Everton get Hajduk Split in playoff round

Friday, 4 August, 2017 71comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton will have to negotiate Croatian opposition in order to qualify for the group stage of the Europa League following today's draw.

The Blues were paired with Hajduk Split who beat Brondby from Denmark 2-0 in aggregate in the Third Qualifying Round last night.

The two legs will be played on 17 August and 24 August respectively, with Everton once again playing at home first.

"Hajduk Split will be a real challenge, with their strong support and a stadium that is good to play football in," Ronald Koeman said on evertonfc.com following the draw.

"But of course we want to reach the group stages of the Europa League, so we will have analysed their strengths and weaknesses between now and the tie and we will be prepared."

 

Reader Comments (71)

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Jason Barker
1 Posted 04/08/2017 at 14:47:16
No mugs. Tough.
Anthony Hawkins
4 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:07:34
This is no easy qualification route.
Ajay Gopal
6 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:16:26
I always hate it when the 2nd leg is away from home. I wonder how the home/away ties are decided?
Dave Pritchard
7 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:20:56
Suspecting dodgy dealings, Ajay?
Sam Barrett
9 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:27:22
Didn't they knock us out of Uefa Cup late 70s or early 80s?
Graham Mockford
11 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:31:32
Sam

We've never played them. You may be thinking of Dukla Prague, made famous by Half Man Half Biscuit.

Liam Reilly
12 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:34:17
This is a nasty one for me.

Need to get the job done at Goodison and shut up shop for the second leg.

Golden rule is must win the home game and don't concede.

Joe O'Brien
14 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:34:36
Tough draw. We'll need a 2-goal lead going into the 2nd leg... with no goals conceded at Goodison.
Steve Ferns
15 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:40:15
This is a great draw. Anyone scared of these doesn't deserve to be in Europe. A trip to Split in August is a dream for me. I can't wait. Great place to go, 35,000 seater stadium. What an away trip. First of many I hope.
Sam Barrett
16 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:46:06
Graham, yes, I can just about remember that I think we lost 2-1 away in the first leg away and then 1-1 at Goodison?

Could've sworn we played Hadjik Split the following year or previous year though!! My memory must be playing tricks on me again!!!

Steve Mink
17 Posted 04/08/2017 at 15:55:07
Sam Barrett - I've got dim memory of EFC v Hadjik Split too.

For those making the trip, Split itself is a bit nondescript and industrial, other than the port area which is okay. If making a weekend of it, I can heartily recommend the medieval town of Trogir about half-an-hour up the coast, or catch a boat to Hvar if you want to party with the have-yachts.

Frank Crewe
18 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:24:13
I'm always concerned when we are drawn against any side in the Europa League that I've actually heard of. I'm sure they'll be no pushovers.
Roberto Birquet
19 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:27:43
Sam. Dunno. My earliest recollection of us in Europe was losing on away goals in Uefa Cup to Dukla Prague of Czechoslovalkia about 79-80.

I believe it was 2-2. They got the away goal or goals.

David Donnellan
20 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:31:22
I think this is one of the tougher sides we could have been drawn against from the draw, but we have got to beat the tough sides if we want to win this trophy.

On paper we will have more quality in our squad & will be favourites, but they will be a better side than Ruzomberok.

Ian Jones
21 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:39:36
Steve at 17. Can always try Bol, on Brac for the have-smaller yachts!
David Barks
22 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:47:55
David,

You're classifying them as one of the tough sides?

Colin Glassar
23 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:52:09
These aren't the force they were in the 60s and 70s so no need to worry. 15-0 for me.
Mike Gaynes
24 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:53:44
Sexy Cow.

Seriously, that's the name of the Split restaurant where we ate a couple of years ago. Great fries and my wife loved some of the vegetarian dishes.

One other challenge for the August 24 game that nobody has mentioned... Split can be hotter than hell.

Graham Mockford
25 Posted 04/08/2017 at 16:59:26
Great resource for all Everton records

Link

Dermot Byrne
26 Posted 04/08/2017 at 17:00:17
The confidence just flows..!
Joe Curtis
27 Posted 04/08/2017 at 17:28:51
Hello to all. Long term reader and admirer of TW but haven't really posted before. I am on holiday a few miles from Split right now. Managed to watch yesterday's tie - thanks, Paul Ferry - and was joking that we would get Split for the next match... and we have!

Just wanted to point out how hot it is here. Hitting 37 degrees a couple of times this week. Beautiful for a break but I cannot imagine playing football in this. We will need to take a solid lead into the second leg as they will be better in the heat.

That said, I think we'll do it. Love being back in Europe and glad we avoided slipping up yesterday.
Anto Byrne
28 Posted 04/08/2017 at 17:34:06
Bring it on and a rocking Goodison park will tear them apart. I suggest a 4-nil win on the cards.
David Hayes
29 Posted 04/08/2017 at 17:52:36
Completely off topic, but the BBC sport football Everton page , biggest picture a grining Jurgen Klopp... Why? Anti-Everton biased Tossers – that's why. Sick of it, want my licence fee back, Sorry, rant over. COYB.
Robin Cannon
30 Posted 04/08/2017 at 17:58:44
...because it links to a story about the European draws of the British teams. Which will be tagged "Everton, Liverpool, Celtic" etc, to show up on all those team pages. It's nothing to do with bias.
Brian Hill
31 Posted 04/08/2017 at 18:36:12
Graham Mockford, good memory and great song, "All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague away kit." Big Tranmere fans, should have had more acclaim and popularity than they received.
Drew O'Neall
32 Posted 04/08/2017 at 18:52:56
David (#29),

That's a pretty one-eyed stance. Liverpool are the 'biggest' club (highest placing among the clubs involved in the article, in the most senior league) and are in the premier competition, playing in the most significant tie, among the clubs in question.

If Everton were playing a champions league qualifier and Liverpool were playing Hajduk Split I dare say it would be a picture of Ronald Koeman.

Lenny Kingman
33 Posted 04/08/2017 at 19:21:36
Any of you old Street-enders on here, of which there will be many, get your dusty Doc Martins out of the attic as you will need them for the away leg. Possibly for the home leg too. Under the thin veneer of peace, the Croats still on a war footing, with anybody. They are not called Split for nothing.

Blues to scramble through with not too many casualties along the way.

Jamie Evans
34 Posted 04/08/2017 at 19:25:32
Lenny 33, agreed. Prepare for some beef unfortunately. Anyone know if The Brick are taking a coach...
Dermot Byrne
35 Posted 04/08/2017 at 19:27:16
Jaysus Lenny. You sure?
Martin Mason
36 Posted 04/08/2017 at 19:52:45
We have to find that intensity which we seem to have lost badly. We can't just drift along as we have hoping things will happen rather than making them happen.
Rob Halligan
37 Posted 04/08/2017 at 20:01:39
Not long home from Slovakia. Great trip. Game left a lot to be desired, but I suppose the result is the most important thing.

Should be a good trip to Split, and a lot more tickets for us. What pisses me off though is that as soon as the draw was made, loads would have been getting the best deals on cheap flights. All those that were there last night wouldn't get that opportunity of cheap flights. These European draws should be on the Saturday or the Monday, give us all a chance of cheap flights.

John G Davies
38 Posted 04/08/2017 at 20:16:04
We will probably have Siggurdson and a centre forward signed by the time of this game. That will allow us to play a formation of 4-2-1-3 in my opinion.

Full backs overlapping (only one of them at a time, one go's one stays). That gives us good attacking options. I have faith that Koeman will get it right.

Paul Tran
39 Posted 04/08/2017 at 20:16:30
Roberto, I was there for the first leg. We battered them and couldn't believe we were only 2-0 up. Then they pulled one back late. And you just knew what was going to happen in the 2nd leg
Jack Convery
40 Posted 04/08/2017 at 21:34:34
It's ridiculously hot there. Fitness will play a big part. I just hope we are fit and ready for this tie as any weaknesses will be sussed out very quickly. The 3 players Koeman wants need to be got in asap. Get through this and the group stage will be the real start of this competition for me.
Andy Crooks
41 Posted 04/08/2017 at 21:49:43
I guess my memory is playing tricks but honest to God I have seen us play this side. Did we ever play Slovan Bratislava? This is a worrying development.
Jamie Crowley
42 Posted 04/08/2017 at 22:03:54
Bad draw.

This is my (admittedly infrequent) viewing of anything Croatian soccer related. I was disgusted.

If you go, be safe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBjKtQzWWCQ

Jamie Crowley
43 Posted 04/08/2017 at 22:05:01
And quite thankfully, that's Serbia!!!
Philip Abbott
44 Posted 04/08/2017 at 22:31:44
Even though Everton are not running any travel to the away leg, Tomas Cook sports travel are looking into running some travel, if you go on Tomascook Sports Everton, scroll down and fill in registration details. If they get enough people interested, they will run some.

I can't believe Everton are saying they are trying to get as many tickets for the fans as possible but can you make your own way there,

Colin Gee
45 Posted 05/08/2017 at 02:36:28
Croatia and Split in particular is a lovely place – the people are always friendly. I suspect that the locals will be friendly enough with us. Just learn the Croatian for "Dinamo Zagreb are a bunch of fecking pussies" and you will be fine. Football over there isn't a sport it is a religion.

As for the Hajduk Split fans, the are known as Torcida and are absolute nutters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkzrJzR3sT0

Couple of years back Dinamo Zagreb banned the Torcida from attending a game in Zagreb, so the Hajduk Split players refused to play the game as a protest! That's how much the club means to the fans and the players.

Darren Hind
46 Posted 05/08/2017 at 03:46:22
Rob H @37

Always seems the way, mate. The "super fan" is seldom in the right place at the right time when it comes to getting reasonably priced flights once these tournaments start.

Takes a lot of time effort and planning to get to where you were on Thursday and it must feel like a kick in the teeth to not be near the front of the queue for the next one.

For what it's worth, I thought you guys did us proud. The vocal support and the happy images of those who had made the trek will live substantially longer in the memory than the game itself.

As you say: The 500 or so who made that trip will be "rewarded" by having to pay extortionate prices to to to Split... but you will find the time, the will, the wherewithal and the finances to get there, because that's what you guys do.

Thursday's game was difficult to get to by any standards and it would be very nice if somebody from the club picked up on this and paid for you're flights – I was going to say paid for your ale, but we've got a stadium to build.

Alan J Thompson
47 Posted 05/08/2017 at 04:01:21
Wasn't it Wrexham, as Welsh Cup Winners, who played them in Europe, so many years ago?
Martin Nicholls
48 Posted 05/08/2017 at 08:04:52
Andy (#41) – we played Inter Bratislava in the Cup Winners Cup.
David Hamilton
49 Posted 05/08/2017 at 11:37:18
Split might have a familiar ring to it as it's Slaven Bilic's team.
Rob Halligan
51 Posted 05/08/2017 at 14:09:57
Darren (#46). Cheers mate. Yeah, normally the club give away Tee-shirts for these far flung places, but there was nothing on Thursday. When we collected our tickets on Thursday afternoon, they were in an envelope. It would have been nice to see a €10 note inside it as well. Would have bought ten pints!! It would have only cost the club €4500, which is nothing to them.

Anyway, I think we are now sorted for Split. Probably paying a little bit more than most, but WTF!!

Mike Gaynes
52 Posted 05/08/2017 at 16:18:33
Rob (#51), it's only money, my friend. I envy you your access to the Continent.

For laughs, I just checked with Travelocity. It would take me 20 hours to get there (through Frankfurt) and 31 to get back (via Zurich and Chicago). For the bargain price of $2,600.

Of course, I'd save a lot because I don't have to budget for pints!

Des Farren
53 Posted 05/08/2017 at 19:15:12
Far more experience than Everton in Europe. Five quarter finals I believe but no longer have the depth of quality players they used to have.

More technically proficient than we are, will hold the ball and try to frustrate us. It will be difficult, I feel.

Colin Glassar
54 Posted 05/08/2017 at 19:30:47
Lenny, Doc Martins, knuckle duster, braces, parka, all getting aired.

My son watched the Brazil - Croatia game over in Split (World Cup) and as there was no one to fight with they ended up fighting each other. They are nutters lads so be prepared.

I'd have preferred a banana split tbh.

Jamie Crowley
55 Posted 06/08/2017 at 04:34:59
Mike Gaynes – the fact you even looked at prices from the left coast is bordering on legendary aficionado levels

That's like literally half-way around the world... Dodgy feed game!

Michael Kenrick
57 Posted 06/08/2017 at 05:38:34
I think he means that his son was there, in Croatia, watching it on the telly, when Brazil were playing Croatia at the start of the 2014 World Cup, in Brazil, Daniel.
Daniel Lim
58 Posted 06/08/2017 at 07:10:18
That makes perfect sense. Thanks MK.
Mike Kennedy
59 Posted 06/08/2017 at 07:25:45
One of the hardest teams in the draw. They have already started their season and are currently unbeaten. It will be hot and they have a passionate following.

But, as stated above; we need to beat teams like this with relative ease to be taken seriously. Whether we can or not remains to be seen. But it will be a great place to visit, regardless of having a ticket, and watch it in a bar over there.

Mike Kennedy
60 Posted 06/08/2017 at 07:55:49
If we do get past Hajduk Split, it is currently predicted that will be in pot 2 for the group stages (see link below).

That prediction is based on an assumption that the team with the higher coefficient will prevail in the next qualifying round of the Europa League and Champions League. I.e. it assumes we will beat Split.

However, should 5 teams from the following list lose we will be in pot 3.

Olmpiakos, Copenhagen, Celtic, Seville, CSKA, Napoli and er the other team on Merseyside in Europe. So I shall be watching the results from the Champions League for a change and hoping the named 6 teams will qualify.

Obviously, 'upsets' in the Europa League qualification could alter matters too.

https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/seedel2017.html

James Watts
61 Posted 06/08/2017 at 08:19:37
Mike (#60). let's hope most of those teams qualify with the exception of the RS. Never wish them well. Never. And hopefully when they drop down into the Europa League and we'll spank their arses in the semi or final. ;)
Tony Abrahams
62 Posted 06/08/2017 at 09:33:27
That's got to be your best ever post on ToffeeWeb, Darren, mate! Even though I still have to disagree with you on one thing though, why does it always have to be the club?

The players are earning an absolute fucking fortune, a sickening amount of money, they all praise the fantastic away support, but they never put their hands into their pockets? Look at the solidarity shown by the players of Split to the Torcida (lovely story, Colin).

An acknowledgment off the players would go so much further than an acknowledgment off the club, for the people who put everything into giving them that vital support, wherever? I hope one of them is reading this, and can pay for Rob's next trip!

Tony Abrahams
63 Posted 06/08/2017 at 09:38:49
Sorry, Darren, I'm putting words in your mouth there, or maybe I just like to disagree with you, now and again!
Colin Glassar
64 Posted 06/08/2017 at 10:00:36
Daniel, Michael, yes, my son was in Split watching the game and after the game a fight broke out between two sets of Croatian fans.

Remember that, during the last Euros, the Croatians fought amongst each other in the stadium. Absolute nutters.

Brent Stephens
65 Posted 06/08/2017 at 11:17:39
Colin, fans of the same side fighting with each other. Nutters, as you say. Thank god there are no nutters on TW fighting with each other. Agree? You better had!
Colin Glassar
66 Posted 06/08/2017 at 11:29:35
Put your dukes up, Brent.
Daniel Lim
67 Posted 06/08/2017 at 16:07:45
Mike and James (60&61)
I don't mind to be in pot 3. Get two quality opponents at group stage. That's only going to be good for the team. Koeman also needs to show us he's good enough for the job.
And if also assume better ranking teams located at easier-to-access location not 3 hours drive after a two-stopover flight, it's better for the travelling fans as well.
Andrew McKernan
68 Posted 06/08/2017 at 18:19:01
Regarding earlier comments in this blog about Everton playing Dukla Prague in the Eufa Cup . It was actually during the 1978-79 season when Gordon Lee was our manager. The first leg at Goodison was a 2-1 victory with goals by Bob Latchford and Andy King. Sadly (but true to form), we lost the away leg 0-1, thus going out on the away-goals rule.

I would also like to point out here that my good friends Mark and Steve Bird from Gateacre hitch-hiked all the way to Prague, returning home on the player's flight – great days indeed...

Barry McNally
69 Posted 07/08/2017 at 10:33:57
Hajduk lost 3-1 away yesterday to the league leaders Dinamo Zagreb. Now 5th in the league, P4 - W2 - D1 - L1 - 7 Points.
Warren Hayward
71 Posted 12/08/2017 at 16:28:51
Everton truly are jinxed when it comes to favorable draws. We qualitfy for the CL qualifier in 04 we get Villearreal then we get Steau Bucharest. Tottenham did and got Young Boys.

This season we get Split! Man Utd had the easiest draw ever last year – it does make you think how and who makes these draws

Scott Stevenson
72 Posted 13/08/2017 at 20:27:26
Does anyone know if the match is being shown live on TV, Thursday nite??
Gordon Crawford
73 Posted 15/08/2017 at 11:47:16
I don't think it's on TV, which if true is an absolute disgrace. The club need to get this sorted asap as millions of people will miss out and the loss of revenue could be huge.
Sam Hoare
74 Posted 15/08/2017 at 11:50:48
Can't believe its not on TV. As Gordon says does that mean the club can screen it on the OS?
Alan Bodell
75 Posted 15/08/2017 at 11:52:44
Oddschecker has it live on BT2, they don't make too many mistakes.
Sam Hoare
76 Posted 15/08/2017 at 12:11:37
Can't find any trace of it on BT sport yet Alan.
Ray Roche
77 Posted 15/08/2017 at 12:15:44
Alan, Sam, the Sunday Times shows BT Sport Extra 2 showing an unnamed Europa Cup match in it's TV schedules. Could be our match. Can't find a mention on the BT page though.
Alan Bodell
78 Posted 15/08/2017 at 12:18:04
It is on the Oddschecker website listed on the 'football coupon' option for Thursday guys.
Gordon Scott
79 Posted 15/08/2017 at 12:19:40
i know its not related to this thread, but according to sky sports Barry is having a medical at WBA
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10989317/evertons-gareth-barry-undergoing-medical-at-west-broms-training-ground

Apologies if it has been posted somewhere else

Gordon Crawford
80 Posted 15/08/2017 at 17:39:47
It's not on BT sport, I have checked. I can't believe the club haven't sorted this out. Another potentially huge mistake from our club.

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