Dalic – This brilliant generation can’t live on our past glories
It’s not just Scotland fans that are wishing they knew the magic formula that has taken Croatia to today’s World Cup Final.
Their success is remarkable for a nation with a population of just over four million.
It would be fantastic if they were using methods to develop world-class footballers that could be borrowed to end Scotland’s exile from major tournaments.
Sadly, it’s not that simple. There’s no evidence to suggest the Croats are doing anything different to many nations that failed to qualify for Russia 2018.
In reality, their success has come from a chaotic history – and a domestic football structure – that would be unpalatable in most countries.
Players such as Luka Modric, born in 1985, were brought up during the Balkans conflict.
He was forced to flee his home town of Modrici, and his grandfather was shot dead by rebel soldiers.
It was a tough upbringing that gave the fledgling footballer an inner steel.
Political unrest followed, and the Croatian Government saw investment in football as a way to court popularity.
Domestic football is dominated by two teams – Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split.
Dinamo are backed by the city authorities.
They have had their feeder club, Lokomotiva, also playing in the top flight.
Six members of the successful Croatia squad in Russia had spells at Lokomotiva, and gained valuable first-team experience as youngsters.
Scottish Premiership colts teams are allowed to enter the Challenge Cup, but there’s no way a club would be allowed to fund two sides in the top division.
Croatian club football gives their players a start, but most then leave to play overseas.
Do we really want the best Scottish players performing in other countries?
We tend to see European club competition as a barometer for a country’s footballing health.
It’s a pretty mediocre performance where Croatia is concerned.
Dinamo Zagreb lost out to Olympiacos at the play-off stage of last season’s Champions League.
Rijeka were in the group stage of the Europa League, but finished third out of four in their section.
Meanwhile, Modric was starring for Real Madrid as they beat Liverpool in the Champions League Final, and countryman, Mateo Kovacic, was on the bench.
Only two members of Croatia’s World Cup squad play for clubs in their home country.
Last year it looked like they might not even reach the Finals in Russia.
Manager Zlatko Dalic (below) took over last October following the sacking of Ante Cacic, and they reached Russia by defeating Greece in a play-off.
While Scotland were bemoaning not qualifying since France 98, he urged his people to stop harping back to those Finals, when Croatia finished third.
“We have a brilliant generation of players who, like me, have to know that we can’t live on past glory,” he said. “Ahead of us is the World Cup, and we have to be at our best there.”
They certainly have been. But it appears to be all about the Croats prospering from chaos.
There’s an extra energy that comes from success – and Scotland’s young players haven’t had that for far too
long.