On the eve of the biggest Croatian derby in recent years Dynamo i Hajduk on Maksimir, expert commentator MAXSport Yesko Jellyčić he referred to the situation in Hajduk, which includes the former sports director Nicholas Kalinića and club president Ivana Bilića.
Kalinić revealed all the “skeletons from the closet” at the press conference after the dismissal and declared that there is not a good atmosphere in the club. Human relations are damaged, and the financial situation is not the best either. He blamed everything Alyosha Pavelina whom he believes manages the club from the shadows, while Bilića, according to his words, is not asked anything.
Just a few hours later, at his own press conference, Bilić tried to deny Kalini’s statements and restore some sort of peace to the club before the eternal derby. Now the whole situation was commented on in the show before the match by Jeličić.
– On the one hand, we have Nikola Kalini, whom I know personally. We can discuss his experience because he immediately moved from football to the position of sports director. But I know that he is an honest guy and a great Hajduk player, who provided Hajduk with seven million euros when he left for Blackburn. He worked for Hajduk for free as a sports director. On the other hand, we have Ivan Bilić, the president of Hajduk. I was tired of watching the man with his tics, stuttering and trying to control who would ask him questions. That was absolutely sad to watch.
He also referred to the claims that Bilić and Gattuso već they don’t talk for a month because the president of the club did not provide funds for the four expected reinforcements this summer.
– There was a split in the club. We have Gattuso and his players, who love and follow him. They are on one side, while the administration is on the other. The president of Hajduk obviously does not know the system and sports structure because he stated that the new sports director will not be able to replace coach Gattus.
Before the match, Ivan Rakiti briefly commented on how much the events surrounding the club have affected the Hajduk team in recent days.
– They are nothing. We are for the lawn. Ours is a green field, and this is left to the administration. We have nothing to think about it, for us the most important match is – said Ivan Rakiti.