Hajduk Disagrees with 10-Year TV Rights Deal Proposed by HNS
June 10, 2020 - HNK Hajduk attended a meeting held by HNS this week on the topic of a new TV rights agreement for Croatian football.
Hajduk announced on its website that at the meeting, the received offers were only presented in principle. The most financially generous one, which is for a period of 10 years, was selected (7 fixed + 3 extension options).
"The President of the Management Board Marin Brbić, as a representative of HNK Hajduk, requested full information about the bidder with the most generous offer to determine all the circumstances to make the best decision, which includes an assessment of the reliability and quality of the business of the partner with whom such a long-term contract is concluded, as is common in the business world.
Despite the request of President Brbić, HNS did not offer any information to confirm the creditworthiness or business references of the said bidder. Shortly after the meeting, the media reported that it was a company founded just three months ago with a share capital of £6,000, which applied for the tender without any bank guarantees for the submitted bid, which only confirms the justification of President Brbic's request.
HNK Hajduk believes that a serious partner must give a bank guarantee for the first year for such a long time immediately upon concluding the contract and buy the rights from the next season by paying the existing owner of TV rights, which would be logical - for both new bidders and clubs of the Croatian First League. Thus, we remain two years in anticipation and uncertainty whether the mentioned agreement will be realized at all, especially since at that time none of the signatories of the contract has to be in office, bearing in mind the HNS elections that await us next year.
The current amount that clubs receive is miserable and below any level, the offered increase is just a correction of an anomaly from the previous contract, and the key problem remains the contract term of 10 years. It is an indisputable fact that the value of TV rights has jumped by 65% globally in the last four years alone and this is the best indicator of how harmful it is for clubs to sign a contract for 7 or 10 years, and HNK Hajduk warns about that all the time.
We are aware that for some clubs, this growth represents a huge jump in their budget, but we also believe that the interest in our league is great and that it has a greater value than has been valorized so far. The fact that 430,000 people watched the second game of the Croatian Football Cup semifinals on HRT speaks volumes about the interest in our league.
Finally, HNK Hajduk expressed dissatisfaction with the availability of information about the selected bidder, the fact that the clubs were denied the right to negotiate TV rights as their own product and the duration of the new contract. Accordingly, President Brbić announced at the meeting that HNK Hajduk will submit a request to independently dispose of the TV rights of HNL matches in which it is the host, and that it will translate this into a formal request to HNS. If Hajduk's request is rejected according to the usual form, the Club will resort to all available legal means to protect its interests."
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Danijel Subasic Saying Goodbye to Monaco After 8 Years
June 9, 2020 - Former Croatia national team goalkeeper, World Cup finalist and Monaco member Danijel Subasic is saying goodbye to the club and city he has called home since 2012.
Gol.hr reports that Danijel Subasic is counting down his final days in Monaco, the club where he first arrived in January 2012.
Monaco announced on Monday that Danijel Subasic would leave its ranks on June 30, while his current contract is valid.
It is not yet known where the former Croatia national team player will continue his career, but it seems likely that he will not stop playing football. Subasic will celebrate his 36th birthday in October and can certainly defend at a high level for a few more years.
After Monaco's announcement, Subasic confined the news and said goodbye to his soon-to-be former club with an emotional post on Instagram.
"Thank you so much for making your dreams come true, I will always be one of you. After almost 300 games played, it's time to say goodbye and thank you for all the support of the fans and all the club employees who have been with me since day one. Time passes, love remains. Daghe Munegu (Naprijed Monaco nap.a.). Hvalaaaa," wrote the legendary Suba.
Subasic spent eight and a half years of his career in Monaco, five in his hometown of Zadar, and three and a half with Hajduk. Subasic came to Monaco from Poljud and quickly became a legend of the club, becoming the second goalkeeper in the history of the club regarding the number of appearances.
When Subasic signed the contract, Monaco was in the second league and then began their rise to the top. It all culminated in 2017, when they won the French title ahead of the favored PSG and played in the semifinals of the Champions League, where they were barely knocked out by Juventus.
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Divjak To Run For Seat In Parliament As Independent On HNS Slate
ZAGREB, June 7, 2020 - Science and Education Minister Blazenka Divjak will be running in the forthcoming parliamentary election as an independent candidate on the Croatian People's Party (HNS) slate in Constituency 3, which covers the northern counties of Krapina-Zagorje, Varazdin, and Medjimurje.
"Behind us, behind me, are indeed three demanding and challenging years in government during which we launched education reforms and investments in education and science, and we also successfully coped with the consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic, the (March 22) earthquake, and teachers' strike," Divjak told a press conference in Varazdin on Sunday, with HNS leader Predrag Stromar at her side.
Divjak recalled that she had taken up the ministerial post as an independent with the HNS's political backing with the aim of implementing four reforms - a curricular reform, a vocational education reform, to promote excellence and increase investment in science, and make higher education more relevant.
She said she was pleased with the accomplishment of the first three goals, but not with the fourth, the purpose of which was to ensure that higher education better reflected the needs of the economy and society.
"The reasons for this are many. Among other things, it's because there are powerful academic cliques led by rectors who stick closely together and stop those who can change the system and who can give a chance not just to young people but also to the economy in general, from going forward," the minister said, adding that these cliques "often have support in political circles."
Divjak said that the reform process should continue.
Croatian Cup: Rijeka and Lokomotiva to Meet in Final
June 1, 2020 - After the semi-final games last weekend, Lokomotiva and Rijeka will meet in the Croatian Cup final on August 1, 2020.
Croatian football finally returned last weekend, albeit looking a bit different in the corona era.
Namely, HNS reports that Statehood Day brought the continuation of football competitions in Croatia, and Slaven Belupo and Lokomotiva kicked off in the first semi-final of the Croatian Cup on Saturday. The match was watched live by the president of the Croatian Football Federation Davor Šuker and the coach of the Croatia national team, Zlatko Dalić.
The Koprivnica club took the lead in the sixth minute of the game, when Goda shook the net with a great long-distance shot under Grbić's crossbar (1:0).
The turnaround was directed by Zagreb in the second half, in the 67th and 79th minute of the game, when Cokaj (1:1) and Tolić (2:1) beat Filipović, with assists by Sammir, who entered the game in the middle of the second half.
Uzuni set the final score of 3:1 for Lokomotiva in injury time.
In the second match of the Cup semi-final on Sunday, Rijeka and Osijek met in Rujevica.
Less than half an hour before the end of the game, Osijek led with 0:2 with goals by Bočkaj (16th, 48th minutes), but Rijeka managed to achieve a turnaround after playing a man up in the second half and with the help of referee Pajač. Murić (66th), Čolak (73rd, penalty ) and Yateke (86th) were the goalscorers for Rijeka.
Rijeka will thus play in the Cup final for the seventh time. So far, it has lifted the winning trophy five times (2005, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2019). Its rival in the final, which will be played on August 1 in Šibenik, will be Lokomotiva. It will be Lokomotiva's second appearance in the final, after they lost to Hajduk in 2013.
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HNS Reveals How Football Matches Will Look in Corona Era
May 24, 2020 - HNS released instructions for holding Croatian First League football matches during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nogomet Plus reports that according to the plan yet to be approved by the National Civil Protection Headquarters, the football season continues next week, on May 30, when Slaven Belupo and Lokomotiva meet in Koprivnica as part of the Croatian Cup semifinals. The next day, Rijeka and Osijek will compete at Rujevica, and the continuation of the first league season is planned for June 5, when Hajduk and Inter Zapresic meet in the first game of the 27th round.
On that occasion, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) published instructions for holding matches during the coronavirus pandemic, but also changes in the propositions of the competition to better adapt to the current times marked by COVID-19.
The most significant change is that the matches will be played without the presence of spectators and with a minimum number of people needed in the stadium. Thus, the propositions stipulate that a maximum of 161 people can participate in one match, as follows:
Fenced part of the pitch:
Teams: up to 18 players
Officials on the bench: maximum 6 licensed persons
Referees: 4
Ball collectors: maximum 6
Persons with stretchers: maximum 4
TV crew: 2 or 4 cameramen + 2 technicians
Photojournalists: 4 (exceptionally + 1 HNS)
Technical - terrain maintenance: 4
In the stands:
Delegate and controller: 2
Club managements: host up to 15 people and guest up to 10 people
Official announcer, traffic light technique, TV crew CROATEL, commentators Arenasport or HNTV, HR2 and local radio according to the license: 15
PRESS Lodge: maximum 10 accredited journalists
HNS: maximum 10 people
Doping control: 2
Reserve players and staff members: maximum 5 per club in a separate part of the stand
Around the stadium:
VAR judges and technician: 3
Host club staff - technical staff: maximum 10
Security guards: usually up to 10
Ambulance (or replacement vehicle): 3
TV crew-reportage car: maximum 8
The matches are held in accordance with the epidemiological instructions prescribed by the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia and the HNS working group dedicated to the preparations for the continuation of the competition.
It was also decided that clubs will no longer have the right to register 12 substitutes, but that number has been reduced to 7, and during the match, a maximum of 5 changes can be made in three intervals while another change is possible in case of overtime.
Press conferences were canceled after the game, and instead, club spokespersons will be obliged to take a statement from the coach and two players of their club, which will then be given to journalists through digital channels. Coaches, on the other hand, are required to make a statement to TV in order to fulfill their obligations under the TV rights agreement.
The players of both teams and the referees of the match will no longer go out on the field together in a row. The fourth referee will first check the people on the benches, then the visiting team, then the home team and finally the main and assistant referees. There will be no more greetings from players and referees and coaches before the initial whistle.
When choosing the sides, the distance between the head referee and the team captain must be at least 1.5 meters, and they must be about 7 meters away from the longitudinal line of the field. Handling is prohibited on this occasion.
After scoring, the players are instructed not to hug, shake hands or physically touch during the celebration, and throughout the game they should avoid unnecessary physical contacts that do not serve the purpose of the game.
After the match, there is no greeting on the field between the players, club officials, and the referees.
This is what a football match will look like in the era of the new normal.
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350 Players and Staff in Croatian First League Test Negative for COVID-19
May 20, 2020 - The results of genetic testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a sample of 350 players and members of the professional staff of Croatian First League clubs ruled out the existence of COVID-19 in the tested population.
HNS reports that the second phase of testing continues this week, which includes serology tests in addition to RT-qPCR molecular tests to determine the presence of specific IgA and IgG antibodies. The presence of igG antibodies is important because it confirms that the person has overcome the disease.
In his efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the president of the Health Commission of the Croatian Football Association, Dr. Dragan Primorac and co-workers developed a comprehensive model that includes, among other things, the application of specific tests to determine the existence of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 virus, using molecular tests RT-qPCR. Specifically, this analysis proves the presence of viral (N, E, RdRP) genes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Determining the presence of viral genetic material is done from a sample of nasopharyngeal swabs (part of the pharynx behind the nasal cavity) since the nasopharynx is one of the places the virus is concentrated after entering the human body. In this model, genetic testing is done at intervals of five days, in order to avoid obtaining false-negative results. Namely, the so-called latency period (the period from contact with the virus to the production of new virus particles) lasts approximately five days.
The project, which is already known in the world today as the "Croatian model", and which was published in the prestigious Journal of Global Health, was strongly supported by Fifa and Uefa. The Teaching Institute for Public Health “dr. Andrija Štampar", Special Hospital Sv. Katarina, International Society for Applied Biological Sciences (ISABS) and Genos Laboratory. Logistical support for the project is also provided by the "HNS Commission for the Covid-19 Pandemic", which includes members of the HNS Health Commission and scientists from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Teaching Institute for Public Health "Dr. Andrija Štampar" and the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
The Croatian Football Federation especially emphasizes the great cooperation with clubs, players and members of the professional staff who acted extremely responsibly during the implementation of this project. Also, the Croatian Football Federation continues to implement all measures prescribed by the National Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia.
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Capak Talks Return of Croatian First League, Testing Players, and Club Consequences
May 18, 2020 - The director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) and a member of the National Civil Protection Headquarters Krunoslav Capak was a guest on Croatian football television where he commented and explained the epidemiological conditions for the return of football and the Croatian First League.
T.portal reports that the football season in Croatia continues on Saturday, May 30, when Lokomotiva and Slaven Belupo meet in the semifinals of the Croatian Cup. On May 31, Osijek and Rijeka meet in the other semifinal match.
The Hrvatski Telekom Croatian First League resumes on June 6, and Krunoslav Capak, the head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) and a member of the National Civil Protection Headquarters, commented on what we can expect for Croatian Football Television.
"We let the training begin, and if the situation is as it is now, then competitions can start. We will agree with everyone. A PCR test is valid for up to two days, after which a person can become contagious, so we do not like excessive use of tests. One test costs a thousand and a half kuna and the benefits and costs need to be weighed. If someone can afford it, that's fine, but by keeping the measures and without testing, a high level of safety can be achieved," Capak explained some of the epidemiological measures that Croatian first division players have to implement if they want to play at all.
The problem arises if just one player is infected with the coronavirus. What will happen in that case?
"If one of the players is positive, everyone who has been in contact with him in the last 48 hours must be in self-isolation," Capak says clearly and continues:
"The alternative is additional testing, but the test is valid for 24, at most 28 hours, so you would have to test constantly until 14 days. They and their family will have to isolate themselves at home. At the same time, it probably means the end of the competition for that club," revealed Capak.
Reading between the lines, if this worst-case scenario happens, the regularity of the entire competition comes into question, so it is almost certain that the most radical measures would be taken, and that is the termination of the Croatian First League competition.
A few days ago, the coach of Varaždin, Samir Toplak, wondered how it is possible that there can be as many as 200 people in churches, and spectators are not allowed in the stands. Football is still played outdoors, and there is more than enough space in the stands for those who would be encouraged to come. Social distance in the stands should not be a problem.
But according to Capak, these two types of gatherings are incomparable. True, the head of the HZZJ left the possibility that perhaps by further easing the measures in the near future, spectators - in limited numbers - could go to the stands of football stadiums.
"Mass is a static event where there is no contact except at communion for which there are precise epidemiological measures. Churches are both tall and airy buildings, and there is more interaction in cinemas and theaters, as well as at matches. There are epidemiological measures that could be prescribed to spectators in the stands, but it is still high risk. We are going in stages, although everyone would like everything right away," concluded Krunoslav Capak.
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Croatia Ranks in World Top 10 for Footballers Playing Abroad
May 16, 2020 - While Brazil is the largest exporter of footballers, Croatia ranks in ninth place, according to the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES) based in Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Namely, 24 Sata reports that in its 55th monthly report, the CIES Football Observatory analyzed the contribution of footballers by country. They analyzed the origins of 55,865 footballers who played during the 2019 calendar year in 132 first or second leagues from 93 countries covering all continents.
Thus, the biggest exporter of footballers is Brazil. As many as 1,535 Brazilian footballers played abroad last year. In second place is France, which has 948 footballers outside the country. Argentina holds third place with 913 footballers.
Argentina is followed by England (554), Spain (525), Serbia (514), Germany (473) and Colombia (457).
Croatia comes in ninth place with 430 footballers who played abroad last year, and Uruguay is in the top 10 (358).
Let's add that four African countries are in the top 20. Nigeria is in 11th place (365 footballers), Ghana is in 14th place (283), Senegal is in 18th place (191), and Ivory Coast is in 20th place (178).
Brazil is also the most represented country among the players from the 132 leagues studied. Last year, as many as 2,742 Brazilians played football - 1,207 in the first two classes of Brazilian football, and 1,535 abroad.
Just one other country had more than 2,000 footballers in 132 leagues analyzed - Argentina. Namely, in 2019, Argentina was represented by 2,330 players. In third place is the French (1,740), and in the top five are Colombia (1,536) and Spain (1,349).
In terms of the total number of footballers who play in the First HNL and other countries in the world, Croatia is in 13th place with 993 footballers.
Top 10 countries by the number of footballers playing abroad:
1. Brazil - 1,535
2. France - 948
3. Argentina - 913
4. England 554
5. Spain 525
6. Serbia 514
7. Germany 473
8. Colombia 457
9. CROATIA 430
10. Uruguay 358
Top 10 countries by the number of players:
1. Brazil - 2,742
2. Argentina - 2,330
3. France - 1,740
4. Colombia - 1,536
5. Spain - 1,349
6. Serbia - 1,337
7. England - 1,228
8. Germany - 1,096
9. Japan - 1,047
10. Netherlands - 1,039
11. Russia - 1,029
12. Uruguay - 1,014
13. CROATIA - 993
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Exercise at Home Project by Croatian Football Federation Viewed Over Million Times
May 8, 2020 - The coronavirus pandemic may have temporarily stopped football, but it has not prevented footballers from exercising. The Croatian Football Federation offered video training to young football players daily, and after 35 published videos, the great success of the #vježbajdoma project is visible and easily measurable.
Through the #vježbajdoma (#exerciseathome) project, HNS wanted to encourage young football players to use their free time for physical activity and improve their abilities during this extraordinary situation.
Workout videos that can be performed at home, without additional devices and aids, were published daily, and among the videos were doctors' instructions on healthy eating as well as advice on a psychological approach to these unusual circumstances.
The video was created by Croatian senior and young national team members in football, fitness experts, coaches, coaches, and experts from other fields such as medicine and psychology, as well as several other football players from many clubs.
"From the bottom of my heart, I thank all those who participated in creating this training because we showed really great unity in wanting to bring the knowledge, skills and experience of top coaches and footballers to our large base. Many thanks to everyone who practiced with us. Finally, I would like to thank our video analyst Nikola Buzadžić, who put a lot of effort into editing these works that have lasting value for the HNS and young footballers. I am glad that in this way, we help athletes stay in shape, but I know that everyone can't wait to return to the football fields. I hope that the epidemiological situation in the country will allow us to do that relatively soon, and until then - we will continue to practice at home," said HNS chief instructor Petar Krpan.
The final figures are truly impressive. Thirty-five trainings were published on four HNS channels: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with videos viewed more than a million times. On YouTube and Facebook alone, the total viewing time is more than 5,500 hours, and on Facebook and Instagram, the videos have garnered nearly 200,000 “likes”.
"We were aware that more than 100,000 young football players were left without daily training and we wanted to encourage them to exercise as much as possible at home, in a quality way. That is why we have included great fitness trainers from all parts of Croatia and I thank everyone for agreeing to share their knowledge via video. We have also included a number of our famous footballers, as well as indoor soccer players, to inspire further those who practice with us. All recorded training will remain available on HNS channels for everyone who wants to continue training according to such high standards," said Ivan Krakan, HNS fitness instructor for junior national teams, who initiated the project with chief instructor Krpan.
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HNS Confirms: Croatian Football Returns on May 30
May 6, 2020 - The Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has decided that the football season will continue on May 30, after it was interrupted in March because of COVID-19.
HNS announced on its website that following yesterday's meeting with the Secretary of the Central State Office for Sport, Tomislav Družak, with representatives of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, dates were proposed for concessions in the sports sector. Thus, the relaxed measures concerning the training processes are in place for the next two weeks, while the competitions will resume at the end of May and the beginning of June.
In accordance with the epidemiological situation in the country, the final approval for resuming the competition on the recommendation of the HZJZ will be given by the National Civil Protection Headquarters.
Expecting the proposed dates to be confirmed by the Civil Protection Headquarters, the HNS Executive Board reversed its decision of April 7, 2020, and decided that the football season would continue on May 30 and 31 with the Croatian Cup semi-finals, and on June 6, with the continuation of the Croatian Telecom First League. All matches would be played without the presence of spectators.
The Croatian Cup final, according to the previous plan, would be played on August 1.
The Second HNL and Third HNL and other minor leagues will not resume the 2019/20 season, as well as competitions in all younger age categories.
The Executive Board will subsequently make decisions on the eventual continuation of competitions in 1st HNLŽ and 1st HMNL, as well as other necessary decisions regarding all competitions under the jurisdiction of HNS, and will notify clubs and the public promptly.
In addition, according to the recommendations of the Croatian Employment Service, HNS will issue binding instructions for clubs ahead of the competition, in order to maximize the health of players and all football players.
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