Newly appointed acting director of HNK Zadar and the former president of the Melbourne Knights FC, Pave Jusup, has made his intentions clear. He stated them in his first public statement.
Anything less than first place in the league this season will be seen as a failure. The former long-time president of the Knights said this in a press statement issued on HNK Zadar’s official Facebook page this week.
“My ambition is for Zadar to finish the season in first place. That’s the standard we’re aiming for – everything else would be a disappointment,” stated Jusup.
The club, which has faced turbulent times in recent years, currently plays in the Croatian League 3 (Southern Division) competition. This is the fourth tier of the Croatian football pyramid.
The one time HNL outfit is now looking to restore its former strength under Jusup’s leadership. Despite being new to the role, the director is determined to be more than just a figurehead.
“I’m not a puppet on a string,” he said in the statement. He added that he wants to be actively present in the daily life of the club.
Jusup’s strong Zadar roots
Jusup plans to attend training sessions regularly and collaborate closely with the coaching staff. He aims to stay involved in every segment of the club’s management.
Though born and raised in Australia, Jusup has strong roots in Zadar. He moved back to Croatia with his young family a year ago.
He says he is prepared to accept all the challenges which await him in this demanding role.
“Zadar is the fifth largest city in Croatia. Along with its county and its people, the region deserves a strong and stable football club. This club should compete in the top tier of Croatian football.”
But he also stresses that success will not come overnight and that a lot of hard work awaits everyone.
According to Jusup, there were often reports in the local media suggesting the new investors were not interested in further investing in the club.
“The reality is, however, rather different. Over the last three years, more than 3 million Euros have been injected into HNK Zadar,” he said.
“Without those funds, the club simply would not have been able to function normally,” added Jusup.
It has been reported widely that the new owners of HNK Zadar consist of a Sydney based consortium of Australian Croatian businessmen. This consortium is led by current Sydney United president Mark Ivančić.
“Our main aim is to fix the club at all levels,” concluded the ex-Melbourne Knights president and newly appointed acting director of HNK Zadar, Pave Jusup. He emphasized that they want to ensure the coaching staff and the players are provided with the necessary conditions and resources to achieve our sporting goals.
