ENGLAND
In a rare start for Nikica Jelavić this season, the Croatian striker got the green light in Everton’s FA Cup 3rd Round match against Niko Kranjčar’s QPR. Jelavić not only played the full 90 minutes but he scored two goals in the 44th and 68th minutes in Everton’s 4-0 win. The first was an impressive 23-yard strike from dead center after the QPR defense gave the ball away in silly fashion. The second was an easy one-time touch as the ball came right across the face off goal. The only damper on Jelavić’s day was his 75th minute penalty kick miss which would have given him a hat trick on the day. Everton will play third division side Stevenage in the next round. Niko Kranjčar came in off the bench at halftime but couldn’t help QPR cut the deficit.
How many more of these games do we need to see from Jelavić to consider him a starter at the World Cup?
Jelavić FA Cup double (2:20, 1:44)
Dejan Lovren was not listed on the squad as Southampton squeaked by Burnley 4-3 in FA Cup 3rd Round. Southampton will host Championship side Yeovil Town in the FA Cup 4th Round.
SPAIN
Rakitic goal vs. Getafe
Ivan Rakitić got the start and played the full 90 minutes in Sevilla’s first game of 2014 vs. Getafe on Sunday. Rakitić picked up a yellow card in the 22nd minute of play but slotted home a 77th minute goal to make it a 3-0 win for Sevilla. With the victory, Sevilla now sit only four points behind athletic Bilbao for a Champions League berth.
Luka Modrić and Real Madrid take on Celta Vigo Monday.
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/beast-within-could-any-premier-league-boss-tame-mario-mandzukic
Article on SMM by everybody’s favorite author.
I meant Fans and novinari press sorry i should have wrote it clearer. my bad
@ARMADA87
Part of the “Brend Nogometni Savez”
Yeah, unfortunately we do have to play by there asinine rules….
I agree with everything from your last post. My thinking is that Suspension Joe now has to pay the price for what he did because the people who run FIFA don’t like what he did. We can debate all we want if he did any wrong (he didn’t), but when you want to play with FIFA you have to play by their idiotic rules.
Meh. Viewing his actions as patriotic or not is debatable. I see your point, but also look at the current socal/political atmosphere in Cro (which I’m sure Joe is aware of); the country is led by a bunch of self hating, Jugo lovers who are driving the bus more and more into the shitter. The savez is run by a bunch of criminals and goons. That coupled with the fact that we had just won an important game and I think Joe knew in a way of what he was doing. It wasn’t just a spur of the moment comment where he wasn’t thinking at all. I mean, Joe is a no Pulitzer Prize winner, but he isn’t a complete mental midget.
You’re right, comparing Suspension Joe to Boban is a disservice, I’m just highlighting similarities in each of their situations.
LOL…………yelling out ZDS is not being a patriot. It’s the same as being at a cro wedding and wanting to lead the group of guys at the bar in a ustase tune. Good times, but that is not being a patriot. Come on, Suspension Joe’s actions are not viewed as patriotic. Dude got excited.
Boban stood up for a legit cause. There was already ‘something in the air” in that era with the fall of communism taking place in eastern europe. Comparing Boban to Suspension Joe is a disservice to Boban.
@ Ziva
The situations have their similarities. My over-arching point is according to your logic, our people should pick and choose when they should be patriots. Joe wanted to be a patriot, he stepped up, made those comments and the rest is history. He didn’t think about suspensions, his career (which is more or less over, pre comment). Same with Boban. He could of easily hightailed it into the locker room when all hell was breaking loose in Maksimir, but he stood up for that guy getting beaten, took a stand and acted like a patriot.
If guys like them and of course even larger patriots like Radic, Jelacic, Starcevic, etc. picked and chose ‘the right time’ to be patriots, we’d still be in Jugo.
negative……the Boban incident is much different than what Suspension Joe did. Different times. Boban had no regrets over his actions. Jugo wasn’t his country to represent anyway.
This is the end of Suspension Joe’s career. Suspension Joe got excited, couldn’t keep the emotions out of it, and now he has to miss the World Cup.
@dannyj……..countries like Russia/ukraine have different windows. Western Europe is pretty much the month of January.
@ Ziva
so per your logic and your “ZDS” lifestyle:
Zvone Boban should of just left the field when BBB was getting the snot beat out of them on the pitch by the Jugo police? Right? He shouldn’t of stood up for the BBB and that one fan, especially on such a national stage. Look what happened to; a ban from FSJ (he missed WC 90), he was stamped a nationalist, could of potentially sidetracked his club career. Stupid of him to take a stand like that, he should of picked a better spot to ‘speak out’.
Dude, you make some solid points but some your logic is like swiss cheese…
http://www.thefalse9.com/2013/12/rough-diamonds-13-mateo-kovacic-inter.html
not sure if this one has been posted before
so someone inform the less informed like myself.. i know the transfer window is in january… is it the same for all of europe? or do various leagues have different dates
i just want to see kovacic play… seems like these zabari have just been buying up all of our talent and just letting it rot… im not saying kovacic or rebic deserve to play every minute of every game but i want to see them play and develop
where the heck are their agents?
@HAET
@Ziva
By all means conduct the conversation on here.
Its good sport as Ziva likes to say.
Kovacic needs to move to Spain. It’s done wonders for Rakitic and Modric. Forget this tactical stuff in Serie A. Mateo needs freedom to roam and create. And La Liga is the place.
Kovacic is a “fantatisti!”
He transcends regista o trequartista.
Serie A is paranoid league where coaches tactical them selves into a box !
Kovacic is the real deal!
We should allow him to roam free upfront all over the pitch.
Modric and Rakitic will play him into the danger zones.
He can dribble attack against defenders and pick pick out a pass or shoot.
Let’s not get an Italian complex over this,
Inter — jebemo pas mater!
Negative. I stand. I also realize there is a place and time for everything.
I’m sure if you ask Suspension Joe if he would do it all over again, I am sure he would say no.
@Ziva you’re such a chicken plucker. Just read your posts. Joe seems to be the type of guy that understands that life isn’t a dress rehearsal. You on the other hand comes off as someone that would live on his knees than die standing.
Suspension Joe has to pay the consequences.
I live a “za dom…..spremni” lifestyle, but I am not stupid enough to say “za dom” in such a public setting where others are then able to pass judgement on me. Suspension Joe did something that allowed others to punish him. And now he has to pay the price and watch the World Cup from his basement.
@Ziva, all anybody needs to know about you is that you said on this site and I quote: “I don’t see skin color”.
Now why would anybody believe or trust a guy who lies thru his teeth like that? Why would anybody believe or trust a guy who parrots the anti-white politically correct partly line?
What “rules”? FIFA had a rule stating nobody’s allowed to say “For the Homeland” after a game???
The definition of a moral coward: “I believe the rules are bullshit, by I insist everybody must live by them, and nobody’s allowed to complain.”
If you really had a problem with Simunic’s suspension, you wouldn’t be justifying it.
You are like the Soviet who agrees w/ the dissident when speaking to the dissident, then agrees w/ the communist party member when speaking w/ the communist.
pa sure……..ask and you will receive………
Ziva Istina: “Joe has every right to file for request to hold a speech in a public location and give his thoughts. that is what freedom of speech is.”
Asking the government for a permit to speak is freedom of speech??? LOL! You can’t be serious.
Comrade, Stalin’s constitution says we have freedom of speech, may I have a permit to speak against communism in Moscow Square? LOL!
again, I don’t think the fine folks who frequent this site want to read our socio/political/economic babble. You can converse with me via twitter @ziva_istina. Even though I have to fully embrace it, I am coming around.
Dude, I agree with, it is BS. But, if you want to play in FIFA events then you have to live by their rules. Suspension Joe screwed up.
@Ziva, typical mommy professor justification for the suppression of free speech. I’m sure if Simunic put on a Che Guevera tee shirt or a C.C.C.P. tee shirt he would have been suspended 10 games, right? And I’m sure if Joe was seen in a video in a public square in front of a crowd shouting “For the Homeland”, FIFA wouldn’t have suspended him, right? YOU know Croatians have been saying that for CENTURIES, the Ustase said B/C THEY ARE CROATS; so b/c the Ustase used to say it, nobody can say it ever again under penalty of law??? Only Politically Correct political speech such as “anti-racism” and “pro-diversity” and pro-multiculturalism” is allowed in the workplace? -Sounds like a violation of FREE SPEECH to me.
@HAET……..no clue. I don’t follow items I have no interest in. Listen, I am sure nobody hear wants to read a back-and-forth on political and social issues. I encourage you to engage in social media channels if you wish to pursue the topic. I’ve yet to fully embrace twitter, but you can reach me at @ziva-istina.
If “FIFA doesn’t want to mix politics and sport”, then why did they ban the South African soccer team from participating in any competitions until “international pressure” got the Boers to let Blacks rule over them in the country the Boers founded??? Will FIFA permit the Boers to play in the world cup if they get Independence from blacks the way Croatians got from Serbs?
@Bobby V
http://tinyurl.com/ckxh6ow
3:48
HAET…….huh????? Simunic’s comments are not a freedom of speech issue. He did it at a FIFA event and you have to live by FIFA’s idiotic rules when doing so. Not too hard to understand. Suspension Joe has every right to file for request to hold a speech in a public location and give his thoughts. that is what freedom of speech is.
*manner
Have to disagree with those that think Kovacic is with the right club at this early stage of his career.
Inter has always been a club that goes out and buys a few stars in their prime and the rest of the squad is usually full of aging stars who are in their decline.
Can’t remember any player who they brought in at an early age, nutured him and let him blossom – Inter does not function in that matter – AC Milan does much more so.
Rather see Kovacic in England where they play more of a runa and gun, up and down game – his speed and dribbling would make him shine. Ideally with a club not in the top 8.
Ziva Istina: “I am behind Suspension Simunic, but this is not a free speech issue. And anyone who thinks so has no idea what free speech is or means.”
I’m still waiting for your answer, YOU then tell us what “free speech is and means”???
It’s appallingly pathetic how easily you people give up your freedom.
Chupe: “Oh, who cares, we don’t need him for the W.C.” THAT’S NOT THE POINT YA FUCKIN PUSSY!
Answer my question: B/c the Ustase used to say “For the Homeland”, nobody is allowed to say “For the homeland” ever again under penalty of law???
“FIFA doesn’t want to mix politics and sports”, then why the fuck do they incessantly shove “anti-racism” down our throats???
These are Ziva ‘the Walking Talking Contradiction’ Istina’s own words:
1) “I am behind Suspension Simunic”
2) “I love what Joe said”
3) “His comments didn’t fit into FIFA’s BS propaganda plan”
4) “But, because of what he said now he has to pay the price.”
He loves what Joe said, but is behind the suspension; he thinks what FIFA did was bullshit, but agrees that Joe must pay the price.
LOL! Holyshit! Just as I said, Ziva is a slave, a moral coward, and may I add a complete MORON.
Stoka… good nickname.
Are you part of the stoka that runs the HNS or part of the stoka that graze at Poljud?
Chupe- you can look at the way you explained Modric two ways…the way you explained it or: Hajduk thought he was too small…Dinamo sent him to play in the physically toughest league in the Balkans, Tottenham always knew he was awesome, I’m not sure what you mean by that….Real openly admitted that his form lacked because he wasn’t included in the pre season, that’s where all of their tactical trainings took place.
Modric is the same guy many experts said he was….he genrlly starts the plays from deep in his own end of the field, getting many touches on the ball and also playing defensively sound soccer.
Man Modric is our best player and story so far every club he went to they said he sucks and he proved all of them and us wrong.
Hajduk said he sucks LOL
Dinamo sent him to Bosna and Inker on loan
Came back to Dinamo Star
Tottenaham Flop buy to a gem
Real Madrid Flop To best DM and CM in La liga,
No it’s Jukica.
Rebic will not get a lot of playing time now that Rossi is on the shelf and Gomez is not in form. Fiorentina will go out in this transfer window and get two forwards.
Hey IvicA, is your lastname Rak by any chance???
Well Mateo is like 7 years younger than everyone else. He’s been a bit inconsistent, and Inter has been a bit impatient (especially since they keep changing his role on the team between regista and trequartista).
When Luka Modrić was 19, we were all still harping about Kranjčar being the future and Modrić was on loan at Zaprešić. Kovačić will be just fine.
I mean what’s Inter’s issue? Mateo is a gem. He’s proved himself for club and country (at only 19 years old). I mean, it seems like Inter is chosing everyone but him? Is this a Inter culture thing? A Mazzari/Thohir thing?
@Ivica
http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/01/01/inter-warned-on-manchester-united-target-dont-do-a-coutinho/
I thought it was Fredy Guarin for Chicharito?
Oh well. I guess something’s going down between those two teams. The Inter fans are extremely ANTI anything that involves Kovačić leaving the team. They see another Coutinho scenario happening again.
United willing to trade Chicharito for Kovacic?
http://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/united-nudi-chicharita-u-zamjenu-za-kovacica-/720179.aspx
Ive argued before that rakitic has been a solid player for the repka. he clearly falls short of his club performance however. I think the primary reason for this is usage: a) he takes every free kick and corner for sevilla, greatly increasing his chances for goals and assists. I believe his role on the repka will trend this way as well. we already see him now taking every corner kick. b) he plays in the middle for sevilla and everything funnels through him.
it’ll be interesting to see how kovac uses him. in the iceland games he was often playing shockingly deep, almost in line with the cro defenders.
The problem for Rakitic on the National Team has been the lack of a quality DM to pick up the pieces and let him create. People who watch Sevilla can see that M’Bia is quality and allows Rakitic to create because of his ball winning. Rakitic is also a solid ball winner. IMO Modric has improved in that aspect of this game a ton so a midfield triangle of Rakitic and Modric holding and creating with Kovacic at the top helping with the final ball would be good enough. If all three make defensive contributions you do not need Badelj or Vuki in there because they simply are not NT quality.
I think the problem with Rakitiic is he does his hair frosting probably before NT games (maybe he goes to Zrce with Carli and wants to look good for the all pickice over there?) and the frosting seeps into his glava and he loses a few brain cells prior to the game?
i feel like that’s a solid explanation to this all.
I’m glad Jelavic came back and scored two goals. The penalty chip would have been icing on the cake. I like the idea though.
Jelavic needs to secure a loan move to weaker league. So he can regain his confidence and score some goals.
Belgium is a good option. He would be going back to his roots. It’s kinda like Rocky III, when Balboa loses to Mr. T and has to start from scratch to regain glory.
Enest…so then whats his excuse when he does have the ball, when he is moving forward but wasn’t creating…not making many significant passes and crosses? Rakitic did improve the last two games but he was almost unnoticeable for several matches!
Fonz- Yes I agree, Rakitic did play well against Iceland…I just don’t think he did much in any other game before those two!
He has not come close to matching his performance at the club level to the national team level. I’m not saying he has played bad for the repka, but he has no excelled. Maybe the change with Kovac will be beneficial to him, who knows.
@Ziva Istina
“Playing well against Iceland is fine.”
He plays well against many teams and playing well in a playoff game to secure a World Cup birth is not a negative regardless of the competition level. Illicevic did not play well against Iceland in the first game and it was not one of Luka Modric’s best performances in our jersey either.
“But, we have not seen it consistently enough with the repka.”
That is a debatable statement.
At the very least he does deliver and has contributed while offering a potential of upswing. As opposed to a myriad of nothingness that some of our players have to offer.
Jelavic scores for the first time in months against a 2nd division side. Needs to do much more to even get on the World Cup roster.
Have any of you guys that have also been awarded tickets to the World Cup this summer been contacted by FIFA and told that we will be charged an additional fee because Croatia will be opening the World Cup vs Brazil?
352 extra dollars just because we are opening the World Cup? That is 27 percent of the total cost of my ticket package.
I think due to the fact that Perisic is linked with MU, Jelavic scored 2 this weekend and Rebic seems destined to finally get some time in Florence, all these guys should be locks for the starting XI in Brazil. And whoever doesn’t agree is just stooooooooopid.
It would be nice to see Rebić, Jelavić, Radošević, Kovačić, and Perišić get some more playing time these next five months.
We need some more striker, defensive midfielder, and left-sided wing options in June.
Playing well against Iceland is fine. But, we have not seen it consistently enough with the repka.
Josip Radosevic was brought on as a late sub today for Napoli in their win over Sampdoria. Hopefully this is a sign that he is finally ready to be integrated into the team in some capacity.
With the Rossi injury, Rebic will get a lot of minutes now.
@Slavonac from Canada
Second Game – http://is.gd/Bb5ll2
@Slavonac from Canada
I thought Rakitic played very well in the two playoff games with Iceland in the center of the field and so did his pundits.
First Game – http://is.gd/XvTKse
@Slavonac from Canada
“so if he can play in any position in Spain then why is he such a flop with the National Team? doesn’t make sense!”
You should take what was said in Spain with a grain of salt.
Technically he can play in any position for us and so can “almost” any player from our team technically. Technically Ivica Olic can play in the center of midfield as well as he did in Beograd but it does not mean or translate into optimal performances and that is the entire point to having players playing in their proper positions on the field. Rakitic does not play on the right side of the field for Sevilla and therefore he should not be playing on the right side of the field for us. He is more suited in the center of the field and it is obvious and not debatable.
http://is.gd/Ik4Ces
There is no RM play on Sevilla and how is he a flop for us?
He has not played at the same level for Hrvatska as he has played for Sevilla and nobody is questioning that but at the same time he does contribute and delivers while playing a position that is not optimal for him and unlike many players on our team who do not contribute. Going forward we shall see how he does when he has a coach that plays him in the proper position and uses a better philosophy of team play and team concepts.
He does need to pick up the pace and hopefully that is going to transpire with a new philosophy.
@Anonymous…………don’t let the emotions get to you. May I suggest you take the emotion out of the argument.
there has been a lot of talk regarding Rakitic, his lack of performance with the National team and his great fom in Spain. Many people here have said he doesn’t play well with us because he’s always played out of position but here’s what they say about him in Spain:
“On je Emeryjev todocampista. Može igrati na bilo kojoj poziciji, zabija, asistira. Postiže 0,5 golova po utakmici što je odlična statistika za veznjaka. Osim vizije i odlične kontrole lopte, posjeduje kvalitetan udarac s obje noge”, stoji u nastavku teksta.
so if he can play in any position in Spain then why is he such a flop with the National Team? doesn’t make sense!
@LAknat hmm not so sure about that one:
Srna in Left Mid but Pranjic in Right??
Vrsaljko as a CB??
vs Barzil lines up :
………………………..Pletikosa………………………..
……….Vrsaljko……..Lovren……….Corluka………
Pranjic………..Rakitic………Modric………… Srna
……….The God of Halilovic……….Kovacic………
………………………. N Jelavic ………………………..
Hey Ziva Istina, fuck yourself and 18 generations of your scum bag family.
Concert was at Oakville church and it was a packed house
@anonymous……..have my parents failed me or have I failed them? But, the comfort in the fortified basement is beyond reproach.
Why cant we all just get along.! Mate Bulic king of diaspora and them butching his songs. I was at a jelenkovic koncert much better.
@Anonymous1
Agree with you. Joe is a stand out guy.
Was the concert sold out and which hall was it set?
@karadzic je peder, by the time you shmucks celebrate Xmas Isus je vec prohodo
@ziva, nabijem tebe tvoj jock sniffing na kurac. Anyone who is a grown man and lives in his mothers basement………..one thing comes to mind, YOUR PARENTS HAVE FAILED YOU!
@Ap, I was at Bulic concert last night, and I found Joe to be a standout guy! Joe je legenda I Pravi Hrvat!
Saw Joe at the airport took a pic and he asked me where im going i said Brazil how about you Joe he replied Za dom spremeni haaaaaa australija haaa.
@dannyJ You still live with mom? Or are you still a youngster. If that the case I hope Danny got a nice srbosjek in his stocking.
@za E-U spremni………..approaching a person you don’t know or never met and asking to pose for a photo or autograph is a form of jock sniffing. If the guy didn’t play soccer, would you approach him? Doubtful. Listen, if you are OK being a jock sniffer and self-imposed degradation, then no reason to argue against it. Be proud and embrace being a jock sniffer. There is a lot worse.
Again, I love what Joe said. As I have said many times before, I live a “za dom…spremni” lifestyle, do you???? But, because of what he said now he has to pay the price. His comments didn’t fit into FIFA’s BS propaganda plan and therefore Suspension Joe misses the World Cup.
Joe is not the idiot. Jovanovic is.
@ ante b of course they are dinamovci they are bosnian croats.lol just alittle joke.
For me tommorow tree comes down 3 kings and down. As far as Raketa goes hes 26 this year going into the most experienced years in career and for sevilla hes delivered. Za Hrvatsku on other hand needs to do better can perform luke a international player.
As far as Joe goes he didnt need to do what he did i know all of you are gonna bash me but Joe is an idiot he meant no harm but Fifa says dont mix politics and sport and croatias past and fan behavoior got to FiFA. What ever who cares need fresh faces in reprezentacija anyway sifo carli did fine in 2012.
The mystery has been solved. Rakitic and his family are dinamovci!
http://youtu.be/H5Jr6Xv3jjE
@ dannyj
Smooth finish from a man who is comfortable in his own skin.
@ Svima
I call BS on all the Rakitic rants. He has been solid and with Kovac his best will come at the WC.
My man has captained Sevilla to 6th place in the best league in the world !
@ za e-u
Well said my friend.
All this “hero worship – jock sniffing” monitoring speaks to low self esteem tendicies that keep our people living out of “basements!”
Appreciation is the key to happiness.
I appreciate that we qualified for the WC and will enjoy every minute that our boys represent Croatia to the world.
I have no expectation for this tournament. I am just happy that we will be organized, field our best players and compete with our collective heart and soul!
Za duh .
is a move to liverpool beneficial for rug top rakitic?
ill leave this to the guys who follow the leagues closely
anyone have video of rakitic goal? guy is pretty awesome in spain it seems…. croatia=wtf?
K Heroj… like I said in the other thread
you know your from a real croat family when your mom’s number one rule is the tree comes down the day before serb xmas!!
@ ziva
ahhh ziva, once again blasting anyone for showing support for simunic in canada. showing admiration for another does not mean you are degrading yourself. valuing another and valuing yourself are not mutually exclusive. it is time for you to grow up my friend
I dont think rebic gers chance he cqn play wing and wasnt been given chance not even from bench so i really think a loan is in his future.
Giuseppe Rossi may have suffered a major knee injury for Fiorentina. With Gomez also not in game shape this may mean that Rebic is given a featured role in the starting 11.
Joe is and idiot meant no harm but is and idiot he didnt act like professional. Blame Stimac if they didnt play playoffs joe still be with team. Or thank Stimac for playoffs FIFA kicking him out hes not for zupanska liga kamoli Reprezentacija!
Yea that’s what I thought.
Simunic SPEAKS the words “For the Homeland”, and gets a 10 game suspension for it; but “this is not a free SPEECH issue”??? LOL!
B/c the Ustase used to say “For the Homeland”, nobody is allowed to say “For the Homeland” ever again under penalty of law?
Every Tyranny that ever existed has justified banning free speech by saying: “if we allow it, there will be Tyranny!” LOL!
All slaves have free speech so long as they don’t say something offensive to their masters.
Ziva, you’re a slave, a moral coward. You say whatever you think mommy professor wants you to say.
@Ziva, tell us then what free speech is and means?
I am behind Suspension Simunic, but this is not a free speech issue. And anyone who thinks so has no idea what free speech is or means.
Nobody but me attacked FIFA’s weak spot regarding the Simunic suspension: they are suppressing Simunic’s and all Croatians’ FREE SPEECH.
Instead, everybody (including the woman who wrote the petition) basically granted FIFA the right to suppress our FREE SPEECH, but insisted that what Simunic said wasn’t “HATE SPEECH”.
You would not have to suppress FREE SPEECH if you could defend your position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ku7jwnlhhE
Rakitic needs to do more for Croatia dont care what he does for club alot of guys are lights out for club never bring the for to Our national team.
Nezaustavljivi Rakitić: Sevilla sredila Getafe, Ivan postigao svoj osmi gol sezone!!
http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/nezaustavljivi-rakitic–sevilla-sredila-getafe–ivan-postigao-svoj-osmi-gol-sezone/1152177/
Sretan Bozic svima
Orthodox Christmas best Christmas
CCCC
Well Gomez i think will be back for Fiorentina and imo Rebic never got a chance to play full 90 in italy imo he is made for Bundesliga or EPL.
Looks like Rebic will get his chance to succeed or fail. Rossi appears to have suffered another knee injury.
I can only imagine the amount of over the top jock sniffing that took place in Canada last night. I am sure plenty of embarrassment this morning.
@ nobody
I hope perisic doesn’t move to man U, nor do i really believe that rumor. last thing he needs is to get stuck on the bench again. even now at wolfsburg he doesn’t have a cemented spot, i can’t imagine it being any better at man u
Rakitic continues to play awesome. one more goal in 3-0 sevilla win.
Sad news, former Toronto Metros Croatia captain and Portuguese International Eusebio has passed away….RIP.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/portuguese-soccer-star-eusebio-dies-of-heart-failure-at-71/article16196369/
Joe Smunic sighting last night in Oakville, ON…..
Joe was at the Mate Bulic concert, packed house and good time had by all. Joe was with his new bride who hails from nearby Mississauga. He was introduced by Bulic, said a few words until the Za Dom Spremni chants started, acknowledging the support. He got on stage later and sang Ljepa Li Si with Mate, danced kolo to a song and then took a group picture with the girls team from local club Mississauga Croatia who were raising money for their tour of Croatia in the summer.
All in all, he came across as a real down to earth dude that everyone really appreciated.
All the jock-sniffers managed to get themselves an autograph or picture with him, proud to say this supporter simply watched proceedings from a distance.
Rock on boys.
Mandza will be offered a new deal
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/01/04/exclusive-manchester-united-set-to-move-for-7m-rated-wolfsburg-attacker-ivan-perisic/
@faux cro……..not saying jelavic is shit. He is not repka quality., a guy who is good enough to produce consistently for the repka. He is, at best, a fringe player.
@soul champ……easy on the kovac hero worshipping. Dude has done nothing yet outside of beating Iceland with a much more skilled team. Needs time and results.
I go to alot of hnl games since i work security in croatia and saw alot of talent inHNL and lot of players hyped and were busts but our clubs do a bad job in selling players to clubs that dont make sense like radosevic delac ozobic pamic rebic vukusic.rebic looks like he ia made for bundesliga or bpl not seria a. Rebic is a beast imo some say overrated but hes good imo.
FIFA is a piece of shit corrupt oganization with a lot of discrimination against Croatia.
Dont get hopes to high guys we should be lucky we will watch 3 croatia games we should enjoy and if they get a 1/16 that should be a bonus and not get greedy at that point. But maybe its 3 and done like this. Croqtia lose 1-0 vs Brazil hard loss. Then game 2 we beat kamerun 2-0 and croatian fans start going we are world beaters bring on mexico and then spain. And we lose to mexico and fans are all finding someone to blame.
@Ziva:
Life is not black or white. Jelavic is not Suarez, but he is not shit either.
If a team plays to his strengths he will score goals as well as create chances for others.
Personally, I hope he goes to an average Bundesliga club and he gets plenty of playing time.
I wouldn’t mind if he went to Celtic or a top Greek club, as long as he stays sharp and produces for the HNS.
@Soul Champ
You guys are going a little too gaga for Kovac. I hope he’s extremely successful but its far too early to determine how he is as a coach.
Primorac as a consigliere will add to the group genius that is forming around the repka.
No need for Boro to leave his arsenal post to add to the World Cup festivities for Croatia.
Man, Kovac is activating an evolution of Croatian soccer. His leadership will allow us to produce a critical mass of world-class players to join the likes of Modric.
I remember sitting with Suker and him telling me that Croatia will never reach the level of ’98 due to the weak HNL.
At that time he couldn’t grasp the power of the diaspora leadership to make a difference as well as the impact of the eu entry on youth player movement.
A powerful repka can provide a launch pad for all of young promising talent. This World Cup is vital to stabilize the national set up.
We can become the Argentina of Europe where we a major export will be our young footballers.
I pray our new national training center is run with world class rigor and excellence.
Mandzukic sitting the bench is like caging a wild beast.
Need to see him on his way this summer. He has had a good run with Bayern. No hard feelings. Ako na cuju Mandzukic, vasi, Ali PUSI KURAC Bayerna !
cheers Ivica
@ Djubre
Primorac has been talked to death on here as well as in Cro football media.
He’s one of those super respected, behind the scenes coaches who you don’t see but appreciate what he’s done. There are many articles about him in the English papers and Arsenal fan forums.
I doubt he’ll leave his position at Arsenal for any other coaching role. He seems like a lifer. I could see him providing Niko some of his time to consult, but not in a role that takes up too much of his time.
Mario is staying until the summer, Lewandowski signed a pre contract which means he will be coming over for free in the summer.
Lets HOPE Jelavic can start a scoring comeback.
We’re gonna need something to throw at Brazil without Mandzukic there.
With that being said there are rumours that Arsenal will plan a summer bid for Mandzukic.
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/01/04/arsenal-plan-ahead-with-summer-bid-for-bayern-munich-forward-mario-mandzukic/
i still think jelavic has talent. i call it the jeremy lin rule. for a few weeks lin put up numbers that although not sustainable, statistically had never been done by a player that didn’t remain a solid player. sure enough, lin is still solid at houston. likewise, jelavics run when he got england was too strong for a fluke player. combo that with his history of scoring many goals in other leagues, there is still something to the guy as a one touch striker. he’s no lukaku who can probably create with his speed. but he’s still very solid at one touch strikes
^ ^
Was just about to do that!
2 goals and a PK miss for Jela so far…
Cue all the over the top talk that “jelavic is back”.
Jelavic, goooooooal!!!
Anyone else think Mandzukic might stay at Munich?
The only other pure striker they have is Pizarro and his contract is up this summer.
I think as long as Mandzukic doesn’t mind riding the pine for a bit, Bayern would keep him.
Lewa to Bayern on a 5 year contract? The writing was on the wall for months.
Jelavic to QPR and SMM to Arsenal?
Has anyone heard about Boro Primorac being approached by Niko Kovac to assist in the back staff for the World cup?
His been at Arsenal for a few years so he must be doing something right.