So the U19 have entered the elite round of qualifying for 2017. The Current U19 trener is Ferdo Milin. And they have been drawn into a group with Portugal, Poland and Turkey. The host team is Portugal , with the game dates set between March 23rd-28th, 2017 . The squad was chosen today. Only 18 players can be chosen. Your squad is: Vratari: Adrian Šemper (Lokomotiva), Ivan Nevistić (Rijeka) CB: Branimir Kalaica (Benfica), Vinko Soldo (Dinamo), Jozo Stanić (Augsburg), Dario Špikić (Dinamo), Maksim Oluić(Lokomotiva) LB: Borna Sosa (Dinamo), Marin Šverko (Mainz) DM: Neven Đurasek (Dinamo), Marko Gjira(Dinamo) AM: Lovro Majer(Lokomotiva), Josip Brekalo (Stuttgart), Nikola Moro (Dinamo), Luka Ivanušec (Lokomotiva) RW: Davor Lovren (Dinamo) Napadac: Sandro Kulenović (Legia Varšava), Karlo Igor Majić (Fortuna Düsseldorf) The only surprise omission being Martin Erlić(Sassuolo). As he played in all the qualifying round games. I am guessing he has some sort of injury thus the omission. Not sure how many teams go onto the finals, I think its only winners at this level qualifying for the finals. Ferdo's interview can be viewed here http://hns-cff.hr/news/15946/hrvatska-u-19-u-elitnom-kolu-napravit-cemo-sve-za-ep/
Besides the players listed above another 18 players have been included in this campaign. The ones here below complete the list of who has ben called upon this qualify cycle. Vratari: Marko Barešic(Osijek), Dinko Horkas (Dinamo) CB: Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Bruno Budalic (Hajduk), Mihael Žaper (Osijek), Benjamin Ivancevic (Rijeka) RB: Matej Hudecek(Dinamo) LB: Marko Martinaga(Slaven Belupo) CM: Adrian Zenko (Dinamo), Ivan Markota (Dinamo), Petar Cuic(Dinamo), Duje Javorcic (Lazio) DM: Luka Pasaricek(Hajduk Split), Tom Alen Tolic(Dinamo) AM: Dino Halilovic (Udinese Calcio) Napadac: Darijo Vizinger(Rijeka), Tomislav Renic (Carl Zeiss Jena)
U19's opened their U19 elite round qualifying with a 2-1 loss to hosts Portugal. With the 90 minute penalty against the goalie being the difference in the game. The goal scorers were: Goal scorers: 0:1 - Mesaque Dju (8'), 1:1 - Ivanušec (28'), 1:2 - Joao Filipe (90' - 11m) How minutes were allocated: Hrvatska: Šemper, Oluić, Sosa, Kalaica, Soldo, Brekalo, Ivanušec (od 86' Pasariček), Moro, Lovren, Đurasek (od 65' Kulenović), Gjira (od 83' Šverko). Next up is Poland who they play on March 25th.
Croatia U19's beat Poland's U19 2-0 Who played: Semper; Sosa, Kalaica, Soldo, Sverko, Ivanusec (Djurasek), Moro, Dira, Brekalo, Lovren (Spikic), Majic (Kulenovic) Goal scorers being Kalaica and Brekalo; All 4 teams in the group are now tied with 3 points. Highlights of Croatia vs Poland: Last game will be against Turkey
Turkey game has come and gone. The result was a 0-0 draw. The team finished second in the group with 4 points but did not qualify for the U19 finals. Highlights
And the worst part is that this is our most promissing generation after the class of 1995. And since class 2000 is simply lame,and class 2002 doesn't seems any better, it looks like we are on our way to a long football ostracism, just like Hungary...
Ivan, for me it is too early to make calls on youth players. you have to see how they have developed in the next 3/4 years. I think its better to makes assessment at the end of their U21 experience, when all the players are 22/23 years of age. Because by then you are basically looking at a finished products in terms of skill sets(skill sets will include everything from being coachable to being aggressive to being technically good etc..) . And players have to start producing for their clubs by then if they are going to keep their spots on their club teams.