I remember during the EC on the other board a few of us were getting in arguments with a couple Brits before the Eng-Cro game and one guy calling us second rate journeyman. To me at the time it seemed ludicrous but now Im having second thoughts. Our guys move from club to club at rapid rates and a not many hold first team spots. Long are the days when our NT players played in clubs only in the Big 4 (Spanish, English, Italian and German) What do you guys think?

Here are a few standard NT players.

Tomislav Butina- CLass goalkeeper playing in the Belgian League which I think is even at most with the HNL but I honestly rate the HNL a bit higher.

Stipe Pletikosa- When on the ball is world class. Not really playing for club and screwed again out of playing in the Euro games for his club. Rumoured to be one of 2 players in the NT with a drug problem.

Joe Didulica - Talented player but playing club football in one of the weakest Euro leagues.

Darijo Srna. Real talent. Great Nt performer but very up and down with club. Heavy tempered but playing club ball in the Ukraine League.

J Simunic- Standard player and heavily talented. Importantly playing in a good league.

R Kovac- A rock but getting old.

I Tudor - Talk about a huge fall from grace. Two years ago thought of as one of the 3 best defenders in the world and now playing club football with lowly Siena. The second Nt player rumoured to be abusing drugs. Marijuana is his supposed choice.

D Simic-Before was a NT mainstay but has not played since Cro-Eng and is not expected to play much now since he is ready to play.

J Vranjes- Up and down NT performer and plays in spurts with Stuttgard.

Ivica Mornar- No comment. Since move to Rennes and never really played or done anything.

M Rapijc- Once thought of as the heart of the NT with N Kovac was clubless at the beggining of the season and is now playing for Standard Liege in the lowly Belgian league. If Im not mistaken has 1 goal on a penalty kick there.

M Babic- Decent Nt performer and on and off at BL. Was losing his spot there to the Polish player but I think has been playing more.

D Prso- A superstar but using his talent in the weak SPL.

N Kovac- Great NT player and great at HB.

I Leko- Was a great standard player at Malaga and got shafted 4-5 days before the transfer deadline. His club let him go to make room for a Brazilian. Now back at Hajduk. Thought to now be a saviour for the NT midfield.

J Leko- Some times can play like a football amadeus and some time off. Plays in the Ukraine League and hasnt really been playin for the NT much.

I Klasnic- Superstar. Great league player but wasnt performing up to par with the NT. Hopefully the 2 goals against the zidovi has waken him up.

I Olic- Playing in the Russian League and quite popular there. In some games for the NT could be the big saviour and in other the biggest goat. Rumoured to be going to Chelski at the end of the season.

N Kranjcar- thought of to be the saviour of Cro football but this season for Dinamo looked and played uninspired. Hopefully his new start with Hajduk will wake him up.

B Balaban- Another supposed saviour of Cro football had a bust in England and now in the BL for Club Brugge. Had a great start of the season and got injured. Havent heard of him lately.

S Tomas-Great in the Turkish League and up and down for the NT. Seems to now be in an upswing for the NT.

Eduardo Da Silva- Sort of like an X Factor. Has the potential to be a huge star. TO early to rate NT experience. Was amazing for the U-21.

I think the majority are talent. Most of them are quite young and havn't even reached there prime yet. Players like Srna, Babic, Kranjcar, and even Klasnic are all 25 years or less. Remember though, just cuz a player doesn't play for some famous club like Man U or Juve, it doesn't mean they arn't quality players.

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Ziva Grana Hrvatske

True but your weekly opposition is what makes you as a player. Its fact if you play in a harder league you'll be a better player. But also our guys are moving from club to club all the time hence the journeyman label.

bolje to nego ostalo sranje

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Volim Hrvatsku
Više od majke
I od oca svog
Volim Hrvatsku
Silu Evropsku !

I don`t know if playing in a big league is a requirement to be a good player. There are really good players around that don`t play in places like Italy, Spain etc. Some of the clubs in Russia and Ukraine are definitely getting very strong. Donetsk just bought some great Brazilian talents that maybe afew years ago would have been with some of the traditionally big clubs. Didn`t one of the young future stars of Brazilian football move to Benfica recently (I think his name was Diego). There was another Argentinian guy called Tevez who, despite some interest from B. Munich, ended up moving from Boca to the Brazilian league.

Times are changing, the big clubs appear to be far less likely in taking risks on signing players from outside their league.

Correct Hrv, Carlos Tevez(I believe his name is) went from Boca to some Brasillian club in 2004. I watched quite a few of the games from the South American Cup this summer and he was great for Argentina. I think he is going to be a great player(if he isn't already) in the future and that Brasilian club that signed him is going to make a ton of cash in 2-4 years when he will inevitably go to Europe. He is still only 20 years old I believe.

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DALEKO DALEKO IZA DEVET SELA

Tevez=Gun

I saw a highlight package of his goals a while back, very skillful player, he wil go to Europe or Spain eventually...

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...but it is interesting how Tevez didn`t move straight to a big club in Europe. Maybe its because of some fairly high profile flops from Argentina (Palermo, Saviola and Salas spring to mind).

...he is only 20, so plenty of time. I dont know much about the brazillian league but im sure he will be able to develope his skills there, knowing brazillians

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Theres a lot of shit surrounding Tevez moving to Corinthians, many believe Abramovich had a lot to do with it so he can get Tevez to Chelski.

corinthians and a few other brazilian clubs also just began receiving a massive inflow of cash from investors outside of the country.

part attempt to revive brazilian soccer domestically, part due to a shift in the mentality of the govt towards attracting such investments.

romoured drug problems? Do we really need this shat around forums? jesus christ.

some posters here think so. I guess they also like reading the Enquirer

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Borat vs. Svrbia 2:1