Cybereagles

felarey wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 6:07 pm Thanks, your team were my favourite in terms of work rate and attitude. If I could coach a bunch of guys, it will be them. No prima donnas, reminds me of Hockey where even the best and most talented have no choice but to still play the game with hardwork. They were just jaded and uncharacteristically had breakdowns in central defence in the first half against Argentina. Gvardiol will unfortunately be remembered for that abuse he suffered from Messi on their 3rd goal, but at 20, what a player he is and will become. Big clubs will come calling.

Luka Modric likely not playing at this level again, is a big miss for me. Players like him are very rare, like Paul Scholes. Not many are comfortable receiving the ball in the midst of 3 opposition players yet make the right decision and with the technical quality to ping the ball around effortlessly and accurately. Playing deep, he provides relief for the defence, its get the ball to Luka and he'll do the best thing with it.

Overall, a good team, Perisic is probably done too. But youngins are getting there.

ohsee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:19 am Thanks mate. Very impressed with Croatia. Did not know that your country has only 4 million people. What an awesome football nation.

ohsee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:19 am Thanks mate. Very impressed with Croatia. Did not know that your country has only 4 million people. What an awesome football nation.

Damunk wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 8:41 am

ohsee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:19 am Thanks mate. Very impressed with Croatia. Did not know that your country has only 4 million people. What an awesome football nation.

Mind bowing.
That’s roughly the population of Cross River State.

ohsee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:19 am Thanks mate. Very impressed with Croatia. Did not know that your country has only 4 million people. What an awesome football nation.

mate wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 5:33 pm Guys, it was as always a pleasure and privilege sharing this WC with you all. We've a long history. Lots of diversity among us.

I appreciate the thanks, support, and even criticism of my Croatia. It's life. I also in turn keep an eye out for African teams and, yes, Nigeria not being here. We engage each other on things that matter.

Football matters. A lot. At least for me and my circle of friends. IRL and virtual. And I met some of you IRL.

What a blast!

I won't hold back: I'm reveling in Croatia being 3rd. It makes my life nicer.

Here's hoping the Super Eagles make the next WC. And score a victory...dreaming big.

Thanks!

theDunamis wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:29 pm

ohsee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 4:19 am Thanks mate. Very impressed with Croatia. Did not know that your country has only 4 million people. What an awesome football nation.

That for me is the wonder of Croatia's international football success. And of course, the incredibly wonderous Mr. Modric. An in-depth study of the how Croatia forged a footballing powerhouse out of that meagre population size is a study I would love to read and one I hope those qualified to conduct someday soon.

theDunamis wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:32 pm

mate wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 5:33 pm Guys, it was as always a pleasure and privilege sharing this WC with you all. We've a long history. Lots of diversity among us.

I appreciate the thanks, support, and even criticism of my Croatia. It's life. I also in turn keep an eye out for African teams and, yes, Nigeria not being here. We engage each other on things that matter.

Football matters. A lot. At least for me and my circle of friends. IRL and virtual. And I met some of you IRL.

What a blast!

I won't hold back: I'm reveling in Croatia being 3rd. It makes my life nicer.

Here's hoping the Super Eagles make the next WC. And score a victory...dreaming big.

Thanks!

Congrats and huge kudos, Mate. A little anecdote that you may find interesting.

I was in Russia for the 2018 WC and after the Nigeria v Croatia match, a Croat and I traded jerseys. I have a couple of other nations' jerseys from doing this. Being an engineer, t-shirts and jeans are my typical attire and so I would wear some of these jerseys on occasion without any particular reason. One day, I wore my Croatian jersey and stopped by my favorite coffeeshop on the way to work. This random dude saw me from outside the coffeeshop and approached me smiling excitedly. He said, "I love your jersey. I am from Croatia." We laughed, and I told him how I got the jersey, and we talked briefly about the amazing feat of the Croatian team in WC 2018. He asked for a picture so he could show it to his friends and other Croats. It was so heartwarming seeing his pride and joy experiencing how his country's soccer feat far away in the eastern hemisphere was being paid homage to by a random Nigerian immigrant thousands of miles away around Seattle.

The beautiful game is beautiful in many more ways than we realize.

felarey wrote: ↑Mon Dec 19, 2022 6:07 pm Thanks, your team were my favourite in terms of work rate and attitude. If I could coach a bunch of guys, it will be them. No prima donnas, reminds me of Hockey where even the best and most talented have no choice but to still play the game with hardwork. They were just jaded and uncharacteristically had breakdowns in central defence in the first half against Argentina. Gvardiol will unfortunately be remembered for that abuse he suffered from Messi on their 3rd goal, but at 20, what a player he is and will become. Big clubs will come calling.

Luka Modric likely not playing at this level again, is a big miss for me. Players like him are very rare, like Paul Scholes. Not many are comfortable receiving the ball in the midst of 3 opposition players yet make the right decision and with the technical quality to ping the ball around effortlessly and accurately. Playing deep, he provides relief for the defence, its get the ball to Luka and he'll do the best thing with it.

Overall, a good team, Perisic is probably done too. But youngins are getting there.