Croatian Sensation

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@davidfootballx Brzo se zaboravilo kako je izgledao na Euru 2024.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@EnemyOfFootbaII Euro 24 was a failure, but HNS keeping Dalić strongly suggests there was no performance clause. Sacking him would likely have meant paying ~€3m on his remaining deal, plus at least ~€1m/year for a top replacement like Kovač or Terzić: in total roughly €5m over two years.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@EnemyOfFootbaII By then it was already too late. HNS had extended Dalić’s contract in March 2023 through the 2026 World Cup. He was reportedly on €1.5m a year. Huge money for HNS, considering previous Croatia coaches were said to earn around €200k–€400k.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

🇭🇷Defense, we have a problem!

Last 15 games against top teams:
18 scored
28! conceded

🇪🇸 4 (UNL)
🇵🇹 2 (WC)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿4 (WC)
🇧🇪 2 (Fri.)
🇧🇷3 (Fri.)
🇨🇴 1 (Fri.)
🇫🇷 2 (UNL)
🇫🇷0! (UNL)
🇵🇹 1(UNL)
🇵🇹 2 (UNL)
🇮🇹 1 (Euro)
🇪🇸 3 (Euro)
🇵🇹 1 (Fri.)
🇪🇸 0 (UNL Final)
🇳🇱 2 (UNL Final)

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@EnemyOfFootbaII The other side of the coin is of course that Kovac is far too proud and too smart to ever come back as national team coach after the way the media, and let's not forget some of the players, betrayed him.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@EnemyOfFootbaII Kovač was a pro as a player, is a pro as a coach, and has only improved since. The public still rejects him because they bought into the media campaign launched against him by some paid rats.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@HNSfamily ❤️

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

7/ Four points against Czechia should be the absolute minimum.

Against England and Spain, Croatia should be targeting four points from those four matches as well.

Let's see ...

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

1/ Tried creating a simple scoring system to see where Croatia stands among Europe's football nations.

I only included EUROs and World Cups since 1996 and compared European teams. The scoring system is shown below the table.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

6/ That's why I don't think we can treat the Nations League as an experiment.

Good results matter.

They matter for confidence, for the FIFA ranking and for the upcoming EURO qualifying draw.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@AnthonyZoric Funny how they immediately produced a continuous live graph for that, yet 200+ hours after the Croatia game, we're still waiting. All we've got are two isolated blip graphs that prove absolutely nothing. Crooks.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@fifamedia

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@dragicabrsnova @AnthonyZoric I doubt Kovač would ever come back after what the media, and frankly some players too, did to him during his spell. Back then, Mamić was still powerful enough to pull the strings behind the scenes, using the media to trash him and influence public opinion.

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@AnthonyZoric True, but worth noting: Bilić faced lower-rated opposition on average. Dalić has had Spain, France and other elite sides constantly.

Avg opponent Elo rating:
Dalić 1755
Blažević 1730
Kranjčar 1715
Barić 1677
Štimac 1652
Kovač 1639
Čačić 1639
Bilić 1638
Jozić 1619

[Croatian Sensation @crogoal]

@IvanBilui1 @marcofcb01 Very good point!