In the week when the entire footballing public is eagerly awaiting Croatia's biggest derby, in which Croatian Cup holders Hajduk host champions Dinamo Zagreb, we once again manage to lose focus of the game and deal with other affairs.
Radio Split today featured talk show host Edo Pezzi interviewing Mayor Ivo Baldasar. This interview featured information that can in no way benefit our Club, with its team, certified youngest in the MAXtv Prva Liga. This is especially pertinent with the derby match looming so near.
What is more, the broadcast dialog featured several incorrect statements likely to influence public opinion negatively, first and foremost the alleged 124 million kuna debt which the club has supposedly incurred. It hardly needs to be said that this figure is wildly inaccurate, as the correct figures were reported to the public on several recent occasions. The club's actual debt amounts to 68 million kuna. When the Club's receivables to the amount of 25 million kuna are deducted, this leaves us with 43 million. The latter figure includes the 30 million kuna in two business bank loans. All this clearly shows the mayor's claim that the debt is increasing to be incorrect. Between June 1, 2012 and today, the debt has gone from 85 million to the 43 million of today.
The accusations, however, did not end there. The interview between Pezzi and Mayor Baldasar also featured judgment passing on many of the Club's departments. Director of Football Jens Andersson was singled out for criticism, even though he has only been at this position for about two months. The mayor saw it fit to criticize his competence, and then to jump in his own mouth by claiming politics has no place in the club - and following up that statement by expressing his desire to make (and break) appointments such as the Director of Football.
The Club's Management and its Board of Directors are firmly dedicated to the path they have set themselves, which is financial recovery. We must all bear in mind that this path can be neither easily nor quickly traversed. It is illusory to expect overnight solutions to problems which have been gathered for years.
