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On Friday afternoon, Ivan Leko (45) was officially introduced as Standard’s new head coach. The Croatian signed a contract in Liège until mid-2026. Standard is already the fifth Belgian club in his coaching career, the seventh if his playing career is also taken into account. “I am a proud Croatian, but Belgium is my second home. It feels like coming home.”
Friday, January 5, 2024, 3:19 p.m
Sporting director Fergal Harkin was the first to speak at the press launch of Ivan Leko as Standard’s new head coach. “Applications came in in the first hours after Carl Hoefkens was fired. And you would be shocked if you saw the names. Big names. But Ivan Leko was immediately our first choice. Why? He is a born winner, knows our competition inside out and knows exactly what it takes to be successful. From our first conversation, I immediately sensed the passion and energy needed to make this club successful again. We look to the future with confidence.”
Top club in decline
Ivan Leko is back in Belgium after three years. After eventful stays in China and his homeland Croatia, he is now finally living again with his wife and two children in Schilde, Antwerp. “I am a proud Croatian, but Belgium is my second home. “It really feels like coming home,” said the 45-year-old Leko, who returns to our competition at a top club in decline. The ambitions are therefore modest. “I am very grateful for this opportunity. The challenge is enormous, but that’s what makes it interesting. For me, Standard is still a top club. During my time as a player and coach, I always had difficult games against Standard. This club means something in Belgian football, right? And the potential is still there. I also want to see the passion and energy of the fans on the pitch. But of course there is still a lot to do.”
Leko and Harkin did not yet dare to put forward concrete ambitions. “Our first goal of the season? “That the players enjoy coming to training again,” said Leko. “You also have to want to get better every day. Work hard, stay humble and keep quiet. That’s the only way you can achieve something in football.”
On Friday morning the new coach was on the practice field for the first time. On Saturday he will set off with the team for an internship in Marbella. “More than a little small talk was not possible for the time being. And the days until the first competitive game are limited. That’s not ideal. I usually arrive at a new club at the start of the season. Fortunately, I will have the opportunity to talk to everyone in detail during my internship. I will also try to convey my playing style to the group. I don’t want to talk about systems yet. But first we have to become more dominant: more verticality, more players in the penalty area, creating more chances. And we concede fewer goals at the back; we conceded far too many goals before the winter break.”
Layoffs in Croatia
Leko’s last stint as head coach turned out to be a failure. In October he was released by Hajduk Split, the club of his heart, after less than a year. “A long and emotional story. But in summary I don’t think our results were bad. Hajduk was second when I took over. We also came second and won the cup. This season we were second again, just two points behind the leader. Well, I learned a lot from it. After my experiences abroad, I am a better coach and a better person.” Finally: Leko conducted the entire press conference in English. “How’s my French? Not bad. I’ll speak French to you soon, I promise.”
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