The former Croatian coach announced at a humanitarian spectacle in Livno that his new technical team will include many compatriots, and he also reflected on the end of his tenure with the Vatreni.
Zlatko Dalić, the most successful coach in the history of the Croatian national football team, has revealed the first concrete hints about his future technical staff with the United Arab Emirates national team. At a humanitarian event in his hometown of Livno, he said that his team will include 'plenty of Croats'.
In a few days, Dalić will travel to the UAE to formally take the helm of their national side. Although he did not want to reveal specific names, he hinted that he will rely on proven Croatian expertise. "Many names are being mentioned, but I will announce the final list once everything is finalized. I can only say that there will be plenty of Croats, but I hope there will be even more after it's all said and done," Dalić told 24sata.
This confirms that Croatian football influence will continue to be strongly present on the international stage, continuing the trend of domestic experts finding engagements around the world.
He also reflected on his concluded tenure on the Croatian bench, which was marked by historic successes. "Life goes on; everything I did, I did at the right time. I've done my part, and now it's time for both the national team and me to go our separate ways," Dalić said. When directly asked if he feels relief after the immense pressures that come with the role of Croatian coach, he answered briefly and honestly: "Yes, I feel much lighter now."
Dalić made these statements at the fifth edition of his humanitarian camp in Livno, where a sports and music spectacle was organized on Monday. The central event was a charity match between the Vatreni and the team Livno and Friends. Before the match, Dalić posed with legendary Mario Mandžukić and longtime team manager Iva Olivari.
Over all five editions of the event, more than 250,000 convertible marks, or about 125,000 euros, have been raised. The entertainment part of the program also featured Bili tići, a team from the Down Syndrome Association, and the women's band Troglav.
The three-day camp brought together an impressive list of renowned experts who worked with the youngest participants. Among them were Blaž Slišković, Igor Štimac, Kazimir Vulić, Ante Miše, Krunoslav Rendulić, and Anel Karabeg. "I am proud of everything we have done over the years, and I am glad that we managed despite vacations and family obligations," Dalić said, summing up the success of yet another humanitarian action before heading off to a new professional challenge.
