it is an ideal group, crazy group as well considering the distance and similarities to the countries involved, all 4 will bring many fans.

This is a group if Croatia wants to be taken seriously must pass, but it is also a group where if they don't...it's back to the Cico saga. Austria will be motivated as we play them in their opener but seriously they should be beaten even if it was played in Wembley with 90,000 Austrian fans. Germany will be tough, but they had an easy qualfying group, no realy tests outside of the Czechs and Poland I think are better than Russia.

Two of the matches will be played in Klagenfurt, basically a two hour drive from Zagreb (and they call us EE? ) and even closer if you live in Medjimurje and Zagorje.

 

When will the tickets be released?

How many here plans to go to Austria?

 

Seriously, the only way the draw could've been nicer to us is if we got Turkey instead of Poland imo. This is an excellent group for us and if we finish first and Portugal does the same, we can get to the semi-finals.

 

I think the players feel the pressure from the nation, and even more after being drawn into this group. The main thing now for Bilic is to keep our lads calm and make them play exactly like in the qualifiers.

 

This group is more than favorable for us to move on. There are no excuses for NOT finishing in the top 2 in this one. We kick it off against the host country in the first game but we still should get at 3 points out of this one...only team in this group that scares me is the Germans as they are a solid squad..Poland is tough but they tend to do what we do in the last few tournaments and that is they get in but always screw something up in group play....and they don't play all that well against skilled teams.

Should be fun!

 

- Austria is the team we wanted from Day 1.
- Klagenfurt is the city we wanted from Day 1.
- Thank God we lost to Macedonia (in terms of Pot 1).
- Let's keep the lid on expectations.

Message to the players and coaching staff -

PLEASE KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS TO YOURSELF, WE DO NOT NEED TO HEAR HOW WE ARE FAVOURITES, HOW WE ARE A TOP TEAM AND HOW WE SHOULD BEAT SOMEONE.

 

- Austria is the team we wanted from Day 1.
- Klagenfurt is the city we wanted from Day 1.
- Thank God we lost to Macedonia (in terms of Pot 1).
- Let's keep the lid on expectations.

Message to the players and coaching staff -

PLEASE KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS TO YOURSELF, WE DO NOT NEED TO HEAR HOW WE ARE FAVOURITES, HOW WE ARE A TOP TEAM AND HOW WE SHOULD BEAT SOMEONE.

Still a big difference from having to listen to Otto Baric and saying that "we should just feel lucky to be here" and the old, "We don't have the talent Andorra has." The guy was a bum.

I think Bilic will have our guys well prepared...

On the flip side, I hope to God we don't have that "all we have to do is show up" mentality because that's when we play like garbage and get caught napping and looking ahead. In a way, I'd rather have the Germans that first game because it will have us focused...as long as we don't go into the Austria game with the "lako ce bit s' njima" attitude, good things will happen.

 

I'm satisfied with this group, I would have preferred to avoid Germany, but all in all it's a good group for us. There can't be any excuses, we have to get 6 points!

 

Still a big difference from having to listen to Otto Baric and saying that "we should just feel lucky to be here" and the old, "We don't have the talent Andorra has." The guy was a bum.

I think Bilic will have our guys well prepared...

On the flip side, I hope to God we don't have that "all we have to do is show up" mentality because that's when we play like garbage and get caught napping and looking ahead. In a way, I'd rather have the Germans that first game because it will have us focused...as long as we don't go into the Austria game with the "lako ce bit s' njima" attitude, good things will happen.

That's what I'm afraid of and I think talking up our favouritism (even when we are clear favourites) causes us to relax and come in thinking lako ćemo...:smileani:

Slaven and the other boys in the coaching staff came through two major tourneys so they know what to do, I just hope they don't get caught up in all the euphoria.

 

That "lako cemo.." attitude has always been our downfall...but, for some reason, I really believe Bilic and his staff will have us ready for this tournament and we won't have that mentality. I think right now there's an air of confidence in the team BUT, they actually blend that with hard work on the field of play as we saw from qualifying. But we shall see...what's the old saying? The ball is round.

 

In a way, I'd rather have the Germans that first game because it will have us focused...as long as we don't go into the Austria game with the "lako ce bit s' njima" attitude, good things will happen.

We took on the toughest first at WC 06, and it didn't turn out to be good, as we "just" had to beat Australia in the last round, but we fuccked up big time!

But now we have some new keyplayers and match winners in the squad, and Bilic is not Kranjcar :thumbsup:

WE SHOULD MAKE THIS!

 

Phucking hell guys. BBC pundits fancy Croatia to win it at 12/1. This is not good. I prefered it when no one rated us.

 

100/1 would be good just like the Austrians

 

History against our opponents
Germany (4 matches; 1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses)
Euro 1996 Quarterfinals - 2:1 loss (Suker)
WC 1998 Quartefinals - 3:0 win (Jarni, Vlaovic, Suker)
Friendly 2000 (Zagreb) - 1:1 draw (N. Kovac)
Friendly 2004 (Split) - 2:1 loss (Neretljak)

Poland (4 matches; 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss)
Friendly 1996 (Rijeka) - 2:1 win (Brajkovic, Cvitanovic)
Friendly 1998 (Osijek) - 4:1 win (Stanic x2, Boban, Boksic)
Friendly 2003 (Split) - 0:0 draw *note, Marjan Cup, so I think both teams used "B" squad
Friendly 2006 (Wolfsburg) - 1:0 loss

Austria (3 matches; 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses)
Friendly 2000 (Vienna) - 2:1 win (Stanic, Boksic)
Friendly 2001 (Rijeka) - 1:0 win (Vugrinec)
Friendly 2006 (Vienna) - 4:1 win (Klasnic x2, Babic, Balaban)

 

I like this group, Germany is the only team who i don't prefered, but i think that it will be o.k.

 

Very good group for you guys. Anything but first or second place would disappoint me.
Playing you at first is the only negative aspect of this draw. Good luck, you're my dark horses for the title.

 

Friendly 1998 (Osijek) - 4:1 win (Stanic x2, Boban, Boksic)

Remember this game, they played in the new kit for WC 98 for the first time. I remember I was a little bit shocked over the new design... but later I just loved it

 

I really like this draw. You couldn't ask for a better draw....

The Austrians are the weakest team there and although are at home, we will have tonnes of fans at the game..

Ze Germans, tough but I'd rather play them anyday in the first round over the french, the dutch and the italians...plus in Klagenfurt, we will be practically home...

The poles, hopefully by then we have already qualified...I see them drawing the austrians and losing to the germans....

I am torn right now abut going...wasn't planning on it, but I don't want to regret missing out like I did in France...I have a gut feeling this tourney is going to be a memorable one for us...and for all the right reasons....


Guys, since I am too lazy to look it up...how far away is Klagenfurt from Zagreb and also Cakovec...I have places to stay in both...which is closer?

Man-I cannot wait for this tourney to kick off.:lick:

 

I wonder if our new found "friends" will be cheering for us?? :smileani:

 

Zagreb to Klagenfurt - 156km (about 97 miles)
not sure about Cakovec, even less

 

I wonder if our new found "friends" will be cheering for us?? :smileani:

You know they will...they already do...

PS Maybe our brother from Drnis will be joining us in Klagenfurt to cheer our boys on?:thumbsup:

 

very good draw for us..the fact that we are in austria's group is huge as we will have a alot of support there..im not really worried about that lako cemo attitiude under bilic..

 

You know they will...they already do...

PS Maybe our brother from Drnis will be joining us in Klagenfurt to cheer our boys on?:thumbsup:

Yeah, they're all suddenly cheering for their new found "Slavic Brothers" :yuck: Until this tournament starts.

Cool, the Croatian brother from Drnis I'm sure will be a proud Hrvat come tournament time.

 

very good draw for us..the fact that we are in austria's group is huge as we will have a alot of support there..im not really worried about that lako cemo attitiude under bilic..

I'm actually more worried about the way the Islanders are playing.

 

Zagreb to Klagenfurt - 156km (about 97 miles)
not sure about Cakovec, even less

Man-that's practically a home game:excited: ...if I could gun it down to Omis fom Zagreb without thinking twice about it...Zagreb to Klagenfurt is nothing...