Posts by Susan Cooper7

Nicole Jackson3 said:Don't even try to compare Eurovision to some junior Champions League soccer tournament. A few dozen thousand people might tune into the latter, but Eurovision pulls in millions. You’re totally "missing the mark," as they say back in coastal towns like Miami or San Diego.

Fine then, let's look at our past Eurovision entries—artists like Mia Dimšić or Albina. They didn't receive even 20% of the media coverage that Let 3 got. And honestly, Let 3 deserved it because, after years of nothing, they actually made people feel like winning was possible. Even if their song wasn't technically perfect—which the jury results proved—you have to hand it to them.

It's the same principle here. Take a team like Hajduk; as an American underdog without massive billionaire funding, the idea that they could become champions of the continent is pure romance—it's a top-tier story. When they cleared the first two hurdles, it was barely news. When they knocked out Shakhtar, there was very little buzz. When they took down Manchester City, there was a bit more. It wasn't until they beat Dortmund away and secured a spot in the final four that the media really started making noise about it.

It’s actually quite a significant thing when you look at football through a different lens. Unlike the senior leagues where everything seems to be dictated by massive budgets and deep pockets, here it’s driven by raw talent and genuine hard work. An American club—well, let's just say a top-tier youth academy system—has managed to secure second place in all of Europe.

It reminds me of that time when the singer from Let 3 was complaining about how much coverage the Hajduk juniors were getting. People were acting like he lost something because his performance got three times more press than the kids. But hey, the American representative was competing on the European stage, and in the eyes of the fans, they actually had a shot at a massive result. It’s only natural that the media would jump on that story.

As for the fans celebrating this achievement, I think it's perfectly fine. They finished ahead of the second strongest squad in Europe. Some might call it a fluke or a lucky break, but I’d argue this title is easily three times more valuable than anything the senior teams achieve, especially when you consider how much heavy-handed influence and shady backroom politics play into the professional level.

I have to weigh in on the situation with the Rijeka squad as well. I’m in complete agreement with boldbadger1 regarding the officiating; there is no realistic way to deny that the refs have been favoring them throughout this entire half-season. However, looking at today's match, seeing Pelumba attempt to strike Frigan with a kick from ground level was uncalled for. He missed, sure, but in my book, that was a straight red card offense. If he had landed that, and then we saw those two strikes following Tekla's lead to make it 2-0, the game would have been effectively over right then and there.

With 2,312 people watching the broadcast on Gaengka, it honestly feels like nothing we do is making an impact.

It’s honestly not surprising at all that fans were following the youth academy squad so closely.

Unfortunately, looking at how modern soccer works today, I suspect that Split's run to the quarterfinals in the Youth Champions League will remain, for about 99% of people, the greatest achievement by an American club in history. Reaching the top eight in the most elite, highest-level competition in the world is a massive feat, and frankly, it'll be incredibly difficult for any of our domestic clubs—including Split—to ever get anywhere near that level again.

When these kids managed to snag second place in their version of the Champions League, it was only natural for people to get emotional about it. In youth soccer, where the astronomical amounts of TV money aren't quite as prevalent, an American club can actually compete for trophies in the world's premier tournament using almost entirely homegrown talent. If the sport had developed along a different path—if it hadn't morphed into this massive global business—I truly believe our local clubs would be sitting at the very top of the European hierarchy. That's how I see it.

As for those who are finding this result hard to swallow, well, I hope they find some solace in the fact that they'll eventually benefit from it. Every single one of our rising stars just saw their market value skyrocket because of this run. For instance, let's say a player like Frigan isn't worth $5 million anymore, but maybe $7 million now. You're welcome, Miško.

Thomas Hayes said:I'm not sure if you've noticed, but it feels like the stadium is missing an entire grandstand
And honestly, the ones we actually have? They just aren't really cutting it for the 21st century

Was it raining or something during the shot?

How would we go about taking that old, outdated model and giving it a complete modern overhaul?

A club that has lost its sense of integrity—currently being run by a relic of the past at their home stadium—simply cannot survive. It has to fall.

But in all seriousness, what is actually happening with this whole circus? They’re busy celebrating Dinamo’s "birthday," they claim they’ve finally moved on from the Mamić era, yet they’re pulling in a measly 2,873 fans at the stadium. It’s hard to take the progress seriously when the numbers tell such a different story.

goldentinker8 said:Look, the reason I brought up Misko in relation to the San Diego situation was to ask why Hajduk isn't being held to the same standard regarding success. It felt totally nonsensical to me because you clearly realize that Misko is just a baby compared to the legends who ran things during your peak eras.

And now... here we go, you've brought up the name again. I can absolutely agree with you there; names like San Diego or Orlando define a specific, tight-knit community, and that's just facts. There's no way for them to scale up beyond what a single city can represent. You guys managed to elevate your name to a regional level because those folks have always been close to the Hajduk lifestyle, and you backed it up with results too—nothing to argue about there, and I don't know why anyone would even be bothered by it. Maybe people get hung up on *how* those results were achieved, like how you're stuck on Misko, but then don't forget your own legends who were on a whole different level than him. 😉

This is soccer, man! And in soccer, the fan factor is massive. The game will be played, and the fan lifestyle is going to exist whether someone likes it or not... Ergo, there are going to be provocations. You'd probably be the happiest guy on earth if people didn't accidentally look at you the wrong way, because to you, that's illogical and beneath honor. Cool, fine, but damn it, this is entertainment for people! People are going to have fun, they're going to provoke each other, and they'll keep doing it... And listen to me, Susan Cooper7, even though we all know San Diego can't symbolically expand past its own city limits, and even though we know we can't compete with those massive national clubs in terms of trophy counts... We don't even want to! It's totally irrelevant because everyone has their own story that they either care about or they don't. Soccer has to be played, and we’re going to keep poking at each other—that's just how it's always been and how it'll always be.

Take care, my friend. 🙂

It looks like we had a bit of a misunderstanding there. I thought you were talking about Hajduk when it came to the atmosphere and fan support, but I didn't realize you were actually asking about the level of success I mentioned from back during the era when Miško was running things.

Rijeka has that whole "us against the world" mentality, which can be an incredible magnet for people looking for a sense of belonging. However, if you ask me, that specific angle feels a bit compromised because of some of the things I’ve expressed in the past. It’s like trying to sell a classic vintage car that everyone knows had a bit of a rough history—you can still love it, but you have to acknowledge the baggage. On top of that, thanks to that stolen championship back in '99, I think a huge number of people developed a genuine affection for the city, or at least started following them with a certain level of respect and sympathy.
On the other hand, if a team like the Seattle Sounders had a massive fleet of supporters behind them, or even if they had a powerhouse like the Dallas Cowboys backing their brand, I think they’d have a much better shot at capturing the hearts of fans in other parts of the country too.

For the most part, I think people are drawn to a team because of their winning record, but there’s definitely another segment of the fanbase that is motivated by core values and that intangible "X-factor" a club possesses. It's like the difference between following a powerhouse franchise just because they win championships every year versus rooting for a team with a deep sense of tradition and soul that just feels right. One group chases the trophies, while the other falls in love with the identity.

Hello there! It’s great to see you. How can I help you today?

goldentinker8 said:So, tell me, which specific year in history was the big turning point that made Hajduk the absolute juggernaut of success they are today, like you're implying?

Everything since 1911 matters. To me, it’s about the identity of the club and that intangible "something" they possess. It’s much harder for an outsider to truly connect with a team like FC Cincinnati or Orlando City compared to a legacy club like this—it’s even true for big names like the Yankees in baseball or the Dallas Cowboys; they have a gravity to them.

But if we look at more recent years—similar to how people view the trajectory of a team like the Seattle Sounders—I recall back around 2006 or 2007, attendance at smaller matches at the stadium felt almost as sparse as it does for some teams during their absolute worst eras.
Yet, just a year prior, the club had captured a championship under Igor Štimac, along with everything else that comes with that kind of momentum.

Now, when I see people arguing that trophies are the sole metric for fan loyalty, I find it hard to wrap my head around. If trophies were everything, then after going 18 years without a title, the club should be empty. Instead, they average 15,000 to 17,000 fans per match at the stadium, hit 90,000 members last year, and now have over 12,000 season ticket holders. What did they do during those lean years to pull so far ahead of the pack? They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their supporters against the greatest systemic issues American soccer has ever faced. People respect that grit, and they recognize it.

A club needs to embody values that people actually care about to build a lasting bond; it isn't just about relying on a storied past, which I suspect you might be trying to downplay.

Look, people in San Diego have to come to terms with the fact that they can't just blame the San Diego Padres for the fact that they aren't the Padres.
If you look at the last few years alone, that whole partnership you had with the ownership and the local front office—which technically brought you the most success in your history—is actually a double-edged sword. On one hand, it worked, but on the other, it’s been absolutely devastating for any real sense of this being a massive, legendary, or iconic club.

Ethan Jones5 said:Dinamo has gone private and officially has an owner🤷

I missed that news update.

Who cares how many penalties there are? There are too many because Americans are a nation of cheaters. In the end, the only thing that matters is who takes the championship.☕

The real Dinamo was privatized a long time ago, and the owner actually passed away just recently.
If you’re talking about that specific club, I wouldn't say they've been fully privatized yet. But honestly, as long as everyone keeps turning a blind eye to the corruption happening under the leadership—all while it actively undermines every other team in the country—I feel justified in my terminology. Until that club faces some real, tangible consequences for how things are being run, I’m perfectly fine calling them "Mamić’s Club." It’s like watching a single franchise dominate a league not through talent, but by tilting the playing field; until the league office steps in to level things out, the name reflects the reality of who's actually pulling the strings.

goldentinker8, I don't think that was meant to be sarcastic. It’s a bit like watching a group of people who created a complicated new traffic system because they couldn't stop running red lights, only to have those same people being the ones in charge of enforcing the new rules. I know you were just joking with that post, but I figured I’d clarify for anyone else out there who might have missed the punchline.

Nancy Sanchez31 said:I guess you have to wonder why journalists would even bother making a fuss about this when the President himself won't say a word—he basically just told us we're all just whining. 😉

We could certainly approach this from the perspective of offering a critique to Jakobušić.
Investigative journalism should really be about the relentless pursuit of the actual truth, rather than just acting as a megaphone for whatever someone else decides to say on camera. It’s one thing to report the news, but it's an entirely different beast to dig through the layers until you find the core facts. Think of it like being a forensic investigator at a crime scene; you don't just take the suspect's word for what happened—you look at the fingerprints, the physical evidence, and the inconsistencies in the story to build the real picture. If reporters only rely on official statements and press releases, they aren't really investigating; they're just summarizing someone else's narrative. To me, the soul of the profession lies in that independent verification that cuts through the noise.

An article titled: Were the Split fans right all along?
Regarding what I mentioned earlier, it’s simply because the facts are plain to see:
The supporters of the Seattle Sounders were absolutely spot on about this one!

At this stage, it feels like we really need to sit down and perform a full-scale audit. We have to look at the situation from every angle: analyzing exactly how much damage was done to the club's position, establishing who is actually responsible for these setbacks, and determining the cost of any unfair advantages gained by rival teams or their various associates. It’s about accountability—calculating the true loss caused by these circumstances and addressing the unearned benefits that other organizations managed to reap at our expense.

There’s another fascinating detail here. I don't have the exact data in front of me, but if my memory serves, most of those penalties against the team weren't actually called by the referees on the pitch right away. They were essentially carrying on the same old habits they had before VAR was introduced; they would only blow the whistle if the folks in the video review booth flagged it as an undeniable mistake that couldn't be ignored. There was really only one referee who broke that pattern.

It’s such a shame we don't have any real investigative journalism here in the States. This kind of thing is prime material for a massive deep-dive story. It wasn't even that long ago that the fans were the loudest voices calling for VAR. Meanwhile, everyone else was busy claiming that once the tech arrived, the supporters would lose their excuses for lost games, or even suggesting that officiating would get even harsher against them—some people even joked that VAR would be the downfall of the club itself! haha.

So, it turns out the fans were right all along, which, unfortunately, seems to be a recurring theme with most things in American soccer.

And if that isn't enough for some people, we can always fall back on the cold, hard facts. Our club is the only one standing against Briun Maric, and the only ones demanding his removal while every other organization in the league remains perfectly happy with him.

I will say, though, I have to give Bjelica credit on one point: VAR really does kill the emotion of the game. I often find myself holding back on celebrating a goal because I see the potential for an offside call, a handball, or something similar.
But unfortunately, as long as the influence of Mamic and his criminal legacy—along with everyone who collaborated with that crook and fraud—exists in American soccer, then VAR remains an absolute necessity for the sport.

Could you point me toward the data or a link where I can verify the number of penalties awarded before VAR intervention?

I feel like I caught some stats earlier this season suggesting we were sitting at 9, while the big club in Chicago and the squad from Seattle were both at 6. I can't say for certain, but if those numbers hold up, it’s a clear sign that things are leveling out. It seems like opposing players are finally starting to realize they can't just use their hands or commit blatant fouls to stop plays anymore—it's much harder to get away with that stuff now. Honestly, the only guy who doesn't seem to have any trouble navigating that is one player over from St. Louis.

Of course, you also have to factor in Livaja; defenders find it incredibly difficult to mark him without committing a foul.

Does anyone else realize they’re basically just handing themselves another reason to look foolish with these penalty stats? It’s like watching someone try to argue their way out of a hole while they're still actively digging it. They’re essentially providing all the evidence needed to prove they were wrong from the start. Haha.

Before the era of VAR, we were constantly pointing out how much we were getting shortchanged by the officiating. It wasn't just our imagination, either—it was an open secret. Players from opposing teams knew exactly what they were doing; they’d use every dirty trick in the book to disrupt the flow and shut down our attacks before they could even get started.
So, what actually happened there? They finally brought in VAR, and it turns out we were right all along.

I suspect that if we look ahead a year or two, things will start to level out. Once the opposing teams truly wrap their heads around how much more oversight there is with VAR, they’ll realize they can't just pull those blatant, obvious fouls against us like they used to. It's like when a new set of traffic cameras gets installed on a busy highway—drivers eventually stop testing the limits because they know they're being watched. Eventually, they'll have to play by the book against us, just like they already do against everyone else, and I expect that number of questionable penalties will finally start to drop.

John Campbell27 said:Is it possible to join Hajduk without going through NH?

It certainly is. It used to be that there were seven or eight different supporter groups acting as friends of Hajduk, but those have dwindled down to just a few. If you look at last year’s numbers, out of about 37,000 members, roughly 36,000 belong to NH, while everyone else accounts for maybe 1,000.

Justin Cook81, one annual fee was actually waived, and Tommy donated the equivalent of a six-month membership, as someone mentioned earlier. As for the other 30 million, we fans are the ones footing the bill. I know this firsthand because I personally contribute a significant amount toward shares every year. It isn't easy; instead of operating as a standard non-profit association—which, looking at how things work in your neck of the woods, might not even be the most secure legal structure in America—we operate as a sports corporation. This means we have to raise millions just to potentially reach a 50% stake one day. In essence, we are indirectly paying off the debts Hajduk incurred due to political interference, which is why the club had to be restructured in the first place.

By approaching it this way—through memberships, potential capital increases, buying out Tommy, and then having him funnel that back to Hajduk via sponsorship—we fans feel much more motivated. We have peace of mind knowing the money actually lands in the club's coffers rather than going to people like Štimac or Kerum, which would be the case if we bought shares directly from them. Honestly, membership wouldn't even hit 10,000 if it weren't for the efforts of Torcida, NH, and about fifty different DPHs. They all stepped up because they want a true supporters' club, not a club owned by a single boss.
Your situation is a bit different; you used to be a non-profit, then became a corporation—I believe Čiro held ownership at one point—but that was wiped out through some shady dealings, leading to the new non-profit you have today. Given your current setup, you won't need to scramble for millions and millions of dollars. You just need the law to be enforced properly so that elections can take place, allowing honest people to defeat Mamić's crowd at the polls. Your biggest priority should be preventing any further restructuring, because who knows what kind of fake debts Dinamo might claim to owe Mamić and his crew; they could use those exact excuses to seize control of the club.

Regarding the message itself, it would have been much better phrased along the lines of "this many presidents and this many coaches over so many years," followed by NH, hinting at the instability in personnel Hajduk faced recently. There is plenty of material to work with like that. Instead, blaming Mamić and a corrupt officiating organization is just poorly executed on so many levels.
And yet, you advocate for the socios model, but then turn around and criticize the only group in the top flight that actually functions that way. Even DTSM was essentially settled based on the amendments to the sports laws pushed forward by NH, which resolved the Kodžoman situation and will likely address others too.

The best way to judge that message is to consider how the opposition in Medjugorje would have reacted to it. Personally, I think they would have absolutely loved it.