Niccolo and Donkey
07-10-2008, 02:09 AM
CVITANICH EYES CROATIA ROLE (http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/holland/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=international_feed/08/07/09/SOCCER_Ned-Ajax_Cvitanich.html)
Sporting Life
July 9, 2008
http://images.sportinglife.com/08/04/330/Dario_Cvitanich_808904.jpg
New Ajax signing Dario Cvitanich is likely to accept an offer to play for Croatia when his impending citizenship comes through.
Cvitanich, who was the top scorer in the recent Clausura tournament with 13 goals for Banfield, signed for the Amsterdam outfit for a fee of 7million euros and the 24-year-old is about to be given a Croatian passport because of his grandparents.
The Argentina-born striker has announced that he will accept the offer to play for Croatia because he believes Argentina coach Alfio Basile is unlikely to call him up to the Argentinian squad.
"The interest seems to be real and I hope I can do it," Cvitanich told Ole newspaper.
"It is a great opportunity. I can play in the World Cup qualifiers and a World Cup in two years' time. It is the dream every player has."
Cvitanich feels he has no chance of playing for Argentina in the near future: "In the national team I have a lot of competitors and I have not done anything to play there.
"I might score a lot of goals in Holland and maybe then jump up to a more important league and Basile will consider me, but I cannot close the door on this opportunity by waiting for a possibility that may never come.
"I'm 24, I live the present and I think (playing for Croatia) will be the best for my career."
Cvitanich has admitted putting his footballing career ahead of any patriotism towards Argentina he may have.
He said: "It is a decision that must be respected. In most cases, players prioritise football and as they have no place in their countries' national teams, they play in another.
"That is what has happened to me. Croatia are a national team with several foreigners. Ivan Rakitic is Swiss, the Kovac brothers and Ivan Klasnic were born in Germany and Eduardo da Silva is Brazilian."
Da Silva - 24
Cvitanich - 24
Rakitic - 23
Modric - 23
Kranjcar - 25
Team of the Future.
Sporting Life
July 9, 2008
http://images.sportinglife.com/08/04/330/Dario_Cvitanich_808904.jpg
New Ajax signing Dario Cvitanich is likely to accept an offer to play for Croatia when his impending citizenship comes through.
Cvitanich, who was the top scorer in the recent Clausura tournament with 13 goals for Banfield, signed for the Amsterdam outfit for a fee of 7million euros and the 24-year-old is about to be given a Croatian passport because of his grandparents.
The Argentina-born striker has announced that he will accept the offer to play for Croatia because he believes Argentina coach Alfio Basile is unlikely to call him up to the Argentinian squad.
"The interest seems to be real and I hope I can do it," Cvitanich told Ole newspaper.
"It is a great opportunity. I can play in the World Cup qualifiers and a World Cup in two years' time. It is the dream every player has."
Cvitanich feels he has no chance of playing for Argentina in the near future: "In the national team I have a lot of competitors and I have not done anything to play there.
"I might score a lot of goals in Holland and maybe then jump up to a more important league and Basile will consider me, but I cannot close the door on this opportunity by waiting for a possibility that may never come.
"I'm 24, I live the present and I think (playing for Croatia) will be the best for my career."
Cvitanich has admitted putting his footballing career ahead of any patriotism towards Argentina he may have.
He said: "It is a decision that must be respected. In most cases, players prioritise football and as they have no place in their countries' national teams, they play in another.
"That is what has happened to me. Croatia are a national team with several foreigners. Ivan Rakitic is Swiss, the Kovac brothers and Ivan Klasnic were born in Germany and Eduardo da Silva is Brazilian."
Da Silva - 24
Cvitanich - 24
Rakitic - 23
Modric - 23
Kranjcar - 25
Team of the Future.