(During the next 30 days, starting May 10th, CroatianSports will be giving “season grades” to 30 of Croatia’s most important football players: Starting XI, bench, fringe, prospects. Grades will be given on preseason expectations vs. actual season performance; not stats.)
Day 3: Ivan Perišić
Season Grade: B
Season Highlight:
Game-tying long-range header against Japan to send Croatia to shoot-outs in the RO16
Breaking Van Dijk’s ankles and providing the assist against Liverpool
Team next season:
-Stay at Tottenham and be part of the re-tooling that will most likely occur (45%)
-Move back to Inter and regain his form in the Serie A, a league more suited to his playstyle (45%)
-Move to Hajduk and help the Bili dethrone rivals Dinamo (10%)
What to improve next season:
Keep fitness levels up. As an older player, Perišić’s speed, agility and endurance will only deteriorate from here. He’s still got the tools he’s always had just needs to have Modrić share his fountain of youth with him.
What the future holds:
Like Broz and Modrić, hopefully Perišić can help Croatia lift an international trophy before retirement. Perišić needs to move to a club where he can be deployed as an attacker, because he needs to continue to get offensive reps as our starting LW. This recent change to wing-back at Inter and Spurs has affected his offensive output for the NT (in my opinion) and consistent minutes (~75/game) at a German or Italian team at LW is the best thing for him right now.
0% chance he goes to Hajduk. Maybe when he’s 40. I’m not sure if you were joking or just repeating torcida’s delusional requests for him to come home?
I’m not saying that he’ll go now, but he is on the record saying that he’ll finish his career there.
Maybe he will, but not until his career is almost over. He still has a few more good years in him to perform at a top club. Then a few years at a mid-level club. Then maybe he’ll return.
If you kept reading after the Hajduk suggestion, you’d see I gave it a 10% chance of happening, far lower than the other two possibilities. Thus, I agree with you and am merely suggesting it as a potential for the future, and a highly unlikely potential for next season.
I just thought the 10% was way too high, otherwise great article. I would also suggest that the wing-back position has improved his defensive play.
That’s plausible, the 10% is more so to keep a clean round number than it is accurate. He certainly has improved his defensive game but as my only concern is the NT, I’d rather him move somewhere he can play at the wing since his offensive output has decreased ever since moving further back down the pitch.
Agreed…the other problem is the wingback position is very demanding physically. It will eventually wear him out as he gets older. I also believe that his offense for the vatreni has been off lately, mainly because he’s not linking up well with Sosa. Hopefully they can figure this out.
forgive me for intruding .^.
but Perisic is not world-class!! }
I think you are not very bright | \ }
Forgive me for concluding *
But lubi is a dumb ass !!}
Why not consider Perisic as the striker. He know how to finish and is very strong in the air
We got Musa and Beljo doing bits, we should use them at striker department instead of trying to fill a tound hole with a square peg.
round*
I’ll chime in. This is my opinion.
I am in no way ,shape or form worried about Perisic… Why?
Dude is a physical specimen for one. Second, they’ll claiming he’s lost a step. No.
He creates problems galore for the opposing defense due to his speed, agility and he is so versatile. In short, we are very ,very good
does Croatian Sports pay you for your in depth football analysis??????? they should, you’re very good!
Nah, I’m just a cool dude
That’s cool, man.