Written by Staff Writer CroatiaU14
Dinamo Zagreb have once again proven to be a dangerous squad in European competition, going undefeated in the Europa League group stage, after selling star player Dani Olmo to RB Leipzig one year ago. Winning the Prva Liga will once again be a foregone conclusion for Dinamo Zagreb but where should key players find balance when they have outgrown the pace of the Prva Liga? If the Dinamo core want regular playing time for the Croatian squad, playing too long in the HNL will only diminish their skills. After the retirement of Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Rakitić, and Danijel Subašić, manager Zlatko Dalić has called upon key members of the Dinamo Zagreb squad – and these footballers have proven to be ready for top level competition, but they will only grow even more once they leave Dinamo. And that needs to happen this summer.
LOVRO MAJER- The first player who needs to get the hell out of Maksimir is Lovro Majer. The new LM10 – who turns 23 in a couple weeks – has 13 goal contributions in 22 games this season. Majer’s talent is evident, and Serie A would be a great fit for the youngster. Majer would shine at Atalanta alongside Mario Pašalić, considering Alejandro “Papu” Gomez’s expected departure this month. Atalanta play three central midfielders on the pitch, two of which are attacking – identical to Mamić’s midfield lineup of Majer and Ivanušec in front of Ademi.
BRUNO PETKOVIĆ- After a wonderful Euro 2020 qualifying tournament, Bruno Petković won the hearts of many Croatian football supporters. While the Dinamo striker has six goals to his name in checkers, he has become stagnant at Dinamo and may need a spark to ignite the second half of his career. The 6’4″ Petković is good with his head and displays wonderful skill while on the ball. Petković must leave Dinamo if he wants to maintain his spot with the Vatreni. While Kramarić and Budimir continue to grow, Big Bruno will begin to plateau in the Prva Liga. Petković would fit in very well at a mid-table Bundesliga club, as he has the strength and height to take on the immense defencses in Germany. Werder Bremen and Union Berlin are in need of a consistent target-man and would be great, low-pressure clubs to play at.
DOMINIK LIVAKOVIĆ- Dominik Livaković is currently Croatia’s #1 keeper; but that could change in the blink of an eye. Similar to Petković, Livaković will not improve if he continues to face Prva Liga attackers. Livaković would be perfect for Inter Milan, filling the shoes of 36 year-old Samir Handanović and joining the likes of Marcelo Brozović and Ivan Perišić. After allowing only one goal in the Europa League group stage, all eyes in Europe are on the young goalkeeper. While Ivan Nevisitić, Adrian Šemper, and Ivo Pandur continue to make headlines and improve, Livaković must make a move to a top league (and deliver) to maintain his spot as Croatia’s #1.
MISLAV ORŠIĆ- Mad-lad Mislav! Mislav Oršić is arguably the fastest and most agile Croatian player at the moment and has the potential to be key for the Vatreni in coming years. The Prva Liga is a schoolyard for Oršić, as he blows by wing-backs in the blink of an eye. He has the keen ability to finesse the ball into the top corner as well. Oršić would fit into the French Ligue 1 wonderfully due to his magnificent pace and ability to blow past clunky defenses. Lille, Marsielle, and Nice are clubs in need of one more pacy winger, and Oršić would be the man for the job.
@ Dinamo fans: I know it’s a great time to be a Dinamo supporter, and it must be hard to imagine these talents leaving for a top-5 league, but it’s for the greater good. Dinamo are stacked with 17-19 year-old talents, and I have no doubt in my mind that the club will continue to dominate in the Prva Liga and make bank from their transfers for years to come.
*aren’t many
@Armada
Maybe there aren’t any major direct links to quality NT players but they’re providing a improved quality of competition to the guys who do (did) end up playing for the NT. Like you said, raised the profile of the league which just makes it a better league to play in. If not for their success, do guys like Orsic or Petkovic come back?? The league needs to be strong and competitive in order for us to keep pumping out Champions League level players. Can’t wait to see the new stadium!
@ Anonymous
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I actually disagree with you. Rijeka’s development has been good for Rijeka and consistently finishing high in the table. But Rijeka’s whole player development system aka recycling system doesn’t benefit our NT and what it does. Might get the HNL some more coefficient points in European play and slightly raise the profile of the league, that’s it.
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Outside of Kramaric and Sluga (who’s our 2nd/3rd choice GK and has what? 2 caps?) what current or recent NT player with a Rijeka background has contributed to the NT’s success?
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Answer: No one.
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I’ve said this over the years on here, but Rijeka really need to get their academy to a place where it can consistently churn out prospects that get results for Rijeka and then fetch them some nice transfer fees. If Rijeka had an academy that was closer to say what Hajduk has (forget about DZG) AND was able to do the whole player development/recycle thing, Rijeka would be challenging for titles much more consistenly vs. just winning a title once in a generation. Until then, Rijeka might get lucky down the road again and win another title (probably before Hajduk wins one again… lol) but they will have gotten lucky with some signings and it’ll probably coincide with Dinamo having a down year…
Test from iPhone- Markus
Test from laptop-Markus
Re Benkovic
Really disappointing to see a tall CB w/ great athleticism and touch riding pine. From what I understand, he was great with Celtic so hopefully a move to the right club will come soon.
@Armada
Rijeka’s development over the last 10 years has been huge for us. Hopefully, Gorica and Osijek can do the same.
FOR THE VERY DUMB SERB ABOVE ,WHO MIGHT SWALLOW HIS WORD SOMEDAY.
Eastern Serbia (Golubac, Negotin) (80 MSK)
7. Area between the rivers Nisava and S. Morava (Dimitrovgrad, Bosiljgrad, Nis,
Vranje) (8-9
0 MSK)
8. Kosmet (Pec, Prizren, Urosevac, Lipljan, Pristina) (8-9
0 MSK).
Earthquake intensity hazards in Serbia and Montenegro in respect to the percentage of
the national territory, are the following: 60 MSK – 13%, 70 MSK – 59%, 80 MSK –
23%, 90 MSK – 5%, or about 87% of the territory of Serbia is vulnerable to destructive
earthquakes, which calls for paraseismic codes and standards in the housing and
building projects (Fig. 4.8.1.1.).
Serb area 87% of which is in very dangerous zone..just ask italy greece albania.Skopje Bucharest what can happen..serbs are next..nato gave an earthquake,in belg..serbs will get a taste of mother nature and god who will send a lot a you donkeys to hell!!
That’s true…I’m sure our nogometaši will be declared an “essential service” in Hrvatska, and probably get the vaccine before any of us in north america.
Don’t worry about our boys
They will be vaccinated;)
I guess that’s the only way we get to go to euro cup if we get vaccine
I’d like to thank all of you that donated to me because of the earthquake.
Thank you all!
But, in case you missed it, there was another earthquake, so please don’t stop sending me more.
Palaversa is intriguing.
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Not much is ever written about him, but Man City paid something like 6.5 million pounds for him when he was 18, with all this talk about him being a Fernandinho replacement.
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Crazy expectations if true, lol. If he can get starts in La Liga, like he did in Belgium last year, that would be great. I’m just curious how good he is technically and offensively. He ‘looks’ like he is one of those strong and fast defenders.
test from laptop- Markus
Pala is a CDM
No Šime, no Copa. I never really felt like Simeone liked Croatians. If Tavernier will play the next game, why bench Vrsaljko today. Strange….. Also, Grbic seems to be healthy again, but rode the bench.
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Budimir will a goal today.
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Palaversa started and played half the game. I haven’t seen any highlights, but it looks like he did ok.
Merika land of the free,the PATRIOTS!!
Trump should just start up his own evangelical parish ,the trumptard brain dead, brain washed patriots will sign over their deeds to him and slime ball kushner!
Losers..
America!
Yes the Maminjo data system .. I knew it well.
COVID has improved performance in athletes.
Remember that tennis tournament in Zadar?
Djokovic, Coric, Zverev and all those guys ended up killing it in the next Grand Slam tournament. According to this data, COVID is a performance enhancing virus. 😉
Too bad about Rebic getting Covid…but it is better now rather than later. On the same topic, the Euros could be a complete shit show if teams are without their key players due to Covid. Somebody please take Modric and place him in a bubble until this is over!
@ARMADA87
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I saw this also. I welcome this if true. Gvardiol has recently been playing LB for Dinamo. This would indicate that they still consider him a CB. If he fulfills his potential, CB is where we need him.
https://sportske.jutarnji.hr/sn/nogomet/hnl/dinamo-trazi-novog-lijevog-beka-dvojica-na-vrhu-liste-zelja-a-igrac-rijeke-teze-je-dostupna-opcija-15040997
Daniel Štefulj, 21, Rijeka’s starting LB and part of the Croatian U21 tram, is target of Dinamo’s. Now that we have a plethora of young options at LB for the senior NT, don’t see Daniel being a cog in the senior NT anytime soon, but depending on how some of these other youngsters pan out, could see him becoming a backup LB – if say a guy like Sosa flops and doesn’t turn out to be NT quality.
In other recent Rijeka news, Tibor Halilović , cousin of Alen, who’s become a nice piece for us – close to moving to Heerenveen in the Eredivisie for potentially 1.5M.
While Rijeka’s academy has a lot to be desired… we have become a machine when it comes to taking cast offs from Dinamo/Hajduk/Osijek etc., both young and old, getting some good form/results from them and flipping them for some decent fees. I thought years back we just had a string of luck in terms of banking on some good players and it paying dividends, but in lieu of a good academt, this system seems/is sustainable.
Rebic just tested positive for COVID. To put a positive spin on it, it’s better that he got it now. It would suck if he got it in March.
^
Shut up American idiot.
Anonymous dont know shit. Blacks gonna make Croatia just like USA. Nuthin wrong wit dat so get over it cuntz
Ante
Can you please delete the comments that croatia deserves the earthquakes
A 12 year old girl had died
Bloody disgrace
I agree that Croatia deserved the earthquake, but for different reasons to the racist Serb above.
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Other European countries have negroes too (Serbia being one), why no earthquake for them? Is it because God doesn’t love Serbs? Are Serbs bastards and not sons?
Serbs are bastards with negroes so no chastisement?
That’s a great read on Benkovic. Thanks to “anonymous”.
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It actually gives me some hope. It really looks like he was brought in as an insurance policy that they haven’t had to cash in yet. The coach seems set in his belief that he needs to stick with what he’s got, even if the bench provides something better, because the continuity on the back line means more. Why play him any significant minutes only to eventually have the loan expire and not be renewed.
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It just goes to show how important it is to pick the right club for your development. Leicester doesn’t really care about him. If they did, they’d have loaned him somewhere that they knew he’d see the pitch regularly.
He needs to get out of England altogether. The comments from the fans are calling for him to play because the existing CBs are not that great, but it’s just how it is with these coaches.
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Benko’s agent has to step up and get him off that island.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/filip-benkovic-situation-cardiff-city-19520554
@Medo
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Yea, I was a big fan of Filip Benkovic.
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He has the same skillset as Duje Caleta-Car, but Benkovic is faster and an inch taller.
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Injuries set him back, but his situation is still his own fault.
How come his people can’t find him a good loan move?
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Why did he accept a move to the Leicester U23 team after such a good loan performance at Celtic?
Why not just stay there another season since he was starting and doing incredibly well there?
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Why did he go to Bolton? or even Cardiff?
These are terrible teams in a league that doesn’t value what he brings.
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His coach (Rodgers) said that he’s not ready for EPL.
This was a few months ago. If this is his coach’s thinking after two wasted years, it’s time to leave. The fact that Benkovic is still there and decided that a loan to Cardiff is a good move makes me shake my head.
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Vlasic was at Everton for half a season, and his idiot coach suggested that he wasn’t ready. Vlasic bailed immediately to join a team that wanted him. His career took off as a result.
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There are plenty of teams in plenty of leagues that would want a tall, fast center back with technical skills.
Maybe teams on other leagues don’t want to pay his salary, and he’s putting his earning ahead of his career path? I dunno.
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Either way, this is not good for him at all and he needs to force his way out of Leicester.
Im disappointed Balic’s hair didnt get a larger stage to shine on
@Andrej
Yeah definitely catch a Dinamo game sometime soon. If not, watch Majer’s Europa League highlights from the group stages. In my opinion, he was their most important player that isn’t a defender (of course Gvardiol Livaković and Lauritsen had an amazing group stage in the back).
@Medo
I completely agree with you man. We don’t need to worry about Balic and Coric’s loss though, we have boys with even more talent and better attitude coming through the ranks
Also
I mentioned this in the last article on the site, but now that we’re talking youngsters, Franjo Ivanović (17 years old, attacking midfielder) was on the bench for Augsburg’s first team. He’s scored an incredible 18 goals in 26 games for the youth ranks, 6 assists as well. He’s a lad to look out for
Start paying close attention to Ivan Šaranić too. 80 goals in 82 games for the Dinamo youth team – the stats are incredible. And he’s a MIDFIELDER. He made his debut for Dinamo in the cup against Rudeš, and came very close to scoring. The dude is insane!
20 year-old Dominik Oroz (center back, played with Luka Sučić at Liefering) transferred to Vitesse, 4 in the Eredivisie. The kid is really good, a goal scoring center back. Has a lottttttt of potential and has played alongside some fantastic Salzburg talents.
I agree that going to a top 5 league may ultimately be for the greater good, however not if they end up riding the pine. I still hope that Dinamo can make a good run in the Europa League. This too would be for the greater good of the HNL in terms of payout and ranking.
We talk about coric,Balic halilovic reviving their careers which seems like a very long shot ,but the one I’m really disappointed in is Filip benkovic.
The kid had such a bright future and I figured he would seemlesly slot in for lovren or vida to anchor our back line for the next decade.
Now he’s riding the pine at cardif city in the championship and being used.. if at all as a late game sub.Maybe pongrancic and caleta-car make him expendable and not such a huge loss.
The war definitely was the reason why we stagnated in the early 2000s.
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No kids or teens were playing on football fields (aka minefields) especially in areas that were hardest hit by the war (Slavonia, BiH, and Dalmacija). These three areas are where our biggest footballing talents come from.
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We had to rely on a lot of diaspora talent, players who were developed in foreign youth leagues, and older vets during those years (Kovac bros, Simunic, Petric, Kranjcar, etc).
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We’re back to where we were pre-2000s and it’s blatantly obvious now why Yugo was even on the map in football with all those achievements back in history led by talents like Jerkovic, Skoblar, Zebec, Beara, Cajkovski, Vukas, Bobek…
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The gap between Croatia and the rest of the former Yugo republics is ridiculous.
@ Dannyj
Fully remember having to pick Samir to play for the repka.
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I was even thinking back to post Euro ’08 when Kovac retired and we still didn’t replace Babic. No decent CDM or LB. I think we had guys like Dujmovic and Vukojevic playing the midfield with guys like Pokrivac playing LB. No wonder we didn’t make the 2010 WC. I always blamed the war for our lack of depth in the early 2000s because our depth is crazy right now compared to 10 years ago.
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I know some don’t like the experimenting but I also think the well timed retirements of Srna and Mandzukic allowed for chemistry to be built with emerging talents like Vrsaljko and Kramaric/Petkovic. Also, keeping guys with the respective youth teams U21s/U19s has allowed for partnerships to develop. All of this is non advantageous short term but clearly has paid dividends long term. Credit to Suker for the success of Croatian football, really seems like we have a system in place. With teams like Gorica, I think we have a bright future. Doesn’t mean it can’t get better like actually world class facilities…
I really need to catch a Dinamo game. I knew Majer had some skill but thought he’s limited athletically and defensively. Everybody seems to be high on him; it would be amazing if he could crack the starting line up for Atalanta because I thought a team like Cagliari might be more appropriate for playing time. Glad he stayed at Dinamo this long to develop and not leave too early like others.
Funny how both Orsic and Petkovic both came back to Dinamo mid way through their career and been successful in reviving their careers. Coric, Balic??
Re Hajduk
Mario Vuskovic, a 19 yo CB, is their biggest prospect right now. Don’t know much about him other than people are high on him.
Hajduk needs to figure out how to finish higher than 3rd or 4th in the HNL first…
U guys remember when we had like less then zero options on the wings a few years back?
I don’t think orsic would be too out of place getting minutes in front of brekalo
I agree petkovic needs a change of scenery and livakovic needs to be challenged
We gonna be just fine going forward next few years
Honestly does hajduk have anyone on the radar that can crack the repka In say the next 2-3 years??