Photo: Goal.com
After being wooed by the Hrvatski Nogometni Savez (HNS) for over two years, Bordeaux’s 23 year-old midfielder Grégory Sertic, is now as close as he’s every going to be to play for the Vatreni. It has been reported by Sportske Novosti that Sertic was in Zagreb on Christmas Eve to finalize his Croatian citizenship papers, which includes a passport. Sertic was born just outside Paris in Brétigney-sur-Orge, Essonne, France, to a Croatian father, whose origins are unknown at this time.
Sertic is a product of the Bordeaux youth system and has been on the senior squad since the 2009-10 season. He is naturally a midfielder who plays in the middle of the pitch, but can also play as a winger and defensive midfielder if called upon. He has only one goal for Bordeaux in 33 appearances. Sertic was loaned out to Lens for the 2010-11 camapign, joining former Croatia goalkeeper Vedran Runje in 23 games. It is understood that Runje told Sertic to choose Croatia over France, internationally. He has been capped by France’s U-21 side five times.
Sertic has made it clear that he only wants to play for his birth country of France. So if he does accept the HNS’ invitation to play for Croatia, we can assume that the change of heart occurred because France hasn’t capped him yet.
As a Croatian fan, would you welcome Sertic to the national team under these circumstances?
What about the non-Croatians CURRENTLY on the team.. Lovren, Corluka, Rakatic, Eduardo, Sammir.. All these players born outside of Croatia and given a chance, and other then Sammir they proved themselves as great players helping us win games. Proved themselves also as Croatians singing the “Ljepa nasa” before every game and speaking and living in Croatia with full citizenship. If you guys wanna win more and have a better team by accepting Croatians outside of Croatia, you’re glad to join the idea.
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@Slavonac from Canada In the fact Gotovina had a children with his Colombian ex, but she is a girl, I don’t know if the Gotovina’s daughter speak croatian but I would say that is more probable that she ended up in politics here in Colombia than being the next forward of the Croatian Women National Team.
@scout
Depth, depth, depth…….the goal should be depth at every position. Get them into the program and then rotate through those in top form at EVERY position; the best National teams have depth.
what if Ante Gotovina had a son from his first wife in Colombia that grew up there …never learned to speak Croatian but one day was a good enough soccer player to play for Hrvatska…would you say no?
I would rather try to get Deni Alar from Austria than this Sertic kid. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed, but our strikers are becoming less and less effective. The only two for sure at the time are Mandzukic and Jelavic. Vukusic can’t get going, Da Silva rides the bench too much, Livaja very young still, Olic getting old, and I believe Petric and Klasnic are not in the calling anymore. Forget Sertic, we are good at midfield and back line in terms of serious recruits. Our focus should be fowards and goalies.
Amen and 100% agreed!
a lengthy, but good, hypothetical situation – bear with me
say if ole’ ARMADA was closer to 20 than 30 – say I was a child prodigy here in the US and A, was scouted by all the big European clubs and hypothetically signed for Real Madrid. ARMADA kills it at RM and sure as shit Puppet Suker and Maminho come knocking on my door and want me on the repka. ARMADA of course agrees, since I’m Croatian-American with both parents born in Ljepa Nasa. I join the NT and long story short, we pull off a magical World Cup run and win the WC 2018 with ARMADA scoring some crucial goals and becoming a national hero in Hrvatska.
Doing all of this – and I’m not 100% fluent in Croatian, but I understand most of it and can hold a basic convo.
So we arrive at Pleso to a hero’s welcome after hoisting the WC trophy. At the press conference, since my Croatian still isn’t 100%, I need a translator still…
You think in this hypothetical situation – people in Croatia, with the World Cup trophy in my hands, are going to tell me I’m not Croatian enough because I don’t speak Croatian 100%? Personally, I would have millions of jock sniffers for the rest of my life, regardless of my strength in the Croatian language and that I’m Croatian-American. I’d be mentioned in the same breath as Suker and Boban and you would see jerseys with the name Diminić around Hrvatska for decades to come.
In the end, I don’t think anyone back home would give a crap if say a diapora player with limited Croatian language skills led the repka to the promised land. No one in Zagreb would say “Fuck winning a Euro or WC, this guy isn’t fully ‘Croatian’ so I don’t give a crap”
Ziva Istina says:
“Simunic is croatian, this dude is not. The guy does not even speak Croatian, but I can see why some of the diaspora hrvati would be in favor of him: you guys don’t speak Croatian or know anything about lijepa nasa, so you identify we this guy because he resembles you, who also doesnt know Croatian or anything about lijepa nasa.”
Good to see the myopia remains strong on this site. Hey Ziva, I can read and write Croatian, have known Ljepa Nasa since I was 8 years old, am out of the diaspora and support the inclusion of Sertic if this is what the coaching staff believe makes the depth of the team stronger.
Good to see the Savez doesn’t share the xenophobia of most of you, and realizes in order to remain relevant in world football, they have to mine all avenues globally for talent.
Carry on with the irrelevant dialogue.
I have no problem him playing for hrvatska, afterall half the squad were not born there anyway.
@ J gobielle
Dobro Dosli to you and your Son!
I recommend coming to Dalmatian coast in the summer and ignoring any and all fascist comments on this site.
Croatian are a diverse group of people with many socio-political views.
As per Sertic, not sure if he can hang, but I like Stimac having enough quality in the squad so the 11 on the field are ready to rock.
We need a right winger to open up the middle for my man Modric to create.
Real Madrid are bunch of mercenaries that do not deserve to play with the iliumate team building midfielder, Luka Modric!
No, I consider myself croatian even though I’ve lived my whole life outside my homeland. I can read, write and speak the language of my parents. If he can’t do any of that then he has no right to be a part our national team. We should never allow our national team to be the second choice for anyone!
Worthless discussion. Saw the guy play a few times. I’m afraid he just ain’t good enough to be in the starting 11. If Hrvatska should qualify for Brazil 2014, he could be one of the 23. Nothing more, nothing less. The guy doesn’t even has his spot in the starting 11 of Bordeaux.
happy Rodendan to Suker
Samir doesn’t have any ties to Croatia, except that he took the oportunity to make some money and boost his career. If better oportunity comes along, he will be gone.
@ jaimejivi
Thank you for your explanation. I agree with you for the times up to last twenty, thirty years. Mothers went to work, and there’s no much difference in time spent with children between fathers and mothers. I just think that mothers care more or I should say find it more important to teach their children about their country and their family.
I agree with you about Americans being lazy to learn an another language. It is part of “we are the best in the world and we are enough to ourselves and we expect everybody to follow us” culture.
Like 90% of diaspora he doesnt speak croatian so why not play for Croatia, but a guy like sammir who learned the launguage and life stly no shame on you veliki Hrvati
“he is not able to speak ” Sorry my Fault.
“I hate the Ipads with auto correction, when you write in another language it make you commit a lot of mistakes”
The Mixed children are more conected with theirs mother culture because they used to spend more time with them, and also the mothers are generally more involved in the education, while the fathers are more centered in the discipline.
I have a cousin who grew up in tampa and his not able to speak properly in spanish, every time that he visit us in Colombia I should be his transalator.
by the way I can’t stand the newyoricans ( Puerto Rican people raised in new york) the most part of them speak a poor english and just barely can make a couple of sentences with sense in spanish when you talk with them.
I don’t want to be offensive but, I noticed that the americans use to be lazy about learn languages, don’t get me wrong but the most part of the americans that I have meet think that everyone in the world have the obligation to learn english, and don’t try at least learn a couple of words in the language of the country that they visit.
@JGobeille,
Thanks for chiming in. I would accept your son, but I would have him learn the national anthem and Croatian if he doesnt speak it already.
Sretan nova Godina!
@The Anonymous 1,
It depends what are your qualifications for the national team. From what I know, Sertic has a Croatian father. Dude automatically qualifies. However, in my opinion, dude needs to learn the national anthem and the language eventually.
Simunic and the Kovac brothers couldn’t speak a lick of Croatian before they started playing for Croatia from what I heard. They did Croatia proud.
Sammir came to Croatia after his 18th birthday. Dude doesnt qualify in my opinion.
As far as the Lakers are concerned, I was never a Kobe fan. I haven’t seen a superstar as selfish as Kobe. Dude is just looking to pass Jordan on the scoring list right now. I am afraid that the Lakers are shooting for that as well. Lakers are a brand all they care about is sales.
I love Nash, met him in phoenix a few years back. Class act guy. Offensively he’s a genius. Defensively, at 39(next month) he couldn’t stop Smush Parker.
@Ziva Istina,
“if your son can read, write and speak Croatian and understands where he comes from then he will be easily accepted.”
This is true, but I would give Sertic and Jgobeille’s son to prove themselves in a year or two just like Simunic and the KOvac brothers did.
@Elvis,
“The real test is whether he can curse in Croatian.”
nice…
@anonymous,
“I noticed that children of mixed marriages know more about their mother’s country and culture then their father’s. What is wrong with fathers that they don’t care enough to teach their children about their roots and their country of origin? Any fathers on this site willing to explain this to me?
Samir: no bloodline, he wasn’t born in the country, no national team. Simple.”
Nice take. I agree 100%.
@IvanMalilug,
Thanks for the comment. I think sertic will never be accepted because he did state that he only wants to play for France.
Halilovic is playing it smart. Dude remains silent. No one can tell me that Halilovic is 100% on Bosna or Croatia.
Sertic was 100% for France at one point. So in the end, Sertic will play for us to better his career if he ever gets a call up. Dude has Croatian blood, so if he learns the language and sings the national anthem I can’t slam the door in his face.
And Sretan nova Godina.
@ziva
I understand now. Sorry. My wife only speaks to him in croatian. Only sings croatian songs and fairy tails. We are trying very hard to make him as proud of His croatian heritage as I am. You all have an amazing culture and beautiful country. The month we spend here every year is by far my favorite time of the year.
@IvanMalilug
” I play with France for my career, not my heart; etc).” I would rather loose then win with players like tis on NT.
“Maybe Sertić feels than it’s Time for him to choose a country who support these players, and to play with players PROUD of their country.”
That’s great, but I would like him to be proud to be a part Croatian, not just to play with players proud of their country.
Hi,
I leave in France. I did a fanzone last in Paris on France-Croatia.
Sertić isńt for me the next “big Guy”, in France, Bordeaux isńt a big Team anymore.
Sertić grand father is Croatian, I’m not sure his father is.
Sertić was contact by Bilić few years ago; but hé said hé wanna play for France.
France NT had big move last years, with Blanc and now Deschamps. French players aren’t love in France for a lot and différent reasons (some or them don’t care about NT, prostitution, refuse to training, fight in the Team between Gourcuff and the others, some players who said : I play with France for my career, not my heart; etc).
Maybe Sertić feels than it’s Time for him to choose a country who support these players, and to play with players PROUD of their country.
Hey Can Blue Ivy play since we gave her Citizenship?
LOL What does it matter? We have Brazilians on the team and Muslims and Cetniks like Alexander as beat writers.
@JGobeille
Don’t worry about people accepting your son as a Croatian and this is why: Since you are taking him to Croatia every year, he will pick up some Croatian language, culture and even way of thinking. With being a half Croatian by blood that is more that he needs to feel something for his mother’s birth country. And, when he feels as a part of Croatia it shows, and people react in a positive and accepting way. After number of years visiting, we will even accept you.
As for Sertic, if we really need him and he is good enough, yes, give him a chance because of his blood line. If he doesn’t speak any Croatian, I feel sorry for him and his father. France is close to Croatia that they could visit often. If they didn’t, why? If they didn’t care, we shouldn’t care for him.
I noticed that children of mixed marriages know more about their mother’s country and culture then their father’s. What is wrong with fathers that they don’t care enough to teach their children about their roots and their country of origin? Any fathers on this site willing to explain this to me?
Samir: no bloodline, he wasn’t born in the country, no national team. Simple.
@Ziva
The real test is whether he can curse in Croatian. If so then that should be enough. The Diaspora has made this into an art that hurts the ears of even he most hardened.
Pušite kurac
Yeah, I don’t speak Croatian, smotani konju jedan. Ja sam roden u Hrvatskoj i zivijo sam u njoj do pocetak rata.
Let him play. Let’s work on him and he will become a proper Croat in no time. Welcome!!!!!
@ ziva i think your speak/write croatian fluently is a tough requirement. as many have mentioned before, some care about croatia, but haven’t been fortunate enough for their parents to teach them croatian when they were young. not their own fault. sometimes this is cause the parents simply don’t care to. many times i’ve seen it though because the parents teach their children croatian early and then find they have trouble when they start school not being as well versed in english (or whatever other language) as the other children. this leaves many parents who would like their kids to know croatian, hesitate to constantly speak it with them in the house for fear that they will drop back academically/socially etc. in addition, croatian is a pretty tough language. you have complex verb conjugation. some challenging pronounciation. 7 different cases, which when combined with masculine, feminine, and neuter gender both singular and plural leads to about 40 different endings to adjectives and nouns. its natural for someone speaking all while growing up to know this and not even think about it. much more difficult for someone who wants to learn croatian that didn’t necessarily grow up speaking it. especially when you’re exposure to croatian is very limited unless you live there or family speaks it al lthe time, unlike english which is part of popular culture via the media/entertainent regardless of if you’re in croatia or new york
man, once again Ziva calls it
well done Ziva
@jgobelle…..it’s quiet simple….if your son can read, write and speak Croatian and understands where he comes from then he will be easily accepted. If he does not, well then your wife as a hrvatica has failed your son. From a sports perspective I want hrvati representing hrvatska……I don’t understand why that is so hard for some of you to realize.
@Denis, “Who are we to judge’
Funny you say that because going back to Sammir issue EVERYONE was a judge. What can I say,some people are like flip flops keep fliping back and forth. The ones who dont want Sammir on this team shouldnt want this french dude either.
On another note, how you like those Lakers with Nash back? Nash is more valuable than that wanna be Jordan guy for Lakers right now. No Nash, No Chance!
Wishing You All A Happy New Year! CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i suppose a tough one. i don’t know the facts of this story, but it seems like france was not only his first choice to play for , but also his only choice . “Sertic has made it clear that he only wants to play for his birth country of France.” So i can’t say I love it but who knows
JGobeille, I would accept your son…and don’t worry about the negativity of a few people on this site, as it’s usually the same few pessimists.
For a sports site it has become pretty political, lately… Sigh
Im an American, My wife is Zagrebcanka(?). Our son is obviously mixed. We spend every Christmas in Zagreb, usually around 25 days. If my son decides to ever call Croatia home, I truly hope he is accepted better than what I read on here from some people.
hmmm… this is a tough call. Dude has a Croatian dad. Chances are that his father played some type of role in his childhood and learned at least something about Croatian culture.
Yes, we are picking up France’s trash, but I would give the kid a chance. If I was Stimac I would ask Sertic to learn and sing the national anthem before his first cap and take Croatian language classes ASAP. Lets see how bad Sertic wants to play for Croatia.
I feel for those players that come from a mixed background. We never know the full story. Sertic was born and raised in France and from what we know was raised French with a Croatian influence from his father. Of course France is his #1 choice, but he must have some type of love for Croatia. Is that enough for him to play for Croatia? Who are we to judge?
Pourquois non …Qui
You , ok USA . Liar
What’s HAET?
HAET is back ^^^^ look up . What a jerk
Lol @ you yanks claiming who are the real hrvats, we hate everything about your shit country, now you have a black President!!! HaHaha
Ziva no party tonight?
he could be Messi and I wouldn’t want him.
He cant speak croatian
Hrvatska was not his first choice. He has even admitted that.
Fair enough ziva.it may or may not be true. I’ll have to take your word on that. If we’re 2nd choice, stuff him. But then again if he’s better than what we’ve already got, that’s a bit of a dilemma. I can’t comment haven’t seen him
@Sydney Jure……valid points, but for this clown we were his second choice, not his first choice. This kid didn’t grow up dreaming wanting to play for the repka. He dreamed about playing for France.
LA Clippers win 17th in a row . Wow
@ Sime DISI ?
There’s no other country in the world that attracts the diaspora to play for them as opposed to the country of birth. There must be something really special about about Croatia Heck I even know half casts who identify themselves as Croats. If he’s good enough hell play. Remember it wasnt our fault we were scattered all over the world. Let him play
M or Armada 8754225680 why do you always lump me in with these other people ? I use my name unlike most of you . P.S. Hajduk forever .
I think this Anonymous is Cico/Sime. The grammer is atrocious like Cico.
Sorry but Ziva calls it correctly once again.
Ahhh, but people do listen. And I never said I was some big hrvat…..I happen to be a simple hrvat.
People , Don’t listen to ziva . Him know nothing . He think he Big Cro but no .
Simunic is croatian, this dude is not. The guy does not even speak Croatian, but I can see why some of the diaspora hrvati would be in favor of him: you guys don’t speak Croatian or know anything about lijepa nasa, so you identify we this guy because he resembles you, who also doesnt know Croatian or anything about lijepa nasa.
Um yes if he is good enough to play and he meets the qualifications for citizenship (which he does)…
He’s more “Croatian” than Sammir. All you fucking Croatian purists need to shut the fuck up. He’s got the Croatian last name, wants to play for us a looks a decent player. I guess we should penalize Joe Simunic also for having been born in Australia. For fuck’s sake.
why not,… hell , we capped sammir. why stop now
Where is his mom from , and is he any good ?
who needs frances leftover’s. of course we all know sarma is often better then next day but jebi ga. do we really need another midfielder anyway?
No
No..