SIBENIK MAKE REINFORCEMENTS

HNK Sibenik continue to revamp their squad as they make up for lost time in replacing Ermin Zec, Arjan Ademi, Igor Budisa and Velimir Vidic. Sibenik recieved ample money from Zec and Ademi to recruit new playing staff however deals are only just being reached with their prize targets.

Medimurje defenders Daniel Georgievski and Amauri Vicente were first to arrive. Next to follow with Hajduk Split defender Ante Aracic and today Sibenik announced the signed of Zagreb midfielder Marko Kartelo. Two more players are expected to arrive next week. Mario Juric is likely to be one of them. Sibenik certainly need a striker having lost Senid Kulacic, Kresimir Makarin, Jusuf Dajic as well as Zec. Juric, at 33 may not be able to make a huge difference in attack, but could be a useful squad member.

It isn't known who the other recruit will be. However potential additions could be Medimurje's Eliomar or Croatia Sesvete attacker Marko Guja. Sibenik ideally could do with using some of their finance to acquire a number 9. A loan move for Dinamo Zagreb's Dodo or paying out of Istra's Asim Sehic for example could work out.

HNL1 POTENTIAL MOVERS

With transfer deadline just two weeks away time is running out for Croatian teams to make any emergency sales or purchases of contracted players.

Although Dinamo Zagreb sold Mario Mandzukic to Wolfsburg, they spent almost half of it on acquiring Ante Rukavina. The club have interest from Olympic Lyon in Milan Badelj for around 8 million pounds which could lead to the players transfer. Dinamo do not have an immediate ball carrying replacement in the club. Sammir acts as a playmaker, whilst Arjan Ademi and Adrian Callelo are strictly defensive midfielders. The only off the wall idea would be to employ Luis Ibanez on the left side of a central three, so Dinamo would have to recruit. Said Husejinovic was a loan target from Werder Bremen, whilst Frieburg's Ivica Banovic could prove useful.

Dinamo do not have to sell Badelj, however Hajduk could do with the finance from the sale of either Senijad Ibricic or Ivan Strinic. PSG are the latest club to be linked with Strinic alongside Zenit and Koln. Ibricic is wanted by Rubin Kazan, but Hajduk may be prepared to wait till January after the player has showcased his talents in Europa Liga. Should Strinic transfer, they would look for a left back. However Dinamo also need a left back so Varazdin's Roberto Puncec could become a target. Varazdin desperately need the money and also willing to listen to offers for Josip Brezovec. If either go Varazdin may replace them with Nikola Safaric or Gordan Golik.

Hajduk could turn to Sibenik's Mehmad Alispahic should Ibricic transfer who is also wanted by Mainz and Monchengladback. Sibenik are not in urgent need for a sale as already sold Ademi and Zec and have struggled to find adequate replacements. Slaven Belupo and Osijek are also not in a selling situation, so Elvis Kokalovic and Ivan Milicevic are unlikely to go anywhere.

Rijeka on the other hand could consider a deal for Radomir Dalovic who is proven in HNL1 and is now scoring regularly at international level. Should Dalovic leave it could require two strikers to replace him from the free agent market with Ivan Bosnjak the most realistic. It would also help to finance a deal for Ramon Fernandes. Zadar's Ivan Santini could also attract Rijeka's should Dalovic move away.

Apart from this opportunities for transfers are not extensive. Interest from Poland in Istra's Asim Sehic seems to have cooled. It is more likely HNL1 teams will recruit free agents rather than be selling with the likes of Nikola Safaric, Srebrenko Posavec, Mario Juric, Karlo Primorac, Miroslav Saric, Gordan Golik, Marko Maric and Mario Grgurovic being share around the clubs.

DINAMO TARGET SKOBHLAR

Dinamo Zagreb look set to continue their policy of appointing former playing legends as Josip Skobhlar emerged as their prime target to succede Velimir Zajec. However with Skobhlar now 69 years of age and with no recent experience of coaching since being sacked by Lebanon in 2000 questions may once again be asked. As a player Skobhlar was a major striking legend at Hanover and most notably at Olympic Marsielle. He also played 32 times for Yugoslavia scoring 11 goals.

As a coach his success has been far less. He won two Yugoslav Cups with Hajduk, but exempting short spells with Hamburg and Real Vallodolid there is nothing noteworthy on his CV. As a head figure such as the position occupied by Zoran Mamic, Skobhlar may prove useful, but as coach this can only be a short term solution. As for playing staff, goalgetter Pedro Morales looks certain to return to the team at the weekend as his omission greatly displeased chief executive Zdravko Mamic. Andrej Kramaric could also reappear.

A new coach will also have to make decision on the future of Mathias Chago and Dodo. Chago has been one of the most impressive players at Dinamo since the players returned to preseason training. However Istra Pula want him back on loan and he is no longer guarenteed a starting place since Arjan Ademi returned from Croatia Under 19 duty. Dodo meanwhile has been one of the guilty party responsible for Dinamo's lack of goals and could also go to Istra or more likely to Inter Zapresic who have not replaced him since he left the club.

Dinamo fans would be happy to see the back of Dodo, however parting with Chago could prove a mistake. Although Ademi and Adrian Callelo are ahead of him, Ante Tomic has rarely played for Dinamo in three seasons and may not prove suitable cover. Loaning Tomic may be a more sensible decision.

TALENTED CROAT FIGHTS TO RESTORE HEALTH

Although many Croats may not have heard the fight for health of Branimir Poljac has been big news in Turkey and Norway. The 26 year old Norwegian of Croatian parentage, had been making a good impression with Konjaspor who he helped guide to promotion last season. However April 2010 he was involved in one person car accident in which the car he was driving flipped on its roof. Poljac suffered seriously injuries and for a time was completely paralysed.

Unlike many smaller name Croats that go abroad, Poljac was making waves at his club as a goalscoring midfielder and before his injuries had 11 goals in 40 matches. A strong 2010/11 season may even have caught the eye of Croatian national team coach Slaven Bilic or alternatively his Norwegian counterpart. For now though Poljac considers himself lucky to still be alive and with the help of medical staff is slowly trying to restore movement in his body. He is able to move his shoulders and is beginning to regain feeling in his arms.

Football is littered with inspirational figures who have come back from the brink and for Poljac this will mean just to return to health. Ivan Klasnic of Bolton Wanderers overcame two kidney transplants, whilst Uruguay international Dario Silva - a once feisty striker of Malaga and Celta, overcame leg ambutation and is a much admired character.

For Croatia several players have been lost their lives to car accidents with Silvestar Sabolcki and Milenko Kovacic the most high profile. Daniel Popovic was also Ivica Olic's strike partner in the Croatia Under 21 team, whilst Varteks goalkeepers Krunoslav Kittner and Krunoslav Sabolic were also lost in the Sabolcki crash.

STRIKERS IN SHORT SUPPLY

HNL1 sides looking to improve their sides could find themselves picking at the bones as transfer deadline approaches. Dario Zahora and Tomislav Sokota were prize targets having enjoy fairly successful spells in Slovenia and Belgium respectively. However both appear to be on the brink of acquiring surprise foriegn contracts.

Four clubs are desperately short of strikers. NK Zagreb, Istra Pula, Inter Zapresic and Sibenik. Zagreb may find it healthy to acquire early whilst they are in a good situation. Karlo Primorac, at 26 could be worth chancing on. The players wages would fit in Zagreb's financial structure. Primorac is looking to rebuild his career after six lean months with Dinamo Zagreb.

Istra Pula and Inter Zapresic may have to hope that Dinamo Zagreb make Dodo and Ilija Sivonjic available, who have failed in front of goal at the Croatian Champions. Stepping down to Istra or Zapresic could be what they need however. Istra are targeting Matias Chago, but they may have more chance landing Ante Tomic. Rijeka are also looking for a creative spark in the middle and Ivan Bosnjak could be an impact acquisition. Although Nikola Safaric may also do a job on smaller wages. Bosnjak may also be a target for Cibalia, but once again Srebrenko Posavec is cheaper so could be more suitable.

Defensive midfielders Gordan Golik and Marko Maric are also on the market. With the lack of strikers available Istra should be careful not to lose Asim Sehic, whilst Radomir Dalovic two goal heroics for Montenegro against Northern Ireland would suggest the Rijeka man can play at a higher level. Dalovic is a realistic target for Hearts and is also wanted by Wigan Athletic.

ZAHORA ARRIVES IN ISRAEL

Former Dinamo Zagreb striker Dario Zahora has arrived in Israel to join up with Bnei Sakhnin. The 28 year old ex Croatia Under 21 player has been a free agent since terminated his contract with Norwegian side Rosenborg.

Zahora has a impressive goalscoring history in Croatia and Slovenia, however he arrives in Israel in the midst of a dispute between coach Yuval Naim and President Hassan Abu Saleh about his signing. Naim claims not to have the approved the signing, but has since been removed from his position for numerous reasons.

Zahora's hunt for a new club had been long running with HNK Rijeka, Istra Pula and Debrecen all closely linked with him. Zahora's switch to Israel however could prove his best decision which could earn him a move to a stronger club in the league in future. Meanwhile, Jurica Vranjes says he may sit at Werder Bremen if a deal with Hajduk Split is not agreed. Mario Galinovic is on the verge of joining Tomislav Sokota at OA Kavala.

SOKOTA TO RECIEVE LAST CHANCE

Former Croatia international Tomislav Sokota looks set to gain one last foriegn contract with Greek club AO Kavala. Sokota, now 33 looked to be heading into retirement or back in the Croatian league after being released by Belgian side Lokeron. However the striker has won one last deal abroad in the Greek Superliga where his friend and former Dinamo Zagreb strike partner Bosko Balaban plays with Pananios.

Sokota has had an interesting career with moments of both joy and sadness. At Dinamo he made a major impression scoring 49 goals in 92 games and becoming HNL1 leading scorer in both the 1999/ 00 and 2000/01 seasons. He also recorded memorable goals against Sturm Graz in the Champions League and Parma in the UEFA Cup. Such success led to a much deserved transfer to Benfica. Sokota's first two seasons however were destroyed by injury after he broke his foot. This caused him to miss the World Cup in 2002, but he returned the season after to net 14 goals as Benfica claimed Championship glory. Even then life was not easy as Sokota was first on scene when the late Miklos Feher suffered a fatal heart attack. Sokota, who was once vilified for unveiling a anti Hajduk T Shirt, was praised by doctor's for his attempts at saving Feher's life. Sokota certainly had matured during his career very rapidly.

Sokota's performances at Benfica were good enough to win favour with Croatia coach Otto Baric in time for Croatia's Euro 2004 decisive play off qualifier with Slovenia. Sokota played in Dado Prso to score the winning goal and Baric took Sokota to the Championships after strikes against Denmark and Turkey. Sokota's finals however were typical of his career. He participated in one disappointing draw with 10 man Switzerland, one great game with France and a final group game loss versus England. That was the end of Sokota's breif international career.

On his return to Benfica, Sokota was injured again and left for rivals Porto. Sokota's was so prone to injury there that he played just 3 matches in two seasons. Sokota spent the next two seasons at Dinamo, but was again prone to fitness troubles, playing just 27 matches and scoring 8 goals. Once a Dinamo fans favorite Sokota was then shown the door in January 2009 as the club felt they were not gaining value for money. Sokota pitched up for a season at Lokeron and left with reasonable figures of 7 goals for season spent on and off the bench. It wasn't sure whether it was enough to attract the interest of another foriegn club, but Greek side OA Kavala will the player another chance.