Sportske Novosti reports that Vedran Corluka is returning to the Croatia national team, confirmed the Croatian Football Federation president Davor Suker for the Russian Sport24 ru. The former Croatia national team player will replace Ivica Olic in the position of assistant coach in Zlatko Dalic’s coaching staff.
“Vedran had a phenomenal career with the national team. That is why we decided he would be an assistant to Zlatko Dalic at the European Championships. It is our joint decision. I am very happy that Vedran will be with the team. I am sure that a person like him will unite the team and will help young players,” Suker said.
Corluka has been in Russia since 2012, where he plays for Lokomotiv Moscow, and announced that he would say goodbye to that club at the end of the season. He did not say what he would do next, but joining the Croatia coaching staff suggests he has coaching ambitions. Is this the end of his playing career or will he continue to play after the Euros? We will probably get an answer soon. Corluka retired from the Croatia national team after the 2018 World Cup.
Recall, before Russia, Dalic brought on Ivica Olic as an assistant, mostly to be a link with the players he competed next to not long before. Dalic also wanted Darijo Srna to join his coaching staff.
Thus, the idea of Corluka joining the coaching staff is not so surprising. Olic took over CSKA Moscow in March, leaving Dalic with a hole to fill. We are still waiting for the coach to decide exactly who will make up his coaching staff at the Euros and whether there will be even more new names.
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