Anyone who watched yesterday's WC Qualifier Croatia Vs Belgium was probably surprised to see the young Josip Radosevic receive playing time. In the years leading up to Stimac becoming anything within the HNS (Croatian Football Federation) - there has been a lot of built-up animosity between the North and South of Croatia. Let's face it, most of the National Team games have been played in Zagreb. Most of the National Team players that have been called up to the National Team from the HNL have been Dinamo players. As time goes on, it seems more evident that the National team has become the private player marketeer for a select few people including Zdravko Mamic (the president of GNK Dinamo Zagreb).
To refresh your memories.... Igor Stimac was one of the famous starting 11 that took Croatia to the semi-finals of World Cup '98 in France. For many, he was a childhood hero. Since then he has worked within Hajduk Split as well as managed a few of Split's nightclubs. At once, he became the center of public attention in a revolutionary-like spin campaign to take over the HNS. Things got quite heated between his fraction and the fraction headed by Zdravko Mamic who inevitably supported the former HNS President Vlatko Markovic. Today, Davor Suker is the President of the HNS and Igor Stimac seems to have "settled" as Head Coach of the National Team. If we have learned anything from Igor Stimac's run to "the top" it is that he has a very fierce lexicon that jumps right to the point. Many people were upset or very surprised that such a young talent who really hasn't proven himself has been called up to play in the national team - and as one can see, the move is as political as Stimac's rhetoric: why does he bother you? because he's Catholic? Because he's Dalmatian? Because he's a Hajdukovac (player/supporter of Hajduk Split)? Whatever the case, we have a feeling that this move is going to be in connection to his next rhetoric fuelled scandal.
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