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Fabio Cannavaro named new head coach of Dinamo Zagreb

Fabio Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro (Photo: Дмитрий Садовников/CC BY-SA 3.0)

ZAGREB, 29 December 2024 – Fabio Cannavaro has been named the new head coach of Croatian champions GNK Dinamo.

This decision, made by the club’s management and sporting director, was unanimously approved at the 15th session of the Executive Board this evening, the club said in a statement.

The club extended its gratitude to the outgoing coach, Nenad Bjelica, for his dedication and contributions, and wished him great success in his future endeavours.

Bjelica took charge of Dinamo in September this year, leading the team to success in the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, results in the SuperSport HNL fell short of expectations, prompting the club’s management, together with the sporting director, to make changes.

Securing the HNL title remains a top priority, and this decision reflects the club’s commitment to that goal.

Sporting Director Explains the Change

“Unfortunately, results are the most important measure in football,” explained sporting director Marko Marić. “In 11 HNL matches, we managed only four wins, resulting in one of the poorest runs in the league in recent years.

“There’s never an ideal time to change a coach, but we decided to act now to give the new coach sufficient time to instil his ideas during the team’s preparations, ensuring everyone is ready for the league’s resumption. We want a turnaround in HNL results.

“The new coach brings the style of play we need to regain our dominance in the league – a focus on building play and imposing control. Cannavaro is a figure of great charisma, capable of leveraging his rich experience as a player and his coaching success, including a championship win in China. He’s hungry for success and has been waiting for a challenge with an ambitious club at the top level.

“He’s already well-acquainted with our team and the HNL as a whole. He understands the goals ahead of him at Dinamo and is fully aware of the club’s current situation. The primary task is to reclaim the top spot in the HNL while continuing our strong performances in Europe.”

President’s Perspective

Club President Zvonimir Manenica echoed the necessity for change, stating, “The lack of results in the HNL compelled the management to consider a change.

“The club’s decision was driven by the need to halt this negative trend, as we haven’t seen results like this in the domestic league for a long time. We thank Coach Bjelica for all he has done, especially the outstanding achievements in the Champions League, but the league remains our priority, and unfortunately, the results were not there.

“We have an opportunity to make a fresh leap forward in Europe, but this depends on winning the league title. This was not a hasty decision; it followed thorough analysis to determine the best course of action, free from the daily pressure that comes with Dinamo’s high ambitions.

“We waited until after the match against Varaždin to make a calm and considered decision. Fully aware of the responsibility, we are now focusing solely on the future and achieving all our goals.

“Our primary focus is the transfer window, and we’re working actively, but we won’t speculate on names until deals are finalised and official. It’s imperative that most reinforcements are secured quickly so they can integrate with the team and work with the new coach and teammates.

“We presented financial frameworks and available options to the Executive Board. The upcoming challenges demand calm and focused preparation for the players and the new coach to achieve the main objective: defending the league title,” Manenica concluded.

Cannavaro’s Official Introduction

Fabio Cannavaro will join the first team on 3 January, when he will be officially introduced as head coach.

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