Met with Skepticism, They Showed in the First Round Why They Are the Future of the SHNL
Javi Cabello and Federico Bessone brought modern, brave football to Istra 1961 and Osijek, despite all the challenges and doubts.
Javi Cabello and Federico Bessone brought modern, brave football to Istra 1961 and Osijek, despite all the challenges and doubts.
Foreign coaches in the SuperSport HNL have traditionally been met with reserve. The logic is simple: the league isn't attractive enough for proven European names, so mostly those still seeking affirmation arrive. This summer, Spaniard Javi Cabello (52) and Argentine Federico Bessone (42) stepped into Croatian football, taking over the benches of Istra 1961 and Osijek. While many awaited their first steps with skepticism, it's already clear after the first round that they brought exactly what the SHNL needed most-freshness and a clear game plan.
In Osijek, Bessone was greeted by a completely new management composed of foreigners without experience in Croatian football. Young president Alexandra Végh and sporting director Kenneth Zandvliet entrusted him with a team that narrowly avoided relegation last season, with additional pressure from uncertainty over the club's future since Viktor Orbán lost power in Hungary. Despite a squad that wasn't significantly strengthened, Bessone didn't look for excuses.
On the other hand, Cabello found a stable club structure in Pula, but also a dressing room stripped of key players. Top scorer Prevljak and midfielders Lončar and Radošević left the club, and the only reinforcement was Ivan Šaranić (23), who arrived from second-division side Sesvete after failing to make his mark at Dinamo, Varaždin, Bravo, and Dubai. Like his Argentine colleague, he immediately rolled up his sleeves.
Already in the first round, both coaches demonstrated a clear football identity. Bessone's Osijek celebrated a 2:0 victory in Gorica, playing bravely and offensively from the first minute. The statistics are impressive: 27 shots on goal and five big chances created. The Argentine, who went through Barcelona's La Masia as a young player, insists on possession and control of the match, but he's not one-dimensional-last season with Olimpija against Celje, he didn't shy away from playing defensively and relying on counters when he judged the opponent to be stronger.
Cabello's Istra 1961 wasn't successful result-wise, losing 3:2 to Lokomotiva, but the displayed game was the surprise of the round. The Pula side took 23 shots on goal and created three clear-cut chances, with 17-year-old Nik Škafar Žužić particularly impressing. The youngster, who had only 57 first-league minutes before this match, was given complete freedom by his coach and repaid it with brave dribbles and constant threats to Lokomotiva's defense.
What connects Bessone and Cabello is an approach rarely seen on domestic pitches. They didn't ask for time to adapt, didn't publicly pressure their boards with demands for reinforcements, and didn't hide behind excuses. They took over the roster as they found it and immediately tried to get the maximum out of it, insisting on open, attacking football that is the polar opposite of defensive play where the primary goal is not conceding.
Of course, only one round has been played, with 35 more to go until the end of the season. The real tests come with the inevitable crisis periods. Still, the way these two foreigners stepped into Croatian football deserves respect. If they stay true to their philosophy, the SHNL will become a better league, regardless of the final standings of Osijek and Istra 1961.
