Dinamo were defeated by NEC Nijmegen 2-4 at Maksimir, a result that has once again raised questions about the future of manager Marijo Kovačević. Dissatisfaction among a section of the fanbase is growing, and discussions about a potential managerial change have resurfaced.
The poll offered a total of 20 options, with Krunoslav Jurčić's name receiving the most clicks. Jurčić is a former Croatian international who has managed Dinamo on three occasions, most recently in 2013. The second most popular option was retaining Marijo Kovačević, while Nenad Bjelica and Igor Štimac shared third place. Bjelica has recently taken up a post at Turkish club Samsunspor, while Štimac has been out of work since last summer.
During his playing career, Jurčić was a member of the late-1990s Dinamo side that dominated Partizan at Maksimir. He won a bronze medal at the 1998 World Cup in France. As a manager, he guided Dinamo into the Champions League in 2011, and led the club from 2009 to 2010, in 2011, and from 2012 to 2013. In every season he spent at Dinamo, he won the Croatian league title.
Before his stints at Dinamo, Jurčić managed Slaven Belupo and later Lokomotiva. He also served as assistant manager for the Croatian national team. After his final spell at Dinamo, he moved abroad, managing Slovenian side Maribor, Turkish club Adanaspor, Saudi Arabian Al Nassr, UAE's Baniyas and Al-Nasr, and Egyptian club Pyramids. He stayed longest at Pyramids, overseeing 131 matches, during which he won two cups and one league title.
Three years ago, Jurčić had the opportunity to return to Dinamo but turned down the offer. He explained his decision in an interview with Index.
