Guys, it’s happening. Crottenham 2.0 is on the horizon, and Bilic has once again managed to have Englishmen shitting themselves. In the past 5 days we’ve seen West Ham send requests to Chicarito, Halilovic, and Nikica Jelavic. The crazy thing, aside from Jelavic, is that he actually may sign all of them. Bilic’s offseason reminds me of the guy in college who finally musters up the courage to ask a girl out, and once she said yes, he starts going after the entire cheerleading squad.
Here’s what he’s gotten so far:
Angelo Ogbonna: (Italian) ($8,000,000) (CB)
Ogbonna is listed as a center back, but mostly plays as a wing back for both Juventus and the Italian national team. Compared to what Juventus got him for, Bilic got a 5 million dollar discount. He’s a decent defensive player, but has struggled to gain first team regularity because of the players in front of him at Juventus.
Pedro Obiang: (Spanish) ($4,300,000) (MID)
Bilic got a steal here. With the stature of Yaya Toure this kid makes for a huge target in the midfield. He’s young, started in 32 games for 7th place Sampdoria last season, he has potential to get into Spain’s international squad with a good showing in England. If West Ham get rid of 33 year old captain Kevin Nolan, don’t be surprised to see this kid starting in the middle of the pitch at the start of the season.
Dimitri Payet: (French) ($10,700,000)
How does this even happen? Payet could have gone to just about any other squad with a much better record, but somehow West Ham land him. He’s got everything you want in an attacking midfielder: speed, dribbling ability, a knack for goal, and international experience with France. At 28 years old, you could say that Payet is at or around the pinnacle of his career.
On Deck:
Alen Halilovic: (Potential)
He has shown some glimpses of glory for the Barcelona B squad, but Luis Enrique wasn’t happy with the team’s performance last season. In his stint with the first team this summer, Halilovic showed his youth and inability to mesh with how the team played. From what I saw, they kept the ball away from his side of the field when he got time on the pitch. Even though he’s a great talent, he’s not ready for Barcelona, and the move down to a developing squad like West Ham may be what he needs to realize he isn’t God’s gift to football.
Javier Hernandez: (Potential)
How no team has given this guy a shot in the past 3 years boggles me a bit. Since I’m not a coach at Real Madrid or Man United, I don’t know the full backstory. What I do know is that whenever he is on the pitch, he produces. If Chicharito opts to stay at Man United with the delusion that Van Gaal will actually stick to his word, it’s probably better for Bilic that they find someone else.
Nikica Jelavic: (Rumor)
Even though this is still a rumor, Nikica scored more goals than any forward at West Ham last season. It may not sound like an upgrade at first, but compared to what West Ham have now it’s a no brainer. Hull City take some money of the books so that they can rebuild and make a run at promotion, Bilic gets a striker he’s worked with before that will have no problem fitting into the system, and he’s also a great backup or secondary forward if they do end up signing Hernandez.
West Ham have been in a slow decline ever since their 10th place finish in 2012, when they came back to the Premiership. While their goals against average was 6th best last year, they rank 14th in putting balls in the net. Bilic is keen on replacing the old guard with a formula of foreigners, youth, and speed. Landing Hernandez, Halilovic, and Jelavic , puts the word out to the rest of the league that the Hammers are not messing about. If this does come together, it could be a better watch than the old Crottenham just because of the underdog story.
If the stars align, do you think Bilic has what it takes to lead the Hammers to a top 10 spot this season?
Do it if can Slaven. I thought this guy did a great job as NT manager. Stellar start to your Premier League managing career.
well as i always say… people will thank the “barbarians” from the balkans to fight back the muslims once again
Time is resurrect the ODPOR!!!!
Hell, they already are on the beaches. Have you visited Makarska?
Keep letting those migrants in and Isis will be on the beaches next summer. Croatia has already be declared a target by the Mujos. Wake up!!!
@dannyj……….game didn’t count for anything, so the goal was meaningless. Nice shoot, but meaningless.
And you are correct, America used to have balls, but the liberals came along. Remember the good old days of President Bush (both of them). If they wanted to invade a country, they just did. Hell, some will even say they manufactured evidence to justify going into another country. That took balls.
@ivo………remember, this is jadan, mali i nemocan hajduk we are talking about. Nothing is easy for them.
Stop with the negativity. . Hajduk will go through, they are leadign 2-0 and are playing a weak team. No reason for them to fail today. They were very fortunate to draw this team.
Also – amazing goal from Rakitic – just need him to do that for the repka now !
Not a surprise to see Rakitic or Modric score from outside the box.. as for Olic or Mandzukic tho…….
I heard that the Salopek was working for a french company when captured. That’s good news. France has gotten their citizens out in the past so if it’s up to the French government, they will arrange a way out for him. If it was a US company or British company, forget it. But French, chances improve greatly. Not saying he’ll definitely be okay but chances are much much higher.
Ziva, “official government positions” don’t matter when negotiating.
ALL the countries say they dont negotiate with terrorists, but the reality is most do, behind the scenes covertly and organise funds through third party corporations disguised as aid etc. There’s plenty of good docos on this you can see, i saw one not long ago on the French guy who got out (he was with Foley) and wrote that childrens’ book and is famous now.
i saw this article where isis calling on the muslims to try that sharia law shit in croatia
fucking isis mother fucking cock suckers… seriously the world has got to get some balls organize and take these fuckers out
remember when america had balls and would get shit done?
damn what a strike from rakitic
look ziva a croat scored from outside the box
ill save you the time… shave your head baldy… thank god he didn’t have to head that in with his terrible head and hair
pretty spot on ziva right there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJoq0wgFnbM
don’t know if this was posted on another thread but this kid sings ljepa nasa beautifully…
3rd world dinamo, HA! That one cracked me up. I mean seriously where the heck is the home grown talent? There are tons of kids in the selo, growing up on farms dying to go play for Dinamo. Give’em shot for cryin’ out loud!
@Ziva Istina,
Good point. I’m not jumping the gun to say that Hajduk is through to the next round. Hajduk has the advantage, but stranger things have happened.
If they were to draw Partizan, Europski dinamo and Partizan would mutually agree to not sell tickets to opposing fans.
As for jadan, mali i nemocan hajduk…..how many of you expect them to shit the bed tomorrow. In previous rounds they had to chase a result, this time they go into the game having to protect a result. Much different mind frame for those young kids.
Dinamo was fortunate with the seeding. However, thats not good news for Hajduk if they will pass tomorrow. It won’t be easy against :
Ajax
Red Bull Salzburg
Viktoria Plzeň
Steaua București
Young Boys
Sparta Prague
Fenerbahçe
Panathinaikos
Lech Poznań
Europski Dinamo looks more like 3rd World Dinamo.
If only we had more Euro’s on the squad.
Dinamo barely beat Molde and Partizan hammered Steaua. I think Dinamo would struggle…
That 5:0 team was legendary. Mara, Cvita, Robi, Krznar, Viduka, Juric, Jurcic, Mujcin, Rukavina, Ladic, Simic…Tomas
Dinamo v. Partizan would be the watch of the year, nogomet wise for us – until the Euro next year. I’d like to Dinamo progress pass that…. but Dinamo hosting Partizan in Maksimir with a CL berth on the line would be electric.
Another 5-0, Part 2?
Something tells me our friends at UEFA would do something about away fans… Putting no restrictions in place is a guarenteed recipe for one or both of our sides to get fined/punished/etc.
Golaso from Ivan Rakitic today vs. Roma in Barcelona’s 3-0 win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jDesx81fLA
They wouldn’t. The perception would be bad, but would have no impact.
I would love a Dinamo vs Partizan match up.
But I wonder if any incidents during this qualifier would influence any decision on our National Team being banned from the Euros. It probably would.
There is some hope he will be okay, Salopek i mean. When Foley and the other british and US citizens were killed last year – little publicised fact but the 15 other european hostages held with them were all released unharmed.
US and England prevent any kind of negotiations (the US govt until recently would even arrest a family for negotiating) with hostage-takers so they invariably die but the europeans often get out okay as ransoms are paid/arranged through third-party companies. The govt says they dont pay but they do really, just covertly. Anyway, point is hopefully he will be okay.
Only problem with drawing Partizan is that most of the roster is not croatian and wouldn’t get all worked up about playing Partizan.
Europski dinamo and Mamic are going to luck their way into the CL again.
Speaking of pieces of shit, the only reason they released this asshole from the Hague is because they say he has cancer. Not enough to stop him from doing this.
http://www.24sata.hr/svijet/vojislav-seselj-je-u-beogradu-opet-zapalio-hrvatsku-zastavu-431571?utm_medium=Status&utm_source=Facebook&utm_content=431571&utm_campaign=24sata+Facebook+status
Dinamo is seeded for Friday’s UCL draw and could get Partizan!
COME ON !!!
Agreed………ISIS needs to be eliminated. No questions asked.
I cannot help but cry when I saw that video. 30 years old and has children and those coward bastards are over him. I pray he gets out alive. This is simply terrible and so heart breaking. These fucking pieces of shit. All of them.
Sorry for that dude because if any of you have watched the videos of ISIS executing their prisoners, things wont end pretty for him……..The videos I have watched include: beheadings, shot in the back of the head, locked in a cage and lowered into a swimming pool, locked into a car with a RPG launched at the car. Not a good way to go.
Anyone know what the Croatian govenment’s official stance is on negotiating with terrorists? Some countries will pay a ransom. I would hope Croatia does not because it sets a bad precedence.
Do you think ISIS allows him internet privledges? I’d hate for him not to be able to read this website.
So who has read about Isis having a Croatian hostage? His name is tomislav salopek. I went to elementary school with his younger brother…. Fuck man that’s crazy
http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/08/05/iraq-clashes-in-anbar-kill-at-least-17-government-troops
Croatian being held….
Fantasy football EPL… Who is in?
Its free and easy to sign up….
https://croatiansports.com/?p=23807
Will I stick it to Kvartuc for a 6th straight season? Stay tuned.
Not salty at all. Just pointing out items that didn’t connect and left more questions. Your comments to me right now did a much bettter job of explaining your “article” than your actual article. If you would have worded it like that, no issues. But, the article was a bit lazy to me.
Most, if not all coaches, who come in try to change the culture. Bringing in new players is nothing new. Now, the point you made about Payet is true. You should have had that at the top.
Regarding Halilovic…….you can take a 25-minute stretch in any game and see that a team is playing one side more than the other. In that game in LA, who else was on the field with him? Was Iniesta in? if so, the ball was probably going through him most of the time. Then again, we don’t know what type of relationship he has with the other players. Maybe they don’t view as being ready. Reports from practices suggest he is not even close. Who knows???
We shall see what happens with the bosandzero. He needs playing time, but I think a move to the EPL and Bilic is not a good one. Bilic might feel his own internal pressure to play the kid because he is croatian. Bilic’s job is to win games and not develop Halilovic. If Barca really thinks the bosandzero is the real deal, then he needs to be loaned out in Spain. Playing in the EPL wont prepare him for La Liga. Is it too early to make the Bojan Krkic comparison? It is.
Poor Ziva, always so salty about other people’s opinions.
If you watched the game in Los Angeles, where he played 25 minutes, he was a ghost on the right. They funneled all the play to the left, and even with Halilovic waving his arms for the ball, he rarely got it. It could be for a number of reasons, but it was just an observation. He’s young, he holds on to the ball too much, and he gives it away just as much. For me, 25 minutes is a small sample size, but he showed that he obviously isn’t ready for stepping into Barcelona’s high caliber squad. The positives with moving to West Ham is less pressure, and he has a coach he’s familiar with. Bilic won’t develop Halilovic into the next best European player through tactics or training. What is more likely is that Halilovic has a coach that speaks his language, understands his game, and eases the kid into better decisions.
West Ham have been a unsexy mid table club. I look at them and Aston Villa as probably one of the most boring teams in the Prem.I understand that a coach gets money to buy new players, but my points are that :
1. He’s making a drastic culture change
2. He’s pulling in players that West Ham traditionally would never be able to get. When you look at someone like Payet, I would never see him going to West Ham in a million years.
When you start writing your opinions in articles instead of just the comment section, I’ll try to take you a little more seriously.
Your article is way off point………”Bilic’s offseason reminds me of the guy in college who finally musters up the courage to ask a girl out, and once she said yes, he starts going after the entire cheerleading squad.”
I’m sorry, but don’t most coaches who take over at a club bring in a bunch of players to fit their system. If Bilic’s offseason reminds you of the guy in college who finally musters up the courage to ask a girl out, then what is Louis van Gaal to you? The super pimp?
new coach takes over at a club with money to spend = new players coming in
Good job Lebo!
“From what I saw, they kept the ball away from his side of the field when he got time on the pitch”………….
Really????/They kept the ball away from him. They had it mpped out before the game, huh? How about, he got so few minutes to really do anything and the sample size is not enough. Plus, when he did get the ball in one-on-one situations he didn’t do anything.
Halilovic to West Ham seems to be dead in the water already lol
http://www.24sata.hr/nogomet/u-barceloni-odlucili-halilovic-ne-ostaje-ali-ne-odlazi-ni-bilicu-431503
@ Lebo
Well written Brate!
Halilovic would thrive in the attack mode of the EPL. Bilic would allow him to be aggressive as he learns to be a teammate.
I still think Barca could use Halilovic till January.
Copa America was intense for the SA contingent. Pedro is on his way out.
Settling into the Barca squad could be the toughest challenge for a young footballer anywhere on the planet.
Either way Halilovic has the goods and I want to see him on the pitch the rest of this qualifying cycle.
I will follow WestHam in support of Bilic!
Why would he want jelavic ???