Former Dinamo Zagreb academy director, Romeo Jozak, catches up with CroatianSports as 2021 winds down.
Jozak names his Croatian football “Mount Rushmore” as well as the three European playoff teams that will make the 2022 World Cup. Jozak would not take Ivan Rakitić to Qatar if the opportunity arose, however, he does say, “Rakitić is a legend and deserves a statue in Croatia.” Jozak also says that Dalić should now be considered the greatest Croatian coach of all time.
What’s Jozak’s story?
He was a pretty big deal 10-15 years ago in Croatia, and I recall the Australian FA trying to get him.
But then he just went to Poland and Kuwait on some short coaching stints, and then just moved to Ohio to buy that youth academy and (very recently) became technical director of Saudi Arabia.
I don’t know much about running soccer academies in Ohio, but it just seems like he’s wasting his talent with this youth academy (and definitely wasting them with Saudi Arabia).
Saudis probably pay very well, so good that he snagged that deal for himself. I doubt anything will come out of that country that’s worth anything in football.
Just curious as to why Jozak made the decision to leave Croatia, and took positions that (I think) are below him.
I doubt that he’d disclose anything to us here on this site though, lol. Especially if he had a falling out with key members of the HNS which blacklisted him. Now I’m just speculating out loud, haha.
I would rather say that Dalic was the coach when Croatia’s greatest team got the farthest in the World Cup than Croatia greatest coach of all time? I thought he should be of been fired for that crazy euro shit and because the team qualified for the WC now he’s a hero? I would rather give the credit to the players
Like mandzukic – Modric – Rakitic- Perisic etc than dalic. I was actually hoping for a different/ better coach than dalic for WC 22 but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen? So I just hope the team does well.
awesome interview. Romeo has so much experience worldwide.
With respect I believe croatia can still do extremely well after Modric and Dalic is not Croatia’s greatest
Where exactly would Rakitic statue go? Sevilla perhaps
Romeo was perhaps getting a little ahead of himself with respect to these matters
Worked well for me on I phone
It’s always great to hear from a guy like Romeo. He has an amazing mind it seems
A little concerning about how we said when luka retires and some of the state of our development
We need to match the development of what really is over the top talent per capita we produce
Improved stadiums. Better support for youth
Could you imagine we actually had truly proper infrastructure??
There would be even more diaspora wanting to come home
Good video Ante. Nicely done…though Jozak was in the middle of the night in the scorching hot desert so props to him as well for doing the call.
PS One of the ginos or pork chops out…..at least the Toronto area is spared of one of those insufferable fan bases….lol
No video.
well | _ just say -> this is the best generation for Croatia
and he is lucky enough to be at the right time!!
– even though he messed up for the lines up – we can have another world cup
because there was no threat so far |_ with the like Russia Slova Sloven!!|
the last World Cup 2018 | with only -> England as the strong team we met?
come on _ give it ahead for Brazil Portugal Croatia Australia at the beginning
do you think this lineup is gonna work?
……………………..Kramaric…………………………
Perisic ………….. Modric ……………. N Vlasic
………….Kovacic …………. Brozovic……………
Sosa …….Gvardiol……Lovren…… Juranovic
……………………. Livakovic ………………………..
with subtitution: Petkovic, Livaja, Brakalo !!
I only see an image, no video.
Video working for me on Chrome and iPhone. Are you on Safari?
I’m on firefox.
I switched to another browser and it works now.
Video working for me on Chrome and iPhone. Are you on Safari
As the old saying goes.’dont fix what’s not broken”..We keep qualifying 90% of the time so keep the status quo..also we our vatreni need at least 1 world class stadium/pitch..1 billion for rafael fighter jets..ma comeon.Hrvatska can afford at least 1 world class stadium.!!