Bilic saying he knew how to handle Engalnd….I've said this before, pay no attention to what a player or coach has to say in public to the media. It means nothing. These press conferences are mandatory items and he has to say something. Bilic plays the media game well. Talk in general terms, say nothing….it gives the media content.
I've yet to meet a coach or a player who won or lost a match simply by what he said or did not say in a press conference.
By saying I am more scared of Georgia then Israel I simply mean that I think that Georgia may get underestimated…I do however think Israel is much better of the two teams and I think they will be taken a bit more serious. I just am worried they dont think of Georgia as a stroll in the park…because they are no Malta. In fact I might be going to that Georgia game in Zagreb next year.
Olly,
I agree on the bad result. I think the players have lost a lot of confidence and if they dont come up with a positive result it will be really hard for the future games. I do however believe you have to look at 14/15 player mark as being the realistic players that matter in the call ups but I also do believe that its not fair that those other 7 dont get a shot by bilic and and the ones that he does call up are not deserving! Its just that he is so predictable on 95% of the things he does(pokrivac, vukojevic, madzukic) which isn't good at this point in time! But the other 5% is even more WTF in being who the last 2 are Bartulovic and Iliovic. And not to mention the formations he chooses are usually agreeable on but the places he plays players are absurd and out of position. The problem is he does not even give them a good run out in those positions he gives a game or two and then switch…so he wants them to adapt immediately…
I am more scared of Georgia then Israel to be honest because they have shown they know how to get a favorable result and if its bunkering in well they know how to do it too. We have to be used to this teams have started to respect Croatia for being good team and have started playing far to defensive and we just have not adapted on how to score on those teams. Before we would play teams and they expect maybe a point or more so it was more open I feel now we are given more credit and we just dont know what to do against the bunker…
I just worry severly about Olic and Petric playing together against Isreal with Kranjcar in behind. It failed against Greece so i can't see why it would suddenly work when its never worked. I hope Jelavic does well, but i don't see him as the sudden saviour. I see the odd goal from him.
Andrej is right. We do see new players, but they aint half really wierd. Bartulovic and Buljat for example. Buljat hasn't even been solid for Hajduk. Bartulovic – why when you got Lovren, Pranjic to cover left back do you need Bartulovic.
You say your just happy the first 14 are fit and ready. Its still the same 14 which flopped and is struggling. They need help. They need pressure from the bench. They do not need an easy ride cos Pokrivac, Bartulovic, Subasic, Mandzukic and Gabric are there.
I just feel a really bad result is around the corner. Isreal or Georgia and it'd be purely down to failure to score. Croatia really have the players to make a strong squad. This doesn't need to be happening.
Matt,
I wouldn't grantee anything about anyone being brought up. Do you remember what Bilic was saying before the 5-1 destruction of us by England? I do he says oh I have a way to beat England…What comes to my head? Oh he is finally going to call up some young players cause we have so many injuries and somebody may at least get a chance. But what does he do? This is what comes to my head on 9/11 almost before the world trade centers comes to mind. This game comes to mind because I will never forget the embarrassment I felt watching that game. His so called great tactics were 442 with a midfield of kranjcar, vukojevic, pokrivac, mandzukic?! bahaha. So no I dont think he has anything up his sleeves ever. He never shows signs of doing anything smart for us. Like I said he isnt a moron defensively but he has no idea how to attack with the players we have.
Ziva,
I see your point on the panic button but he isn't even hitting a transition period yet…Porkrivac should have been let go who knows how long ago…and now you call him back again?! Same with Mandzukic he honestly never even did enough to get into Croatia let alone play 14 matches…
The standards just seem so far fetched right now. I cannot understand how Bartulovic gets in either what has he done after all? I just dont understand selection right now and thats what so frustrating. He is so predictable on 20 players and then 2 new players come in and its never who the general public think it will be. Which is not good IMO because he isnt getting it right himself! If he could prove us wrong I would shut it but he isnt doing that.
My day has honestly gone to shit because of this and I am so pissed of all over again. God forbid we dont get a result at Israel of at least a tie and even then I might consider throwing a brick threw the TV. I really hope I am wrong I really really do….but I just dont see that being the case.
Jelavic should start and if its with another striker it should be Eduardo in support role. If not then you can always throw in Rakitic, Kranjcar, or Modric from our attacking mids and slot him behind Jelavic. I just dont want to see another failed attempt at Petric and Olic! It does not work it will never work its been 30 games of fail fail fail. Give it a rest by now Bilic… I am just so tierd of see our Strikers played LM/LW or RM/RW it does not work besides maybe for Olic on LW…but I would only do that as sub move in 2nd half because his work rate and pace would be put to work against more tired sides…
I dont know why you guys are surprised at the callups. Who is Bilic going to call? the only other options are the under 21's who have big games with spain, and he's not going to call up untested players. Pokrivac/Buljat are there just to fill the gaps, makes no differance, hold off on the panic button. Once we get throught the Isreal game, and the U21 spain games, I guarantee you Bilic will start bringing in the names everyone wants.
Reagrding the roster for the Israel…..Where you guys really expecting Bilic to bring in 7 new names??? Honestly, it was not going to happen. Imagine the panic reaction that would cause. Its all about the 15 guys who will play and I am not too worried about the last 6 or 7 guys that are on the bench unless we have some injuires in the next two weeks.
Bilic will have two choices to make for Israel. 1. who to play up top, does he play two forwards or go with one guy up top (Jelavic??/) and 2. will he play Kranjcar and Rakitic together in the midfield.
@Tom….I don't know too much about the kid other than he was one of top junior players last year for hajduk. If I were hajduk, I would drop the cause, ratify his paperwork and let him sign with dinamo. It sucks when one of your own is poached by the rival club, but that is a reality in today's age. Dinamo and Hajduk had a handshake agreement last year that they would not go after each other's juniors and dinamo broke that promise, but this case is a bit more complicated. The kid and his family want a professional contract and dinamo is willing to pay more. Hajduk can't match or is unwilling to match dinamo's offer and that is it.
Let him go.
How good is he??? I'm told he is a very good player, but not all juniors translate their talents from the junior level to the senior level.
I'm a fan of Eduardo, but if Olic and Petric aren't working as a pair, Eduardo is being expected to drive the goals. Is he even in the right condition to be doing this just now? I think Eduardo deserves a place as substitute as he can sniff out a goal, but as a key man ooh i donno…
Then you got Jelavic – massive pressure on his shoulders. Bilic should have thrown a couple more strikers onto the squad to just give himself choices.
Gabric and Ilicevic are wasted positions and i would even argue they are there to make up the numbers. It seems to me Bilic does not want to threaten the status quo.
I like Gabric and Ivo as players, but they bring nothing extra to Croatia's style. Both small. Both fairly skillful who are looking to always play others in. I do not see them especially bringing extra goals.
Mandzukic – what on earth can you say. He's not delivered one goal for Wolfsburg, only got one goal at international level and Rukavina looks much better in a Dinamo shirt than him. I don't know how Bilic does it with these selections.
Pokrivac. i don't know what to say. If i saw Jerko Leko back it'd not be so rotten, but Pokrivac. Cmon!
I also don't know how he also found room for Buljat and Lovren on that squad. Lovren – fair enough that's cool, but what's he want Buljat on there as well for. Also Bartulovic had to do very little to get on the squad. He isn't needed either.
All these guys are just not pressurising for a place. There just wasted spaces on the squad. Its very worrying.
We saw in the last game how Bilic just could not change things and make a new style and now we're seeing it again. That Estonia match was so bad from Pokrivac. It should have taught Bilic that he can't help croatia. But the Austria game should have taught Bilic that Mate Bilic can help Croatia.
I don't know where he gets this squad from.
Ziva,
What's your take on Dinamo's signing of the Hajduk youth player, Marka Grčića?
GK: Subasic? really…I have been all for going young but Subasic has progressively got worse with age/experience! He is perfect for England as he is so prone to the most idiotic mistakes ever!
DF: Buljat? What has he ever done for Hajduk let alone Croatia to ever even get a consideration. Bilic get your face out of Hajduks ass. Strnic has done well in Hajduk and Croatia thats it no need to see Buljat!!
MID: Pokrivac: What is there to be said?! Besides &*()$##$&*()@@#$*()@#$&*#^@@#$&*(). I cant even get out the frustration when I see his face on the sheet. He is so bad!! Probably the worst player to put on a Croatia shirt.
Vukojevic: Top Player shows great composure on the ball and wins the ball with some great tackles. He can pull the strings like no other…oh my bad sorry that was Bilic talking to me in my head! Vuk is so bad he is like the poor mans "Palacios" who is terrible anyway! So he is basically a cigans version of what a CDM should look like.
Gabric: For this spot there are others who are worth giving a try in the lineup. He isn't terrible but just doesn't ever do much for us. He has the speed but with Bilic coaching him he will probably be played in a ridiculous position like RM. I can already see that happening…
Ilivevic: He has played well but as far as I know its been 4 games of playing really well and then one game getting run over 5-0…this may be a reality check for them…But some may say he deserves it well if he does I feel Perisic, Oremus and Jajalo were deserving of it at one point too…IMO.
ST: MANDZUKIC: Being Pokrivac this is the absolutely stupidest thing I have seen. He has been dropped from club to bench and now he will rarely see regular football!! In fact I would not be suprised if he does not see it this season…For me I dont care who you pick up here but Madzukic has been played on RM in 442 by Bilic? really I dont care he is not good enough of a finisher to be a striker but he is not good enough at RM either…Kalinic and Mate Bilic were/are still better options then this chump.
Here is the exact squad let the angry people being talking because I know I slept like a baby last night and when I see some of the faces in there I was pissed of this morning!
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Vedran runje (Lens), Daniel Subasic (Hajduk), Stipe Pletikosa (Tottenham).
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Tottenham), Josip Simunic (Hoffenheim), Gordon Schildenfeld (Sturm), Ivan Strinic (Hajduk), Jurica Buljat (Hajduk), Dejan Lovren (Lyon).
Midfielders: Darijo Srna (Shakhtar), Mladen Bartulovic (Arsenal Kyiv), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Kyiv), Tomislav Dujmovic (Dinamo Moscow), Nikola Pokrivac (Salzburg), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04), Danijel Pranjic (Bayern Munich), Drago Gabric (Trabzonspor), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Niko Kranjcar (Tottenham), Ivo Ilicevic (Kaiserslautern).
Forwards: Ivica Olic (Bayern Munich), Eduardo Da Silva (Shakhtar), Mladen Petric (HSV), Nikica Jelavic (Rangers), Mario Mandzukic (Wolfsburg).
RE: Pokrivac, Mandzo, Buljat
There is no point in even talking about this anymore. Croatia are set up to flop. Bilic expects individuals who are struggling to carry Croatia through this campaign. He is not using the squad.
Bartulovic, Buljat, Mandzo, Subasic and definitely Pokrivac. Even Gabric and Ilicevic to an extent as they bring nothing extra to the party. none of these guys should be there for this match. Very disappointing.
Looks like the team is owned by certain players these days.
I never buy into the hype for any of these kids. Wake me up when Matej Delac actually does something and wake me up when this kid actually does something.
I hope they make it, but I have seen more of these "next big things" crash and burn.
The kid looks too frail to play in the HNL right now. Train with the first, maybe give him the final 15 minutes of a game here and there.
Sorry about being off topic, but Pokrivac called again. As Ziva Istina astutely pointed out in a previous comment section, it probably doesn't matter because he won't play in the Israel game. But it still is infuriating to me that he takes a spot from more deserving players.
@Zach,
thanks for the update… no clue on Kovacic for U-17 tournament. I dont think he will be featured for Dinamo on Saturday.
@Fisto,
Well done sir! Great introduction.
u-19 begins on the 7th. both u-17 and u-19 first round are a 3 game "mini-tournament" where the top two in the group go to the elite round.
on monday u-17 qualyfying begins. kovacic did not play last year, anyone know if he will be playing monday?
Our group is GReece, Israel, and Bulgaria (Is this RANDOM?!?!?)