Igor Stimac backs Josko Jelicic and says he wouldn’t have tolerated Gennaro Gattuso’s behaviour after TV row

Igor Stimac backs Josko Jelicic and says he wouldn’t have tolerated Gennaro Gattuso’s behaviour after TV row

Former Croatia coach Igor Stimac says Gennaro Gattuso’s behaviour in his public spat with tv analyst Josko Jelicic was “not befitting a coach of Hajduk Break up”.

Gattuso took umbrage at Jelicic’s criticism of him and his workforce following Hajduk’s 3-0 defeat to title rivals Rijeka on Sunday, refusing to shake his hand or communicate to him throughout a post-match interview.

Issues bought heated between Joško Jeličić and Gennaro Gattuso after the match. pic.twitter.com/NZEd6Qe04x

— Croatian Soccer (@CroatiaFooty) March 16, 2025

Stimac sides with finest man Jelicic

Stimac, who gained the Croatian title with Hajduk as a participant and coach, was unimpressed, though he did admit to having a powerful bond with Jelicic.

He advised the www.sportske.jutarnji.hr web site: “Though I used to be Joško’s finest man at his wedding ceremony, and we’re superb mates, I’ve no purpose to be subjective. 

“What Gattuso did shouldn’t be befitting him, as a world champion, not befitting him because the coach of Hajduk, and never befitting him as a foreigner on this nation, to not respect those that touch upon matches. 

“No matter Joško’s sure cynicism, with which he is aware of how to boost his commentary, which is impeccable, we are able to analyse every thing he stated, and there may be not a single little bit of a lie there. 

“So, he hits precisely the place he must, analyses matches, and makes his commentary that 99 per cent of individuals agree with. Some are in opposition to his type, nevertheless it clearly fits TV. Possibly he generally goes a bit too far, however he does his job.”

Stimac suggests Gattuso would have been sacked if he was Croatian

Sunday’s defeat noticed Hajduk slip to second, two factors behind table-toppers Rijeka and Stimac questioned Gattuso’s influence in Break up since taking up in June final 12 months.

“What has he dropped at Hajduk?” he added. “I imagine that so long as Hajduk, Dinamo [Zagreb], Osijek and Rijeka don’t insist on each outcomes and the [quality of] play, our soccer and the league won’t go in the proper route. 

“And that should be the precedence of each coach, as a result of the golf equipment pay them very properly. 

“I ask a logical query. How many people Croats would Hajduk have sacked if our workforce performed like Gattuso’s? He’s being ignored the entire time.

“You shoot on the objective as soon as, you give completely nothing, your workforce has no requirements, you haven’t any coordination, you haven’t any related actions, you haven’t any combos, you don’t have anything. 

“A number of gamers repeatedly performed within the fallacious positions, and you continue to dare after such a recreation, after a 3-0 defeat, to come back to the studio and threaten.”

He was fortunate I wasn’t there…

Stimac was a no-nonsense centre-half in a taking part in profession that included stints at West Ham and Derby and he’s not certain he would have been in a position to include himself in the best way Jelicic did within the face of Gattuso’s hostility.

“He was fortunate that I wasn’t there,” he stated. “It wouldn’t have been good. I wouldn’t have put up with it, all credit score to Jelicic.”