We can stop wondering where Alen Halilovic will end up this season. After a lot of speculation with moves to several clubs across Europe, Barcelona announced that Alen Halilovic will join newly promoted La Liga side Sporting Gijon on a 1 year loan.
Even though Halilovic didn’t exceed expectations by securing a spot on Barcelona’s first team, the loan bodes well for his development. Sporting Gijon was the youth club of Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, and is also managed by former Barcelona player Abelardo Fernandez, who is good friends with Enrique. Not only will management be able to groom Halilovic into a better player, but here are some other reasons to be happy about the loan:
- More playing time in La Liga – Gijon have one of the youngest teams in La Liga, which means no favoritism based off seniority.
- Opportunity to shine – Gijon had a strong midfield for Segunda standards, but are going to need more to stay out of relegation in La Liga. If Halilovic is able to show worth in the side’s improvement, that bodes well for his future.
- More attention and guidance from a manager with experience as a player and coach on all levels.
- Mental shift/less stress playing for a team that was just promoted into La Liga with no big expectations.
- No More B Squad – Getting out of a developmental team that had a paltry performance, and throwing the kid into the deep end to see if he can swim.
Gijon, who failed to sign anyone due to financial issues, will also see big benefits from the loan both on and off the field. Halilovic will be able to strengthen the midfield core, and bring in much needed revenue from jersey sales and media attention.
How would you grade the loan? Do you see Halilovic succeeding at a smaller club? What are the biggest improvements Halilovic needs to make this season?
Where’d that comment about the Muslims go!
Even if the do lose to Liverpool, they still wont be in last place.
Top tier, special coach are very rare. Most managers/coaches are only as good as their players. The special few can make a difference. Bilic is not one of them, he is an average coach. Give him a talented roster and he will be OK, give him shit and he will struggle. He will soon realize that for him to stay in the league he will either need better players and play more defensive. He doesn’t have skilled players to do what he wants. Before to long West Ham will resemble the same old West Ham of Sam Allardyce and for any neutral fan that type of West Ham is brutal to watch but they will do enough to get results to stay up with ease. I have a feeling too many people are going to make this season a referendum about Bilic.
Kalinic actually did look good. Confident. Never would have imagined that he could start in Serie A when I first saw him play at hajduk.
West Ham hasn’t won in Liverpool since the ’60’s.
They’re due!
Enjoy the Fiorentina v Milan game. Kalinic looked good. If West Ham lose to Liverpool they will be 1win 3losses.
They won’t fire him after four games. It is a long season. Personally, I think Bilic’s best role is to be a studio analysts on ITV or BBC. He has done good work before as a guest.
Plus, I’m watching the Milan and Firentina right now and if Sinisa Mihajlovic can keep getting coaching jibs, so will Bilic.
@ziva
What happens if west ham gets beaten by Liverpool next week? Awful start for Bilic.
All i said was “Hrvatska’s David Silva on the RW for the next 10 years…”
Didn’t say he was the next David Silva, but rather that type of player on the RW.
They’re both around the same hight, lefties, and have both been playing predominately on the right side of the field in their careers. I know Halilović likes to cut in and shoot a lot, but in my eyes, and the way i see him play, i see him as a playmaker type before a robben, ‘direct’, type player.
We’ll see how he pans out, but i think he’ll pan out.
They are all crazy…………
And then when they don’t live up to the hype, people label them as unfulfilled potential. The beauty about soccer is we get to watch and see of they develop and take the next step.
Shit, I already read a Sportke Novosti and they are ripping Kovacic’s performance today for being invisible. Dude got 20 minutes for his first appearance, what the hell were their expectations. No shock he didn’t do anything and he wasn’t the only one.
Perišić –> David Silva
Halilović –> Arjen Robben
????
*facepalm*
Biloxi getting no love with this commentary…….
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/23/west-ham-bournemouth-slaven-bilic?CMP=share_btn_tw
I do have to admit, it would be funny if West Ham were relegated as they move into their new stadium.
Champion L.A. Galaxy 5 – New York city FC 1 !
Naš HAJDUK 3 – Osijek 0 !! Za HAJDUK su Zabili –
Maloku , Caktaš i Bencun ! Svi HRVATI !! Not All
Gnk International (G)ov ! GREAT DAY ! Partying
ALL Day with Cousin Šime & the Gang till the
Wee hours of the Morning ! The Lamb , Beers ,
Viskey Coke & Smokes are going down Good !!
Peace Out ! Bog , Hrvati , USA , Galaxy , HAJDUK
i HNS !!!
What are the actual striking prospects?? We are a bit thin up front hey ?
Rakitic hockey assist.
Modric looked healthy.
Kovacic debut.
Super Sunday!
I wonder if Slaven Bilic lasts the full season at West Ham.
Vlašić might be able to be one of those wingers that can be groomed into a striker.
Actually Perisic is more of a David Silva type of player because he can play on both sides of the field.
Man, let’s ease up a bit in the comparison department. David Silva and the bosandzero. Silva roams all over the place.. Right now the bosandzero appears to be strictly right sided. We all hope he develops into the all around player like a David Silva, but we I read some of the comparisons I really do wonder if you guys watch and understand the game.
Robben is the much fairer comparison based on what has been witnessed this far. Not in terms of skill or talent, just in position and space that is covered.
The kid now will have a chance to play. Let’s sit back, watch and hopefully enjoy seeing progress.
@ Svima
Thoughts on Perišić playing up front as a true #9?
I like his power and pace and he can finish.
Euro 2016 could set us up for the next 10 years.
U boj
Oh well. Probably better for him. He’s not rated as big a talent on the wing as players like Vlasic, Halilovic, or Pjaca.
Like in Ademi’s case, he probably thinks he would get regular callups and solidify a spot with them instead.
Maminjo,
Maloku said that he will play senior footie for the Albanian repka.
Good riddance to him.
Halilovic looks too selfish to be compared to David Silva.
Hopefully he’s the Hrvatski Robben.
Our midfield for the future is looking excellent. Crazy depth. Guys like Radosevic and Mocinic are already done. Rebic has already fallen far behind, but I have hope for him being at least a depth player in the future.
In 3-4 years from now…If Cro plays a 4-2-3-1 we have two young players in Pasalic and Brozovic who will play that two-midfield pivot just in front of our defenders. But I believe Brozovic will eventually be replaced with Andrija Balic in the future (who is the closest player to a new Modric I’ve seen).
The two wingers and central attacking midfielder will likely be Perisic, Rakitic, Halilovic. Kovacic should eventually replace Rakitic, but if he’s still not up to par, then Ante Coric will happily take that spot. Perisic will likely be replaced by Marko Pjaca. A Pjaca/Halilovic wing lineup looks promising, but Nikola Vlasic will probably end up replacing the weaker of the two eventually.
If any one of Marko Rog, Ante Rebic, Elvir Maloku, Karlo Lulic, Ante Roguljic develop into National Team caliber players, then it’s just a bonus.
Our defensive prospects (Jedvaj, Vrsaljko, Simunovic) are looking great as well. I’m just hoping we can develop a true center forward (ie. Stipe Perica, hopefully) to play with these guys.
Very high on Halilovic.
Hrvatska’s David Silva on the RW for the next 10 years… Can already see the 5 man midfield for the future.
Pjaca – Vlašić – Halilović
—-Pašalić – Kovačić
and then we still have Ćorić, Balić, Rog, Rebić, Krovinović, Radošević, and Močinić to name a few.
crocop is fighting hamilton next in ufc korea. Boring I know but I thought I’d keep ziva up to date.
http://www.fightsite.hr/vijesti-iz-regije/ekskluzivno-cro-cop-u-koreji-protiv-amerikanca-anthony-hamiltona
Jersey sales of a player on loan………
Could be the saved him for the mid-week CL game.
Strange to see Pasalic not playing.
He played in all three Champions League qualifying games against Young Boys and Valencia, and score 2 goals in 3 games.
Yet, he isn’t playing in Monaco’s Ligue 1 games.
Mario Pašalić – Monaco -GOAL ! Naprid naši Mladi !!
Bog , Hrvati , USA , Champion L.A. Galaxy , Champion USA
Women Soccer , HAJDUK , i HNS !!!
None of my comments are positive or negative. Just based on fact and actual neutral observation without the filtered lenses of homer glasses.
I have never been negative about Halilovic’s skill. I want to see him get playing time and develop, succeed and earn that call up to the repka.
@ Ziva
Was that a neutral/positive comment regarding Halilovic?
Svaka čast brate.
@ Svima
Halilovic is the goods and with a regular PT he will learn how to play with tactical awareness and work with teammates.
David Price is money!!!! Go Jays!
The next Mate Bilic! 😉
This is the best move fire him. Now, it’s on him to show what he has. I think we all look forward to how he does this year.
Everything that happened with him on that shitty “B” team is behind him now. I think he has to show signs of maturity and responsible play, being relevant in the games outcome and only then can we really say he’s earning a spot!
I hope the kid does well. It’s obvious he wants to play, let’s just hope he doesn’t have hissy fits and can raise his level.
Good luck to him!
jersey sales?
I bet all those fans will be snapping up those Halilovic kits at a good clip…