keepers caught crosses rather than punch them
Football was more fun than today. Hajduk Split had a golden generation in seventies and for the half of that decade were managed by the best manager ever from that part of the world. Tomislav Ivic was his name. I think he is the only manager ever who won trophies in 7 countries.
Three League and five Cup titles in former Yugoslavia with Hajduk Split.
Dutch League title with Ajax Amsterdam in 1976/77.
League title with Belgian side Anderlecht in 1980/81.
With Porto in Portugal:
- Portugese League title1987/88.
- Portugese Cup in 1988.
- UEFA Super Cup in 1987.
- Intercontinental Cup in 1987.
With Atletico Madrid he won Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) in 1990/91.
With Marseille French League title in 1991/92.
With Al-Ittihad he won Saudi Crown Prince Cup in 2004.
Tomislav Ivic is credited for inventing totall pressing in football.
But let's go to the
fun part.
There was a couple of players in his squad who regularly had sex at half time with girls sneaked inside away stadia or with women employed there. Hajduk Split players were incredibly popular in seventies and we had sexual revolution in Yugoslavia just like everyehere else in the Western World. Interestingly, these players were able to sprint in the second half like rabbits.
There was a striker in his squad who was known for drinking so much wine the night before the game that he was often seen throwing up at 2 AM at the day of the match. Then in the afternoon he would go and score a couple of goals.
Then there was a goalie who was known for catching powerful shots and collecting crosses with one hand. When he was bored he cleared crosses by heading them out of the box. When the opposition had free-kicks around Hajduk box he always had arguments with his defenders because he didn't want them to form the wall. 'Let them shoot, I want to see the ball' is what he used to say. His idol was the former Hajduk Split goalkeeper Vladimir Beara for whom Lav Yashin, the only goalie who ever won Balon d'Or, said at the ceremony when he was receiving the trophy 'I am not the best goalkeeper in the world, Vladimir Beara is'.