Alen Halilović
- Thread starter FCBarca
- Start date
BBZ8800
Senior Member
It is not about smoking.
It is a cultural thing to some extent.
Like how German teams and players work and right as crazy for 90 minutes.
Or how Brasilians usually try tricks whenever possible.
In Croatia (and other countries from this part of Europe like Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania etc), people, fans and players are always more oriented to a technical part of football than on physical aspect.
Majority of Croatian footballers are good in technical department, but usually lack in a physical part, especially workrate during matches, movement off the ball, and stamina (like Germans).
It happened 100s of times in the last 20-30 years for Croatian players that once they leave Croatian league (and teams who play slow-technical football without too much running and without too much pressure), they get lost in English, German and similar leagues.
Barcelona did have Robert Prosinecki, another Croatian in mid 90s.
A player with awesome technique and vision (he had a high IQ), but his workrate and stamina were very, very poor for Barcelona's level.
He is a classical example of technically gifted Croatian midfielder, who doesn't run as much as it is required in top European football.
There are some bright examples like Rakitic, but luckily for him, he wasn't raised in Croatia, but in Switzerland, so he adopted Swiss and German mentality of being a hardworker.
Modric turned awesome, but he is 1 in a million.
So:
1. a problem NO1 with Croatian players is that they run less than average European players and are more oriented on passing, technique and possession, to some extent. So, 90% of Croatian players will have to adjust their game and mentality to higher standards in top European leagues
2. on the other hand, Halil is just an idiot, which was clear from his first steps in terms that "glory" made him lose his head
Some players stay calm after they turn famous, other players are affected more or less and lose their head.
Halil seems to be one of those guys who went into extremes and totally lost his head due to a huge fame and huge hype (new Messi, Croatian Messi, the next big thing, one of the brightest potentials in world football, Barcelona signed Halil as Messi's successor)
3. he seems to have lower footballing and general IQ, so I am not sure how much can he actually listen and improve at all
Halil's case shows one more time that turning into a great world class footballer is much more than just having a natural talent.
You need a cool head, some IQ, a good work ethic, being a guy who is ready to work and learn etc.
I still think that even way less technically talented guys than Halil can turn into much better allround footballers with a cooler head, higher IQ, better work ethic, better stamina, better workrate on the field, ability to learn on mistakes etc.
** There is another young midfielder in Croatia, Coric, I hope that Barca won't spend (and lose) money on him, because he seems quite similar to Halil.
Huge technical talent, but low workrate, poor off the ball movement, poor stamina etc.
But again, it is not ONLY player's fault, because this is a cultural thing, teams and players play that kind of football from the age of 5-6, and when they aren't forced to run/work too much on a field from the age 5-18, it is hard to suddenly adapt western-european style of work and training.
Halil did say a few weeks ago about German teams and their way of training: "What is this? I have never trained 3 times per day!"
Or: "I didn't come here to run, but to score goals"
Well, if these kids were taught to run, work, train harder and be more humble from early days, they would have less problems adapting later in their career.
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Chong Li
New member
It's pretty obvious Halilovic should have stayed in La Liga. He's definitely not made for german football, too lazy and physically weak.
And (as many have pointed out before) of course he chose the worst, most chaotic club possible. HSV have been a complete mess for the last decade.
And (as many have pointed out before) of course he chose the worst, most chaotic club possible. HSV have been a complete mess for the last decade.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Papers from Hamburg, Hamburger Abendblat, wrote:
"Halilovic played only 137 minutes in a whole season.
Now everyone realized why he is not playing. He is trying and trying, but he creates absolutely zero product on a field.
Against Eintracht he was absolutely horrible. He was lost as a central midfielder, and he was losing balls all the time.
He was selfish and he rarely passed the ball to his teammates who were in a better position."
Some Croatian media write today, that not only that he lost a place in NT team, but that it is very questionable now whether a coach from youth NT team will call him at all due to Halilovic's behavior (Halilovic rejected playing for U23 team, and he thinks that he is too good for youth NT teams) and due to his poor form.
Another Croatian paper commented today: "Barcelona can buy him back for 10M and 12,5M after 1 or 2 years. That possibility currently looks more or less like a total science fiction."
On the other hand, my opinion, it seems that today it is easier for young players to lose their head.
In 80s or 90s, you could get hype only from newspapers.
There was no forums, Facebook, random 100s places of internet where people can adore you.
Imo, a young player today can lose his head quite easily if he buys a hype from internet, forums, youtube etc.
Younger players probably need an extra cool head and even more mental strength than in 90s or 00s, if they want to succeed.
If you are mentally fragile (like Halil), you can fall into a trap quite easily and get your career on a wrong track with living in dreams/clouds.
"Halilovic played only 137 minutes in a whole season.
Now everyone realized why he is not playing. He is trying and trying, but he creates absolutely zero product on a field.
Against Eintracht he was absolutely horrible. He was lost as a central midfielder, and he was losing balls all the time.
He was selfish and he rarely passed the ball to his teammates who were in a better position."
Some Croatian media write today, that not only that he lost a place in NT team, but that it is very questionable now whether a coach from youth NT team will call him at all due to Halilovic's behavior (Halilovic rejected playing for U23 team, and he thinks that he is too good for youth NT teams) and due to his poor form.
Another Croatian paper commented today: "Barcelona can buy him back for 10M and 12,5M after 1 or 2 years. That possibility currently looks more or less like a total science fiction."
On the other hand, my opinion, it seems that today it is easier for young players to lose their head.
In 80s or 90s, you could get hype only from newspapers.
There was no forums, Facebook, random 100s places of internet where people can adore you.
Imo, a young player today can lose his head quite easily if he buys a hype from internet, forums, youtube etc.
Younger players probably need an extra cool head and even more mental strength than in 90s or 00s, if they want to succeed.
If you are mentally fragile (like Halil), you can fall into a trap quite easily and get your career on a wrong track with living in dreams/clouds.
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God Serena
New member
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
It does seem way far fetched now like it has been from the start.
HSV isn't the club that would want to give such demands and the deal was way easier,Valencia has been a club that a homegrown player like Paco has forced his way out even when he is know to dislike us.
Alen has ego and work ethic problem,but there is nothing to prove what you are saying. He rejected better offer in the EPL to join us and was 1st to ensure his commitment after the ban was announced. He didn't demand "a promote me or I leave" as Adama for example in 2015.
He wanted HSV in that summer and when Lucho told him to go to Sporting he obeyed. But to blame him for the breaking deal with such mess of a club that hadn't appointed a real coach for a whole year like Valencia? give me a break now. If anything his entourage was professional about it and didn't spit accusation left & right to make himself looks better.
HSV always wanted Alen and it seems he thought they were better for his development as Bundesliga had many Croatian succeeding there.They had good year last season and looked like they were getting out of their treadmill of mediocrity while Valencia looked like they were just starting. The choice wasn't really bad on paper at all.
MessiDinho10
New member
Alen is an adult now. He's responsible for his own actions, so it's mostly his own fault. His parents and entourage just made it much harder for him.
Luftstalag14
Culé de Celestial Empire
He is absolutely marginalized there. It is sad that many of those future gems we thought we had turned out to be one disappointment after another.
Dado
New member
^^^^^^
This!
He should have stayed in Gijon. There is nothing wrong playing for a "smaller" club, not everyone is meant to play for top clubs. He and his parents need to understand this.
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