Czech Republic - Croatia, 17th June 2016, 18:00 h

I'm Eastern European and I'm sick and tired of our ultras sometimes. Over years they've become so self absorbed. They bring so much negative tension to the games that nobody in those countries even attend football matches anymore because there's no joy in it because all you see is corruption, scandal and violence. And of course Eastern European club directors and FAs are all corrupt to the core which just contributes to the toxic football culture.

 

Unfortunately this World Cup has proven one thing beyond a doubt: Expanding to 24 teams was not a good idea. It was done in a politically terrible time with right wing lunacy on the uprise in Europe.

4 years ago in Poland and Ukraine it was peaceful with 16 countries. 24 countries has brought in a lot of idiotic fanbases.

I say throw out Russia. Throw out Croatia. Throw out anyone who even thinks to start this type of ruckus.

Also: FIFA needs to take the 2018 World Cup from Russia. Foreigners will never feel safe, fans will be under constant threat of right-wing ultras and fans of other ethnicity best forget going there. Not to mention the country is basically heading into a dictatorship, if it isn't there already.

 

fyi
https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4/4hts_1.mp4

 

Croatia and Russia are the types of teams that might have advanced even in a 16 team tournament. Not sure if the format can be blamed here. The problem is a wider cultural problem in Eastern Europe right now. As long as Eastern Europe continues a culture of mafia style politics, authoritarianism and nationalistic antagonism it's hard to expect that culture to not affect football as well.

 

with respect to the croatian fans they confronted their own ultras and a melee happened

 

Shame really what happened but they were saying all day in the media that ultras were planning on doing this. Im really disgusted as a Croatian as these traitors will do everything they can to get Croatia thrown out of a major competition. I went form being so excited to how the team was playing to not even caring anymore as i know these traitors will strike again and won't stop until Croatia is eventually thrown out.

 

Croatia finally had a team that could make a run again like in 1998. They were playing some nice football and really giving it all for there country. Now i feel that's all gone. Sad depressed and angry right now.

 

Don't give up hope ... Sometimes crazy things can make a team even stronger and more motivated. A lot depends on experience and leadership in the locker room to get the mentality right and maybe a little luck early in the next game to fix the mood around the team.

Hopefully UEFA resists throwing Croatia out. That's exactly what the terrorists want, so why let them win? The better thing is to increase security for next Croatia game, maybe arrest as many of the troublemakers as possible before the next game and hopefully the 90% of normal fans who want to see the game will help police themselves and stop the saboteurs before they can disrupt the game.

By the way ... what's the response in Croatian public to the situation? If the majority of sports media and social media are supporting the players it can maybe help the situation. If the media is divided and the public is divided, the team will become divided too

 

With a midfield full of technically gifted and hard running players how can you not? Modric, Perisic, Brozovic and Rakitic are brilliant - any of those four would walk on to any team in the tournament (maybe Germany and Spain as exceptions).

I love Pogba and Vidal, but over the course of this concluded season and the Euros thus far Luka Modric can just take win as the best midfielder in the world. He has been brilliant!

 

I would say most are supporting the national team but there are some fans boycotting because the fa is run by one man who controls all of Croatian football. I don't know what will happen with Uefa but the morale of the team has been destroyed as this is not the first incident. This happened against Italy as well in qualifiers. I have read some players quotes and it seems they are fighting a battle they cannot win so why bother even playing. When you read things like this then you know the players minds are gone. One of these idiots through a fire cracker at Perisic after he pleaded them to stop. Poor steward got hurt trying to pick it up. The only good thing that happened is that these traitors got there asses kicked by the real Croatian fans in the stands.

 

Hey all Croats that are here or fans of Croatia, how about we just do your remaining games behind closed doors? I think that might be best option to stop the flares thing.

I actually do think its fun to stream games behind closed doors.

 

Don't be naive about these events!

These acts are almost certainly not being done by those opposing the officials, but rather probably by agents-provacateur who are hired by these officials in order to advance their interests in:

1) stifling dissent and opposition by associating those who voice opposing opinions and criticisms as "football terrorists" as the manager did yesterday

2) consolidating their political power within Croatia

3) concealing the fact that the Ustashi party, of which they belong, have a pro-Nazi past by depicting their enemies as the "nationalists" who are engaged in such behaviour as drawing swastikas and doing the violent conducts
(by the way, did you read the Guardian story where witnesses said that the swastikas had been visible for two days prior to the match; so tell me why the culprits were never found and why they went ahead with the match? See below)

4) As the head of the Croatian football federation has strong ties with the police, the aim of these officials is apparently to create a state similar to martial law and enact other police state measures

5) Gain sympathy among Croatian fans and the general population by depicting those who oppose them as violent and callous people

 

I only have sympathy for the croat fans who tried to beat the shit out of the fans who trew flares and the semi-bomb on the field while up 2-1 in the 85th minute.

 

what a crazy thing to say.

 

Unlike what most people would probably say, its quite fun watching games behind closed doors. I like hearing what the coaches say sometimes clearer, and the players just act differently, and a lot quieter.

 

if what u say happens the thugs have won

 

I came to this thread looking for an explanation about the discontent with the Croatian federation. Didn't see anything posted, so I did a little research. For anyone like me who has been largely ignorant of the issues at play here:

How Hajduk Split Supporters Started an Uprising in Croatian Football
Why did Croatia fans disrupt their Euro 2016 match against Czech Republic?
Some Croatia fans are on a mission to cause trouble, admits Slaven Bilic

While having games played behind closed doors or throwing Croatia out of the tournament would be what the "thugs" want, I don't see any good option. If no action is taken, these incidents will likely continue to happen, and the issues within Croatian football will go unaddressed.

If anyone can further illuminate the situation, I'd appreciate it.

 

Modric has been playing great shame he got hurt. Luka said he wanted to do something with Croatia before he retired and this might be his last chance. Looks like it will

 

There are Croatian Ultras who are at war against the man running Croatian football Zdravko Mamic. He runs the league the national team and his son is agents of most of the top players. Some people think by getting Croatia thrown out of euros Mamic will leave Croatian football. This will not happen as the man is to powerful. He has the courts media and police bought so it is literally impossible to get Mamic out of Croatian football. So must people just accept the fact that you can't touch Mamic and let it be while other fans have attacked the national team hoping that will make Mamic leave if he keeps getting fined and loses money. These incidents have been going on for a while now and will not stop as long as Mamic is running Croatian football.

 

Modric is only 30. He'll probably still be around for 2018 world cup.

 

I seriously doubt Croatia will be allowed to participate in 2018 world cup with all the non sense going on. This tournament I feel is Modric last chance to do something for his country. Modric was great in the first two games even becoming much more of a leader on the pitch. They have the team to make a run but now morale has been destroyed so basically I think Croatia is done.