Podcast Tribina with Dean Klafurić
«Teamwork, thinking and creativity are vital on the football pitch»
Dean Klafuric, as a head coach of Ethnikos Achna, was an expert guest in Tribina Podcast (“tribina” in Croatian = “the stand” in English). As an only guest, Dean spoke about the Cyprus, club he is currently coaching, satisfaction with the club management recognizing Dean’s and his team’s love and approach toward football, his views on football, comparison of the clubs in Croatia and Cyprus, player development, young Croatian players like Alen Halilovic, Nikola Vlasic, Josip Brekalo, Marko Pjaca, etc.
Key takeaways from Dean’s involvement:
- Friendly coach approach mixed with an authority based on knowledge and love for the game, along with a strong character is my recipe for the success
- Team formation is not an information written in a stone, but a structure in which players understand their role, individual and team obligations and tasks
- Build-up phase of the game is very important, to create team’s rhythm and approach
- It is not vital, if important at all, results young players had at U-11 or U-13 level. It is important if a club academy can produce quality players at national team level and top leagues level – negative impact of the pressure “The club has to win at all age levels all the time”, because great number of players give up on their football careers and players who can develop in future stages are being “drowned” by the system
- Thoughts on Polish league, high quality infrastructure, big media coverage and high rhythm football with focus mostly on physical approach and defensive strategy – “It is important to have players who are ready, but the creativity and thinking make difference on the pitch”
- Teamwork among coach staff is really important for Dean because individual professionals working together can make amazing results together and improve the whole club situation
- Team spirit and the locker-room camaraderie is vital for the long-term success
- Johan Cruyff philosophy and approach to the game, not as a recipe that Dean want to copy
- Analysis of the huge and monumental win vs Anorthosis (5:0 on February 23rd, 2020)
- Players’ age is not a critical variable in football Dean is looking at, but skills, readiness to play, etc.
- Cyprus Football Association did a right thing not to continue the current season, because of the high temperatures, training issues and etc. Next season there will be 14 clubs in the first league (two more than this season) and three clubs will be relegated
