Croatia v Wales Competition - UEFA European Championship Stage - Qualification Round Group - D Venue - Polijud Stadium, Split Date - Saturday, 25 March 2023 Kick off - 19:45 Wales commence their Euro Qualification campaign with arguably the toughest match in the Pool Stage, away to Pool favourites Croatia: the other 3 teams in the Pool are Armenia, Latvia and Turkey. This will be the first competitive match for Rob Page’s Wales squad since a poor World Cup campaign that saw Wales end bottom of their group. Since that tournament, several stalwarts have retired from international football, including Joe Allen, Chris Gunter and Johnny Williams. The greatest loss, of course, is that of talisman Gareth Bale, who has retired completely from football. To compound the loss of Bale and Allen, in particular, Page’s squad has been weakened still further - former Swan Ben Davies has withdrawn from the Wales squad because of injury, whilst goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has also withdrawn from the squad and returned to Nottingham Forest. Worryingly, Brennan Johnson requires further assessment…. Given these withdrawals, defender Morgan Fox, goalkeeper Tom King, and forwards Liam Cullen and Mark Harris come into the squad. With respect to Croatia, the coach, Zlatko Dalić, held a press conference in Split on Monday. “It’s nice to get together again and be together after three and a half months. We are the favourites in the group, but we have to be careful so that no mishap happens. A lot of players who played at the World Cup in Qatar have problems with form and injuries. Brozović took a long break, Kovačić didn’t play for a long time, Kramarić didn’t play for a while, everyone had minor problems. The situation is not the best, but we always knew how to solve such problems during the qualifications,” Dalić said, adding. “We don’t know what will happen to Petković, Ivušić is ill. I called up Musa, I want to see him, to be with the team for a week. There are Livaja and Kramarić, we will see how the situation will develop further. Livaja is playing well, he likes playing at Poljud. He gave a lot to the national team, he scored a goal in Qatar and I expect a lot from him. I’m sorry for Orša, he doesn’t play at his club (Southampton), but I don’t want to lose him. He is not fit, but I want to give him a chance to try to come back. If he does not constantly play at his club, unfortunately he will not be able to play for the national team either. However, I hope he will, we will try to get him back in good form through the national team. Stanisic? He was great in every match for the national team, played at a high level. We have two very good solutions in the position of right back. Juranović is more offensive, goes more forward and has a better cross, and Stanišić trains every day with top players, as if he is playing a strong match. We have a great tandem in that position,” said Dalić. “What will happen to Modrić in the future? Will he play at the Euros? Everything depends on him, I would like him to be with us as long as possible, but everything is in his hands”. Since (and including) their first encounter in 2002, the Countries have met on 6 occasions, with 2 draws and Croatia winning the other 4 matches. Turning to Saturday, given the respective strength of the squads, I can see no other outcome other than a comfortable 2-0 victory for Croatia. Hope I’m wrong
Excellent write up Taff I too can't see anything other than a Croatia win unfortunately. The bigger picture for Wales now is to try and reignite the flames of enthusiasm over the last few years. There's always going to be times when we as a small nation don't have a flow of huge talent coming through. Therefore, it's incumbent on the management team to keep up the enthusiasm and to organise a group of players to the most effective unit that it can be. Thereafter, it's down to us to get behind our fellow countrymen.
Cheers Clingo - nice to be on the same side for the next week I agree 100% with your comments re the bigger picture
This could be painful, I hope not though. Surely a comfortable home win. The biggest problem is the coaching IMO. Does anyone think Page is really up to it? Yes, we don't have the greatest player pool to choose from, so all the more reason for a manager that can make the best of it. I'm tired of hoping for a miracle after this season!
Page? Isn’t he the guy who was sacked as Manager of League One Northampton Town just 8 months into a 3 year contract?
I guess managing a national side is completely different to doing the same at club level, especially when human resources are so limited. Page doesn't have the advantage of developing players on a day to day basis and consequently has to rely on each individual's club boss. In his position, it has to be about motivating the players, moulding them into an effective team and being tactically astute. On the whole I think he's done well in the "boss if the underdogs" role. Beyond that, the jury is still out for me.
Personally, I think he allowed sentiment and misplaced loyalty to govern his selection of the World Cup squad: it appeared that certain players were included because they had been around the squad for a number of years and as such ‘deserved’ to be included. Anyway, Croatia is a difficult ‘first up’ match, yet in some respects it’s good to get it out of the way.
Good points eloquently made Taff and very difficult to argue with within the scope of how football is judged these days. I'm the first to admit that I can be a sentimental old fool and consequently I had no problem with the sentiment you described. Had we been realistically in with a chance of advancing much further in the tournament then it might be a different story. As it was, I had no problem with the idea of saying thank you to the guys that had reinvigorated the national game. In a cut throat sport in which success can simply be bought and people are discarded like wastepaper, the international game gives a chance to add some decency and balance. It's not always achieved and even international competitions are fraught with corruption. But as always, Wales showed some level of virtue. The WC for me was about saying thank you before we move on to the next chapter. Told you I was a sentimental old fool.
I cannot - and wouldn’t want to - argue with your comments. I can only commend your well-reasoned response.
I'm usually well up for it when Wales play. However I am fearful going into these qualifiers. I hope it's not a return to the dark days. If we come away with anything from this game we will have done well. However I, like the rest, think we'll take a bit of a beating by 3 or 4 goals at least. Hope I'm very wrong. COME ON ON WALES !!
Well we really should have got out of the group at least. I don't think that's wishful thinking either. I sympathise with your other points though. Page excelled in the "propaganda" side of things but to me that just made the whole experience even more disappointing.
More excellent, well made points. Managing expectations is a difficult science. In some respects, perhaps it's best not to even try. I'd hate to see a Welsh team in any sport lose its passion. I guess we now have to learn and move on and do what needs to be done to progress. Don't ask me how we do that though. I suppose it depends on whether Page is capable of his own personal development or if we have to make a change. Anyway, thanks to all for letting me join in with your debate
Great match thread Taff as usual, whether for the Swans or Wales it is always a good read. I agree with all said. Going to be tough and if Johnson doesn't make it, it will be even harder.
Echo Clingo's comments, excellent write up Taff Sadly, my views echo many on here with me also anticipating a relatively comfortable home win. The only plus point I can see is getting arguably the hardest game out of the way first and hoping our new look, younger, far less experienced squad can learn from the experience gained. Looking at our midfield now really does worry me, but being the small nation we are we can only utilise what's available to us. We'll certainly not lack passion and hopefully will still have the fight and fire in our bellies that has become a signature of our national team. Youth and exuberance may yet carry us through but facing exceptionally seasoned campaigners like Croatia will be a very tough task... C'mon Cymru
As long as every player gives 100% for the whole game then if they lose the score should be respectable , and it will bode well for the next games.
