In all the hype of Croatia reaching the 2014 World Cup and playing the opening match against Brazil, we all (rightfully so) forgot about our U-21’s who are still hot, even after the departure of manager Niko Kovač to the senior side. As Luka Modrić and company were celebrating their World Cup berth at Maksimir on November 19th, the young guns had just finished gutting Latvia 3-1 in a rain-soaked Aldo Drosina Stadion in Pula. Goals from Roma’s Tin Jedvaj, a penalty from Marcelo Brozović and an insurance strike from NAC’s Stipe Perica would ensure the Mladi Vatreni would go into 2014 with a comfortable six-point lead on second place Switzerland. The group winners and best four 2nd place teams move onto the two-legged playoff for a spot at the 2015 tournament.
But it’s not about chasing a 2015 U-21 European championship. It’s about shaping up these young players for their ultimate debut: the 2018 World Cup in Russia. What will the likes of Kovačić, Halilović, Radošević, Vrsaljko, Brozović and Rebić bring in the next few years as veteran seniors enter the twilight of their careers?
At this pace, we should expect two to three stars to emerge for the senior side. All eyes are already on 20 year-old striker Ante Rebić.
I think kovavic is inarguably most amazing
Croatian footballer,watch this world cup.
After world cup he will be most expensive player,if he doesn’t jump on signing with Liverpool,he has to wait.
showed pic of him*
that video was funny, Fani (the interviewer) talks about his love life and Draper is like “yeah, I want something serious and to get settled” meanwhile they should picks of him at the club with what looks like Carli’s leftovers … black, athlete and picking up hoes at da club? you don’t say…
I could be wrong here, but I think Draper knows the following: dobro, kosarka, picka
He’s black, plays sports and has cash……..those three things are enough for the jersey-chasers in Cro.
@ Ivice
As you could tell, I was extremely bored yesterday…
but one wonders how Sammir and Dontaye would communicate, as you mentioned? Does Sammir speak broken English? I doubt Dontaye knows a lick of Portuguese….
The million dollar question (and what I was trying to find last night) was a video on Dontaye trying to speak Croatian in an interview, since Dontaye is a “Croat” and see if he butchers the language worse than I do haha
Niko is finished as a starter.
He has excellent technical skill and had a good outside shot (which has diminished over the past couple of years). But his inconsistency, his lethargic movement, his inability to play regular first team football these past 3-4 years (and now being 30 years old) has ended it for me.
I’d still call him up as a backup, but I would rarely play him. I’d probably favour one of our recently promoted junior players over him as I don’t think he can offer us anything anymore. I’d rather take a chance on guys like Rebic or Brozovic providing an impact off the bench over Niko.
The problem with perisic is that he tries too hard instead of just playing simple. Also how many of you think niko kranjcar is done with croatia? I mean the core 3 mrk i hope you get the abbriviation are ahead of him for attacking position unless he plays that behind striker he cannot play wings in NK formation. I watched some qpr games and he plays good but lets say he does go to 2014 but 2016 i think no room for him your guys opinions?
@ ARMADA
Who knows. I’m sure it’s just a black thing. They saw each other at some event in ZG and started talking. I doubt they have anything to talk about, but when going out on the club scene I’m sure it attracts more attention by being a couple of somewhat famous black athletes in Cro.
Dontaye is from Baltimore of all places, and Sammir is from Brazil. Who even knows if Sammir can speak English, let alone connect with Dontaye about anything pop culture related. Croats in Zagreb are more Americanized than Brazilians from anywhere. Doubt Dontaye even talks to Sammir anymore or ever will.
(this has gotta be the only time I’ve ever talked about Dontaye in my life and I’ve broken down his social life and relationship with Sammir)
Thanks Ivica! And yes you’re right. Stubborn to a fault and have body hair like a Likota.
and i still don’t get how he got involved with sammir? dontaye seems like a decent dude, unlike sammir
boy, to more important news
while an old video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI9e-9pKrYw
after watching this Dontaye Draper interview, what do you guys think the percentage is that Dontaye threw it in Fani afterwards?
@ Chupe
You got it. Having another true defensive mid would allow Rakitic to move forward and play behind Mandzukic…speed on the wings to send in balls to SMM…hell maybe even Rakitic heads in the odd ball! lol…then again not likely.
@Soul Champ:
Rebic has a huge upside. I hope he develops into a better Olic.
I tend to only see the upside of the youngsters, but sometimes I am left wanting. Perisic is the best example. I thought he would be tearing the Bundesliga up by now.
@ mali ante so a lineup something like this 4-2-3-1 Pletikosa Srna carli cb lb- modric dm- kovacic rakitic rebic mandzo.
@ Soul Champ
Even though Rebic hasn’t played much, in my opinion he seems to be one of the best attacking options we have (aside from Mandzukic) – this injury to Rossi has been a blessing!
I’d really love to see him play as an attacking winger and Mandzukic as a lone striker. He finally would get some service and open things up using Rebic’s speed and skills.
For the same reason I’d almost like to see Kovacic play the other side as a winger as an experiment as we have lacked speed on the wings for sometime.
Rebic ready or not against Brazil!
Start him and let him stretch the Brazilian defense to give our midfield some space to operate.
I have never seen us with such a depth of young talent in modern day Croatia.
Some of these boys have to breakthrough.
@ Ziva
I too am curious who Kovac picks for the squad as we cannot carry too many old legs to a World Cup.
I trust the basement is well heated during this deep freeze!
@ Ivica haa. I mean i know what you were saying i just mean they are professionals and thats how it goes these days. Je bi ga.
@Chupe
See Dubrovnik in ’91. That’s why!
(I’m just messing with you) 😉
@Ante B
Ok Ok. You’re a Purger Geez. That Lički stubbornness is strong in this one.
@ivicA whats wrong with that? Kovacic is friends with kuzmanovic and handanovic and stankovic. Jedvaj hangs out with lajlic pjanic. Id hang out with a fellow balkanc to if i didnt know the language and life style. Does that make Rebic wrong? Im a devils fan in hockey i hate the rangers hafe a croat and devils didnt id never root for rangers rangers suck.
Ivica,
I’ve been to Velika Gospa in Perusic and it was absolutely amazing. Heck, throw Cavoglave in there (nije Lika). But I can never give up my Kaptol, Gradec, Agram, Kaj, Stross, itd. Plava krv mi tece kroz vene. Don’t make me start quoting Stoka either.
Rebic goal, then jumping into Stefan Savic’s arms for a sweet embrace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maXU2Kh1HfE
I meant if you watch him play at the under 20s for Kovac under 21s he scored some nice goals and in Split. That goal today was a mandzukic type goal fight for position and beat defender.
Let me just make nyself clear i dont care what Olic does for club he has scored many euro goals in his career but name me one time he did that for cro so me on youtube please thats my point. Rebics one goal last summer he scored already only 1 goal and better than any okic has scored for cro yes Olic did have important goals but quality i am talking about.
Question would anyone like Vrssaljko at lb?
Ziva & Chupe- are you guys saying that Rebic goal was something special?
hahaha….even Rakitic could have scored that one! don’t get me wrong I like Rebic but that wasn’t special!
well, that is more than Sertic has ever done.
Congrats to Rebic for opening up his goal scoring account.
If he is able to score at least a dozen from now until the beginning of the WC, we should be in good shape.
@ Bobby V
It’s awesome that Eusebio played for 2 Croatian teams (Chicago and Toronto). Truly a legend. He also enjoyed attending Croatian festivals, liking our culture and food. He even sang the patriotic song “Vila Velabita.”
or Krpan? I bet he’s still playing 5th division football in some selo in the middle of nowhere…
Rukavina? No?
What about the Sinjski Dijamante?
Unless Rukavina is running the 100 m dash, then no.
I’m very curious to see what some of the younger guys can do in the next few months. If they start to produce would Kovac put them on the roster at the expense of someone like Jelavic.
If Rebic isn’t ready and all those guys don’t cut the mustard…
what about Ante Rukavina?
Not just Olic-type goals!!!!!! Now you have my attention.
We need to find the second option at forward because I know its not Jelavic, Kalinic or Petric. Olic is not getting younger and I don’t think Da Silva can play 90 minutes at a high level.
Rebic scores all kinds of goals not just Olic types.
nice header off rebound from a free kick to get a goal in his Coppa Italia debut
Rebic !!
@Armada……not bad.
Ante Rebic started the Coppa match today, here is a stream:
http://www.rojadirecta.me/goto/zonasports.me/canal-2.shtml
Germany’s Thomas Hitzlsperger is gay!!!
Thnak gog we Hrvati are immune to such disease of the mind and spirit.
NASL Player traded for Hotel and Transportation costs. So, I guess there is hope for Sammir after all.
http://extramustard.si.com/2014/01/08/soccer-player-traded-for-hotel-fare/?eref=sihp
Dario Kresic to Mainz
Hey Ziva
Just say the words and I’ll order this for your, so you can rock it in Brazil
http://www.subsidesports.com/us/national-teams/europe/croatia/davor-suker-legend-t-shirt-royal.html
L? XL? Let me know.
@Petar Radman-Livaja
With all due respect, player movement in the HNL registers just a little higher than Toronto Croatia off-season signings in the consciousness of most interested parties….
Some news that has flown under the radar. Dinamo has loaned out Dino Spehar to Lokamtiva. He is only 19 and had a lot of hype around him a few years ago when Dinamo bought him from Osijek. Hopefully he gets some playing time and flourishes.
One step closer to being extradited.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/08/us-croatia-spy-extradition-idUSBREA070TD20140108
even I laughed at that one from the safety of the fortified compound.
Ante(Zivas step dad) says:
I always thought that you were everyones favourite kurva
BAHAHAHHAAHHAAHA!
Released West Ham striker Mladen Petric is set to join Panathinaikos on a free transfer.
source: football365
u kurac karlovac?
Crystal Palace looking to make a bid for Jelavic.
“Tony Pulis is ready to pay £3.5 million for Everton forward Jelavic and has made an enquiry for Ince, the Blackpool winger, while Blackburn Rovers defender Scott Dann also remains on the radar.”
source: football365
Huh?
I’m beginning to think ‘Stoka’ is ‘Karadžić je heroj’ in disguise.
The usernames are similar enough.
Robert Muric is going to be big…
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gMoBFY94mB4
Hello, why no gay pride game in Zagreb to celebrate the gay community?
LMAO Ziva’s dad!
@ IvicA
Is it true your from Karlovac….aka “Karlorat”???
lol zivas dad lol
Excited to see how Jedvaj turns out as well. I sat next to his cousin on a flight from Dubrovnik to Zagreb. She was hot.
I always thought that you were everyones favourite kurva.
Everyones favorite kurva, Severina, now owns the index.hr name.
One attendance at the Licki Piknik in Toronto and you’ll forget the Kaptol.
Not only that but I wasn’t born in Zagreb unlike my sister. I never said I could pass the Purger test as my last name is generations away from that. I can’t however drop Zagreb no matter how much I love Lika (props to Perusic, Klanac and Gospic).
http://www.24sata.hr/nogomet/s-ponosom-je-nosio-kockice-eusebio-je-obozavao-hrvate-348065
My father was on the board when he first came to play for RWB Adria in Chicago in a late 1970’s Labor Day tournament. It was kept a secret – he hit the crossbar with a rocket of a shot two minutes into the match.
Slowly, everyone who was watching the other three games going on came over to our field to see who everyone had quickly started talking about.. Somebody finally recognized who he was – he took pictures with us after the game – really cool guy.
I know my selos history from each family name and history also nicknames who dosnt have nick names in cro which is amazing for a diaspora
@ armada there are alot of those types of selos on dalmatian coast and velebit.
Friends, talk to me when there is a selo with your last name… There might be only 8 people in that selo now but dammit, it still counts for something ha
@Ante
There’s no doubt that many parts of ZG are hardcore, but many parts of ZG are littered with people from Dalmacija, Slavonija, Lika, and Hercegovina.
You, my friend, may be purbread purger on your mom’s side, but your dad’s side does not pass the three generation rule.
Now go put on your Lička kapa (with the short ponytail on it now that you’re married) and go throw some giant rocks in the air.
🙂
So the friendlies are Swiss in st gallen Chile in braziland either Gana or Nigeria in split or pula. The game vs swiss id try alternate lineup to see who deserves spot on 23 man roster. I like the friendlies suker set up.
How will the euro 2020 work dont get that travel for teams and that stuff so how does that work?
Laku Noc the last ones for us came out in late Feb so perhaps around the same time
@ ivica
i agree with you , there defintley seem to be some biases in that article
Anybody have any updates onwhen the jerseys will be shown for the World Cup? Still can’t find any…
http://www.jutarnji.hr/vlada–necemo-dati-novac-za-maksimir-jer-je-poljud-bolja-opcija-/1152791/
Interesting article. I wondered the same thing before. If Cro wants to host any games at Euro 2020 why is Zagreb considered to likely host over Split.
The games would be in early to mid-summer and I think Split is more preferable city to be in at that time.
Now, I don’t think Split has the hotel space and that will be a big negative. I think UEFA has an established protocol where a city has to have a certain number of 4 and 5 star hotels to host significant UEFA games. I don’t think Split has that many quality hotels. So, that favors Zagreb.
Interesting to see what happens with this. Appears the savez wants ZG.
@Stipe……..znaci ti si lijen i slijep.
Stipe,
Moje saucesce.
Stipe – I hope your not a Splican…
Ja nisam veliki Hrvat sue me! Ja sam Dalmatinac!
Ivica,
My mama is a cisto krvna Purgerica dating back to the 1600’s in Zagreb. Her maiden name is “-sek”. I don’t know how more Purger you can get than that. Tata’s family down the line waaaay back was from Lika like 100 years ago; his family was born and raised in ZG.
Remember about Zagreb, only a portion of it is red (read: Pantovcak). The other areas are pretty hardcore. Watch Metastaze.
Just read Arsenal want Eduardo on loan!
Jelavic might go to West Ham or QPR.
Rakitic might stay until end of season and leave after WC.
Perisic weird rumor about Man United LOL.
Kovacic i think will stay in Inter.
Well if you look at the Last starting 11 for Cro all are playing for club atleat 30 to full 90-Pletikosa-Srna Lovren Carli Pranjic-Modric Rakitic-Perisic Kovacic Olic-Mandzukic.
If Rebic got playing time looks good Sifo also standard in greece, Strinic also standard in Ukraine
I think a mix at euro 2016 and russia 2018 Croatia should finally be a contender again thats how i see it maybe 2014 can be building to that.
That article also fails to mention that Lewandowski is THE MAN at Dortmund and has to be the star for them to be successful. Mandzo doesn’t have to always be the man as Munich have a number of guys who can create and finish.
I don’t believe it.
You’re too right wing to be a pure bred purger.
There’s something in your family tree. Rule is, you have to be there for at least three generations.
Just because I married into a Hercegovac doesn’t make me one. No white socks with dress pants yet! All ZG family here.
Ivica- stats are only 1 part of the equation, the second comes when you are on the field with your teammates. although Lewandowski will most likely be a great addition you have to consider there are other elements…ie…chemistry, tactic used, form…Lewandowski may be in good form and the tactics used to support him may be great…will he adapt and have good chemistry, will he miss opportunities which can limit his playing time…???
we have a lot of promising talent (more so than in other generations I feel) but there is no way a lot of the above mentioned guys pan our, play in good clubs, get called up to the NT, etc.
we have a decent base of guys in the 23-30 range where if we can get maybe 4-6 guys from our U-19/U-21 base to contribute to the NT, we’ll be in business
Good article, but it still seems like it was written by a heavily biased Polish fan.
For example, this quote: “Statistically, Lewandowski has completely outperformed Mandzukic this season. He has nearly double the number of shots as Mandzukic, and has scored more goals.”
Actually, Lewandowski has only scored 8 goals if you exclude the 3 penalties he scored, whereas Mandžukić has scored 10 true goals.
Lewandowski has also played 400 more minutes this season than Mandžo. That’s the equivalent of 4 full games more, so of course he’ll out shoot Mandžo (yet with less goals scored from these extra shots).
I do believe that Lewandowski is a more complete forward, and Mandžo does play on the better team, but writers lose all credibility when they overly massage the numbers to try and prove a not-too-damning point.
Either way, I would love to see Lewandowski flop badly on Bayern. 🙂
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/why-pep-needs-lewandowski-make-bayern-complete#comment_anchor
Great article on Bayern, Mandzukic, and most likely why Mandza will be gone from Bayern next season
@ Ziva – Unless you are the English and apparently every generation is the golden generation regardless of hardware.
@slavonac…….you win
For a generation to be called a golden generation usually you have to win some hardware.
Remember, for all the promising youth level players from the U-19s and U-21s, only a handful usually end up contributing to the senior side.
Very good chance they advance to the playoff. And the next chance to see them in action is May v Ukraine, and then in September @ Latvia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_UEFA_European_Under-21_Football_Championship_qualification_Group_5
I agree with Petar, this generation has the potential to be our 2nd Golden Generation!
Also I like the u17 goalie Marko Maric from what I saw of him in the World Cup. I think he is from the diaspora but playing on our youth teams
And no love for Datkovic? I like him more than I like Vida. And Simunovic to a slightly lesser extent
…well…I played soccer with Tin’s dad, Zdenko….
This will be one of our better generations of players. There are a few guys that could be stars and a bunch that could easily prove to be very good first and second team National players.
Jedvaj – Kovacic – Rebic – Radosevic – Vrsajlko – Halilovic and Brozovic all look to have bright futures.
Then you have Pasalic, Milic, Basic, Roguljic, Perica and Lulic all looking to be the next crop of Under 21 regulars.
Mocinic may be the wild card in the bunch. He seems to be flying under the radar a bit and may just surprise a lot of people.
While your grandfather knew Tin’s grandfather and was his best man, my butcher’s kum is friends with Tin’s biological grandmother’s step-sister.
I always thought Vida-Vrsajlko-Lovren were gonna be our next great generation of defenders, Lovren and Vrsajlko look like locks to eventually cement starting spots (I think at this point, CB is Lovren’s to lose).
I like Tin Jedvaj too, even though him and his family are probably a bunch of criminals from Hercegovina 😉 I still have hope for Renato Kelic though. Solid player for Slovan (in the footage I’ve seeen at least), has played in Europe, was always a solid player for the U21’s (he captained them for a bit). I recently heard DZG were trying to sign him. Dude needs to transfer to a bigger league and get on Niko i brate’s radar. Going to Dinamo would undoubtly be a step back. I could see him as a solid backup, maybe even a starter down the line, depending on how other youngsters pan out.
Jedvaj is the real deal and the future looks bright for him. He will do well representing us.
@ Ante B
You only pumped up Jedvaj because, like you, he’s a Švercegovac. 😉
On a serious note, this is good news for us. Unlike Brazilians & Africans, Croatians tend to be very late bloomers. A lot of our star players in the past didn’t really emerge as anything special until they were 22. It’s really good news to see us do well in youth competition and even have some of these guys already playing regularly for their clubs, because that was never the case in the past.
im going to go withTin Jedvaj, because my grandfather knew Tin’s grandfather and was his best man, he was from a rural area near Mostar with less then 400 people.
this is nice to see.. i know some of you say the results right now don’t matter but it helps to instill the passion for playing for the repka and a winning attitude… these guys are hungry to take over the old crew…
seems to me when jugo won the youth world cup we did get some very good results after that… i believe there is some truth to the winning when young
It was good to see that Radosevic get some minutes at Napoli
Next star? Tin Jedvaj. Mark it. I called it from day one many moons ago when he was still at Dinamo.