Photo: Dynamo Kiev
Niko Kranjčar wanted out of Tottenham Hotspur. The 28 year-old Croatian midfielder rode the bench in North London the majority of the time during the tail end of his 3-year career with the club. His wish finally came true this past summer when Spurs sold him to Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev for £5.5million, locking in a 4-year contract.
From London to Kiev, not much has changed.
Kranjčar was supposed to be a missing puzzle piece in Dynamo’s arsenal to battle rivals Shakhtar Donetsk for the Ukrainan Premier League title, while adding support during the grueling Champions League campaign. It’s not showing.
In Dynamo’s last 10 matches, Kranjčar has only played a total of 289 minutes (28.9 mins/game), starting four matches along the way. His skills are not being implemented by manager Oleg Blokhin in the first team for a club underachieving at the moment. Dynamo Kiev currently sit 14 points behind a perfect Shakhtar Donetsk and are battling Dnipro for Ukraine’s last Champions League berth. Dynamo look to be Europa League bound after the new year, picking up four points in the Champions League group stage thus far with a win over Dinamo Zagreb and a draw vs. FC Porto.
Kranjčar has scored four times for Dynamo this season and has found the back of the net 15 times for Croatia in 75 appearances since 2004. He has already lost his midfield spot with the Vatreni to 23 tear-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ivan Perišić, but at this pace, will we ever see Kranjčar play for Croatia again?
He is slowly entering the twilight of his career, already playing for Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Tottenham Hotspur, Dynamo Kiev and Portsmouth FC, where he won the FA Cup.
Can we kick Kranjčar to the curb or is there hope for him yet?
Incidentally, Dynamo Kyiv’s website are reporting that Niko missed last weekend’s league game & tonight’s Champions League game because he is suffering with osteoarthritis in his ankle joints. That’s VERY worrying!
@ Ninja
He lacks pace, stamina and a sense of urgency when on the pitch. If he had these qualities he would be an automatic starter for Dynamo.
He was really good at Pompey, I can’t believe he’s gone down hill. There is no way he is going to another club, as this is probably his last fat contract. So he is more than happy to ride the pine.
He has a place in repka. But as a sub for the last 20 to 15 minutes perhaps. When the opposition is fatiqued making them on par with Krancjar.
But still at 28, he can improve his pace and stamina. There’s no excuse. Pavel Nedved, well known for his fitness, used to wake up at the crack of dawn and run for miles through the woods, on very difficult terrain. Working hard and putting in extra.
Krancjar should take a lesson from Nedved and do the same.
Well, congratulations!
This article has made it onto the main Dynamo Kiev fan forum.
http://www.dynamomania.com/news/184650-uvidim-li-my-esche-prezhnego-kranchara
@BlackZodiac
You need to chill, you are looking foolish.
well, I am a pure Hrvat……and Ibra never had any interest in playing in Cro. Ibra is not croatian. Ask him, because he sure as hell says he is not.
They want to look up Halilovic, but is Halilovic willing to be locked up to Cro.
Kranjcar is fine………let him get fat, who cares. His contract is legal and binding.
Modric was ready in ’06.
Kranjcar at Portsmouth was in shape and had many good moments.
Extra kilo here or there and you lose the edge.
Steta because on his day he has produced the goods.
Not sure where he goes from here?
Even the Bundesliga is now super sharp and full of quick players.
If he commits to getting in world class shape he can have a second act in his club career and maybe provide some ball control for us off the bench.
For all you “pure Croatians” I would take Ibra and his half hrvat self for the repka any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Lock up Halilovic right now.
The more world class players the merrier.
Zivili!
@Anonymous
“Go get laid. You need it. Fuckin loser. Another Haet on this site.”
You’re giving me advice on what I need? For all I know you could be a diaspora hrvat living in the Appalachians taking advantage over your disabled dog. Last person I would take advice from, some glupe jebi over the internet.. Lol
@AP Z
You’ve got to be kidding me.
@Split
Thank you for putting this BlackZodiac in his place. Guy has anger issues.
kranjcar is the most skillfull player on the national team, just everyone is brainwashed by the media and the players they are trying to push, perisic still hasnt proved anything, hence why hes riding the bench in dortmund, hes good but very complicated, he plays his own style he thinks hes bale, hes quick but nothing too special,
instead of ppl believing in his since he basically helped cro qualify, as fans and as a country ppl should show more respect, hes a simple player, and when he shows skill its flare-full
he was never in shape or had speed, so why does that topic always come up, when everyone used to bandwagon on him no one would bring that up, hes 28 and obviously mentally “puko”
he just needs to play get more minutes, 4 goals in 10 games for kiev, with average of what 30 mins a game, thats pretty impressive
mark my words, if another coach actually realizes that hes still got it, he will show his class
im not here to cause arguments, but Niko can play
and he was always able to play
dont give up
@Black Zodiac
Go get laid. You need it. Fuckin loser. Another Haet on this site. 🙂
@Split
“Thank you for this insightful observation. Something we all know and has been repeated over and over on this site.”
It would have been rude not to reply, he asked my opinion I stated my stance on it.
Since you are a little genius and I hope next time if this happens again you wont waste either of our time and just… Shut the fuck up?
He doesn’t have pace. He’s never going to be skinny. But, he can still be magical! He has a great shot; vision & creativity. He is a pass-master & can play that killer ball, which will get the crowd on their feet! When he’s on the ball, you always feel that something MIGHT happen.
He’s had a horrible couple of years, both on and off the field. After two wilderness seasons at Spurs, his confidence must be shot to pieces. I feel that him going to Kiev was not only a big payday but also, a bit of an escape – a chance to play more, at a decent level, in a less popular league & to get some breathing-space, while he re-assesses his life and re-establishes his career.
I’d just like to see him building stamina & playing more full games, instead of always being subbed off after an hour or so. And certainly, at club level, he needs to be involved in more set pieces – Miguel Veloso currently has the monopoly on these. Niko can still take a mean free kick and corner. Dynamo Kiev should use him more!
Yes, he has his faults. But I’d still pay to watch him, for club or country! Nice player! Nice man!
Despite having top skills, as we all know. Physically it’s harder and takes longer for Kranjcar to get into shape and he falls out of shape much quicker than most professionals…
@Black Zodiac
“As for Kranjcar; to enjoy the money coming in and do what’s best for him”
Thank you for this insightful observation. Something we all know and has been repeated over and over on this site.
if kranjcar played 30 years ago he would have been at least close to a world class player, but for today’s football he simply lacks the urgency and speed on the ball to make a consistent impact. the position that’d suit him best would be the free role just behind the forwards, but can the repka carry him in that position? against weak teams probably, but against the bigger boys, no chance.
and you can tell what is in his heart?????
Your statement is about as idiotic as the following: you lack heart when posting.
kranjcar has the skill set , but not the pace and heart, of a world class player.
@Anonymous
“so Einstein what do you recommend wherever he plays he rides the bench”
I would recommend not capitalizing Einstein if you’re not going to do so with the beginning of your sentence. Looks fucking stupid.
As for Kranjcar; to enjoy the money coming in and do what’s best for him.
biggest talent we have!
Can’t someone block that idiot Chumpmir. The guy is really annoying. Okay, you proved that there is internet in your mental home. So take your pills and go to sleep.
Guys from Croatian Sports : you should really take action against people like him. If you don’t you’ll end up with only morons.
1998 WC simic tudor played, 2002 Zivkovic Simunic,2004 That team was a mess. age dont matter if a 20 year old is better than a veteran i say play him
@ Ziva Modric Eduardo Corluka(as a young reserve ilf not in Tokics place should have went to WC and played just like Euro 2008 Pranjic Rakitic Started but wre not key in Qualifying And euro 2012 Perisic and Sifo.
debuting in a friendly is much different than playing a meaningful role in a WC match.
Would I have played modric at the 2006 WC. I would, but that move would not have sat well with the experienced players on the team. They viewed Modric as someone with potential, but had no faith he would have produced on the biggest stage.
@ Ziva how was Modric a kid 2 months later Bilic played him and the whole Modric era took off?
Forget 2006……..Modric was a fricken kid and would not have done any better.
As for Kranjcar…….if his last name was not kranjcar and if he was not Cico’s kid, nobody would be complaining about him. The expectations that were placed on him were unrealistic. Kid has made a good career for himself (EPL, FA Cup winner). Not too mnay Cro players can say that. Is he slow. Sure. Is he lazy???? I don’t think so. Some people are just slow.
Reading some of these comments, you guys make it sound like it was a mistake for him to go to Ukraine. Unless he had some sort of emotional attachment to a specific city or club, who cares where he went to play. In all likelihood, Kranjcar will be retired from playing soccer in less than 10 years. So, he has to build up as much money as he can until that day comes.
Ill give my opinion Kranjcar had talent but was and is a spoiled boy everthing was given to him everwhere in croatia in kavans and birtije they will thell you the same in 2006 his father forced him and he turned into u bench player, go back to 2006 we could have had a nice team he has a nice pay check but he is nomre than a above average player nice to have on team. 2006 What could have been if CIco was not drunk Pletikosa Simic Kovac Simunic Modric N Kovac Srna Babic Rapajic Prso Eduardo, Tudor was an ass so i would have benched him
@jm
so Einstein what do you recommend
wherever he plays he rides the bench
LETS GO HNL SUTRA!
It’s all up to Niko if he wants to continue to ride the bench or not; as he has the skills to do so. If he is content to ride the bench get paid and continue so for the national side so be it it’s his entitlement.
As a Kranjcar fan it is a little disappointing to witness but nothing good lasts forever.
@jure i boban I will always remember Cico being asked if Modric would get a call up back in 06 and he kept saying how Luka wasn’t ready yet…..but he constantly started his son who even then wasn’t as good as Luka. Annoyed the hell out of me.
@DinamoDennis…..why not? if people are going to continue posting about “its not always about the money”, then I, as the aforementioned ombudsman, will respond and remind them this is a cut throat business with a very short shelf life, so these guys need to maximize their earning potential and opportunities.
@jure i boban….come on, be fair. Kranjcar was one of our better performers during the last qualifying cycle. I don’t care either way for the little pig (Kranjcar, in case others are wondering who the pig reference is for), but he played much better than some of our other players.
@anonymous…….not true. i also think about what my mom will cook me next………. I’ll stop commenting when there is no need for me to post. Until then, you are welcome.
Ziva, money is all you think of , that and puppet Suker. Bla, Bla, Bla . Stop
Nebiga i just use google instead…..as for krajncr, dats what u get when u go chasing the casha.. he even said so himself. Italy wld suit him, they’r all lazy there
On Perisic:
He’s a great player, but you have to look at all of the guys he’s competing against. I’m not saying that he’s not top tier talent, but he hasn’t made a huge case to start. He’s had some great moments for the team, but you’re always looking for consistency as a coach, and sometimes it’s just not there.
Niko would be a great indoor player. But like many of the people have stated, his lack of pace is detrimental to his progress in the modern game.
never wanted kranjcar on the starting 11 hope we will never ever see him close to being on the field again for us… dating back to 06 when his tata was the coach shouldnt have started in front of modric, but hey thats how it goes with our savez all politic bullshit and money
to all the people who thought Niko Kranjcar was ever good… HA! I even remember even during the last qualifiers a lot of you guys thought he was good and should be in the starting 11.. which was one of the biggest reasons why we almost didnt qualify.. look at ya now, lol
Ziva’s money talks are annoying.
We get it…you dont have to respond to every comment posted about how a player “feels” and say the same thing over and over…
Good player but he’s slow. I feel like a move to the bundesliga would be good for him.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/scotland-could-still-make-brazil-1433255
Perišić: Osjećam da Klopp ima nešto protiv mene…
http://is.gd/KIPm1A
@jm………of course there is more to life than money, but Kranjcar is a professional soccer player with a limited window to make as much money as he can before that window closes. I have no problem with him going to the Ukraine.
I would have no problem with any of our players going to the middle east if it meant they could make more money. Would the national team suffer??? Sure, but who cares. Easy for people on their computer to say a player should do this or do that when its not their financial security at question. Nobody should ever question the motives of a player where they decide to play. I hear cries of “all they care about is the money.” Well, no shit. What is wrong with that. I haven’t met too many people who take substantially less money when slecting a work environment.
does croatia have a friendly coming up soon?
I see Kranjcar eventually evolving into the “super-sub” type NT player Olic became for us. Niko’s days as a lock in the starting XI are over. He’s a liability defensively at times and just doesn’t bring the skill set that some of our other midfield players bring.
What I do think Niko could excel at would be coming off the bench and providing a spark to the attack if needed. Technically, Niko is still capable of threading those nice passes and he still can be dangerous on set pieces as well. Just don’t see him as a regular starter anymore.
more to life than just money ziva
nobody should feel sorry for Kranjcar. Dude is making some nice money. Going to Ukraine was the right move. More money in the bank account. And at the end of the day that is all that matters.
Kranjcar is a lost cause. There’s no denying he possess some skill, or at least once did, but I’m sure Blokhin sees the same thing Redknapp saw: an unmotivated and lackluster Niko who seems to do just the bare minimum. I’m sorry, I just don’t think Niko’s the type of player who’s the first on the practice pitch and the last to leave. He shows no hunger. He probably grew up with a sense of entitlement which has carried over in his professional career. Sorry, your tata can’t help you now.
Niko is one of my fav players. The technical skill has always been there. He’s always been critisized on fitness and weight. I would love to see him get serious about his career. I wish he’d realized that before he fades away.
He’s still a good option behind a lone striker for certain opponents.
Majmun mamic thinks people give a shit what he’s talking about, he’s promising a whopping 2500 average attendance next year.. http://www.jutarnji.hr/mamic-sazvao-izvanrednu-konferenciju-za-novinare–ciro-ga-nazvao-africkim-diktatorom-/1066181/
i love kranjcar!
is cro playing in a friendly this weekend ?
Speaking ofPerisic… Where do we wanna see him go? I would love to see him at a team like Liverpool. Left sided players like him are always a hot commodity. I def think he’s got the skill set, especially his energy and directness.
As long as he ends up at a big club and get lots of minutes, I’m happy for us.
if u ask me i think hes got something left in the tank, and probably something left to prove…he doesnt wanna b over the hill just yet
i dont think weve seen the last of him for the national team yet…i just dont think hell be consistent for club or repka
He is a good player but little has changed in his consistency. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary he has always played well for the national team and has always been fairly average at club level where ever he has played. He has moments of brilliance and a lot of average performances in between. His biggest issue over the last few years has been staying fit and he has packed on a few extra pounds that he probably doesn’t need for his position.
He is still a national team player but he isn’t starting anymore for the simple fact that while he was best option at the time now we have Rakitic who has improved and Perisic who is still very young and came do better for us when he is starting.
The fact that Kranjcar isn’t starting at Kiev is the fact that they are a good team and have options as well. No starting spot is a promise and he isn’t playing lights out to make it his own spot as it is.
He is still good . Don’t fool with him.