RELATED
Nickica Jelavic: Everything You Need To Know About Everton's FA Cup Goal Scorer
Thie piece was written before Everton signed Jalevic from Rangers - but offers a fantastic insight into the player's makeup.
With the capture of Jelavic from Rapid Vienna on August 20th 2010, Rangers completed their biggest signing in eight years. Still, and notwithstanding Jelavic appearing to be nearing his peak at 26, any top club buying the Croatian now is nonetheless still gambling on potential rather than proven quality.
Rangers agreed a fee of £4million with Rapid, making Jelavic the most expensive signing since Mikel Arteta arrived at Ibrox from Barcelona B via PSG for £5.8million in 2002. But having spent big in the 1990s – £12million on Tore Andre Flo, £6.5million on Michael Ball and £5.5million on Andrei Kanchelskis for example – the fee for Jelavic merely emphasises the fact that Rangers have increasingly been latterly operating within straitened circumstances. Indeed, Jelavic doesn’t even feature within Rangers’ top ten most expensive transfer buys all of which were concluded in the club’s golden era between the signing of Paul Gascoigne (1995) and Mikel Arteta(2002).
Nonetheless, the capture of Jelavic still represents a rare recent transfer coup for Rangers.
Indeed, it is my understanding that by rights Jelavic would actually be a Celtic player currently had their Chief Executive Peter Lawell agreed to Neil Lennon’s request that he free-up the funds for the player’s transfer from Austria. Given Jelavic’s impact at Ibrox, (32 goals in 43 appearances). The notoriously hands-on Lawell will doubtless be relieved to see the back of a player deemed crucial to Rangers’ fourth successive title challenge by the man who signed him – Walter Smith. Another keen admirer of the Croatian is Everton’s David Moyes and the Scot apparently now regrets the indecision over Jelavic that paved the way for the striker’s move to Glasgow.
Looking at the player’s record and performances it is easy to see why even an astute judge like David Moyes could be both simultaneously admiring and also unreconciled as to the merits of the player who Everton scouted in Europa League action in 2010.
On the face of it there is much to admire about the 6ft 2in frontman with sound technique and a decent eye for goal. A look through this YouTube goals compilation from 2010/11 tells you all you need to know.
It’s a showcase of the full gamut of the striker’s art: backpost headers and front-post runs, goals from crosses and throughballs, smashed finishes blasted home from an acute angle, opportunist goals. There is even a pair of deadball strikes and an improvised finish or two. Taken together, the collection shows Jelavic to be a gifted all-rounder with a full mastery of the striker’s repertoire. But Jelavic’s greatest strength, his unspectacular proficiency also exposes his most obvious weakness. In an age of super-specialists Nickica Jelavic appears not to boast that one killer attribute – such as explosive pace or a gift for spectacular invention – that might lift him from his current role as a scourge of mediocre defenders in Scotland to the elite echelons of the contemporary game.
As such, the hype surrounding the Croatian is hard to fathom. Jelavic boasts just two goals in 17 appearances for his country and if he goes to this summer’s Euros he will have to improve on his standing as Croatia’s fourth or fifth choice striker behind Eduardo, Olic, Mandzukic and potentially also Mandzukic’s uncapped Wolfsburg teammate Lakic.
At Rangers too the cracks are beginning to appear too and while they obviously wouldn’t actively choose to lose Jelavic’s goals many Rangers fans would reluctantly sacrifice Jelavic in favour of keeping Allan McGregor, an on form Steven Davis or an injury-free Steven Naismith.
Indeed since Naismith, the beating heart of this Rangers side, incurred a serious injury at Aberdeen on October 29th, Rangers have dropped 10 points from a possible 27. While Naismith has been absent Jelavic has weighed in with six goals in nine games: on the face of it a decent return for a player robbed of his greatest creative ally.
However on closer inspection, that recent record isn’t quite so impressive: four of those six goals came from the penalty spot and with Jelavic contributing just one assist in that period (against ICT). Jelavic’s all-round contribution, at a point in the season where Rangers need him most, can and has been questioned within the Rangers dressing room.
Jelavic is often referred to as a targetman in the Scottish media but it is a lazily applied description, based almost solely on the striker’s physique. Jelavic is basically an old fashioned dynamic forward of the kind much-beloved at Rangers but largely out of fashion elsewhere – for a whole host of reasons.
In a world context, think of a Theofanis Gekas, Fernando Llorente, a James Beattie, or at a push a Mario Gomez or Luca Toni type.
In terms of Rangers, think of a roll-call of imposing yet technically adroit centre forwards like Mark Hateley, Duncan Ferguson Marco Negri or the player Jelavic arguably most resembles, his fellow countryman and Rangers’ idol Dado Prso.
Goran Trpevski the former Malmo midfielder turned Balkans-based scout has monitored Jelavic’s career with interest. And while he questions the comparison with Prso, he does suggest that Jelavic’s effectiveness could be limited to either teams that dominate possession against weak opponents like Rangers or lesser lights in the top leagues prepared to play to the centre forward’s strengths.
Click here for more Football and Sport stories
Click here to follow Sabotage Times on Twitter
Click here to follow Sabotage Times on Facebook
If you like it, Pass it on
COMMENTS
croatian footballers are in the news more and more lately,there skills come from hard work and dedication.A mind set which a few more of the english player could follow more closely i would say.
SPL heroes are fit for max league 1.....premier league s just too much....
Another person with no knowledge of scottish football,we dont ever say its the best league in the world but there is some decent quality,i watch english football regularly and like it but it is basically a 2 to 3 horse race every season and with the amount of money each team gets the quality is not great ie national team and european competitions.So if you have something to say at least base it on facts not ignorrance
Top quality peice of writing Greg,as a Rangers fan i totally agree with almost everything in it. even still if the big paying Premier League clubs want to take the gamble its got to be a fee of 9 or 10 million bearing in mind we spent 4M on him in originally , we took our gamble , now the big boys have to take thier own.
Kartik showing his lack of knowledge on Scottish football with his comment as Charlie Adam at Liverpool couldn't hold down a first team place at Rangers. Rangers aren't an inventive attacking side anymore and Jelavic still scores, some of them are top drawer - put him in a side of service and attacking mentality and he will score against the best of them. Why the richest league in the world would quiver over a reasonable price for a teams top player is beyond me.
Don .... Got to admit Charlie Adam surprised every Rangers fan to be honest , amazing what can happen when someone shows a bit of faith in you !! £300,000 plus an add on ? we lost out big time on that 1 .On the other side though , Boyd , Wilson , Goodwillie ,Big potential and reputations but cant get a kick in the Premier League and in Boyd s case couldnt even do it in the championship !Unfortunately Rangers and Celtic are now only a stepping stone to get ambitious European players a few miles nearer England and prove they can handle playing in front of a big crowd then we sell them on and make a bit of profit , dont see that trend changing in the near future as the Old Firm are probably in financial terms now Championship Standard . ( only my opinion )
I think it all comes down to individual cases as tempting as it is to try and impose a general rule. Think of Charlie Adam, Henrik Larsson, Darren Fletcher and even guys like Dorrans and Snodgrass and you'd consider them as successes in England. Goodwillie, Danny Wilson and many others have it all to prove still but usually you find it all comes down to opportunities and the players making the right moves to the right clubs at the right time. The scout could do a brilliant job identifying likely successes but their are still no guarantees. Confidence, off field problems and injuries can all dictate how players settle - football issues too (managerial changes, teams' style of play etc). Islam Feruz looks like he is pulling up trees just now, defying most predictions for example at Chelsea. Jelavic is a real enigma as at this stage you can make a compelling case for him flopping or being a real hit in The Premiership. As for young Scottish players, our performance at younger age groups suggests that talent isn't the issue. as for English youngsters it is how the players develop between U19 and age 25 that dictates their level. A lot of luck in terms of opportunities and regular game time plays a massive part at a young age.Of the Scotland U19 team that reached the 2006 Euros final v Spain only Wallace, Kenneth, Dorrans and Reynolds have done anything like fulfill their potential and Wallace was the only one of the four to start the Final.Some of the side are out of the game completely and others made their careers in part-time football.
He has steadily declined in quality over the last 2 seasons. If you want someone who can score you goals against st mirren and Kilmarnock, then he's your man. But, he has consistently failed to produce it against any of the tougher teams - a point which Greg alludes to in the above article. Honestly - he's worth no more than Rangers paid for him. £4-£5mill tops. There are 3 or 4 better strikers than him in Scotland and if he came to the EPL he wouldn't even be in the top 20 strikers.
Martin , with all due respect , Jelavic must be worth more to a premiership side than we paid for him otherwise we would not sell him on , that is how Rangers survive these days ie Boumsong 6M profit Cuellar 5.5M and now Jelavic possibly 6M profit at a push depending on how much competition there is ? Whether he makes it in the Epl or not will no longer be Rangers concern in a few weeks time but unless the chairman is mad its got to be a price of 9M or10M for Rangers to even consider it .
You could argue that Rangers survival (sic) is not by what they receive in transfer fees, but by not paying what is owed to others (particularly the large bills to her majesty) This might seem like a little bit of a sideswipe by me, however, this does tie me in nicely to my point. Rangers can no longer afford to wait for the over-inflated, outlying bids that you mention above. Previously, the club had no need to sell and could wait until something ridiculous came in for one of the players and then sell. Boumsong, Cuellar, Hutton et al. I'm not saying that Rangers' financial worries will devalue the player. I'm saying he will only go for what he is truly worth - 4-5million, (maybe 6 at a push) because Rangers now have a need to sell. With only 3 or 4 saleable assets and a total squad value of (IMO) circa 20mill, Rangers may not be in the position to knock back an offer about 5mill, particularly if this months tax case is found in favour of the crown. I understand the club and the supporters (yourself included) have a desperate need to over-inflate the value of the player - all I'm saying is - don't be surprised if you see him being sold for an 'undisclosed' fee in the last couple of days pf the window - watch this space.
I think the fee Rangers' ultimately get for Jelavic could come down to a few things - and not just circumstances that might make Rangers a vulnerable selling club. Firstly, is there more than one club generally interested (an auction will drive up the price)? Secondly, are interested clubs' other targets deemed better value for money and are they available? Thirdly, the closer we get to the end of the transfer window and the relative desperation levels of competing clubs to get a striker in could condition the extent of the fee. Lastly, Rangers will need to make a calculation on what the player is worth to them as an asset on the field. They will need to consider the likely cost of a replacement. How effective a disaffected Jelavic would be in the title race and (if he doesn't get his move). Also they will need to calculate what needs to be done given the tax case, the threat of administration and Rangers' general financial health. Rangers are vulnerable yes, but the physical fact of trading in the transfer window (and the pressure on clubs to add to their squads) could actually protect Rangers from a predatory bid. If only one club are genuinely interested and Rangers 'have to sell' then I suppose the scenario whereby Jelavic goes for a firesale fee is definitely a possibility.
Gents ,I agree that all the above are very possible but still think his agent can drum up enough premiership interest to get the deal done at a good price for Rangers . As for a replacement it will back to a 2m or 3m player from somewhere and fingers crossed again !! or Maybe Boyd on a free he may well come back and start scoring 20 to 30 a season ,then we will really realise the standard of football we are dealing with. a neck on the line prediction Jelavic to Newcastle for 9 million what do you lot think ??
Totally irrelevant. You could buy Maradona in his prime and put hime up front. If, you have Adam, Henderson and Downing palying behind him he'd still look like Sean Dundee on a bad day. Stay where you are Jelavic you really don't want anything to do with the absolute farce of a football club Liverpool have become.
It's looking increasingly likely that it will be Liverpool. With scouts from QPR and Liverpool at the game yesterday - depends how much they like what they saw. Think Rangers will be keen to get the deal sorted before the end of this week.
Liverpool? Oh thats a cracker! Try West Ham or QPR lol
As I say in the piece, I am very sceptical about Jelavic's credentials as a potential Liverpool player and my understanding is that Liverpool want other targets more. Like you Vin, I'd be surprised to see Liverpool bid. owever at this point in the transfer window managers do rash things and King Kenny is no exception when it comes to making transfer gaffes.
Martin why do you need the silly petty wee comments can you not just make your point,also 3or 4 better strikers very silly comment,why is it Celtic fans are so interested in the Gers if my team had just turned around a 15 point defecit i'd be getting behind them instead of making cheap shots.The only people who no the outcome of the hmrc trial are the judges.Why not be original and say something that makes a valid point instead as coming across as another tic fan with a massive chip on his shoulder.
Jelavic is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I have seen him score beautifully off of headers, free kicks, and dribbling in the box...but I think this doesn't really matter in the EPL. You have to be absolutely world-class in one area to succeed in the EPL. Jelavic is very, very good at everything. I could see him do well in England with his size and strength, but at the same I could see him suffer for not being a specialist. It's a tough call for Liverpool.
James , if Jelavic is in your opinion ,very good at everything , why would this be a hard deal to do at 8 ish Million when Liverpool wasted 35 Million on Carrol who is not really good at anything !! He had a good 9 months at Newcastle got an England cap or 2 and the Premier League went mad as always , they will never get that money back , that wasted money is what will probably hinder a bid from Liverpool , not Jelavic having a lack of a specialist skill.
Jelavic may not be worth the money Rangers want but as others comments cover they just want to get some profit from this as English clubs do try to undervalue SPL players yet overvalue some of their own. Both sides want good business but it does become irksome to see clubs like Chelski pay over a million for a 18yr old who has only played 12 mins of football and have established internationals valued at the same price because they plyed their trade in the SPL. Really they just want to get more money for their transfers out of the EPL as all other clubs in Europe and lower leauges seem to do.
Every transfer is a bit of a gamble, but Jelovic at the price would be less of one. It's easy to show contempt for the Scottish Premier League, but not all players in the English Premiership are that great. I refer you to £35mill flop Andy Carroll, and even bigger disaster Fernando Torres at a mind boggling £70mill. A total waste of good money.
#comeonyoubhoyswiththeprettygreen
Well done droid ?? very mature !! why are you not at school today ? You have ended a debate full of different people's opinions on a subject , with that ?? Greg ......give this man a job !!
Martin ,well done mate ,you got it spot on , I hope Jelavic does well at Everton ,if only to give the reputation of Scottish Football in general a boost , I am really struggling to work out how Rangers didnt have a player or 2 waiting to come in when it was painfully obvious that Jelavic was leaving , even a couple of out of contract players ? I smell a Rat (a big craig.... WHITE ....1) i fear its Celtic s title this year and that is exactly what Rangers deserve .
Davie Moyes will have parted with that portion of his transfer budget with gritted teeth. He could have had Jelavic for £2.5m at the time Celtic and Rangers were sniffing around him initially. Some good contributions from everyone in this thread. James, Alan, Martin et al take a bow.....
My God that article could do with being edited.
Davey Moyes has spent a fair amount of cash on strikers as Everton manager;Beattie,Andy Johnson,the Yak and Saha come to mind.He's also taken a chance with Marcus Bent and Beckford.However,none have lasted very long possibly because of the way Everton play in a fairly rigid 4-5-1 system.The lone stikers tend to be"burnt out"fairly quickly and move elsewhere for an easier life!Jelavic should be prepared to give 100% every time he puts a Blue shirt on for Moyes and do the work of two strikers.Otherwise he will go the same way of the aforementioned players. Good luck Jelly!!
Yeah superally - you've been made to look like a wee bit of a fool now. If you'd taken the time to ask me about the 3-4 players comment, I would've said that Naismith (a Rangers player) would be in that category too. A player who in my opinion, has been a big loss since his injury and will be a bigger loss than the player you have just sold. But you never took the time to ask that - instead just jumping down my throat. Tsk Tsk. You've also made the massive assumption that I'm a Celtic fan? I've not mentioned that anywhere. But, I don't think I'll give,you that satisfaction of telling you - keep you guessing anyway. Make a valid point? My prediction of 5 million was pretty close to the mark. How much was I off by? Half a million you say? You could almost buy a quality premiership,striker for that amount - or can you? Anyway get the impression you are a bear with a sore head, so I'll leave you be.
Good article Greg, it was the main story of the window and sparked some lively debate.
Alan C. Yeah mate - think he will be a good fit for Everton. Priced about correctly and he'll go straight in as a first choice striker, so we'll get a chance to see how well he does soon. Like you say, if he does well, it can only lift the profile of the SPL too.
Just read Martin M talking about Jelavic only scoring against "St Mirren or Kilmarnock." Would he like to share with us how many points St Mirren have taken from Rangers & who won the last twice Killie played Rangers this season??
I could answer your question - but that's not the point that was being made.
SABOTAGE
