Numerous newspapers out of Croatia are reporting that the HNL will disband their experimental ‘Liga 16’ immediately after the current 2009-10 season. This is one of the quickest reversals I have ever seen in professional sports.
Only weeks after the HNS decided to add four more teams to the already ‘watered-down’ Prva Liga, they are now rescinding their decision and will have a new plan and layout for the 2010-11 season.
Now the question is: Will they go back to 12 teams or consolidate the Prva Liga even more?
I would personally like to see Croatia hold eight teams in their top tier of football as the competition would keep teams and fans alike more honest. Although, I would not have an issue with 10 teams.
@Tornado Zadar
I think you misunderstood me..
bilic was a great defender. Had a few great years in england.
My argument was that he is no All Star… thats all..
I have a pin of him while at Karlsruhe…. This also might be the reason Drpic is there now
Bilic…..you honestly can't name the teams he played for (West Ham and Everton). Makes me question your knowledge a bit. Dude was a stud defender when healthy. His transfer fee at the time was a world record for a defender. The injecttions he took at the World Cup basically ended his career.
Asanovic played great on the national team, maybe better than anyone lese except for Suker, but bounced around at the club level.
@Ziva Istina
'I just expect us to make the World Cup. Anything else is a bonus. '
well said!
Croatia World Cup 98
Without a doubt the best Croatia team ever…
'first few guys off the bench were decent'
decent does not = all star
Suker and Boban = All Star
Prosinecki had a bright future ahead of him, an injury cut his career short.. Because of this i wouldn't label him an all star..
asanovic another one of my favorites… but lets look at his resume.. Derby county, Panathinaikos… all star? come on..
Bilic.. all star? most of the world knows bilic as a Croatia coach that eliminated england… couldnt name 1 team Bilic played for…
Stanic, Stimac, Soldo, vlaovic… all really really good players…
Drazen Ladic? Never left the HNL.. however was a beast in 1998… luck was on his side as well… and Croatia…
Great analysis of Croatia in 1998… we had a lot of luck. Besides Jamaica, we didnt dominate one match.
However, Croatians arent satisfied unless they are champions..
Just like you said, if we an qualify for tournaments and get a second round, quarterfinal spot every now and then, I cant complain…
Actually my expectations are rather low. I just expect us to make the World Cup. Anything else is a bonus.
Back to 1998….We had some quality reserves (Vlaovic as he covered for an injured Boksic). Outside of Boksic we had no injuries and the first few guys off the bench (exclusing Krpan) were decent.
1998 wasn't an all star team….what??? Suker, Boban, Prosinecki (already washed up, but capable of a good 45), Bilic, Asanovic (team's most valuable player). That is the besy line up hrvatska will ever have, ever. Even that team needed luck… We were in a easy group, got lucky against Romania with Asanovic's dive and were lucky the Germans did not score after punding us for the first 20 minutes. The red card (deserved) changes the game.
Again, my expectations are rather low with this current squad. Our central defenders are average at best and that is being kind to Robert Kovac. Noone to replace Niko Kovac and there is no guarentee Da Silva will be the same player again.
@Ziva Istina
I agree with you that you say it how it is, however, you are pessimistic about Croatia.
Having depth is obviously positive, however, could come back and haunt you when the right combination of players fails.
Let me ask you a question. You mentioned Croatian football history starting from 2000.. Did Croatia have depth in 1998? Can you name anyone off the bench in 1998? We didnt have depth. Also, we didnt have an 'allstar team' as some people would like to say. This same all star team needed Denmark to hold of greece to qualify…
Croatia is a huge football country, however, not a top 10 team every year. just qualifying for tournaments is a milestone for a nation of 4.5 million.
'will never have that opportunity ever again to come so close to the semifinals of a major tourney.'
are you serious? Why follow Croatian football then…
Who would have predicted that greece would win Euro 2004?
Croatia is a small country. To expect Croatia to compete for tournament titles every year is crazy…. Argentina, France, Italy, Germany have all went out in first rounds with greater talent than Croatia.
You say it how it is… however, I think you are a little harsh…. and have greater expectiations than I do..
When we r healthy and have our full line up, we can compete with anyone. Comepete, but not neccasarily win. Problem for us is that we lack depth once we have injuries or yellow and red cards. Players like Leko, Pokrivac, Cale, Robert Kovac are prime examples. They do well against lesser competition, but they are not players to count for extended minutes.
I might be pestimistic, but look at what I am basing it on. Our current qualifying campaign.
Forget what happend at the Euros last year. We choked against the Turks and will never have that opportunity ever again to come so close to the semifinals of a major tourney.
At this point we are back to where we were in 2000, 2002,2004 and 2006…lets just be happy we qualify for the WC. Getting out of the group stage (if we make it to S. Africa) is extra. You need depth to advance (15-17 players you can count on) and we do not have that.
@Ziva Istina
"Nobody can say we are one of the best 10 teams in the world."
I do have to say that you are a little pessimistic about Croatia and its players. You are still fresh on this website, not sure on your thoughts before the Ukraine match.
If you look on paper, Croatia is definitely around 10th or so in the world.
Also, being 10th or top 10 in the world is miles apart. Croatia is around 9th to 14th in the world.
Great to have you here on CSR, look forward to your comments and insight of the game
8 or 10 teams is more than enough 16 is just crazy!
10 teams would be perfect.
I think 10 as well, but actually i'm quite interested to see how these new teams do. Something happened this year that i didn't consider. A lot of players are signing for the smaller clubs which is a good thing. I mean Lokomotive Zagreb are gonna have a forward line of Bule, Marko Simic and Pandza. That doesn't look too bad. Karlovac have also been signing some half decent players – Vukman, Novicic are experienced HNL players. Pula have Sehic and Troare too. Maybe creating more professional sides might not the worst idea in the world. I like about this 16 side situation how players are moving to these clubs more readily cos of the attraction of still being HNL1.
As for them competiting with Rijeka, Dinamo and Hajduk well we know from that point of veiw its a bad idea, but i think there is a much of a muchness about the rest of the division and it prob won't make a great deal of difference.
Sports* Tomislav Novakovic President
linkovi za vijest od X SPORTS u hrvatsku.
Hrvatske i uspjehu u privlačenju događaja kao što su utakmice EURO i UEFA natjecanja", izjavio je predsjednik agencije X Sports Tom Novak
Links for X Sports News in Croatia:
http://www.croatiantimes.com/index.php?id=4635
http://www.croatia.org/crown/
http://www.monitor.hr/clanci/americka-agencija-x-sports-dolazi-ovog-ljeta-u-hrvatsku/22324/
http://www.zadarskilist.hr/clanci/23062009/posedarac-u-misiji-x-sportsa
Fifa ranking mean nothing… 10th place is too high for us.
Nobody can say we are one of the best 10 teams in the world.
Fifa ranking mean nothing… 10th place is too high for us.
Nobody can say we are one of the best 10 teams in the world.
im too lazy to create an account but my names damir.. um did u guys see the new fifa rankings?? croatia is now in ten place.. a lot of places changed.. bunch of teams lost a lot of points.. but considering we couldn't beat ukraine and had to come back to tie it.. i think tht 10th place is correct..
16 in CROATIA!What drugs are they on? 4.5 million people haha give us 12 at max 10 preferably! 8 or 10!
I think 8 teams would be perfect, if it is reduced to 10 it would be better.
i think 8 or 10 teams would be good. i'd also like to see hrvatski dragovoljac get promoted.
Thank God, 16 teams watered down the competition signifigantly. I am with Ante BBB: the 8 teams you mentioned are the most competitive teams in Croatia and would make a good HNL 8.
I think that eight teams would be perfect for our incredibly lousy league:
Dinamo
Hajduk
Rijeka
Osijek
Zagreb
Cibalia
Varteks
Slaven Belupo
That would mean only the "best talent" would be on these eight teams. No relagations, this is your league. You can add two down the road once this league catches up and gets back to decent status.
Baby steps HNL, baby steps.
Why don't we have the names of these genius' that run the HNL?
Anything more than 10 teams is ridiculous.
16 is insane…..Credit Stimac for this move
it's no secret that the hnl will cut the league after the upcomming season again – rumors about cutting the league down to 10, not 12 teams as it was, are floating the web since 5,6 weeks now.
10 teams is fine. 8 teams would also be nice, however, I fear that a good team may suffer the first year. I would hate to see Osijek relegated. Their generation of 1990 looks very promising.