SPAIN
Ivan Rakitic scored his 12th goal of the season on Sunday as Sevilla beat Espanyol 4-1 to keep their Champions League hopes very much alive. Rakitic was brought on in the 62nd minute after playing midweek, and was quiet until the goal in the 89th minute, where he gathered Nico Pareja’s long pass and finished into the corner of the net. Sevilla are now just three points out of fourth place in La Liga as six matches remain, although Athletic Bilbao has a game in hand.
Goal: 1:15
Luka Modric played the full 90 minutes for Real Madrid on Saturday as they easily swept aside Real Sociedad in a 4-0 win. Modric had two shots, created two chances, and completed a total of 63 passes. With six matches to go, Real are two points behind Barcelona and three behind Atletico Madrid.
UKRAINE
Photo: Shakhtar
Eduardo took home “Man of the Match” honors Saturday as he scored two first half goals in Shakhtar’s 3-0 win over Karpaty. The first came off a sharp Darijo Srna corner kick in the 12th minute as Dudu battled through the box to head home from six yards out. Eduardo did it again two minutes from the halftime whistle when the Karpaty defense opened up like the Red Sea, letting the Brazilian-born Croat take a wide open shot from six yards out following a pass from the side. He was subbed out in the 69th minute as captain Darijo Srna played the full match.
Eduardo is making a run at a World Cup starting spot vs. Brazil at the right time. He has scored three goals in the past two Shakhtar games. With Mario Mandžukić out against the hosts, would you rather see Ivica Olić or Eduardo play striker against Brazil?
Eduardo double for Shakhtar
Kalinić penalty @ 1:00
Nikola Kalinić came off the bench at halftime for Dnipro and converted a 54th minute penalty to make it a 2-0 win for his side as they battle for the Ukrainian Premier League crown. Kalinić cooly guessed right, sending the keeper the other way, assuring that Dnipro would remain three points behind leaders Shakhtar for first place. Kalinić has done little to none for a Dnipro team that is vying for a Champions League berth. He never blossomed into the player he was promised to be; and at age 26, it may not happen. Defender Ivan Strinić was not on the squad after playing the full match in last week’s win over Shakhtar. It is unknown when he will return.
Both Domagoj Vida and Ognjen Vukojević played 90 minutes for Dynamo Kiev in a 4-2 win over Metalist Kharkiv. The win keeps Dynamo five points behind leaders Shakhtar for first place. Vukojević picked up a second yellow card in injury time and was sent off. Both players are expected to come off the bench for Croatia in Brazil.
ENGLAND
Photo: Southampton FC
Dejan Lovren and Southampton weren’t expected to defeat mighty Manchester City on Saturday, but it went from bad to worse when star striker Jay Rodriguez was taken off in the 27th minute with a serious knee injury. After Man City went up early, Southampton would equalize through a penalty in the 37th minute to make it 1-1. However, it was all City thereafter as they would score two goals seconds from halftime and add another one late in the 4-1 win. Lovren was busy with the Manchester attack all day long and did not defend Bosnian Edin Dzeko properly on his 45th minute header strike.
With only five matches remaining in the season, Southampton will end their campaign in the top half of the table knowing they had a successful Premiership run after being promoted last year. Lovren has been a rock at defense and should get some offers from bigger clubs in the summer.
Nikica Jelavić had a quiet day for Hull City Saturday in their 1-0 win over Swansea. He managed three total shots (1 on goal) while running all over the pitch in Ivica Olić-like fashion. He was given a ‘6’ grade from SkySports.com as he “ran himself to a stop.” Jelavić hasn’t delivered the way he should have at Hull, but with the win, will avoid any chance of relegation as Hull are 90% to play in the Premiership again next season.
Germany
Photo: AP/Martin Meissner
Borussia Dortmund put a dent in Wolfsburg’s Champions League hopes after coming from behind to register a 2-1 win on Saturday night in Dortmund. Ivica Olić started and played the full 90 minutes for Wolfsburg in the loss. The former Dinamo Zagreb striker hit the post twice in one second and then scored a-typical-Ivica-Olić-like goal in the 34th minute of play. Ivica scored his 11th Bundesliga goal of the season and finished the match with five shots.
Ivica Olić hits crossbar twice in one second
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Wolfsburg – Goal Olić
Photo: AP/Martin Meissner
Ivan Perišić also started and went the distance for Wolfsburg in the loss. The Croatian international had a decent game but couldn’t reach the back of the net on three shots. Wolfsburg will need a fine performance from their final five Bundesliga games to have a shot at Champions League next season. Luckily for Wolfsburg, they end the season with a kind schedule.
Photo: AP/Matthias Schrader
Despite holding a 68% possession advantage, Bayern Munich’s 53-game unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga came to an end by Bavarian rivals Augsburg, who won 1-0 at the Augsburg Arena on Saturday. Former Dinamo Zagreb striker, Mario Mandžukić, started and played the full 90 minutes in the loss and only managed two shots. Mario was frustrated by a pesky Augsburg defence and found it difficult to break free inside the box. Bayern will face Manchester United in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday in Munich.
PHOTO: Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV picked up a much needed three points by registering a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Friday night in Hamburg. Former Dinamo Zagreb captain, Milan Badelj, started and played only 33 minutes and had to be subbed out because of an injury. The Croatian international will be out at least two weeks as he recovers from a thorn thigh muscle. Ivo Iličević was left off the roster sheet by Hamburger SV. No word on his status.
It has been that kind of a season for Hamburger SV
FRANCE
Danijel Subasic was in net on Sunday for AS Monaco’s 2-1 home victory over Nantes. Subasic made a couple nice saves (3 total), including keeping out what looked to be a certain goal from Itey Shechter. He was lucky to avoid conceding a penalty shortly after halftime when he appeared to trip Serge Gapke in the area. Monaco remain second in Ligue 1, trailing leaders PSG by 13 points with six games to go.
Save: 1:25, Penalty Shout: 1:50, Save: 1:50, 2:05, Goal: 3:05
RUSSIA
Stipe Pletikosa missed his first Russian Premier League match with FC Rostov in two and a half years, as he sat out their 2-0 win over Kuban Krasnodar with a hip injury. Rostov moved up to a tie for seventh, six points out of European positions with six matches to play.
Vedran Corluka and Lokomotiv Moscow will play relegation contenders Volga Nizhny at home on Monday.
Italy
PHOTO: inter
Mateo Kovačić came off the bench for Inter in the 53rd minute and played well in the 2-2 draw against Bologna. The former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder finished the match without a shot as Inter controlled 65% of the total possession. Has Mateo done enough this season to start for Croatia in Brazil?
Marko Livaja came off the bench in the 78th minute and failed to register a shot for Atalanta in a 2-0 loss to Sassuolo on Sunday. Josip Radošević didn’t make the trip to Parma on Sunday in a 1-0 loss. Tin Jedvaj was left off the squad by Roma in a 3-1 win at Cagliari on Sunday. Šime Vrsaljko and Genoa host Milan on Monday.
PHOTO: Fiorentina
Former Slaven Belupo defender, Igor Bubnjić, started and played 58 minutes for Udinese in a 2-1 loss at Fiorentina. Igor played well and wasn’t at fault for the goal. The Croatian international managed to register a shot and committed only one foul. Former Dinamo Zagreb keeper, Ivan Kelava, looked on from the bench for Udinese.
Reports from Italy suggest that former RNK Split striker Ante Rebić looks set to miss the rest of the season for Fiorentina. Ante has made only three appearances for Fiorentina this season, coming off the bench all three times and totalling 91 minutes of action. The 20-year-old will hope for better days next season.
Next Matches:
Tuesday, 4/8
Real Madrid at Borussia Dortmund(Champions League),
Wednesday, 4/9
Manchester United at Bayern München(Champions League)
Thursday, 4/10
Porto at Sevilla(Europa League),
Saturday, 4/12
Cardiff City at Southampton, Monaco at Rennes, Nürnberg at Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV at Hannover 96, Borussia Dortmund at Bayern München, Atalanta at Roma, Almería at Real Madrid, Rostov at Terek Grozny, Shakhtar Donetsk at Vorskla, Dynamo Kyiv at Karpaty, Metalurh at Dnipro
Sunday, 4/13
Genoa at Torino, Internazionale at Sampdoria, Lazio at Napoli, Sevilla at Real Betis, Sheffield United at Hull City(FA Cup), Anzhi at Lokomotiv Moskva,
~Ante Kvartuč and Denis Svirčić reporting from sunny Southern California, Zach Gilfix reporting from Minneapolis, MN
not saying much about him when you compare him to stimac, who cares he is gone and better will come along, hopefully it will be kovac, will see soon
Nobody is praising him, but he is better than what came before him and what came after him.
I have no rooting interest in Bilic now that he no longer coaches the repka. He will one day coach in England and will be a journeyman coach in the next 10-15 years.
agree the qualifying was a complete failure yet we have those who continue to praise him, too funny,
My last comment made me curious of what percentage of Kalinic’s goals at his final season at Hajduk were from penalties. So I checked…
Kalinic scored 15 goals out of 28 games for Hajduk in the season before he left for Blackburn.
SEVEN were from the penalty spot.
Dude deserved the nickname Penalinic. Blackburn and Dnipro got what they paid for.
Doesn’t matter the size of the nation.
Bilic finishing behind a much less talented Ukraine side for WC2010 qualifying is a failure, no matter how you want to dress it.
Also, Kalinic (aka Penalinic) was never talented. His stats were inflated in HNL due to taking all the penalty shots for his team every season. What he has done in Blackburn and Dnipro is neither a failure nor a success. It’s the player he always was.
But unlike Kalinic, Kranjcar was very talented. So yes, he was a waste of talent considering how his career went these past four years.
Not qualifying for the World Cup doesn’t mean he is a failure as a coach. It didn’t help with the injuries.
Making the World Cup is not a given, especially for a nation like Croatia.
True but Bilic is no world class coach as some on here would believe, remember we did not qualify for 2010 world cup.
Welcome to croatian soccer. Coaches are always going to give preferential treatment to friends and agents.
@Ziva
I knew that but as you can see Bilic was pushing his agenda at the expense of the team. No need for Kalinic ever to see the field for the repka. Awful awful player.
u stupid IDIOT ZIVA of course he could run all day he was a chain smoker like me so obviously that makes him awesome at FOOOOTBOOOOOL
god
Bilic said Kalinic was the future of Cro football for one reason………go look and see who Kalinic’s agent is and that will answer all your questions. I’ve said it many times; pay no attention to what coaches and players have to say in media interviews. it is usually not truthful and said to push an agenda. Kalinic is another player who nobody should ever say never lived up to expectations. There were no expectations for him. He sucked. Honestly, I am quite shocked he was even made it to the repka for the time he did.
Prosinecki could run for days???????? Huh. No he couldn’t especially not into his late 20s. The man was technical genious, but he couldn’t run all day.
I love Eduardo. When he was in his prime, our team was in our prime.
Prosinečki and Kranjčar in the same post?
Majke boze !
Prosinečki was a genius and could run for days despite smoking like a chimney. He was World Class.
If Ćiro gives him 45 minutes against France we win the World Cup in ’98!
@jm
Bilic was a fool to make a statement like that regarding Kalinic.
Prosinecki smoked 40 smokes a day and could run a sub 4 minute mile in his prime.
@Laknat
What is that about dude?
You are one strange cat…
@Horvat-Prosinecki was indeed a heavy smoker.I remember we used to refer to him as “Marlboro man”.The guy was a freak.He was a frustrating bastard also.You could usually tell early in a game if he was going to be magical that day or if Ciro would have to give him an early shower and smoke break that day.
true…and drank a lot as well!
Who was slower, Kranjcar or Prosinecki?
Supposedly Prosinecki was a heavy smoker while he played. Does any one know whether that is true or not.
jm- Perisic ” but perisic is an absolute wild man”
how so?
where?
run at players or run and turn back most of the time?
KALANIC: its sad to hear he’s 26. still can’t get consistent burn. bilic deemed him the future of croatian football. that’s clearly not the case. wondering if he makes the repka again
PERISIC: There are no better options on the wings. It’s both a positive and negative but perisic is an absolute wild man. On the one hand, its positive cause we have very few players that will run at a defender, sprint down the flank, or fire off shots. On the negative, Perisic has fired off 77 shots this year and scored 5 goals.
Just rewatched our first match against Serbia last year in its entirety yesterday. Im the biggest Kranjcar fan there is but he is simply too slow anymore. He was never quick but at least he was quicker. He was constantly getting squeezed out and even though he has a sublime touch and a great shot, he will never get the space because it takes him too long to get set. It was like watching 10 on 11 as we never even went to the left side in that match. Say what you want about Perisic and he is basically a hack, but he battles defensively and at least he has speed. Niko can play 10-15 mnutes for me when we can pin a team or maybe even 30 in that case but not more. If we are to play compact counter attacking football, there is simply no space for him.
I’m curious about the Niko comments on here, where is the confusion? Niko has never been “the guy” other than when he played in Croatia. He has a ton of skill… who can argue that? he can shoot, cross, beat a man one on one and has scored many important goals but his biggest challenge has always been his defensive play. In todays game, he’s a nightmare defensively but still very good offensively…much better than Perisic in every single way! Why would anyone comment on his lacking abilities when we’ve known them for the past several years? everyone know what we’ll get from him!
ps. 9:30pm tomorrow night they have a Croatia / Cameroon Brazil preview show.
Ivica,
Bein just came to Canada last month and has been on free preview with Rogers (channel 391) and Bell. They also have a streaming package I believe which you can order to access all of their matches online.
Awesome channel, I love it.
http://www.beinsports.tv/
@ Faux
Money well spent !
BEIN sport HD broadcast is quite impressive.
Ramos is definitely a block head, and he is captain !
Rakitic needs to be in the CL and is in his primer right now.
He and Modric would run things in the middle.
Bale should give Modric some money as he as supported him settling in big time.
@Ivica:
It is part of a triple Rape program. Cable, Internet and home phone for about $200/month.
@Ivica:
I am in the US and it is a channel provided by my cable service.
It covers Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1. Plus I think the English Championship and some USMNT games.
It seems to be a more polished version of what GOL TV was a few years back.
Now GOL is almost unwatchable. If I wasn’t interested in the Bundesliga, i would never watch it.
Most cable systems have pretty solid coverage now.
NBC Sports plays EPL and MLS
GOLtv plays Bundesliga as well as Dutch and South American (low def) with some oddball International matches
BEin: covers what I described above.
FOXSports/FoxSoccer+: covers Champions League, Europa League, Scottish and Australian as well as Rugby/Aussie Rules
Anybody keeping up with the news in Ukraine.
Donetsk has a bunch of pro Russian shit going on right now.
There season can’t end soon enough.
Srna will probably never leave, but maybe this will be the cue for his transfer.
Serie A would be great for him.
@Soul Champ & Faux Cro
What’s BeIN Sport?
I’ve been looking for a good sports streaming package that will give my all the big football leagues, but I haven’t had time to look into it (Kind of tired of watching choppy ad-heavy streams).
What’s this give you access to? and how much is it?
@Soul Champ:
Not a fan of the officiating in La Liga.
Neymar goes down like a two dollar whore and the referees constantly reward it.
I watched the last three Barcelona games and as a neutral it seemed that the calls were sketchy in Barcelona’s favor.
What’s your take on Modric?
IMHO when he plays a more advanced role nobody provides him with a decent pass. Bale will pass to him, but they are not incisive passes.
Even during the last Champion’s League game, Ronaldo was off the field and there was a free kick in an area that made sense for Modric but Sergio Ramos boxed him out and butchered it.
That team seems like it has too many egos. I hope Rakitic stays away.
Re Kovacic:
He is young and Inter can’t suck forever.
He doesn’t get a lot of action on the wing so that would be a wild card.
what do you think about this score =>
http://captaintsubasa.wikia.com/wiki/All_Japan_Youth
@ Faux
BEIN SPORT is awesome!
We actually get both of their channels now.
La liga is far superior to any other league in Europe.
Chock full of quick technical skilled players.
Serie A SUCKS!
Serie SRANJE!
Šteta … Stari and I would watch Rai Uno back in the day everyday Sunday. Finally get BEIN sport and Kovačić is getting the rented mule treatment.
WTF Kovačić Is supposed to Sneijder with b level players and Visionless coach?
Hajdu picku materinu.
Can’t wait for Kovačić to shine in Brazil and move to a club that plays the type of football that celebrates his talents.
Need to play him on the wing this summer and have him take on defenders in space.
Right wing so Srna can over lap at key moments.
@Soul Champ:
I haven’t really watched Inter games since Fox dropped Serie A.
Recently got BEIN and am shocked by how bad they are.
Kovacic is one of the few bright spots on that team.
this was expected, man united was on the decline
Funny to see David Moyes leave Everton for Man United and now Everton is close to securing Champions League football for the first time in 43 years, with Man United set to miss it for the first time in forever.
Sinko,I am actually truly pleased with several of your recent posts where one after the other you truly summed yourself up in clear fashion.
-I have spoken to a new doctor who is rady to start couchwork with you.This time I promise I will not be cheap and use a car battery in the garage to give you shock therapy ,this guy is a real doctor and has diagnosed you with a severe case of NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER.
-All the classic signs are there,you are entertained by the misery of others,you love watching peoples lives implode,watching a alcoholic fall off the wagon is hilarious,you have no emotional attachment to 99% of the people on this planet(I guess you count yourself as the 1%).He said its pretty clear,although you are not,you are up there with saddists,megolomaniacs etc,but you son have a narcissistic disorder.The fact that you contradict yourself as a Catholic is fine in your mind as you easily justify your injured mind.Too many hugs from mama growing up.He explained that you have a need to compare yourself to others and put yourself above them,you know,the alcoholic,the person who has had a failure,etc and then say”Look at them.and look at me!! yippeeee!They are funny”
-Son,now your treatment can begin.You will get better.You will grow and learn eventually.Your punkness will slowly disolve to a degree at least,mark my words Ranko.Tata loves you!
I don’t think we even need an inform Rakitic to get us to the second round looking at how bad Cameroon is and Mexico still appearing to be a mess.
Now, we will need an inform Rakitic if we have take on Chile, Spain or Holland.
Now, will an inform Rakitic show up or the one who doesn’t know how to head the ball? Lets hope its the former.
I am going with :
E. Rakitić leads Is to the second round for the first time since 1998!
@ Faux
Inter are a mess! Never seen a top Serie a club play without a shred of tactical awareness ?
Kovačić is the real deal and Inter can puši kurac.
Friends,
What will happen first:
A. The performance on the field and at the executive level will improve and allow me to drop the “jadan i mali” from jadan i mali hajduk; and the small “h” will be dropped from jadan i mali hajduk.
B. Politicians we can be proud of back in Cro.
C. Diaspora hvrati will learn to read and write in Croatian
D. An STD-free Corluka
What say you, croatian sports dot come nation. Is it A, B, C or D?
true….they have imploded. But, on a greater note. I took Everton today on my bet slip. So, all good.
we could say the same about your arsenal, siva…
just more proof the name jadan i mali hajduk is fitting.
Wow, Rijeka demolished Hajduk today.
Somewhere Armada is celebrating and Cico is crying.
good point…….rather contradictory on my part at first glance. But, when you look at it closer, not really.
@ ziva
” I have no emotional attachment to 99% of the people on this planet”
I continue to find it confusing how you claim yourself a Catholic. Yet another comment that shows something totally opposite and makes everyone question your human/social development.
No, not at all. When you live a “za dom…spremni” lifestyle there is no way you can be miserable.
But, I do find it entertaining when people meltdown. Listen, I have no emotional attachment to 99% of the people on this planet. So, I really don’t care if their lives go good or bad. If it provides me with entertainment, then I am OK with it. It is the reason I watch tv, read, go on the internet….all to be entertained.
Enjoying the misery of others?
Are you miserable?
Misery loves company.
bringing up Kranjcar’s father in this discussion is fair along with his problem with booze.
Niko’s biggest problem is his last name and the unrealistic expectations that were put on him as a teenager.
The dude went to Portsmouth when he left jadan i mali hajduk. That should tell you everything you need to know about how “wanted” he was around Europe.
He has had a very good career. Won an FA Cup. He exceeded my expectations and his days of being a meaningful contributor to the repka are done.
We should all hope and pray that he doesn’t end up like his father and become a drunk. Although, some of the signs are already there……womenizing, abandonment of child, etc…….then again, maybe he should go on the path to being a drunk. The entertainment factor of watching his father fall off the wagon over the years has been comical. And at the end of the day, isn’t sports about being entertained. I know that I enjoy it when some of these guys and their lives fall apart.
Good article…
http://www.jutarnji.hr/niko-kovac—u-brazilu-zene-nece-moci-u-kamp–ali-nogometasima-necu-zabraniti-seks-/1180195/
@Iggy-Dont worry to much about Ziva saying crapp about Nikos dad.Its teenage rebellion.I know I am not perfect,and I do tend to tipple a little myself.This is when I am the most abusive with him,so by saying stuff about drunkard dads,he is having a go at me if you know what I mean.
On a general note,I just find it funny how people feel a right to put down someone like Niko so heavily.
-Waste of talent,fat,lazy,useless,the list goes on.
A dweeb like Ziva can point out that there is some degree of truth to all of these points and its not completely incorrect.At the end of the day,he is still one of the Worlds elite footballers,who is not perfect in every aspect,but since he is on a type of pedestal,he becomes a target where anything and everything is scrutinised and is ok to say.I often find human nature to be a funny thing in that way.
You do get frustrated with someone like Kranjcar,or even Perisic is a good example.You just see that why the hell didnt he do better more consistantly like he shows he can ,but doesnt.At the end of the day,he is frustrating,but its a bit rich for me to call him a loser or waste of space if I am not good enough to be better than him myself.
Niko has done quite a few big things for us,and I still think he has potential for us.His dad is who he is,big deal.Some of us get off on being Croatian wedding bitches,where we go the the wedding and pick it to pieces and go home and say”Ahhh,nije bilo bas nesto”
Dukan has been down with the bulls for years .
Zlatko was good Coach for the repka. Srna scores that penal then we would have been in business. Should have played Modric more as well.
Niko could absolutely ball. Portsmouth and early Tottenham he had some big moments in meaningful matches.
Did not train like a beast and was not in great shape for many spells in his career.
The game at the highest level is extremely physical and simple good touch on the ball does not get it done these days.
Raktic is great shape these days and his lack of pace is not an issue against the elite because he is BEAST!
I would LMAO if he becomes captain of both the repka and Real Madrid in the next two years.
My man steps on the pitch and takes names.
To think he could have been with the Swiss set up and we still have diaspora haters on these threads.
Joe Drmic wif is BS .
We need to have every top player on the planet with Croatian roots under the flag.
Time is NOW.
what is it with you and talking about everyone’s dad
u got some serious daddy issues, ziva
we should all applaud Niko Kranjcar…….why, you ask? Because he is not a drunk like his dad.
Dukan is nothing more than a role player who had a great 5-minute stretch tonight. Scored 8 points in his previous 7 games. Scored 8 tonight.
His old man is still a scout or front office employee with the Bulls.
Kranjcar has skill, an incredible shot, great vision, can make a great cross field pass, can beat players one on one…shoot from distance BUT he lacks pace, cannot defend, lacks intensity and that has been his number one challenge. Anyone that says he doesn’t have skill is crazy, he has a lot of skill, he has never been successful at providing both defense and offense…
dang duje lighting it up, i suppose none of u are enjoying this moment with me. Man there butchering his name!
malo nas je al nas ima
anyone watching this kentucky vs wisconsin game, if u did there was an interview with one of the players named Duje Dukan, born in croatia plays for wisconsin. I was unaware of that, now im favoring wisconsin. Anyone know anything about him.
Krancjar is a classic case of the Jordi Cryuff syndrome. Everyone expected him to be like his father but he failed to live up to expectations.
Perhaps Krancjar should have gone by another name to take the pressure off. The Krancjar name was just to much weight to bear, lol.
Anyway, I would take one Vukojevic over a Krancjar any day.
i wouldn’t say he has elite technical skill. Geez, he never even dominated in the HNL. And outside shot??????? How many goals has he scored in his life from outside the box.
Honestly, the only one that pops up in my mind if the goal against England and that went in because the English GK sucked. I don’t doubt that he has a decent shot, above average….but nothing in his game suggested to me he would be a consistent international.
I thought his career would be one where he bounced around from club to club…..and that is pretty much what it is.
but, give him credit. He has developed into a behind-the-scenes lady man. But, I bet his daughter is a bit disappointed in her daddy.
Kranjcar had elite technical skill and outside shot. He was also excellent on the dead ball.
He displayed these skills early in his career (earlier than Modric in his own career) and showcased them regularly in one of the top leagues in the world. Naturally, with some hard work and dedication, the sky’s the limit if you have this kind of skillset.
But he was never in top shape (and gradually got worse as the years passed), was never dedicated to the defensive side of the ball, and once he signed that good contract with Spurs, he mailed it in.
There are many players who lack speed, but are still world class due to their skill level. Kranjcar’s lack of speed was exacerbated by his fitness level (which has led to multiple avoidable injuries). I’m not saying Kranjcar was destined to be world class, but he should have definitely been able to at least nail down a starting gig on mediocre teams like Dinamo Kiev and QPR.
When you look at the players that have started over him on Kiev and QPR in that attacking midfield role…there is nothing more you can say other than ‘what a waste’.
he was only ranked high as a junior because of his last name.
…and on a totally unrelated note, has anyone been to Dominican Republic and if so, can anyone recommend some good cigars? I am going in a week and any input would be appreciated…
Ziva, I do not disagree that he is slow…and I agree that mid-tier top league player was likely the best that he could achieve…I also would add that he is horrible when he is off the ball and lacklustre…
But I never once said that he was an elite player, I simply said he was a talent at a young age…this is not something that you or I need to dispute, he was one of the top rated youngsters in Europe when he was in his early to late teens. Yes a lot of that may have been hype, but that’s the case with many of our youngsters as everyone is looking to make top dollar on a transfer…
So again, my point was simple, he was a waste of talent, and when I say talent, again I am not referring to an elite player…
Do you agree that Krajncar could have been on a mid tier team in a top league at this stage of his career had he not been so lazy, lacklustre, unenthusiastic, etc?
A bench player for a second division team (QPR) is simply due to him thinking his career would be gift wrapped for him based on Zlatko’s career…he didn’t strive or play with any enthusiasm…he was a lazy lard eating prick…
and everything you listed I will argue is the best he could have done. he maxed out his talent……he was too slow of a player to ever have a extended run playing at an elite level.
With top clubs he would have been a spot starter, bench player. He can start at mid-tier clubs in the top leagues.
What does or did Kranjcar do that was elite.
And winning titles in the cro league means absolute shit. the only reason my beloved jadan i mali hajduk won the league that year is because that was the worst dinamo team (the team Kranjcar captained for the first half of the season) in the last 15 years.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion Ziva…as are you…
That being said…further to your comments, he won Prva league title with Dinamo, Croatian cup, then yes had issues with Dinamo and moved to Hajduk…then won the Prva league title with them…which was I believe the last time they won (not saying much I know) but none the less, he was part of their last winning team and I believe was their top goal scorer (not bad for a midfielder).
As for not drawing interest from other clubs…that’s simply not true…he was rated a top prospect Croatian young talent and was one of the youngest goal scorers in the Prva league, he drew interest from Monaco, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Everton, Tottenham and others…
He played in 14 WC qualifiers for the repka and scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists…not the best, but not bad either…
I provided facts to support my statement, you provided simply nothing more than an opinion…
Talent does not mean that you will be the best player in the world, but he did have the potential to be something better at this stage of his career than a bench warmer on a second division English team…Again, I stick to my point, Krajncar = Waste of talent
He may as well fuck Ivanisevic’s wife because he has little else going for him…
the only real knock you can have about Kranjcar is that he is not a good father to his child….other than that, he is OK.
Kranjcar did not waste his prime years at spurs. He had limited talent and it finally caught up to him! He made his money.
To be a waste of a talent you actually have to have talent.
He maxed out what he had. Here is all you needed to know about Kranjcar. When he left Dinamo and was forced out of Dinamo, who wanted him????????? Not many clubs outside of Cro wanted him.
Take away his last name and nobody would have ever talked about him as a kid. He has the curse of being Cico’s son. Then again, having a dad who is a drunk can be a curse itself. It’s amazing Kranjcar turned out this well when you look at the old man.
Kranjcar maxed out his talent all the way through. Made some nice money and goes around his wife’s back doing what he pleases while she cares for the kid. All in all, not bad. That is maxing out your limited talent.
@Ziva: “Where has Kranjcar wasted his talent. You make it sound like you expected him to be on the level of the likes of Ballack or someone like him.”
I never once said that I expected him to be a Ballack nor did I make any reference to any player comparison. My point and comment was simple…Krajncar was a potential talent, he was projected as a youth to be quite the player of which h did not pan out, hence my “waste of talent” comment.
He has scored some beautiful goals for the repka and was/is one of the few who could fire it in to the net from a distance. He lacks heart, lacks effort, lacks defensive skills when ball not in possession and gives up easily, again “waste of talent” …could he have been more?, YES, was he? NO…Was he/is he a Ballack type player, NO…could he have been?…who knows…all I am saying is that he didn’t push himself to the fullest, which is the only way to realise ones full potential…Croatia being a small nation cannot afford to have “talent wasted” that was my only point…no comparison was made to any other player in my comment above…he was/is simply just a waste of talent…
IvicA said it best in regards to how/where/when he “wasted his talent” (see his comment above) and I have nothing more to add to his comment…I agree with what IvicA said, as it supports my “waste of talent” comment…
Faaak!
I don’t know what I’m doing…
Ok, time to go to the Caps game!
Peace.
^ ^
Woops, the picture in the top left was what i was going for.
That is a Spanish link to footballers who got fat.
^ ^
He’s got nothing to prove to no one but himself.
Dude made it, and i think he’s content.
He can sit back in Zagreb and eat Big Mac’s til his dying days.
Which makes me think, I’m curious to see which one of our footballers is gonna be the fattest when he retires.
Kranjcar’s gotta be the odds on favourite.
Remember this fat guy?
At least he looks a bit better these days.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=davor+suker+fat&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=83RAU8uSGojQsATA_4HYAQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=933#facrc=_&imgrc=Z75gAAM9gAuFiM%253A%3B6uJuo-Svyl-rsM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fp1.trrsf.com%252Fimage%252Ffget%252Fcf%252F619%252F464%252Fimages.terra.com%252F2013%252F10%252F18%252Fsuker-fat.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsports.terra.com%252Fsoccer%252Fmaradona-and-soccer-stars-who-struggled-with-weight-photos%252C5cb1796c6e5c1410VgnVCM3000009af154d0RCRD.html%3B619%3B464
@Ziva
Kranjcar is a waste of talent.
His days at Portsmouth were solid (especially as a 22 year old) with plenty of highlight reel dribbles and Eurogols.
In his first season at Tottenham, he was still a young up-and-comer and and he was a major component of the Spurs’ offence (he was their 2nd leading goal scorer) that helped them finally finish fourth and qualify for their first Champions League berth since 1961.
Once Spurs bought Van der Vaart, he sat on the bench and gave up.
Wasted away his prime years on the bench at Spurs, declining to be sold to teams who put in offers for him (like Werder Bremen), and then stunk it up in Kiev when he was sold to them. After three wasted years, he finds himself with his old coach at 2nd division QPR, and loses his starting spot again.
Four unmemorable years during his prime (age 26-30) in which he has regressed every year for both club and country. I used to see highlight reel free kicks and dribbles on a monthly basis from this guy, now I see nothing.
If this isn’t a waste of talent, I don’t know what is.
Kovacic looked decent for Inter today.
Although Inter looked like crap.
damn, no tapi-in goal this week for Olic.
It doesnt matter what they do for clubs its what they do for the kockice. We all know wings mandzo replacement CB partnerships, and Dm.
So Brazil is near does Niko Kovac have a shock in for 23 man list
my line up-Pletikosa-Srna Carli Sifo Vrsaljko-Modric Rakitic-Olic Kovacic Perisic-Eduardo vs Brazil.
Have you guys seen Olic hit the crossbar twice in one second. I never seen anything like it. Just added the video.
Where has Kranjcar wasted his talent. You make it sound like you expected him to be on the level of the likes of Ballack or someone like him.
Dude is a very serviceable player, but he is not elite and never was. His biggest curse is his last name because of who his father was.
Above anonymous post was me…
Krajncar has been a shame…but in the past for the repka he has produced some great offensive moments…just a shame he isn’t consistent…also a shame that he doesn’t play any defence…with a small population to choose from it’s a shame to see talent or potential talent go to waste…hence the need for diaspora hrvati or foreigners…some of which would have trouble finding Croatia on a map…
I must say that it’s nice to see some of our pensioners scoring goals…Olic and Eduardo…hopefully all of our team will be in form for the wc…just wings and defensive mid worries me…
Yeah they have their own league which is interesting to follow for me as that’s where the family is from and because of the makeup of the league with the various ethnic based teams.
Very tight race at the top of the league too with only a few games left to go…
http://int.soccerway.com/national/bosnia-herzegovina/premier-liga/20132014/regular-season/r21601/
I’ll be cool with zrinjski or siroki winning the league.
Siroki’s mirko maric just signed with dinamo and he scored today too.
Ziva you seem to be correct about Corluka. Surprised how poorly he has been playing lately. He needs to pick it up for Brazil.
Bosnia has their own league? Now I’ve seen it all… Well, it CAN’T be as good as the MaxTV Prva HNL, which you should ALL read about every week, right here at CroatianSports.com.
Do people actually watch the BiH league????
Who is hating on the athletes. Just sharing some truth with you guys. Kranjcar’s marriage is – or was – in trouble and there were links to Kranjcar and Goran’s girl.
The health concerns about Corluka are legit.
Meanwhile in Mostar …
Zrinjski just beat Siroki to take control of first place in the B i H league with two goals in injury time.
Must be some crazy scenes down there today after the main Croatian derby. A vid of their trip back to Mostar after beating Slavija Sarajevo last week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4g9u_gzb-E
I just picture Ziva to be either some fat oaf with a fugly wife that is jealous of these guys and their looks & lives or a closet homosexual.
Why else would so many of his comments be fixated on the looks and alleged sexual tendencies of other men. I dunno, seems strange to me but w/e lol
@Ziva
So, is Kranjcar the new Corluka for you now?
Do you rotate your ‘good looking’ Croat athlete list and hate on them equally? Or do you have any favorites that you focus your bitch-hating on?
Shit man, you’re worse than a chick.
*Goran Ivanisevic agrees*
Man, Kranjcar not on the World Cup roster? Shit, with all that free time on his hands the the husbands and boyfriends better keep their women on lockdown if Kranjcar is in ZG. Right, Goran Ivanisevic?
I wouldn’t be opposed to that move.
Eduardo with a brace today too, seems like he is hitting form in time for brazil.
@majstore
I dunno. A couple of months ago.
Man. Kranjcar has completely let his career go down the drain.
I wouldn’t call him up for Brazil. Especially if you can’t even hold down a starting spot on a team that probably won’t even make promotion to the EPL next year.
I’d rather we call up a player like Brozovic instead. At this point, Brozovic is probably already better and may probably end up being a core piece in Croatia’s future.
Ps. When’s the last time Kranjcar has started for QPR?
Speaking of mandzo, he is starting today. So I guess that means he will start the match vs Man U on the bench?
i have a Q too.. i was just watching this top 5 goals of mandzu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaULpckII1E
is any of those outside of 11 yards, and if so, shouldnt ziva have to do something : P
Iggy a Racist ? No Way ! U guys Are Nuts if U think so ! Iggy & Hajduk RULE !! Bog ! Naprid Naši !!
Guys, i have a question.
I have recently been called a racist because i publcly said i prefer caucasian girls to other races (they are our own race after all)..
and yes all my gf’s have been caucasian (the very few there have been).. but the point is this:
do u think it is racist to be more physically attracted to one race than another?
So for example if u prefer european girls to african girls (Which i admit i do).. are u racist?
Discriminatory and prejudice are two different words, that norally means giving advantage to others but.. in terms of racism what do u think, guys?
what sucks massive donkey cock is that the world cup game is only on last-gen and i gave all that up and with an XBONE now so i havent been able to play a game as croatia since fifa 11
FIFA FUCKING 11. FUCKING PISS ON MY PISS !! WHAT A LOAD OF DINOSAUR SHIT
yeh in 5 sets
http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=100021329
hes only a lil SPROGLING at this point, is there any chance he might be ok in years to come, anyone know?
Congrats to Borna Coric defeating 21 ranked polak Jerzy Janowicz today!
@Colin:
Post of the year.
I love Melissa Bachman!
@tomo
Actually you can’t carry them loaded or unloaded into all schools.
99 percent of gun rated violence occurs with illegally bought guns. Guns on the black market, stolen guns.. Etc.
love me some guns.
@tomo
Actually there is laws against having loaded guns in bars schools and airports. I don’t know about churches.
Oklahoma has a open carry law now but even here a lot of places won’t let you carry them inside.
So try again please.
You’re a class act Tomo!
A real credit to the human race.
USA, USA!
Nothing wrong with having a couple in your home, but do you need to take them to church, school, a bar or an airport?!
C’mon man!
We have good gun laws they just need to start enforcing them. That simple
When it comes to FIFA. Fifa 98 is the best, had the indoor and everything. Was never too big on any of the tournament games.
And yet another intellectual put down. This is how libturds have been arguing their case for gun laws. Lies, lies, lies and if you don’t believe in those lies you must be intellectually inferior.
Hasn’t that worked a treat in the USA!!!
Go and suck Piss Morgans cock.
I like my guns. You want them? Come and try and take em. My house is protected by the second amendment. I’m assuming you guys are talking about guns
DOOFUST ! ! !
Yeeeah, Conservatives are so open-minded…
Good luck with your life!
Another typical response from you liberal/communist arsewipes.
You are highly intelligent and everyone else is stupid if they don’t agree with you.
SHIT FOR BRAINS!!!
^ ^
Do yourself a favour and get your grade 10!
@Poglavnik – There should be a guns everywhere law between your ears!!!
I REALLY WISH THAT SOME OF YOU ARSEHOLES STOP USING THIS SPORTS WEBSITE TO PUSH EXTREME SOCIALIST IDEOLOGY!!!
Do us all a favour and fuck off!!!
Anyone remember the Italy ’90 WC arcade game?
That was a beauty!
A lot of my paper route money went into that machine…
@Nije bito & @Poglavnik ahh you bring back good memories! My last hurrah with FIFA was 2002 WC. All my friends would play 5 Star teams (Spain, Italy, Argentina) and I would still win 75% of the games with 4 Star Hrvatska!
Sub in Vugrinec and Boban + Balaban (for Suker no less LOL) to bring more speed on the field and I would dominate
http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/georgias-guns-everywhere-bill-celebrated-by-pro-gun-lobby
These Georgians are a bright bunch.
Churches, airports, bars, and schools are great places to be armed at!
NES: Super Mario Bros, Mega Man and Contra
Super Nintendo: legend of Zelda
PS3/4: Uncharted and Assassins Creed
One of the last game’s i was into was 1998’s Road to The World Cup on Nintendo 64.
Great game!
In fact that was the last console i was into too.
Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, Goldeneye all great games!
What was the last game you were into Ziva?
Q-bert, Burgertime, Pitfall?
Stopped playing video games a long time ago.
When i was playing them it was cool to have Cro in the fifa games. I remember fifa 95 or 96 had hajduk split, croatia zagreb and varteks. That was pretty bad ass for me when i was playing that crap.
In fact I take that back. He did play libero, aka sweeper, played last man in defense and he pushed the ball up so I highly doubt rakitic will play that position
Correct me if I am wrong but didn’t franz play right in front of the libero?
Really????? a question about a video game. What are you guys, 12?
Blame Puppet Suker for not being in the game. He wanted more money.
hvala
@Adame da da… I believe only these countries are missing from the game (there are 203 countries in the game!):
Bhutan, Brunei, Guam, Mauritania and South Sudan
lol ziva you’re funny.
BTW anyone know if Croatia will be in the new FIFA world cup game? im assuming they have to be but who knows with our savez.
Of course not. Only the mentally ill will buy a jersey of another person.
@ živa
Rakitić “growing” into the role of a Franz Beckenbauer. This is a position where he can most influence the flow of a match. He played this role against Iceland and I am site that is what Ancelotti is interested in.
He is powerful athlete who has little problem winning the ball back from top attacking players. Not blessed with explosive speed this position will allow him to play on big clubs for the next 8 years.
In the modern game you need source offensive from deep in the midfield. He will become something in between Alonso and Xavi.
He also has a bomba right foot.
He may need to play this role right now for the repka as your boy Sertic may not have papers to play.
Will you buy his repka jersey this summer when he kills this summer?
Bayern Munich’s top goal scorer will be placed on the bench so that he could complete Pep Guardiola’s crossword puzzle for him.
Armada 87357800642 ! Your Going Down , my Friend ! Peace Out ! Bog !!
@ Colin,
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1773209/alen-halilovic-transfer-barcelona-happen-fifa-ban-says-bosman-lawyer?cc=5901
Alright, count me in, big guy. But I’m not starting any petition. Think of something else. You’re clever. There’s gotta be something else I can do if I lose. Just name it. How about if I lose, I’ll send you a framed and signed picture of me in a jersey with another dude’s name on it sniffing a real live jockstrap. I’ll even make it my icon picture for this site for a while.
Also, what’s the story on Halilovic’s transfer to Barca? What does this “trade embargo” entail? Has he already signed the papers? Is it a done deal? does this “embargo” even effect him? If it does, what’s next?
Same wager as last week will be offered……..
Mandza or Jelavic will not score a goal more than 11 meters out. If they do, I will but you a jersey. if they don’t you have to start an online petition asking people not to be a jock sniffer or we can think of something else. I’ll let you decide croatian sports dot com nation.