Kranjcar: Pressure Is Off

That’s “Kranjcar” pressure, not “Croatia” pressure. Let me try and elaborate. Between years 2004 and 2006, Croatia’s national coach was none other than Niko’s father, Zlatko Kranjcar. I might sound a little harsh here but the sole reason Niko was brought up to the team was indeed nepotism. Why? Well somewhere around his NT debut, Niko had obviously struggled with his club form and fitness in general.

Having lost his place in Dinamo’s first eleven, he was called up by his father and was immediately booked a place in our starting eleven. Undeserved call up? My vote is yes. His impact? He was decent. Not outstanding nor poor. Well actually you might apply those attributes whole of Croatia’s NT during the 2004-2006 period, so I think it’s fair to say he blended in. But this doesn’t take anything away from the fact that he was just a promising youngster (struggling as well) when his father decided to bring him in to play with the big boys.

Whether on or off form, fact is he has featured in practically every match in his father’s NT reign. Only a few players, if any, had this kind of treatment under Zlatko Kranjcar. But I’ll stop dwelling on the past for now, as this could probably go on forever. I’ll just say I was/am/will be a fan of Niko’s, but not so much of his father Zlatko. Let’s focus on the present.

These days, Niko’s a key player in a decent Premiership side, and has come a long way since warming the benches and filling the gossip articles all around Croatia. In a recent interview he admitted that his days under Bilic are much less stressful than those spent under his father. He also mentioned that one of the reasons he had left Croatia was the media exposure he was a victim to on a daily basis. Gossip free and finally free of his father’s influence, he’s established himself as a key player on both national and club level.

I guess while some players go through a rough treatment on the pitch, progressing through their career by fighting their way and “gradually improving” through various lower leagues, some are deprived of this process. Instantly “thrown to the wolves” due to his father’s short-sightedness, he’s had an all too different way to his maturing process. And as far as I’m concerned, he did all right.
Kudos to you Krunchie.