ZAGREB, Oct. 16 -- Croatian Football Federation (CFF) confirmed on Monday that 50-year-old Zlatko Dalic would take the helm of the national team in the 2018 World Cup playoffs.
"Dalic will lead the team in this playoff matches and after that we will sit and talk about the future," CFF president Davor Suker said at the press conference in CFF's headquarters in Zagreb.
According to some unofficial sources, Dalic has been offered to sign a long term contract to lead the Croatian national team in the next two and a half years, but opted to wait after the November playoffs.
It seems to be a smart decision because he will be in a much better position to negotiate his terms if he'll successfully finish the job and step in for Ante Cacic who led Croatia for two years but was dismissed after the string of poor results and performances.
"Dalic took over the team and didn't ask any questions. He is so honest that he will not get a contract or be rewarded for these matches," Suker said, adding he doesn't want to think about a possible playoffs failure. "I believe that the team will show its quality, the true face of Croatia."
Dalic will lead Croatian delegation to attend the draw for the 2018 World Cup European qualifiers playoff round on Tuesday in Zurich, Switzerland.
Croatia, ranked 18th in the FIFA rankings published on Monday, will be among the four seeded teams with Italy, Switzerland and Denmark, and will play against Sweden, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland or Greece, one of the four teams that are ranked lower.
The executive board of CFF has reached a unanimous decision that the home match in the coming 2018 World Cup playoffs will be staged at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb.
Ten days ago, Dalic, the former head coach of Al-Ain, 2016 Asian Champions League runner-up, took over the demoralized Croatian team just 48 hours before the decisive match in the group stage when Croatia needed a road win against Ukraine in Kiev to reach the playoff. He made a few positional changes and managed to lift the spirit of the players that led to a 2-0 victory that put Croatia back on track for the 2018 World Cup.
Now, with a whole four weeks in hand to prepare the team for the two matches that can bring Croatia its fourth World Cup birth, Dalic will face another challenge and another kind of pressure - the pressure of expectations. He will have to prove that he is good enough to lead the team that has a unique blend of experienced, prominent players and the young ones with great potential.
One week ago in Kiev, Dalic didn't have that burned on his shoulders but he has proved that his set of managerial skills was very good.
However, if he wins a playoff round and brings Croatia once again to the biggest stage in the sport, Dalic will be the strongest candidate for the job that, just two weeks ago, he wouldn't dare to dream of.
国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Xi requires new advances in rise of central China
国内英语资讯:Strong efforts to promote market-oriented, law-based debt-to-equity swaps
2019年6月大学英语四级作文范文:英语拼写
国际英语资讯:Migrants should not return to Libyan detention: IOM
国际英语资讯:U.S. blockade against Venezuela puts childrens lives at risk: FM
国际英语资讯:Modi-led BJP wins Indian elections: Election Commission
国际英语资讯:Turkey holds joint military drill with 7 countries
国内英语资讯:Foreign investment still favors Chinese market: spokesperson
国际英语资讯:Trump cuts off infrastructure talks with Democrats, demands end to investigations
国际英语资讯:Moroccan govt approves agreements to strengthen trade ties with Serbia
一人食正彻底改变我们的饮食
2019年6月英语四级写作模板:话题作文
国际英语资讯:Sudans military council urges opposition to facilitate power transition
体坛英语资讯:Paraguay to face Honduras in pre-Copa America friendly
国内英语资讯:China Focus: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype
体坛英语资讯:Sweden smite Italy at ice hockey worlds
吃霸王餐吗?用谢谢付账的那种
你对生活是否满意 取决于你怎么花钱!
体坛英语资讯:Djokovic, Thiem book places in Madrid Open semis
The Result of Family Plan 计划生育的后果
国内英语资讯:Senior CPC official calls for advances in philosophy, social sciences
2019年6月英语四级作文模板:现象阐述
世界上最大的城市是哪?
体坛英语资讯:Manchester City claim Premier League title with 4-1 win in Brighton
科学家为“葛优躺”正名,称慵懒坐姿对背部有好处
体坛英语资讯:Latvia turns tables against Austria in ice hockey worlds
研究表明:听悲伤的歌会让抑郁患者快乐
国际英语资讯:Mongolian president urges parliament to dissolve itself
莫奈名画《干草堆》拍出1.1亿美元 创印象派画作价格新高
是时候调高空调温度了!室温高有利于提高女性工作效率