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1.
Name: Jurica Vranjes
Current Club: Bayer Leverkusen (Ger)
Comment: During this transfer time, Jurica along with his teammate Babic moved to Bayer Levekusen in Germany. He began his carrier in
Osijek which is one of the strongest teams in our league. His favorite position is in midfield, but during the qualifications for the
European football championship for players U-21 he played the position of the sweeper (last man of the defense). A young player with a bright
future. Along with Bayer, for his services were many interested top European clubs.
2.
Name: Igor Tudor
Current Club: Juventus (Ita)
Comment: Young Croatian defender moved to Juventus from Hajduk Split. A member of Croatian U-21 squad, too. He collected few caps for
Croatian national team. He went to World Cup 98 in France. He usually plays central defender. When Marcelo Lippi was at Juventus, Tudor had a
lot of chances to play. Tudor usually starts his games from bench. Like Vranjes, he also was the target of many strong teams.
3.
Name: Tomislav Sokota
Current Club: Croatia Zagreb (Cro)
Comment: I hope we all remember his great performances in first stage of Champions league where he was the best player of his poorly
ranked team. Croatia Zagreb is the only team which Sokota has played for. Like all young players in Croatia Zagreb, he went to a smaller club in
lowly division. His favorite position is attacking midfielder or striker. Member of Croatian U-21 team which earned a European U-21
championship. A nightmare for our defenders in HNL (our football league).
4.
Name: Zvonimir Deranja
Current Club: Hajduk Split (Cro)
Comment: I think his nickname tells everything about him `Popeye`. This strong forward with "dynamite legs" exploded few years ago,
when he scored an hat-trick in 45 minutes. I hope that you know him from U-21 championship in Africa. He is a striker with a lot of great
movements. For his thrashing speed, Fiorentina was ready to make a bid for him. He was the youngest player in Croatia who was the top scorer
in national championship. Now, he is between bench and first 11 because there are a lot of great attackers.
5.
Name: Mihael Mikic
Current Club: Croatia Zagreb (Cro)
Comment: He presented himself with an excellent goal against Porto in Zagreb. This goal was his first goal in European Champions
League, and very important. Usually plays in attack where he is one of the gifted young players in Europe, what he proved in European
Championship on Cyprus. All his small career spent in Zagreb, where he was born. He starts games in first 11, like he is one of the main
players. Some of the newspapers in Croatia called him "the Croatian Michael Owen" because he looks like him, plays like him and he is the
future star, like him.
6.
Name: Ivan Leko
Current Club: Hajduk Split (Cro)
Comment: The captain of U-21 Croatia team. Like most of the Hajduk young players he will probably end up in some rich and strong team.
I just can say that Aljosa Asanovic, Igor Stimac, Slaven Bilic, Alen Boksic were the young wave of Hajduk. Midfielder that can play both,
defensive or attacking. With a lot of great movements, his deadly weapon are free-kicks. His weakness is that sometimes displays missed
penalties, bad games, but this is only when he is not in form. He was the target of Juventus Torino, but he decided to stay some more time in
Split (name of a town).
7.
Name: Igor Biscan
Current Club: Croatia Zagreb (Cro)
Comment: This tall defender exploded in such a short time. His job is to stop the opposite side from getting to a goal. His position
of defensive midfielder is the position where he can show his talent. Like all of this TOP 10 players he is also a member of U-21 squad. He
got the chance in Amsterdam where Croatia Zagreb were playing against Ajax. He had a lot of chances, but this game showed that he is not the
player which can score a lot of goals.
8.
Name: Stipe Pletikosa
Current Club: Hajduk Split (Cro)
Comment: Stipe showed his talent in World Championship in Africa. He was the best player of our side. He learned from Tonci Gabric,
who is the legend of Croatian football. He is very strong on the line where his reflexes are one of the powerful in modern football.
First choice in position of a goalkeeper in Ivo Susak´s tactic book. He is the future of new wave of gifted Croatian born players.
9.
Name: Josip Simic
Current Club: Croatia Zagreb (Cro)
Comment: The younger brother of Dario Simic is a class attacker. Greatest moment of his career was the only goal for Croatia Zagreb
against Ajax. He was playing for about 10 minutes and then scored a great goal that even Edwin Van Der Sar could not stop. He has a very
various form. At this moment he is with Bosko Balaban top scorer of our league. U-21 member, too. Very good player.
10.
Name: Bosko Balaban
Current Club: Rijeka (Cro)
Comment: In one interview, he said that the golden goal scored in qualifications against Portugal was his greatest moment of career.
He is coming from a club called Rijeka. At the moment, he shares the top of the scorers list with Josip Simic. In Croatian team, usually he
starts his games from the bench. When he was 17 he made his debut in a senior team along wth Dario Smoje, who left the club and went to
Milan. Bosko is a class striker with a good "nose" for being in right place at the right time.
Ivan Marohnic
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