Photo: Shakhtar
Darijo Srna and Shakhtar Donetsk completed the Ukrainian double Thursday night as they defeated Oleksandria 3-0 to capture the domestic league title on the last day of the season. The championship is Shakhtar’s third in a row and will once again see them play Champions League football next season. Srna played the full match and sent a beautiful through-ball down the center of the field which lead to Shakhtar’s third and final goal.
Srna, 30, is making tons of cash in Ukraine, captaining a team which has won the title three years running and consistently plays in Europe’s greatest football tournament: Champions League. The debate will continue, but should (or could) Srna give up fame, money and success to move to a top-four league in Europe? The proof is in the pudding. Srna is making it happen in Ukraine. For the cynical Srna supporters saying he should move to an elite European club, I ask you: Why?
Srna splits the Olek defense @ 2:08
Photo: Shakhtar
Eduardo returned to the Shakhtar lineup for the first time in two months after injuring his hamstring in a match on March 11th. It was unsure if Dudu would be available for Slaven Bilić and Croatia for Euro 2012 duty, but it now looks as if he will play in his first tournament for the Vatreni. Eduardo was subbed into Thursday night’s game in the 64th minute and had little to do as the game was already in hand. With only two friendlies before Croatia kicks off the tournament on June 10th vs. Ireland, where does Eduardo rank amongst the team’s strikers?
IN OTHER NEWS AROUND UKRAINE…
Strinić goal vs. Karpaty
Croatian defender Ivan Strinić broke the deadlock for Dnipro in the 67th minute vs. Karpaty Thursday night, one-timing a high lob from inside the box for a late 1-0 lead. Strinić followed the goal with a red card in the 80th minute. It is unknown why Strinić was sent off, but he has one more goal for Dnipro in 2012 than Croatian teammate Nikola Kalinić does. With the 2-0 win, Dnipro lock in their place in next season’s Europa League tournament, with their first games beginning in the playoff round.
Marin Ljubičić goal vs. Dynamo @ 1:00
Former Hajduk Split midfielder Marin Ljubičić scored his first goal in Ukraine Thursday night as his shot from 19 yards out was deflected high and bounced off the post before crossing the line. The 87th minute equalizer ruined what would have been a victory to end the season for Dynamo Kiev. Both teams split the points in the 1-1 draw as Dynamo will enter next season having to qualify for the Champions League group stage. Ognjen Vukojević played the full 90 minutes for Dynamo.
@Toronto Croatia….it’s an individual choice for each player. I don’t know of too many people who would take 50-70% less in pay for a another job. That is what Pranjic would be doing by not going to China (if the rumors are true, which I still doubt). Do you honestly think Pranjic can make 11 million anywhere else in the world in 30 months.
As for the impact on the national team…….we are only talking about Pranjic. Maybe the national team is no longer a priority for him (its not for everyone). There are plenty of others who over the years cares more about their club careers than being ready for the repka.
I love how people will argue he shouldn’t go to China….yeah, easy to say when its not your potential lost income. Again, show me the person that is willing to take 50% less in salary.
Here’s the thing…….Pranjic is not a great player, so why not cash in on the chance if some idiot owner wants to pay you as a great player.
Maybe the same thing with Srna……maybe he is a very good player, but not a great player and he is OK making “great” money in the Ukraine as opposed to somewhere else. It’s all about individual choices and making sure they use their 12-15 year pro careers to take care of themselves for the rest of their lives. Srna has a brother who is retarded. Maybe staying in the Ukraine allows him to make more money to take care of his brother for the rest of his life. If Srna were to go to England, do you know what the taxes are there for millionaires. It’s almost 50%. Do you think Srna is paying any taxes in the Ukraine. Think about it, if Srna is making a salary of $4 million in the Ukraine, he would have to be making $8 million in England before taxes to match it and that does not include the bonuses offered to him by Shaktar.
Again, easy for you guys to sit in your mom’s basements and make these comments when its not your money at stake or potential for lost salary.
above comments were :”If you want great Croatian players…..your great Croatian players need to be “great” at the top level. Bottom line”………. No argument from me on that. Outside of Modric we dont have great players that are wanted by great teams. So, start thinking like a players and take off the homers glasses and stop thinking like a fan. The players are looking to maximize their earning potential. Sometimes it can coincide with national team ambitions, while other times it does not.
@IvicA
“But on a serious not about Strinic…
What I like about him is that he seems to make fewer mistakes than the more talented defenders on our squad (ie. Lovren)”
Strinic has made fewer mistakes than Lovren but Lovren is a CB not a LB. That is the heart and major traffic area of the defensive action it is hard to compare the two for that reason. Lovren has brain cramps that is for sure but Lovren is 22 years old and is highly touted, rightly or wrongly, and “apparently” Liverpool is quite interested in signing him??
“…but what I don’t like about him is his insistence on being some attacking LWB flank option. He doesn’t have the technical skills like Pranjic to play in a role like that, and I’d rather he focus on being a “stay-at-home” defender similar to the way Dario Simic was.”
Nicely said and I concur. He lacks the fluidity and technicality of playing the role in the manner you just described and he has played almost all his games against weaker competition which makes the point you made even more glaring.
Strinic is what he is and that is steady. If you want to throw him in off the bench to defend that is fine or use him for depth @ LB that is fine as well. The higher end teams will eat him alive. By no means is he a horrible player and he can be useful depending on who we are playing against. If possible down the road it would be nice to strive for better if possible. I am personally not sold on his starting capabilities but if he turns out to be something which I currently think he is not that would be absolutely fine with me!!!! As of right now I just don’t see it my friend.
Let’s see what happens when he is given another shot against a “quality” side.
I think that would make Strinic feel happy and tingly all over.
🙂
Thank God most of our players dont adhere to the “Ziva Istina” method of thinking.
Which is (what Pranjic could be doing soon)….taking millions to play in a elite CHINESE league so his family is comfortable, he’ll get more playing time and his money will comfort him.
Well heck, why dont MOST of our players strive for that then? Try to make the most millions you can playing for a shitty club BUT YET get consistent playing time?
As Ziva put it “It’s not elite football??? Who cares. He is leaving one of the best teams in the world (Bayern) and if a mid-table team in England is interested in him, it’s still a step down from Bayern. So, instead of taking 2 steps down he will take 6 steps down. Big deal, the money will comfort him.”
And what do you think if ALL of our National team players had that mentality Ziva? Well we would have a pretty shitty national team wouldnt we?
I understand the argument of our guys getting more playing time…..but really….what good is playing time if they’re all playing for lower-level clubs?
If you want great Croatian players…..your great Croatian players need to be “great” at the top level. Bottom line.
If you dont really care to have great Croatian players then send EVERYONE to China to make easy millions
Who and where are these mythical people who opine that Srna should leave Shaktar/Ukraine? It seems some of you make shit up, than argue against it. LOL!
If I’m not mistaken, Srna did seriously consider leaving Shaktar for a top four club in one of the top four leagues not to long ago – the difference btwn Captain Srna staying on the best team in a top ten league playing in the CL every year and “whoring” yourself like Eto is as vast as Space.
Shakhtar is a good team and there is no doubt that Srna has/is doing very well there….but the fact remains…and the “debate” stands because the bottom line is…great players are considered great…in part, BECAUSE they play in top four leagues.
Playing time is good, money is good, being a captain is good …BUT all of those things are better if you can do it on a higher level.
What is it that some of you don’t understand? Messi wouldn’t be considered one of the best in the world if he just a really good player on Shakhtar.
What impressed you more? When Eduardo would tear it up for Arsenal? or when he scores a goal for Shakhtar?
Top players are considered just that (in part) because they are the ones who perform in top leagues. Thats the way it is, and that is was what top footballers strive to do.
In saying that Srna is a great player at Shaktar and then saying he could go somewhere better and not get as much playing time, you’re essentially admitting he’s really not that good afterall.
The only way you would truely know is if he pushed himself to perform in a better league. Its exactly why we weren’t sure if Jelavic was the real deal until he pushed himself in a better league.
@IvicA – lol was there a hint of sarcasm in that? haha I have seen the light of Pivaric and really started liking the guy towards the end of the season. Did we have this conversation before??
@ Mihovil
But on a serious not about Strinic…
What I like about him is that he seems to make fewer mistakes than the more talented defenders on our squad (ie. Lovren)
…but what I don’t like about him is his insistence on being some attacking LWB flank option. He doesn’t have the technical skills like Pranjic to play in a role like that, and I’d rather he focus on being a “stay-at-home” defender similar to the way Dario Simic was.
@ Mihovil
Well we do have Josip Pivaric as an up-and-coming option at LB.
He’s a guy I’ve been promoting for some time here on CSR. Unfortunately, guys like Colin O’Haravic seem to think he’s not that good.
😉
@CS.com
If you want to watch Strinic in action and see what he is really about take a gander at our friendly with France from March 2011. To say he was awful would be an insult to the word awful. He came in for an injured Pranjic who was playing very well up until that point and as soon as he touched a blade of grass he looked like a deer in headlights. Strinic lasted until half and that was the end of his day thankfully.
As IvicA said he is “steady” and as JerseyCro said he “is an ok player” who can contribute against weak teams and can look good going forward @ times because of our weak qualifying group for the Euro 2012 tournament. Our toughest team was the Greeks. Their football ideology and faith is to never ever cross the midfield line because it is a sin and if they were to somehow cross the midfield line an explosion will occur in Athens flooding the streets with Gyros, Souvlaki and Euro 2004 Greek condoms.
Corluka/Pranjic are better solutions @ LB as we speak. My preference for Charlie is the RB spot but I would still take him @ LB over Strinic without any doubt. We desperately need a LB option down the road as that is our weak spot on our team. Robert Jarni where are you???? The other weak spot being the CDM position.
Please don’t get me wrong as I have absolutely nothing against the guy and I want him to score 10 goals a game but the appropriate word to describe his play is “steady” or “fairly steady”. He can show shades of brilliance but against quality opponents I really don’t think he can cut it. He will be 25 in the summer, that is not old, but he has had his chance to show what he can do I believe. In my opinion if he does stick around it will be because of our lack of depth @ the LB position as opposed to his quality.
Strinic is an ok player, he actually got 1-2 assists too in qualifying with nice crosses. Defensively though he might be suspect, he is much better going forward
Strinic has never really been an awful player. For those that don’t particularly enjoy him, im guessing it’s because he isn’t the TOTAL DEFENDER. That’s not really his playing style though. I really wouldn’t mind him back on the left side because of the potential threat he brings on the attack.
Strinic with the swag, lol.
I wouldn’t mind him starting at LB for us though. He’s pretty steady. Not sure why he lost his spot with us.
Mandzukic out at Wolfsburg after Euros
http://www.hrsport.de/2012/05/mario-mandzukic-darf-den-vfl-wolfsburg-im-sommer-verlassen/
It’s a nondebate. The only people who think he should leave are the “romantics” who think Srna needs to “challenge” himself. What nonsense. It’s one thing if was the talent of Messi, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, etc and decided to play in the Ukraine. But, he is not on that level.
You know what else can happen when you “challange” yourself in soccer…..you might also sit the bench.
he’s been challanged during his career and has made a very nice career.
I don’t get the Srna debate either. While at Shahktar, he’s won:
6 league titles
3 cups
3 super cups
and the 2009 UEFA Cup, where he was captain and named MOM in the final
He’s one of the biggest legends at the club. He’s loved in Ukraine. Probably one of the highest paid players in the league, I’m guessing.
The UPL is a top 10 league in UEFA. He plays in Europe every year.
What else more does he need? The only downfall for him is not playing in a more competitive league, but the UPL is pretty competitive though. There usual top 4 (Dynamo, Shakhtar, Metalist and Dnipro) would give most countries top 4 a good run for their money. They would DESTROY the Croatian top 4 teams (usually Dinamo, Hajduk, Rijeka, Osijek).
I think some of us fans would rather have Darijo at a big EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga or Serie A team just so when we brag about the clubs are guys are at, people would be like “Wowwww, he plays at Chelsea?!” not “Hmmmm… Shahktar? Don’t really know much about them.”
anas sharbini euro 2012 ?
I don’t see why the whole “should Srna be moving?” thing has to be a debate.
He plays in an above-average league (in my opinion), gets full starts, is captain, makes a handsome salary, plays nogomet, is near his family, and remains an excellent player.
Plus, considering that he is aging, he will soon retire from the NT (2014 WC at most, hopefully). I think that Srna said sometime ago that he wouldn’t leave Shakhtar unless as captain, he achieves something great (UEFA CL?), no?
The EPL is a fantastic league, yet Srna is an amazing player. If one day he releases to the crowd that “I’m done with international soccer, so I’ll just play to earn a living” and goes to the EPL, there would be no more speculation. He’s still a great player, even if he goes to Asia, and it’s his choice. He deserves it.
I’m thrilled the Brazilian-born Hrvat played such a pivotal role all season for Shaktar. Where would they be without him???