Hajduk keen on Popovic to split from the Wanderers

Croatian top flight side Hajduk Split is making a concerted effort to tempt Tony Popovic away from Western Sydney Wanderers, whose season ended in a heroic exit from the AFC Champions League on Tuesday night.

Popovic

After two success-filled campaigns, Tony Popovic's Wanderers finished ninth in the A-League and were knocked out of the ACL in the group stage (Getty) Source: Getty Images

Popovic pulled off a masterstroke in piloting the Wanderers to a 2-0 win over Chinese powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande in its own backyard, only to miss out on the knockout stage - and the chance to defend its Asian title - after FC Seoul scored in stoppage time to beat Kashima Antlers 3-2 in the other Group H match.
Having trumpeted its intention to poach Popovic in February, is understood to be preparing to make another bid, with new financial guarantees built in to alleviate long-held concerns over its ability to put its money where its aspiration is.

While Wanderers boss Paul Lederer does not want to lose Popovic - who signed a five-year deal to become the inaugural Wanderers coach in May 2012 - the club has made it clear in the past it will not stand in his way should he seek to head to Europe or elsewhere to enhance his coaching career.

Hajduk Split’s previous entreaties fell on deaf ears with Popovic fully aware of the club’s precarious financial situation and the implications of that, not only for himself but also regarding the potential budget for player signings.

During a decade of off-field turbulence Hajduk even had its bank accounts frozen, despite raking in cash from a succession of player sales.

Next on Hajduk's agenda are elections to its committee while there is also the potential for a takeover, with Popovic unlikley to seriously look at taking the reins until a measure of stability is restored, despite popular Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija proclaiming in February that a deal was all but done.
Popa paper
Hajduk's Australian connection runs deep with former Socceroos Josip Skoko and Steve Horvat, and Brisbane Roar's Steven Lustica, all having spells at the Split club.

Hajduk, a perennial qualifier for the Europa League and its predecessor the UEFA Cup in recent years, has already chewed through three coaches this season and is on its fourth as it looks to rebuild for next season.

It crashed out of the domestic cup in April and sits well of the pace in third spot on the HNL ladder – a whopping 37 points behind Dinamo Zagreb with four games to play.

The club needs to hold on to third spot to clinch a Europa League qualification spot, which is seen by the Croatian media as an added carrot to dangle before Popovic.

Popovic almost signed for Split in 2007 at the tail end of his playing career before opting instead for Qatari side Al-Arabi, after the terms of the written contract he was offered did not match the verbal agreement.


Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
3 min read
Published 6 May 2015 3:39am
Updated 6 May 2015 12:31pm
By David Lewis
Source: SBS

Share this with family and friends