Former Croatian international and Hajduk Split and Rijeka player, Luka Vučko, has played all over Europe in his career that has spanned over a decade. The center back, who towers over the opposition at over six-and-a-half feet tall, has taken his talents from Croatia to Russia, Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and most recently, The United States.
Twenty-nine-year-old Vučko has solidified himself in the starting lineup of the North American Soccer League’s (NASL) San Antonio Scorpions. The NASL is North America’s second division soccer league.
Vučko and his club traveled to St. Petersburg, Fla. on Saturday night to take on the reigning NASL champions, Tampa Bay Rowdies where he played all 90 minutes, and assisted an albeit, unconventional goal from an indirect free kick from the top of the six yard box.
Vučko states that his transition to the American game had its troubles, but is continuing to improve. He has since been named on the NASL Team of the Week in week seven.
“In the beginning, it was difficult because they play totally different football. But I think now, after playing seven games, I am playing better,” Vučko said. The quality is better [in Europe], but here, the players are fast, and very physical.”
Vučko plays alongside fellow Croatian and former NK Osijek player, Ivan Miličević, who was unavailable for an interview, and did not play on Saturday.
“It’s helpful to have [Ivan] at the club with me. It’s easier to have someone support you. The other guys are great too, so it’s no problem.”
San Antonio went on to win the match on Saturday 2-1.
Did you guys ever interview MLS player Seth Sinovic?
If not, most obvious question: “Since your first name is Seth, are you Jewish? If not, how the heck did your Croatian parents come up with it?”
I think everybody grieves differently so I see no issue with how Pamic is dealing with all of this. To say “oh he should do this, that and this” is not the best way to go about it. He knows what do to best and that’s my honest opinion.
Ante Rebic has done himself no harm with that goal against Uruguay. I think this player has a real future. Yes i support Dinamo but i dont see Hajduk as the second best team in Croatia anymore. Hajduk Split do not have a Ante Rebic or a Leon Benko. Their best forward is Vukovic who is not a goalgetter. Mate Bilic seemed a obvious signing for Hajduk. Even he was bemused why they didn’t offer him anything. RNK Split and Rijeka will challenge us the hardest next season. Hajduk need to make sure they just dont get upstaged by Lokomotiva again. But it looks like we’re keeping Kramaric which will help. Perhaps we’ll send them Krstanovic though if he cant get a move to England.
My point about Pamic is how can he as his father continue to focus on football. Take time out man for a year. Surely thats gonna play on his mind.
Anyone got link for under 20s
I am sorry this is the wrong place for this but Igor Pamic please resign. Cannot believe he did not stop his own son Alen from playing before the inevitable tragedy occurred. A guy has to look after himself. and when your father is coach he must step in. There must be something else he could have done with his life or even assisted his father, but shocked to see this news about Alen Pamic’s death now. If he was healthy he would not be playing in Croatia as he was clearly good enough to play abroad, but nobody would have a player with such a poor health history. Does not mean HNS should ideally let him play. Alen Should have been stopped for his own good..
@ Ante B.
hahha – I have friends in their 30’s whole still come up with stupid cracks like that, don’t feel bad
The locals of coastal southern NJ call the tourists Bennys.
Bayonne
Elizabeth
Newark
New
York
Although the line has been blurred since so many New Yorkers are relocating south of the Raritan River.
The situation reminds me a lot of the Zagreb/Dalmatian dynamic during the tourist season.
Every car with Zagreb plates speeds through coastal villages driving like shit and the locals make fun of them.
NY/NJ has many accents/severity of accents which seem to vary by ethnicity and social class.
I like to think that I speak quickly, but with non regional diction, but I probably have a slight Queens accent.
Staten Island/Brooklyn/NJ/Long Island (4th generation) Italian is pretty rough on the ears.
Today is like a state holiday with the death of James Gandolfini. He was a good actor and probably a decent man, but people are acting like he was a pope.
I never will understand that community. They view the Godfather/Sopranos as something to be proud of. I even know one Talijan that named his son after a Godfather character.
Everyone I deal with from California speaks with non regional diction.
I find this to be funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbxihR3C-Hk
@Jarac
“california speak the best english”
How’s the grammar down there? 🙂
u guys are crazy, california speak the best english and the girls sound the best. What is most annoying are girls from the midwest, man i cant stand that loud obnoxious raspy voice, so raspy like they have a sore throat all the time. STOP TALKING!
I mean I can make easy examples, i would rather have kim K talking to me and u dipshits would have snookie, hahah
http://is.gd/fUN4qJ
Ah, the Navy. Where 100 men go down in a submarine together and 50 couples come up.
Signed,
The 7th Grade
@ Ante B.
thank you for the compliment
and no, I didn’t join the Navy cause I like seamen.
and I also NEVER heard that joke before. ever. haha
@Colin
I wasn’t sure if i should peg it to Southern California until i saw an SNL skit the other week called “the Californians.” 🙂
Also Armada,
Did you join the Navy because you like sea men?
(I have a Croatian buddy from Cali who was in the Navy and I joked with him profusely about it)
Armada,
Thank you for your service! Yes, that was an actual compliment.
I think for me it boils down to which extreme I wouldn’t want to be in a room with without wanting to stab my eyes out with a shank. I’m cool with Bubba from the South, the Valley people fr California, the Chicago one but I couldn’t stay in a room with the Nanny from Long Island. Yes, she’s hot and I would’ve tried to have my way with her in the 90s but then id still have to deal with that voice.
Is that whinney girl voice considered a regional accent? There are plenty girls here who just have a natural whine to their voice. I hate it.
Yes, yes, yes……….1000000% agree with Poglavnik. All of these chicks on reality shows have that whiny voice. Those bitches need to be shot on sight.
Easily the worst American accent is that whiny, whinging, southern California accent that most girls (and some guys) have. I blame Paris Hilton and the Kardashians! There’s nothing sexy about that tone and it sounds dumb as fuck!
I don’t know what’s worse, a hardcore southern accent, or a Jersey/NYC accent coming from some greaseball Yankee-hat-wearing Italian. Honorable mention goes out to people with a Buffalow accent, and anyone with a Boston accent. I don’t even want to talk to them sometimes.
to preface, I’m born and bred NY’er, but I lost my thick NYC accent…
I can’t deal with accents from the deep south (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, parts of Florida)
I was in the US Navy for 4 years and dealing with people from the deep south, you can barely understand them half the time – they completely butcher the English language.
To put it in perspective, it was if someone was speaking Slovenian or Macedonian to me, where you get the giist of what theyre saying and picking up words here and there, but its near impossible to really get a clear picture of wtf these people have to say.
I’m sure those people say the same about NYC accents, but jesus, at least we ennuciate words properly and not make up words.
What’s the worst American accent? That goes out to everybody here as well. I like them all, can’t complain about one although too much Long Island can get to me after a while.
@Jack
Yes there is different slangs and accents used by different ethnic backgrounds and regions in australia.
Us balkan wogs have a different way of saying things, and then you have the lebo (lebanese) lingo thats distinctive,
Dinky di aussies have that cockney like accent. indigenous australians also talk their own distinct accent. and there a many others like people from south australia have their own spin on the australian accent that i picked up on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQsIf9lb0bc
And also about the politicians fucking it up. Well too late we have had the worst prime minister in australias history fucking things up the last 5 or so years.
yeah we all know the ad and we all know fosters
Igor is right, Fosters isnt even sold in australia asaik.. it is PURELY for foreign markets, u cannot buy fosters in a pub here, it’s as australian as my cunt hairs
there arent different accents for different parts of aus
maybe with indigenous ppl i dont know about that?
how can u say u love both the u.s. and hrvatska equally to whoever said that ? to quote another aussie international Ned Zelic i feel croatian blood in my veins
i would always, always pick hrvatska over australia no matter what.. its not even close or needs to be thought about, easiest decision ever !
@ Igor
Foster’s advertised here that “Foster’s is Australian for Beer.” If that’s not the case, I’ll be sure to start pounding something else as soon as I get off the plane in Melbourne.
Paul Hogan aka “Crocodile Dundee,” arguably the most well-known Aussie actor in the US, would do commercials saying he’d have “a Shrimp on the Barbie.” They constantly ran it. And Crocodile Dundee made it seem like it’s a common expression in Australia. But I’ll take your word for it that it’s not.
Oh, and here is a bonus video for all you Aussie out there, Cheers Mates:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn_CPrCS8gs
Relax ziva, don’t get bent out of shape if some people here don’t like you. I’d have cocktails with you and not because you offer to buy
@Igor Rukovic:
Do people from different parts of Australia have different accents and slang?
If so, is it a regional thing or a economic class thing?
Australia fascinates me, I think you guys have a great thing going on down there. Hopefully your politicians don’t fuck it up.
@Ziva:
You don’t bother me, but you can be a real dick sometimes.
You know you are being a dick when you make some comments.
When I posted links of my son, I was looking for keen insight from a select group of knowledgeable peers with similar genetic makeup.
You chose to be a DICK.
I have used a number of screen names on this site and it is a lot easier to be a dick when you are completely anonymous.
@MM:
He was definitely made for the EPL.
I wonder if Ante Razov ever considered playing for the HNS.
Although Suker and Prso (as well as others) played for Croatia at the same time Razov played for the USMNT.
@CroatiaVAntwerp
Nobody in Australia says put another shrimp on the barbie, because nobody even calls them shrimp. That’s an American saying.
We call them prawns and I haven’t seen any thrown on BBQs in my time in Australia. Steaks and snags(sausages) are what is thrown on barbies here.
And about pounding down on fosters? What are we back in the 1980s. No one and I mean no beer loving Aussie ever drinks fosters any more. Fosters only exist for the iinternational market, for Americans and English people whom believe it’s the choice of good Aussie brew.
@The Anonymous 1…….i’m cool if people dislike me. I personally don’t know why. If any of us ever met I would be the first to buy drinks and extend a handshake. The person who carries the cross usually doesn’t get the credit he is due until they are gone. I don’t mind carrying the cross and spreading the “ziva istina”.
@Colin:
Thanks.
Who knows, maybe soccer will gain popularity and have multiple leagues with relegation and promotion.
MLS can’t keep adding teams and there are still plenty of untapped markets of varying sizes.
Florida, St Louis, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh come to mind.
@ Jack
Viduka was another prime example of Croatian arrogance looking down at the diaspora.
They never appreciated his Aussie attributes that could have helped the repka at a time we lacked depth.
I remember how they harped all the things he couldn’t do as oppossed to honoring his toughness and his power infront of goal.
Never forget that one time he went bonkers for Leeds and put in 4 goals!
@Cousin Bilo – Which former Rowdies players have you played with and where? I played/play with several current/former players myself, as well as a bunch of other guys who have played in the NASL. I don’t know what level you’ve played at, but playing against then is some of the toughest talent I’ve had to face.
Jack – USL is 3rd division. ONly real difference is the amount of money the clubs have, which tranlsates in to the amount of talent they can buy, which is generally less than NASL. USL is geared more toward development and pools a lot of their players from the USL Premier Development Leagues/ North American Premier Soccer Leagues, which are both 4th division/semi pro leagues. There are several teams in the USL, such as Orlando, who have more money than most NASL teams, and are only there to run the league in hopes MLS is paying attention to their success. Other than that, it’s just typical D3 US league. As for your earlier question, Jack regarding if Vucko is MLS material, right now, I don’t see that happening.
I wonder if Tim Howard ever considered playing for Madžarska?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrZZO_EYNqs
This is how Viduka did it.
@Colin/Ziva/TGC et al
What is difference between the USL and NASL?
It looks like they should combine to have a decent amount of teams.
My answer-
I would play for the US if rejected me. I would also play against Croatia. I would sing and put my hand on my heart for both Lijepa NASA and the Star Spangled Banner because I love them both equally. If I scored against Croatia, I’d run to the svecana loza and flip off the entire HNS mafia. I’d make it known to the reporters and Croatian media that I wanted to play for Croatia first and completely expose them. I’d party after the game for sure with both American and Croatian fans representing both countries equally.
Actually without Ziva this site would be boring plus he tells it the way it is which many of you can’t handle.
@ziva, so like on this site how everyone dislikes you
@ Ziva
Pa stvarno si Vrazji
I would not sprint in the direction of the fans. I would sprint in the direction of the VIP boxes where the federation is sitting. And if the fans booed me, I’d love it and enjoy every second of it.
Ziva would pull an Adebayor and go sprinting the length of the field to stick it to the Hrvati 🙂
So should a WR not celebrate a touchdown if he scores against former team? I have no problem celebrating a goal! It’s part of the game
I’ll never agree with that, but as long as the player gives max effort I guess its OK.
Still, I think its BS when it happens. Going back earlier this year when CR7 said he wouldn’t celebrate any goals against Man United.
@ziva
Scoring goals is part of your job and you do it, but you don’t celebrate out of respect for the club and the fans.
okay i agree the rankings are absolute shit, but do they matter? absolutely. trust me id rather be ranked 4th and be drawn in the groups with “lower” ranked teams than be a lower ranked team drawn into a group with higher end teams.
half eaten****
dude, at least be funny if you want to joke around.
I compare buying shares in Hajduk to buying a star to name after yourself. It’s worthless, and you know it’s not really going to ever be worth anything.
Signed
loving Dinamo fan
i have a have eaten piece of cevape from Zvonimir Boban the day they came back from WC 1998 !!!!! It’s in a glass box!!! eaten by Boban as soon as the plane touch down!
can someone say AWEEEEEEEEEESOOOMEEE!?!!!
GO CROATIA!
alright thanks ziva
got it in Split.
where did you get it? online? crofanshop?
not framed…..sitting somewhere safe.
what does it look like? did you get it framed?
I got shares in jadan hajduk.
Does anyone own any shares in Hajduk? or a part of Nas Hajduk?
My point has always been the rankings are shit. I pay no attention to them.
@ Ziva, Gee rankings mean a whole lot in soccer! First, most agree that the ranking system and who is ranked where is crap! 2nd your point on high seeds can mean nothing. Cro ranked 4th the Scott’s ranked who knows where? What was the final score in that game a few weeks ago?
@Everybody
96 comments on this shitty ass piece. Terrible job Colin
@Ziva
Thanks for the friendly justification.
@Ante
Devastated if I got told to fuck off. I would accept the American call up. When we had to play Hrvatska, I would only get tears in my eyes when Ljepa nasa played. I would do everything in my power to run up the score on the Hrvati to show how wrong they were for not taking me. I would then take both flags and celebrate on the field. They could turn their backs on me, and I could teach them a lesson, but I would never turn my back on Hrvatska.
@MatesicMethod….no loss not having Bogut. He’s injured all the time and would not have been available much for Cro anyway.
@Ante B…..I would play against Cro, I would loudly sing the Cro anthem which would result in my american teammates and american media questioning my loyalties, and then, if I were to score against mother Croatia, I would celebrate like there was no tomorrow if it led to a US victory. It would be pure “dispet” on my end. Then i would speak with the Cro media fater the game and tell them my first love to play for the Cro repka, but I was not wanted, so my second love to beat the Cro repka. Then, once the tournament concludes, i would go back home to Cro and throw myself the biggest party in the selo and invite all to come out.
By the way…..i never understood the whole “don’t celebrate a goal” against a former team. If i had someone who changes up his routine because of a certain opponent, i would not play them. if I am paying you a salary you damn well better celebrate when the occasion calls for it.
@ Ante B
Croatia Basketball big timed Bogut back when he was coming of age as stud. Then we went into they dark ages for a decade.
Fuck that martyrdom BS.
You need to respect your self before getting shit on by some stunted ass savez.
Suit up as a proud Croatia-American, honor the game, and let the Savez know what a pravi nogomentas plays like!
According to SN, Tin Jedvaj to Roma all but sealed up, just needs to sign on the dotted line – 5 million euros, plus 25% of any future transfer
I would never score againist Croatia even if I was as good as Messi. If Uefa and Finra don’t like it to bad.
@Ante B
Well I’d definitely play for the country that would want me, and if the day came that i had to play against Hrvatska, and I thought i was worthy of playing FOR Hrvatska then I would have a big “jebi se” ready for Mamic and his cronies. Goal celebrations would be withheld and i definitely wouldn’t antagonize the fans.
@ Ziva
Can I short shares of Hajduk? Cause that’s where the money is to be made.
@ Ante B.
Good question. First of all I would be devastated if Croatia rejected me. And If I had to play against Croatia, I would probably get myself injured or something so I don’t play.
lets say i do want to buy a share, what do i get in return? anything official?
@ Igor & TGC
I would still rate MLS better than Aussie Wog Ball.
@The Anonymous 1……well, once you get to the WC, its all the same. In fact, I can argue it is harder for the USA because they are nowhere near having a high enough ranking to be seeded in the first or second pot.
UEFA has 14 spots for the WC, that is more than enough.
Let me pose a hypothetical situation for you ass rags. While watching the US game last night, a thought came to mind.
Say you’re born in America and you’re good enough to play for Croatia but the HNS tells you to fuck in the direction of off, would you then play for the US? If so, what if you had to play against Croatia?
Yes, you can always buy shares. its a nice gift to have if you are a fan of jadan Hajduk.
My point being, USA for example qualifies with ease to World Cup and maybe get hot/lucky/ and advance to second round. As for uefa teams (for most) need to take the harder route to the World Cup which as you know it’s like qualifying for a playoff spot and once in the playoffs anything can happen. One good team stumbles in group stage and they can go home. That same team can stumble in qualifying round and can make up for it cause their are more games to be played. No room for error in big tourneys
Is it still possible to buy shares?
@imotski1991……….Instead of me writing a bunch of words describing it, just read this………http://www.nashajduk.org/oprojektu.aspx
Is it safe to say that qualifying for World Cup for uefa teams actually might be a little harder than advancing to knock out round in major tourneys?
Those were just friendlies against Aussie sides. Galaxy was just taking it easy, they were more concerned with having Shrimps on the Barbie, pounding Fosters, and enjoying the Beach.
However, Galaxy did defeat Melbourne Victory on penalties in 2011.
Can someone explain to me what “Nas Hajduk” is?
umm, its a friendly…..there is a reason thos egames dont count. Shit, the MLS all star team has beaten top English sides.. I don’t read anuyhting into that.
@Goldenchild
And that is the blooper boys that beat LA galaxy on their aussie tour, Friendly or not that’s no excuse.
@Igor
Because they’re playing on a friendly tour. I’m not saying they’re very much apart, but I used to watch Aussie league for the past 2 years. The MLS I can handle to an extent, but I would get so mad watching Aussie league I’d literally have to go outside for a nicotine break. Those guys cause me more grief and anxiety then watching U-16s play. The fact that you have these videos posted yearly/monthly is just further testament to the garbage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DruMnLAQPmM
@Mate Cleveland
Yup and yup.
Long live Luka Vucko!
To all the weblog superstars, puse moj Kurac!
So it’s either Modric or Vucko to honor the Croatian competitor ?
Weak low self esteem BS, that is the same pattern that holds back our people.
I respect this guy for playing his best and following his heart.
@ Jack
Agreed!
I support all Croatians who have the balls to follow the heart and live their dreams.
The rest of the sheep can go follow the shepherd of the day and can go FTS’s!
Vatreni !
Teams like USA and Austrialia do have a easier path to the WC.
But what good what that be if they don’t take advantage of it. The USA certainly has, by making the knockout stages of 2 out of the last 3 WCs.
@Ziva
That was a great aussie side in 2006.
The golden generation.
Even the eventual champions italy struggled against them, and were unlucky to be penalized by the ref.
If only the current australian side were half as good as they were, i would be happy.
No, of course not. But, you can only play the teams you are matched up against. 13 spots for UEFA are enough for the WC.
Last time I checked when we played one of those teams from that region, Australia in 2006 (although they wrere part of Oceania) we couldn’t beat them and they advanced to the knockout stage.
Hrvatska post 1998…..appearances at 5 major tournaments, one appearance in the knockout round and zero wins in the knockout rounds.
@ziva
,Jordan,Oman, and Iraq are legit in your eyes?
Japan is the only legit team there.
All I’m saying that the maco’s, scots, serbs, and welshman are more higher in the echelon of football than jordan, oman and iraq and would qualify from that group.
Why are you making it into something else?
Belgium is the only legit team in this group.
This is the worst Serbia/Yugoslavia team we have ever seen.
Wales has one legit player and that is it.
Makedonia and Scotland are the same.
Stop comparing to other regions. UEFA already almost gets half of the spots for the WC. There is a reason its called the World Cup, you have to invite the world.
It’s not the USA’s fault it’s located in CONCACAF. They might as well milk the cow for what it’s worth and qualify for ever tournament. It’s only good for the growth of USA soccer.
The last two qualifying matches the stadium was packed to the rim with “American Outlaws.” They even set up viewing parties in other cities. Who would have thunk it 25 years ago?
USA is not as good as Croatia, but things have come a long way.
@Hn
Nothing is ever guaranteed with any qualifying circuit, but you have a better chance of qualifying and have an easier route to the world cup with a group such as iraq, oman, jordan, and japan rather than to play belgium, serbia, makedonia, wales, and scotland.
Any of the above mentioned teams would qualify from that group. Even scotland.
@Ziva
I’m well aware of the usa’s world cup record and their achievements. And you cant argue with facts.
Its true they have done alot better than Hrvatska since 98 in world cups. They (USA) have come leaps and bounds from where they were in the 98 World cup, the days of Alexi lalas and eric wynalda and when they lost all three games and one of those was to iran.
So we are in agreement that they have performed much better than Croatia since 98 in world cups, but you cant use that they have also been better at qualifying, because it’s like comparing apples and oranges with the qualifying phase in question.
True.
I’m not here to argue that the US would do better than Cro playing in UEFA. They wouldn’t. But, the US has done much better at the World Cup than Hrvatska has since the 1998 team.
@ Ziva
Not to Mention, USA did make the finals of the Confederations Cup in ’09. Nearly winning it as they did go up 2-0 against Brasil in the final, before losing 2-3.
Word in the press is that Dinamo may have finally found a team that is interested in Sammir.
The nightmare is almost over boys!
I realize COCACAF is an easier group to qualify from than UEFA. Then again, our last few qualifying groups were not that difficult.
Still, once at the WC the US has done much better than Croatia has in the last three World Cups. The US has two knockout phase appearances, a win in the knockout phase and was within a no-call on a handball in the box of making the SF of one WC. Cro has no knockout phase appearances.
Who would have thought Luka Vucko would spark 64 comments on this thread? – not bad
@Igor
Really concacf is easy and you think Croatia would qualify from this group of Japan etc. The same Croatia that lost to Scotland. Nothing is easy or guaranteed when it comes to qualifying for Hrv.
MLS did produce Michael Bradley, the only US soccer player i like…thinking about getting the centennial jersey with him on the back.
@Iggy
That’s what I’m saying. Asia and CONCACAF is piss easy, when you play Oman, Iraq and Jordan in Asia and sides like jamaica, el salvador and Honduras in CONCACAF, it makes qualification almost a certainty.
@GoldenChild
If MLS is so great than why is it when LA galaxy does it’s Australian tour it gets it’s arse handed to them by garbage A-Leauge teams?
Australia failed to beat oman at home, lost to jordan away, and scraped by iraq 1-0 with a late goal too..
tbh i think asia is so easy.. so so so easy to qualify from.. you are only having to play teams lik jordan oman and iraq.. doesnt get much easier than that surely..
@Ziva
Come on dude, the CONCACAF qualifying cycle is one of the easiest if not the easiest to qualify for the WC.
Put the USA in UEFA and see how they fair. They might be able to qualify from group E or G but even that’s a stretch.
CONCACAF usually has 3 teams that are of international standard and those 3 usually qualify. Where as UEFA quality teams often miss out.
France, england, russia, sweden, czech rep, and croatia all have a chance of missing next years WC.
Now any of these teams would blitz through CONCACAF with ease.
Now you of all people should know that certain regions have a greater advantage to qualify, because FIFA wants it that way.
CONCACAF would be the easiest then ASIA and OCEANIA depends on whom they verse in their playoff. Then comes Africa, Then its a toss up between UEFA and South america, and that also depends if the UEFA draw is a favourable one or not.
So dont compare USA and Croatia and their world cup records.
Australia just qualified for their 3rd world cup in a row 4th overall.
Finishing strong 2nd
Japan.
Australia.
Jordan.
Oman.
Iraq.
What a tough qualifying phase. I wonder if croatia could have qualified from this extremely tough group.
Anyone know how that Thiago dude who scored a hat-trick for Spains U21 team is still on that team? He’s been 22 years old since April!
@ Jack
Topping the Hex is still good. Contrast that to when the USA didn’t qualify for any WCs for decades. So US Soccer has come along way.
Hell, in the past, some never thought the USMNT would even get this far.
@Ziva-Hey Ziva,Whats going on??You going soft or normal or something,thems were some balanced comments you made about MLS!!Now all you need is some twat to come along and say that you were wearing Homerglasses while making your rather balanced comments.Good for you I say!!Maybe you are growing up a little.
@Ziva:
The US’s group is easier than any European grouping.
Correct me if I am wrong, but don’t 3 of the 6 in their current group advance? With the exception of Mexico all the other countries are poor and small.
If the US was lumped in with South American teams, they would never advance.
MLS gets better little by little. Will it ever be as good as the top leagues in the world???? No chance, but it is feeding players into Europe. Not great players, but players.
It would take an hour of writing to discuss the American youth system and how their developmental system is a reversed pyramid that upside down compared to the rest of the world. If they ever treated soccer in this country from a youth developmental system like they treat traveling baseball teams and the AAU basketball circuit, then the US would produce top tier talent.
Still, I follow MLS knowing full well of its limitations because it does provide me with the chance to watch pro soccer in the USA. MLS has benefited the US National team. Remember this, since Hrvatska got to the the semis of the 98 World Cup, the USA has appeared more often and won more games in the knockout stages of the subsequent three world cups than our boys from Croatia have.
I wouldn’t call the MLS league Shit. It’s decent. It’s produced enough quality to enable the US to top the Hexagonal with 13 points and be on course to Brasil.
And Jozy is a good player, not great, but good. His performances in the Dutch league are encouraging.
http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2012/3/13/this-is-sc-heerenveen.html
20 goals in his final season with heerenveen playing attacking midfield / forward
Wasn’t pranjic a top goal scorer in holland for heerveen before moving to bayern…he was our left defender
We have a striker that just won the treble and would have been German top scorer if heyneckes didn’t rotate three strikers. Don’t get me wrong it’s not that jozy isn’t good but he’s not that good. Every US fan is ready to blow the guy bc he’s half decent and can score against Central American sides
@Mate Cleveland:
IDEMO BRZO
Your boy Altidore just scored. If we had a striker scoring 30+goals in the Netherlands we would be singing his praises.
YouTube pervan francuski izbornik….hilarious
http://blog.foxsoccer.com/post/53292835531/keeper-plays-full-match-with-9mm-bullet-lodged-in-head
NICE from BiH
And please, nobody mention Jozy Altidore. I’m glad to see he’s doing well at AZ Alkmaar, but the jury in my opinion is still out on his quality and the Dutch league is in no way a top league.
On a more positive note, it is nice to see more American players cross the pond. Growing up, there were hardly any that could do it, at least now some are going there and actually playing
I think you guys are really overestimating the MLS. We don’t produce the necessary talent to pass up second tier leagues. I know there is a pride factor, but we really have a shit league.
@ Ziva
MLS doesn’t produce talent for top leagues, at all. Michael Bradley and Clint are the only two players that play at good clubs, with Clint’s future at tottenham cloudy at the moment and Bradley a bit of a journeyman for someone that is almost 27, although nice to see him playing at Roma. The one thing we do produce is goalies and pretty good ones actually. Field players, no. Jermaine Jones is the only other American that comes to mind and he was born and raised in Germany. I have nothing against the MLS but the system in the US isn’t right to produce quality soccer players. Friend of mine is from BiH, at 12 years old his club practiced twice a day five days a week with games on the weekends. At 12, I practiced twice a week, games on the weekends and took summers and winters off. Also, you have to have a ton of money in the US to play at the highest level as a youth; obviously not helping our cause of producing top players.
@Cousin Bilo:
I would root for you too.
Hell I used to watch Ante Razov when the MLS was exponentially worse.
You used to be able to buy a $16 ticket to Giants stadium and walk to the first row of midfield because all the seats were empty.
@ CSR
If you post it…they will read.
Post anything about a Hrvat anywhere. I’ll read it. Even if it’s something exotic or random, climbing Everest, a spelunking expedition etc.
This Vucko article is good. He’s a Dalmatian kid that got a chance to see the world while doing what he loves. How many people get to do that? He’s a journeyman and not a superstar, but ya gotta respect the guy. And who knows where he will end up next?
any
For the record, I will root for old Croatian man to get across a street before and old man of any other variety.
4th division ping pong, whatever.. cover it and I will read it.
@Colin:
I didn’t realize you did the interview. Nice work.
@Elvis:
I go to one RedBulls game a year and never noticed any LGBT banners or flags. Plenty of bumper stickers on the NJTP/GSP.
@Ziva/Poglavnik/Iggy:
This is the time of year I go through soccer withdrawal and start to watch the MLS. Some games are flat out unwatchable but some are surprisingly decent.
The other day I went out to a Rib Joint and to my surprise they were playing a U-21 game and an MLS game on some of their many TVs. The MLS game actually looked decent although I was only intermittently following.
When I was growing up, you would never see soccer games being played on multiple TVs in a restaurant in a blue collar town. Times and attitudes are changing and MLS will improve to be a decent feeder league.
When the European season starts, it feel like it is being played on fast forward in comparison to the MLS that I have grown accustomed to.
@Iggy:
I think the Australian league and MLS will surpass 2nd tier leagues like Scotland or Austria.
Tin Jedvaj is about to leave Dinamo Zagreb for AS Roma.
@CousinBilo
Season is over. We need to keep news going. Anything relevant is going to be posted, and I give it to Colin for putting something up. We talked about the Bilic firing debacle in the last post. There was enough ridiculous plots to put in international coaches, bring Bilic back to the NT, etc to have that covered.
Don’t hate on the guy because he’s playing in the NASL. Sure he’s 29, but at least he’s still playing. If you were still playing we’d cover you too, but I’m guessing that isn’t the case anymore.
@everybody
I get that you guys hate life on the weekdays, I do sometimes too. No reason to blast Colin for posting something to keep you slightly entertained throughout the week.
@Iggy
MLS is garbage, but at least it’s not as bad as the Aussie league. Talk about some absolute garbage.
@Ziva
Had no idea those Uzbek’s had been playing that well. Somewhere Borat is pissed!
Wow, I seemed to piss off a few Brits/Aussies/Canadians/whatever you angry men are from with the American soccer post! haha! Calm yourselves, gentlemen. Vucko is a former HNL player with several U21 caps and a full international cap. Since I cover the HNL and never get to interview any of the players, I took the opportunity I was given here to finally talk to someone who has played in the league and can compare what he has done in Europe to what he has done here. Just so happens he’s on an American team. Big deal. These NASL games are a great reason to get hammered and have a fun time. Probably going to do another post like this when I get to talk to him again, as well as Ivan Milicevic.
@Armada – Sorry bud, no way am I going to start reporting on 2 and 3 HNL. That’s all on you!
Plus how else do you think I keep my tolerance up for watching the HNL? I follow the NASL! Makes me happy to get to watch Dinamo play every week. Not to mention, this league isn’t THAAAT bad. And as for the MLS, the quality has exponentially grown in the past five years. It’s going to continue to improve, so get used to Americans showing some decent play.
@ Poglavnik
ehhh – think you might be right my friend… hell, at full strenght, I could see the Galaxy/Red Bull beating Dinamo/Rijeka/Hajduk…
@Poglavnik…..go look at the recent result by the Uzbeki U20 team. They beat Portugal’s U20 team and lost a tight one with Spain’s U20. I have no clue what will happen, nobody does. But, based on what I have seen and read, I think we finish third in the group. Hope to be proven wrong. We are in a very weak group.
And yes, I do use our performance at the previous U20 World Cup we played in to make my prediction.
Remember, the two best players for Cro are not on the roster.
Tin Jedvaj pred vratima je Rome?
http://is.gd/lVfZhk
its a joke, for those few who will take it serious,
Dont be surprised if Stimac calls this guy up and gives him a start in Belgrade.
Ziva “hater” Istina, do you really think the Uzbeki’s are gonna do better than us?! I know we shit the bed the last U20 WC we were in but come on!
@HN
These were imported homo’s. They do not show up at games with their rainbow flags. They would get wrecked.
MLS > HNL. Sorry boys, but in the last 5 years this has become a fact!
Glas Istre*
yeah sometimes I’ll read up on scores in Glas Istra/Novi List and see attendance numbers… 100, 200 seems average
but like you mentioned, I’m sure you hear some hilarious stuff come from the stands…
I’ve attended some in the past. Anywhere from 20 people to a few hundred at the games. Mostly a dead atmosphere. Although you do get to hear the curse words clearly.
I’d be more interested in my local 3. HNL team NK Rudar Labin then the Rowdies/NASL
speaking of Croatian lower leagues…anyone been to a 2. HNL/3. HNL game back home? what are those like, atmosphere wise? just a good reason to go to the stadion and get polluted?
@Anonymous
actually you can see it at a Hajduk game, last week Split had some huge gay parade, it was all over the Croatian media
Can you imagine a fag flag at a Hajduk, Roma, or Spartak, match LOL. Only in US can you see that and maybe Zagreb.
MLS is gay period!!!
U20 World Cup begins on Friday……
We are grouped with New Zealand, Uzbekistan and Uruguay.
You never know with youth tourneys, but I’m guessing New Zealand will finish last in the group. We will finish third and toss up for first and second between Uzbekistan and Uruguay. Third place may be enough to get us into the knockout stage.
I was so good, i only had to play half the game 😉
If that’s the case you should be covering me. I played at a top 10 program. Hell, i won a national championship my freshman year.
This guy has zero change of doing shit. HE’S 29 AND STILL PLAYING IN THE NASL.
No one wants this washed up garbage. If you are past 24 and playing in the NASL, you’re not going anywhere.
Not worth covering.
NASL is a 2nd division league and this guy is from Cro. So, its worth covering it.
Unless there are croatians playing significant minutes for a top ten program in college soccer, that should be ignored. If you are playing college soccer in the US past your sophmore year, you have basically zero chance at the pros.
Slavan Bilic has been fired.. Let’s get a post going on this.. Poor guy didn’t last more than a year. Hope Charlie get out of that shit team. Perhaps to a better league. His been rumoured to be headed to Zenit.
If we’re gonna talk NASL we should just talk about all the Croatians playing college soccer. And all Croatians playing high school sports.
I used to play with like 4 guys on the Rowdies. All garbage players who tried out and couldn’t hack it in the MLS, and couldn’t get real jobs.
MLS has improved. Will it ever rival the tops leagues in the world???? No. But, the league does produce good talent that goes on to play in the top leagues.
@ Iggy
MLS quality has gotten better in the last few years… I mean, I wouldn’t watch a game on TV, but it’s fun to go to games, especially teams that have soccer specific stadiums.
i mean id rather have to shit out of my mouth for the rest of my life than to watch a full season of MLS or whatever its called
yeah can i say i dont think there should eb any american soccer thread on this site ? Sorry but its like posting the japanese 3rd division under 13 female league
no one gives a shit and it totally isnt worth a mention, sorry to the american people here but i think its garbage, and as an aussie i can say the aussie leage is garbage too .. can we just stick to things that matter ?
The American Soccer thing is gay as gay can be. Fuck it and it’s cocksucker players and rainbow waving fans. Bunch of fags.
@cico
Keep your kup. We will take first place again. Bog, hrvati, dinamo I Hns.
@Colin:
Is this guy MLS material?
Would there be any benefit to him playing in the MLS?
He sums up American soccer pretty well.
Physicality and speed over quality.
All the Best to Luka ! Hope he makes it to the MLS , & comes to the Champion L.A. Galaxy so all the So. Cal. Croatians can have someone they can root for ! He should be a Great Guy being born in the Beautiful City of Split , plus playing for the Most Loved Team here , & in Croatia – Hajduk !! Good Luck Luka ! KUP JE NAŠ !! Bog , Hrvati , Hajduk , i HNS !!!
do you think they can make it actually smell like his jock strap, that would be super if so
I don’t even think they take the time to fake NASL jerseys.
https://www.sascorpions.com/index.php?option=com_ixxocart&Itemid=696&p=catalog&parent=6&pg=1
If you email the team, they will even customize for it to satisfy all your jock-sniffing needs.
Where can I get his jersey?
And no one give me links for fake jerseys !!!!!