Well, I guess its "all roads lead to Rome." At least for Hajduk Split manager Edoardo Reja. That is former Hajduk Split manager, as Edoardo Reja confirmed today that he will leave Split and replace Davide Ballardini as Lazio manager. The 64 year old took over as Hajduk Split coach last August after having been fired by Napoli last season.
"I've been weighing it up for a long time, but eventually I gave my word to Lazio's president. Yes, I'm leaving for Rome. When they've been calling me from Italy during the past few months. I was refusing the offers, I was not even thinking about them. However, Lazio is too important a challenge. It was hard for me to reach this decision … but when the most important people from the city of Rome, the club of Lazio call you it is difficult to refuse. I've decided to take up this challenge."~Edoardo Reja.
Reja had been under contract with Hajduk Split until June 2011, and Hajduk are believed to receive 150,000 - 500,000 euros in damages, while Reja will be paid 1.5 million euros a year by Lazio.
Now the question is, who should replace Reja?
I have spoken to Hajduk sports director Ivica Šurjak last week over the phone. The former Hajduk Split and PSG midfielder is "satisfied with Hajduk's preparations in Spain last month" and is "looking forward to the second half of the season." Šurjak has also been in talks with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, hoping to lure Barcelona to Split for Hajduk's 100th anniversary in February. "Barcelona will vote on a new president in May, and we must wait for this before we can proceed negotiations with Barcelona," said an optimistic Ivica Šurjak. Unfortunately, I was unable to reach Ivica today for comment on Reja.
~Denis Svirčić reporting from San Pedro, California
14 comments:
Not entirely surprising, he was probably making peanuts by comparison as the coach of Hajduk.
Somehow you just knew an Italian coach wouldn't last long at Hajduk. Barca would be cool for the centenary though, 4 sho!
This is no surprise and actually a good thing for Reja and for Hajduk. You don't need decent coaching in HNL1. Hajduk and Dinamo in the norm should have the pure financial might to overpower the rest of the sides who survive on a couple of million euro a year income.
The money is good for Hajduk, the challenge is good for Reja especially at his age, he was also not in complete control of the football club despite his big reputation from Napoli so there is another reason to go. That squad is also a mess.
I think the guys who know the club like Mise, Vulic, Vucevic, Katilinic can all the job at Hajduk. Especially for the rest of season i wouldn't understand why a foriegn coach is needed. The club will be bled dry by their wage bill at end of season anyway. They also don't have a great deal of assets. They need to start selling off guys like Pandza and Ibricic asap really. They've got enough cover. They need to start asset stripping..
Does anyone know much about RNK Split? What's the opinion of people to having two sides from Split in the Croatian top flight next season. It sounds very interesting to me if this side got promoted.
I guess at least it'll provide a safe haven for guys like Hjorve Vukovic to return to Croatia.
I was intrigued today to learn that Dinamo signed Karlo Primorac from Osijek. I don't know if we are serious about this player or if its just a case of giving one in the eye to both Osijek who were hoping to sell him or keep or Hajduk who were interested in signing him.
I'm not sure Primorac could break into the Dinamo team. 11 goals in two seasons doesn't suggests he's much of scorer. I think he could be a good player to send to Lokomotiva though. Its obvious we still need a strong Lokomotiva and guys like Nino Bule and Zjelko Sopic who have had great seasons aren't getting any younger. Maybe sending Primorac down there next season will be good for the younger kids that will also go over there next season.
This has been mentioned for over 6 months now, but there is no way Hajduk will get Barca to come for the 100th anniversary in Feb. of next year. Only way Barca shows at that time is if they send a "B" squad. Barca is in the middle of their season at that point (no winter break in Spain) and would be playing leage games, probably cup games and also Champions League. No way they come in for "mali" Hajduk. Maybe sometime during the year, but not in Feb. But, I still doubt they would show anyway. It takes a lot of money to bring in Barca for a freindly (summers are spent in Asia and N. America making cash) and hajduk does not have cash to burn for a meaningless friendly.
congrats to hamilton croatia:
http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/719173
that is good news...but, soccer in Canada is shit. The good croatian teams out in the east and midwest are all the american clubs.
hahahaha you put me in your poll.. i would be honored to take the throne of Hajduk Split and coach Senijad Ibricic and Pandza
I'm proud of that club, and i look forward to seeing their matches vs Toronto Croatia and Serbian White Eagles, should be a fun time. The good news, is that footy is slowly on the rise in Canada, replacing hockey as the #1 sport played by kids/teens.
It looks like Prva HNL is going to be delayed for 1 week due to excessive snow fall. Some clubs believe this is just some clubs not prepared enough and an excuse.
Right now, Hajduk vs Željezničar in Poljud.
http://www.sportnet.hr/Live.aspx?ID=31646
Not prepared ?? strange as they've all been playing lots of friendlies..
There rumours going around than a Russian club as well as Shaktar Donetsk may match Dinamo's valuation of Mario Mandzukic which is 8m. It seemed that when teams were bidding of Pavyulchenko they revealed how they had and it is highly possible most of them have the required money. CSKA are rumoured to be interested and if they bid i think that's acceptable.
Its slightly questionable whether we have the strikers to cope without Mandzo. I think Kramaric is progressing and Slepicka is okay to come in now and then, but i'd question whether Dodo and Primorac are good enough to fill Mandzo's boots. Will be interesting to see if a bid comes and if we accept.
I highly doubt any club will give more than 8M for Mandzo.......if they do, let them have him. Mamic would stupid (more so) to not take it.
We have the strikers to compete in Croatia, but we obviously know in Europe, we're generally Europa League bound and from there it's a crap shoot.
No club in Croatia will compete in Europe, unless our league improves. You can't go from playing Inter Zapresic, to playing Ajax (example).
How can the league improve, when any player with any form immediately looks to go abroad. theres no stability and its a constant revolving door policy. i think the league is good for what it is which is bringing through players then moving them on to basically anywhere in the world.
Poklepovic named new hajduk coach:
http://www.footballpress.net/?action=read&idsel=54504
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