KRANJČAR SHOULD BE A HAPPY CAMPER IN NORTH LONDON
Niko Kranjčar has inked a four year deal with current Premiership leaders Tottenham Hotspur for an estimated price of £2.5 million. Kranjčar will join Croatian teammates Luka Modrić and Vedran Ćorluka as well as former Portsmouth players Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and ex-manager Harry Redknapp at Tottenham.
The more interesting part of this signing is that Kranjćar snubbed Everton in a possible transfer. I think it was an easy decision for Kranjčar as he will be playing alongside two fellow Croatians as well as part of his former Portsmouth crew.
The only thing we have to figure out is a nickname for Tottenham as they now have three ex-Dinamo Croatian internationals. Dinamo Zagreb West and Crottenham Hotspur have been brought up.
Ivan Klasnić has been loaned out to the Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League from Nantes for the rest of the 2009-10 season. Klasnić originally green lighted a loan to Bolton before turning the deal down one day later. Was Ivan playing a bit of poker with the Wanderers so the deal would be on his terms or was it just a change of heart?
As much as I like to see Croatian players step up and test themselves in competition (not you Darijo), I don’t see Klasnić doing much at a weak Bolton club. He could barely score any goals in the French Ligue 1 last season. What can he possibly do against these ferocious English defenses? I still wish him the best. Let’s see if he can help Bolton get their first win of the season after the international break when they take on Portsmouth.
EDUARDO SHROUDED IN DARKNESS AFTER THE DIVE
Eduardo has been given a two-match ban from UEFA for his “deceiving the referee” act against Celtic last week in the second leg of the Champions League playoff round. The ban only applies to Champions League games which means Eduardo will miss an away game vs. Standard Liège on September 16th and a home encounter with Olympiakos two weeks later.
This is an absolute embarrassment if you ask me. I understand that the Champions League is UEFA’s baby and that it’s watched all over the world, but how can you give Eduardo a two-match ban for that dive with his history; but the same guy (Martin Taylor) who almost ended Eduardo’s career by shattering his leg only got three games. (Sorry for the run on.) I know the FA and UEFA are two separate entities, but Europe’s governing body could have stepped in and made a point.
Where’s the consistency UEFA? please point it out on a map for me!
I would be happy for Niko, but I'm Arsenal fan …
Ciganski Bosanac brings a great article about diving :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1209835/Des-Kelly-Its-OK-cheat-us.html
I think Bodul is gonna struggle to get in ahead of Luis Suarez as that guys a fantastic player who should be signed by a bigger club. As for Cvitanich and Sulijmani they invested a lot of money into signing those players so prob will give them as long as poss. Whilst they loaned out Bodul they also renewed his contract long term so i guess that shows he's still rated.
@ DinamoFan – I have been following Darko Bodul for about 2 years now. I have to say, a loan seems like a bizarre move by Ajax. Ajax has never been known to loan out young talent. The cream of the crop in their system usually is given a chance to break in from the subs bench to the starting 11. I dont know if this a policy that Jol is bringing in because he feels the pressure to win right away.
I like that hes getting playing time. I just have to wonder how talented he is if he cant get a game for Ajax.
@ Vinko Mustapic
Here you go man, Arsenal appealing the Eduardo ban
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=672879&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=5901
I don't understand the lack of Croatian transfers on deadline day. Nothing happened domestically at all, although i guess HNL sides mainly sign free agents. Srna may go in winter, but at present its gonna take months of negotiation rather than days to come to an agreement on wages as Srna seems like he'd have to take a major pay cut.
However Jerko Leko and Dario Simic not transfering is bizarre. Monaco should seek to release them if they are not playing so they can find new clubs. Leko will be gone shortly from national team. Can you do a preview of Tomislav Dujmovic's performances at Loko Moscow on Croats in Europe. As far as i'm concerned Leko's just thrown away his jersey. That's the second player now after Marko Babic to find their way out of a stable position in the national team through bad judgement. I possibly would take Jerko Leko still at Dinamo, but basically he is an extremely annoying person.
I also thought Dario Knezevic would go to Shaktar. I was desperate for that to go through as want Drpic and Vejic off the roster. Mikulic as also left Standard Liege for Germinal Beerscot which seems like a step down, but Germinal seem to have money these days and it at least guarentees him first team football. At Standard he performed well, but sometimes he'd have spells on the bench which is no good to him. Also is great Darko Bodul will be getting matches at Sparta. Hopefully he impresses and gets in Ajax team next season as then we'll have a new young striker. I was also surprised Vranjes didn't transfer.
Yes, we will most definitely be watching the season closely for dives.
its fine that they ban Eduardo. Its suppose to just be a yellow, but if this is there new rules, lets see it right throughout all the teams and show us its not corruption. We'll watch with interest. Eduardo will accept this and he should sit back cos Wenger will do his talking for him and point every incidence to show UEFA up for what it is. They already proven themselves corrupt by not banning Messi.
Regards Klasnic, Klasnic got no service at Nantes. That's why he never scored. He was not missing a hatload of chances. They never created anything. They were a group of second division players containing Stefan Babovic, Ivan Klasnic and Gravgard. No coincidence that everyone stayed in the second division apart from those three. Bolton will create chances and Klasnic will score. Bolton are direct and will give him service.
Only thing you can say about Kranjcar is a fantastic move. He's a Quality player that deserves to be at such a club.
I'm with wenger on the so called 'dive'. A dive in my book is falling with intent and looking for a penalt afterwards but putting your hands up or shouting towards the ref. Eduardo in my opinion was trying to move out of the way and who's to blame but Martin Taylor for that mental bloc in Dudu's head. He is an honest player in my opinion and not the type of player that would dive with intent which I saw non of (as Eduardo didn't even raise his arms up and shout towards the ref crying penalty after the fall) so I hope Arsenal appeal the ban and the RIGHT decision is made this time which of course is No Ban! I'm happy for Kranjcar and Tottenham is going to see how he will fill in for Luka Modric this weekend and next Wednesday at Wembley and I think Niko will do a tremendous job god willing we'll come out with two wins even though I'd be satisfied with a win and a draw. Bog i Hrvati!
Crottenham
Oh snap, Tottenham is turning into Croattenham!!
Happy to see Klasnic and Krancjar move. As for Eduardo, yes it was a terrible dive, but honestly I don't see how you can penalize a player after the game for a call the referee obviously got wrong. He should of been yellow carded or red carded, but it was the refs mistake. Then again these things happen in the top leagues….oddly.