STANDUPCROATIA.COM REPORTING FROM POLJUD
Dear CSR Nation:
Branimir and I were lucky enough to get our flight and ticket paid for by CSR.com to do a match report for the historic Dinamo vs Hajduk derby.
The Atmosphere was Electric, Passionate and Real to say the least.During the announcement of Hajduk’s team roster, the fans screamed at the top of their lungs and during Dinamo’s, 28,000 people whistled together. The start of the game was also the start of the entire stadium jumping up and down. The old concrete Poljud shook and we rocked in our seats as we sat back down. UNREAL feeling!
The Fans: Lets face it……most think they are capable of coaching the Croatian National team or can do better than the players on the field. Their comments usually start with, “Ajde u…………(you finish the rest).” Other then that, you can say nothing negative about Croatian fans. They DO NOT stop cheering, singing, and jumping the entire game! After Hajduk scored, the game had to be stopped for 5 minutes due to smoke covering the entire field. If Croatia had stadiums like England, there would be no question about which country would host the best soccer games. Until then, we will have to deal with our outdated venues.
Dear HNS, START PLAYING GAMES AT POLJUD! The fans, field, and stadium provide for a true home field advantage and something that the Croatian National Team needs to start taking more advantage of. Makisimir does not provide the atmosphere our players need to lock up home games with 3 points!
During the game, you can see that the players worked hard but there were a lot of mistakes made technically that are not found in leagues such as the EPL or other top clubs around the world. I felt Dinamo looked more composed and came to an away stadium and did their job. They have much more experienced players and that was clear throughout the whole game. Hajduk is young and you cannot take anything away from all the players effort. Ibričić looks like he has the quality to be a star in Europe. If Hajduk can continue to produce young Croatian players, they have a bright future. Notice how I mention young CROATIAN players for Hajduk; Dinamo I believe have only 3 (don’t quote me on that) Croatian players in their starting lineup (a bit sad).
Thats all for now.
Hope you enjoy the video.
Croatia wins European Championship in waterpolo tonight!!!!!!
Go ride a stand up paddle board! www.facebook.com/standupcroatia
~Peter Hazdovac and Branimir Kvartuč reporting from Stand Up Paddleboards alongside the Petar Hektorović trajekt in the Adriatic Sea
@JordanArmada,
I agree with you on Istra. Most people dont give a shit about Zagreb or Dalmacija. Dubrovnik has the same mentality. Once again, Croatians are segregated more than people think.
Last night, had a family party at my parents house. 40 people or so, all Croatian. For dinner, dalmatinci sat with dalmatinci, and people from Zagreb and Cakovec sat together. For most of the night, it stayed like this. Looked like a Hajduk-Dinamo game in my backyard.
Everyone knows each other and are friends, however, they feel comfortable with 'their people'. Interesting how that goes.
A question for you all…
Why is Split named as such? It's not named "Joined", now is it? something to think about… The irony is not lost on me.
If we want to go about dividing ourselves, there's much more subtle and important regional differences than Zagreb/Dalmatia. Perhaps all you Dalmatinci need to take off the Speedo's and take a trip to Lika for example.
@Ziva
I'm 100% with you on the Turbofolk, can't stand that govno.
@JordanArmada
Yes, it's funny how that region is completely ignored, isn't it!
that big ass banner said "Markovicu jedi govna" hahahahahhahaha ta im je dobra!!!
The song in the video is VOLIN SVE BILO
Thanks for the heads up Ziva. Man, that is pretty awful, like so much pop culture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN2hnARn6h0
something like this, mostly from serb or bosnian singers, but there are croatian singers that go this route.
Even Severina has a few somgs like this…
a public service message to everyone……….
teach all croatian youth to stay away from this sranje. its worse than croatian rap.
Pardon the stupid question but WTF is turbo folk?!
Whoa now! Me saying Sammir deserves a call up was a joke. Read what I wrote after that. NO WAY Sammir deserves a call up.
As for turbo folk:
TKO SLUSA CAJKU
JEBEMO MU MAJKU
they can play the games in my uncle's open land and the national team would still get support.
It appears Split will get a chance to host at least 2 qualifiers. Malta (who cares, that should go to Osijek) and either Georgia and/or Israel. Maybe both.
Split wants the Israel match, but I have a strong feeling that match against Israel will go to ZG. The savez will do everything to avoid an embarassing situation when playing Israel (for obvious political reasons) and they will want to avoid playing that match in Split. Knowing what I know about some of the internal discussions within the savez about hosting the Isreal match, I would be totaly shocked in Split got that game. If they did, I can only imagine the amount of security and police that would check all fans and all signs coming into that match.
as for the turbo folk….i know it cant be banned, but it should. Its just terrible music, but people like it…jebiga
Always hearing this junk between Zagreb and Dalmacija makes me happy that I'm from Istra/Primorsko-Goranska hahaha we mind our own business and don't give a shit about anyone else! 🙂
I never thought i'd hear Ante B say Sammir should be on the national team.
For footballing reasons right i think all credit to Sammir and he's prob done MORE than some who have got on the roster. He has really shown the best of himself this season. He works in that system. MAYBE as a emergency call up should Modric go injured. But actually i think Sammir should believe in himself and try his heart out to play for Brazil. Brazil is not what it used to be. If guys like Josue, Alfonso Alves and Baptista can get a run in the national team then there is hope for anyone. At the end of the day if Sammir keeps this up. Dinamo will recieve a bid from a big team and then its up to him to take his career on from there.
Sadly i actually think Sammir is a very gifted person, but he really does not seem to care much. I'd compare him to Miki Rapajic. One of those players who likes to play football, but systems, fitness and coaching orders sort of go straight over his head.
I don't think Bilic will call Sammir cos Bilic is a hypocrite. He calls people he likes. What's good enough to get Anas Sharbini, Mandzukic and Kalinic a call won't be enough for Sammir. But i don't see why Sammir should not aspire to play for Brazil. He's got a whole career in front of him.
It does need pointing out though that this system only seems to really work for Sammir. Badelj doesn't like it. Morales isn't really at his best in this system. If a bid comes for Sammir we should move him on.
As a Dinamo fan i'm a bit concerned about Morales, Kramaric, Callelo's status at moment. Kramaric is not getting any chances and Morales and Callelo are wasted talent. As for Dodo – we should just cut him loose. He'll never make it as a player.
@ ziva
I myself am a big hater of turbo folk, but the fact remains many Croatians do like it. You are right about the bosanceros infesting Makarska, but the truth remains that even the biggest Ustase or the ones who claim to be very big Croats like to listen to that shit. Nonetheless, you can't ban it, as a matter of fact it was banned on television in Croatia but that ended maybe ten years ago or so.
Don't get me wrong I don't understand how people can listen to that shit, but even where I live now most of the Croats listen to that bullshit. Still it's not Communism so the government can tell you what you can or can't listen to. It's sad but that's the way it is.
Or shit like Mate Bulic, if he's a big Croat I'm fucking Ante Pavelic. I'm born in Cro and a few Cro guys here started screwing with me cuz I had no clue who he was.
@anonymous,
songs called Dalmacijo, get it son.
what's the name of the song?
@Ante B,
Well said.
Sure there is evidence as to why Croatia hasnt played in Split in 13 years or whatever. You did your part by answering the question.
As far as "throwing out Torcida and Hajduk" out the equation… what I meant was that Split deserves to host as the city of Split first, and torcida and hajduk a second and third. In this situation, Split i representing Croatia even though 99.9% of Split is Hajduk. Just like in Zagreb 99% is Dinamo.
Split should get the repka because:
1) Split represents Dalmatia(roughly half of Croatia)
2) Split has produced the most athletes in the world when counting per capita
3) Hosting games in Split will unify Croatia… something Italy is trying to do… and Germany has been doing for years… while a country like Spain plays in Madrid. Most Spaniards care more about Barcelona or Madrid than Spain… Barcelona even considers themselves Catalonia..
Svircicu,
"I disagree with this statement. This statement suggests that Maksimir should be banned from hosting the repka. Definitely not a fair statement."
THANK YOU! This was the point I've been trying to make. It's a completely unfair statement and had to call it out. Split deserves national team games as do Varazdin, Osijek, Pula, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Gospic and Vukovar to name a few.
However, this didn't make sense to me. You throw out the Torcida but if the Torcida are the voice of the average Dalmatinac then aren't you throwing out the average Dalmatinac who wants to see Croatia play at Poljud which even furthers the point of the players, the HNS, the fans and the coach not wanting to play in Split?
You might have to re-read that since it's a long sentence. Short answer to your question: no, there is not enough evidence to bar them from playing in Split no should it BUT there is evidence as to why they haven't (read above) played there.
"am I to assume that the Torcida is not the voice of the average Dalmatinac?"
You are right, however, I am throwing Hajduk and Torcida out of the equation. Just like I would throw Dinamo and BBB out of the equation when it comes to the Repka.
MY argument is that:
"evidence speaks for itself as to why they're not"
This evidence is not enough. Split deserve a game. Period.
I apologize about this:
""Don't you think its fair that both cities get a chance to represent Croatia?""
I meant to pose this question to all of our readers, and not direct it at you.
""Makisimir does not provide the atmosphere our players need to lock up home games with 3 points!""
I disagree with this statement. This statement suggests that Maksimir should be banned from hosting the repka. Definitely not a fair statement.
Question for you is:
"evidence speaks for itself as to why they're not"
Is there enough "evidence" to bar Croatia from playing at Poljud?
Also, just to make this clear, as a non-Hajduk and non-Torcida fan, am I to assume that the Torcida is not the voice of the average Dalmatinac?
Italy might not have a national stadium but we are not Italy and we have our national stadium–Maksimir. If you had to ask this question:
"Don't you think its fair that both cities get a chance to represent Croatia?"
Then you clearly are NOT reading what I'm writing. Let me repeat my quote–
"-Games should be played in Split. I never said they shouldn't but the evidence speaks for itself as to why they're not"
Obviously I do believe Split deserves the chance to represent Croatia. Always have, always will.
Let me pose my question from before in reference to the following quote:
"Makisimir does not provide the atmosphere our players need to lock up home games with 3 points!"
Given all of our successes at Maksimir, do you think this is a fair statement?
The players have complained many times in the past about playing in Split:
1) The pressure
2) Extra flight to Split
3) Not enough turbo folk clubs
Whatever the excuse might be, its not a valid excuse. The fans have the final say. In my opinion, for all the athletes that came out of Split, they deserve at least one big game qualifier every campaign.
@Ante B,
Croatia is a country that is split in two: Dalmacija and Zagreb.
Split is pretty much the heart of Dalmacija( or south) while Zagreb is the center of the (non-dalmacija) North.
Croatia, much like Italy is an elongated country that separates their people in two. Italy(south vs. the north) Croatia(Zagreb vs. Dalmatia). For this reason, Italy doesn't have a national stadium and plays their qualifiers all over the country.
Results don't mean anything. 3 qualifying games at Poljud against quality opposition. (Italy/Denmark/Slovenia).. Ok the 3-3 draw against Slovenia was inexcusable. However, 1-1 against Italy and Denmark are no fuck ups.
"Split has hosted huge games (read: Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, etc.) but with no positive results. "
All three of these are friendlies.. results dont mean anything….
Big game qualifiers should be at Poljud and Maksimir with Malta/Andorra/Latvia games in Osijek/Varazdin/Rijeka etc etc…
Torcida has a right to be upset at Markovic, however, no chance in hell they boycott a Croatia-Greece qualifier.
"The coach, players, HNS and Torcida don't want the repka to play in Split so why should they?"
Why should they? For the fans! Split deserves it. Not Hajduk, not Torcida, but the city of Split together…. which also includes every dalmatinac.
Lastly, both Zagreb and Split go Bonkers when the checkers are on the field. Don't you think its fair that both cities get a chance to represent Croatia?
@Ziva istina
"For some reason, there is more mental pressure to playing in Split. That is one of the reasons during the Euro 08 qualifying Bilic did not press the savez to play in Split. He knew the pressure might be too much for the young kids (at the time) to play meaningful matches in Split and he never made a request to play in Split. Publically, he said something else."
I agree with you on this. I read in the past that even some of the players from the golden generation of 1996-1998 felt the same about playing in Split.
Sammir…nice player, but no way should he be on the national team.
1. he is not good enough for the national team
2. We already have a brazilain born croat on the sqaud.
Sammir definitely deserves a call up.
…how many of your faces just cringed after reading that? No way he deserves to be called up. Guess who does? Zdravko Mamic.
Who the hell even suggested Sharbini on the national team?
@Ante….agreed on your statement about maksimir. We can play these games in any town and create a winning atmosphere for the team.
regarding turbo folk bars/cafes…..The ones in Makarska are in the summer time because of the bosanjeros that infest the city. Way too many of them in the country, but ZG is loaded with them. Some in Split now as well, but not even close to what ZG has. Even more concerning are the amount of these places in hercegovina. The hercegovci like to take big about being proud hrvati, yet they go and listen to this sranje and attend concerts with serb singers.
Only major cities that I have visited in Cro that lack the turbo folk nightlife (and that is a good thing) are Zadar and Dubrovnik and DU only because its all foreigners.
Turbo folk should be banned, outlawed and those who listen to it need to be punished.
this is to the Tomasov/Oremus question….
Tomasov to me is nothing more than an average HNL player who can make it to Turkey/Austria type of league. He scored a nice goal in Europe but he looks clueless most of the time of the ball and way too lighty weight
The thing with Oremus is what is his natural position? With Hajduk he is a RB, with the U21s he is a RM. Solid player, but not somebody I see being a regular on the NT.
Even guys like Anas Sharbini to me have no business on the NT, he is too much of a ballhog and tries to do too much at times
Before this turns into a Zagreb vs Dalmacija debate, which it shouldn't, let me show you which two quotes I disagree with:
"Makisimir does not provide the atmosphere our players need to lock up home games with 3 points!"
Given all of our successes at Maksimir, do you think this is a fair statement? The answer is a resounding no. We can win, lose or draw in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, etc.
"Notice how I mention young CROATIAN players for Hajduk; Dinamo I believe have only 3 (don't quote me on that) Croatian players in their starting lineup (a bit sad)."
This was a cheap shot at Dinamo. Yes, we have foreign players but to imply that Hajduk does or did not have any in their past. Is this wrong?
Quick thoughts:
-Maksimir does need to rebuilt
-Games should be played in Split. I never said they shouldn't but the evidence speaks for itself as to why they're not
-The coach, players, HNS and Torcida don't want the repka to play in Split so why should they?
-Both Dinamo and Hajduk have or have had their fair share of foreign players
-Dinamo has more than 3 Croatians in their starting line-up
To RK in Toronto,
If Bilic wanted them to be near a turbo folk club, Split would be a better location than Zagreb. If he wanted to venture out a little bit, Makarska has more of those clubs than Split and Zagreb combined.
ps. If I didn't respond to all points, allow me to retort later; you guys wrote a lot.
Some more to add to this…..another reason the HNS avoiding Split is the reaction Tudjman received when he attended one of those qualifiers. He was booed heavily.
The reason he was booed….Some of you guys might be too young and wont remember it. For most of the 90s, Dinamo's name was changed to NK Croatia Zagreb by Tudjman. He fed state dollars into the club and ordered directors of state-controlled companies to sponsor Dinamo (Croatia Zagreb). This communist-style management of the club did not sit well with many, especially Hajduk fans and neutral supporters. Tudjman could not get away from his commie past and ran the club in the same way state clubs were run in former communist countries throughout eastern europe. This led to a backlash by many dinamo fans (who wanted the dinamo name back) and it led to backlash by non-Dinamo supporters as well who saw this as typical commie-era interference.
Now to the atmosphere at each stadium…..each fan base will have their own veiw. Here are my thoughts….Clearly, Poljud looks much better than Maksimir and is more fan-friendly than Maksimir except for the VIP boxes at Maksimir. Poljud has its faults, and for those who have been to it, you realize this. But, Poljud at least has some restrooms, which are shitty, but still better than the portable toilets in ZG.
As for noise….its not even close. Just by the architecture of the stadium, PoljuD is much louder. I'm not saying Maksimir is not loud, it is, (both stadias create a great atmosphere when sold out), but Poljud is much louder on the decibel level.
Ante B – I have to disagree with you. As Croatia's second largest city and historically greatest sports city (kako smo puno puta culi kako je Split "najsportski grad na svitu" e.g. Ivanisevic, Vlasic, itd.), it is preposterous that it has not hosted a national team qualifier in 13 years! It is a gross offense against Split and Dalmatinci in general! For one, Poljud is a much more beautiful stadium thaN "Maksiruglo" which is falling apart. Furthermore, there is a wide consensus that Poljud provides the best "home" atmosphere in the country, maybe even in Europe. You cannot equate the cosmopolitan, laid-back, "sminker" type atmosphere in Zagreb to the thunderous, termperamental atmosphere in Split. Finally, the negative results you mention are only a mere coincidence. Split has hosted only 3 qualifiers, which were all tough, so it's unfair to say that we can't win there:
Italy, 1:1, 1995 (I was there, an atmosphere that I'm not sure will ever be repeated!)
Denmark, 1:1, 1997
Slovenia, 3:3, 1997
BTW, these 3 results all led to eventual qualification!
The friendlies against Germany and Holland, well, we all know how "important" friendlies are, especially to our "spoiled" players.
What's even more troubling is that our players don't seem to want to play in Split. This is a disgrace given our coach is a "Hajdukovac" as well as our "influential" captain, who seems to want to play in Zagreb because of the close proximity of Fontana and other "turbo-folk" discos.
I don't blame Torcida and Dalmatinci for being offended by this gesture. I'm all for unity – I cheer for Dinamo when they are in Europe – but this has crossed all boundaries.
It is no wonder why we struggled for nationhood for over 900 years (I exaggerate, obviously, but you get my point!).
BTW, GREAT VIDEO!
All the best,
RK from Toronto
what about Oremus and Tomasov, two great young players out of Hajduk
I'm for the national team playing anywhere within the country, but its time to move away from Maksimir until that thing is either destroyed or re-built or a new stadium in ZG is built. We look like a third-world country playing in that concrete jungle and there are safety concerns that the HNS and the city of ZG ignore. I have been inside that stadium a number of times (not just in the stands but in the office and underneath) and its only a matter of time until something tragic happens with that mess. Yes, the national team did not lose for a long stretch, but that is done with. I credit that to mostly playing in easy qualifying groups, getting certain teams at the right time (first time we played Engalnd) and most importantnly, talent. We have usually been the better side when facing opposing teams. Talent usually wins out at the end. Our most important match ever in that stadium we came out losers when we tied Yugoslavia. I was there, it was loud, it was insane, but we did not get the desired result.
The argument that the team cant win in Split is an old and tired one. So, we should not play meaningful matches in our best stadium (structurally) and loudest because we tied in Split 13 years ago. Forget the games against Brazil, Germany and Holland….they were all friendlies and meant nothing. Hell, the national team lost a few freindlies in ZG as well.
You can use this arguement against playing in Split….this was told to me by a few former players on the national team and one guy who is still on the national team. Some players in the past have been afraid of playing in Split because of the pressure. For some reason, there is more mental pressure to playing in Split. That is one of the reasons during the Euro 08 qualifying Bilic did not press the savez to play in Split. He knew the pressure might be too much for the young kids (at the time) to play meaningful matches in Split and he never made a request to play in Split. Publically, he said something else.
And lets not start bashing each club over the ethnicity of their players, because last i checked Dinamo was coached by a guy whose brother was killing hrvati during the war and only a few years ago the club was captained by a mujo.
Let me first commend you guys for going to the game. I've been to Poljud in the BBB section and it's always an incredible experience.
That being said, I have to call bullshit on something that was written. Buddy, Maksimir is the home stadium, get over it already. Before the England debacle, Maksimir had an 18 year undefeated record. We can't qualify when we play at Maksimir and the atmosphere can't compare? That's utter fucking horseshit and bush league. I have nothing against playing in Split…or Osijek, Rijeka, Varazdin for that matter but if we objectively look at it, Croatia cannot win in Split. Look at the results, they speak for themselves. I can understand the emotional tie you have with Poljud being a Hajduk fan but don't let that get in the way of reality. Split has hosted huge games (read: Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, etc.) but with no positive results. Plus, now the Torcida apparently doesn't wany any HNS games because of Markovic "ignoring" Split.
Maksimir will always be the home of our repka and as such, the big games will always be there. Torcida made that final confirmation with that banner. Also, please let's not play the Croatian card for Hajduk, you guys had tons of foreign players in the previous years and your best player is a Bosnian so shhhh.
Popcorn time.
^^^^
Loncaric (23)
Badelj (21)
Rukavina (24)
Ademi (19)
Vrsaljko (18)
Biscan started, he is Croatian, ok not a young one.
Off the bench came Kelava who I think is 21 and he will start now.
I am a Hajduk fan, but at the end of the day, I still see bigger upside in the Dinamo youngsters than Hajduk youngsters. The only Hajduk youngster I see developing is Maloca and Vukusic, but even Maloca is a "kiks" player but he has pace which is good for a defender
please name the 6 that started the game…..
Damn man I'm jealous that I wasn't there. Ah when I see and here the atmosphere it gives me the pre-game jitters.
" Malo pjevam malo sviram i polako tetoviram tvoje ime u srcu……
Dalmacijo moja ruzo procvala", ah kad cujem ovaj pjesmu, srce kuca jacer
Pozdrav is Californiu
btw, dinamo had 6 croats, not 3 🙂
Dear Peter & Branimir,
Due to some economic irregularities in today's changing world, CSR will not be able to reimburse you the $15,500 first class tickets we promised you. Team CSR appreciates the fine video StandUpCroatia.com put together for Croatian fans around the world, however, no contract was ever signed.
If you would like to file a claim, please send us your contact information and ticket stubs at BastardSoccerReport.com. Ciganski Bosanac should be able to assist you.
Regretfully,
-TEAM CSR