Kek Finds Toni Fruk's Successor
Under Matjaž Kek, Rijeka has won three out of three, with the focus on Niko Janković's return to form and the development of Gabriel Rukavina, which is key for the club's future.
Under Matjaž Kek, Rijeka has won three out of three, with the focus on Niko Janković's return to form and the development of Gabriel Rukavina, which is key for the club's future.
Three matches have passed for Niko Janković (24) since he returned to Rujevica this summer. Although he hasn't scored or assisted yet, his performances are improving with each game. In Sunday's win against Rudeš (2:1), he took five shots on goal, with one hitting the crossbar. Janković is increasingly resembling the player who, twelve months ago, was valued at €6.5 million by Transfermarkt.
Last summer, he had a transfer to Fenerbahçe all but agreed, but in the end, he never boarded the plane to Istanbul. After José Mourinho was sacked, the move fell through, leaving Janković in limbo.
Janković spent last season in months-long "battles" with Victor Sanchez, the coach who led Rijeka for most of the previous season. At Rujevica, they long and skillfully concealed the facts about their relationship. According to information from Sportske novosti, Janković mostly ran laps in training under the Spaniard, and when he did get a chance, he was a reserve for the reserve team.
What still isn't clear to anyone at Rujevica today is what exactly bothered Sanchez about Janković. The young midfielder endured it all but seriously lost his confidence along the way. Now, the experienced Matjaž Kek is slowly restoring it, seeing in him the natural successor to Toni Fruk (25), whose departure is undoubtedly approaching.
That's why Kek insisted so much on Janković's return from his loan in Slovakia. After Fruk's departure, Janković will move to the "number 10" position, where he feels most comfortable and where he played the most in Dinamo's Academy.
This opens up space on the left side of the attack, which in Sunday's match against Rudeš was covered by Gabriel Rukavina (22). The young winger has been at Rujevica for two years but hasn't yet gotten a real chance. A month ago, Rijeka received a concrete offer for him from a 2. Bundesliga club, but the transfer was halted because Kek demanded it. The Slovenian sees Rukavina as an opportunity that could bring Rijeka significant profit.
Rukavina is a classic winger, extremely fast, with excellent dribbling and a tendency for deep runs. Croatian clubs and the national team have long been looking for exactly this type of player. Of course, he will also need time to get into form and prove that he wasn't accidentally named one of the greatest talents of his generation.
At Rujevica, Kek is simultaneously trying to solidify the team and revive players who have stalled at some point. Three wins in three matches is a good start, but even more important is that Rijeka looks like a team that can improve from game to game. On Thursday, Finnish side Ilves arrives at Rujevica, an opponent that is significantly weaker on paper. It will be another opportunity for players like Janković and Rukavina to make a step forward in their game.
