Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic is concerned about Mislav Orsic’s ongoing Southampton malaise with the forward’s ill-fated Premier League spell labelled a ‘tragedy’, speaking to 24Sata.
Fortunately for the Saints’ £8 million forgotten man, at least one of his managers still believes in him.
Orsic was nowhere to be seen once again as Southampton fought back to claim a dramatic 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. That was the seventh time in a row in which Orsic has been left out of the matchday squad for a Premier League fixture under Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles.
So, given that Orsic has played only six minutes in the top-flight, it may have come as a surprise to learn that the World Cup bronze medallist had retained a place in Dalic’s squad for Croatia’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Wales and Turkey this month.
But, as Dalic points out, Orsic deserves the chance to prove his doubters wrong following perhaps the most testing period in the 30-year-old’s career.
Mislav Orsic left Dinamo Zagreb for Southampton
“I feel sorry for Orsic,” Dalic sighs. “He is not part of his club, but I don’t want to lose him. He is not in shape, but I want to give him a chance to try to come back.”
Dalic did warn the experienced winger, however, that; ‘If he doesn’t constantly play for his club, unfortunately he won’t be able to play for the national team either’.
Orsic’s agent has already indicated that a summer departure from Southampton will be considered. Dalic’s warning may be the push he needs to start looking around for alternative options.
Given that he scored 91 goals in 214 games for Dinamo Zagreb – breaking the 20-goal barrier in each of the last three seasons – Orsic should not be short of offers.
“Mislav Orsic, who was the DNA of Dinamo, was lost. What’s happening to Orsic is a tragedy,” Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek, who nearly took over at the Stadion Maksimir, tells Sportske Novosti.
“Football can be very, very cruel. Orsic also had some weaker periods, when he didn’t score goals, when he didn’t play well. However, he was the image of Dinamo.
“He is a member of the Croatian national team, he was at the World Cup. He didn’t sunbathe in Qatar, but was an important player in the finals.”
‘Not ideal’
“When he arrived, he was told that they were counting on him seriously,” Orsic’s agent points out. “That they needed him. If anything was controversial, he wouldn’t have gone there.
“Mislav does not deserve what is happening to him. The situation is definitely not ideal. However, he did not falter. Moreover, he works as hard as he can. He is motivated to pull it off,” the agent adds.
“We expect that, during the rest of the season, he will get a chance in the Premier League. He should. Of course he should!
“All options will be open. We will see what happens in the next two and a half months. Staying, if he plays, and a new club are on the table.”
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