Those who want to meet him just have to follow the calendar of the Liège P1: since 2019, he has been the president of Croatia Wandre, in the town of Liège, and hardly misses a match. “When I was stuck in Dubai during Covid, I paid someone €100 to film the matches and allow me to watch them live.”he laughs over coffee in a bistro in Fléron.
Why did you take over as president of Croatia Wandre in 2019, then at the bottom of the table in P3, at only 25 years old?
“Croatia is the club where I started playing football when I was five years old. I then left for FC Liège until I was eighteen and I returned to Croatia for a bit before turning to reality TV. My grandfather and my father had helped at Croatia. There was always a link with this club. I was first asked to be honorary president but I quickly took to it. Thu. Our registration number dates from 1913, even if it was under another name The club became Croatia in 1973 to play for the Croatian community of Liège at the time.
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After five years of presidency, your club has moved up twice and is now leading in P1.
“And there were two years of Covid where the championships were frozen. The first year, we played the final round with kids for €40 a victory. Then two seasons for nothing with the virus and then two consecutive climbs. balance sheet is therefore positive (smile). After Covid, I really wanted to climb the ladder and I launched my ‘Galactics’ project by taking players used to the national series.”
gullThe bonuses for me are city trips, clothes, shoes… I share what they offer me on the networks.
You must have offered big salaries.
“Not so much. Of course, we were no longer at €40 per victory and I had to budget. But the guys came by lowering their salaries. They believed in the project. I told them that we would quickly be in P1 I do the whole transfer window each season, I even brought in a young Slovak who is studying medicine at the University of Liège. the maintenance I had. budgeted 40 points, we already have 34. I’m going to have to find money somewhere to pay the premiums (laughs).”
How much is a victory bonus in Croatia today?
“Not very high; much less than in mercenary clubs of the same level. But I pamper my players. I can offer a city trip to a player so that he can go with his girlfriend. Or clothes, shoes, cinema tickets… I receive lots of things for free with my social networks and I share them with the team. Recently, I invited two players with their girlfriends to Marrakech. I had the villa and the on-site activities offered. These are privileges that you cannot not have it anywhere else, even higher than P1.”
Doesn’t that create jealousy in the locker room?
“No, not everyone always knows how to come, with work or family life. On the other hand, I’m in trouble. I promised that in the event of moving up to D3 ACFF, I would invite everyone team in Dubai at my expense There, we’re racing for the final round and I’m going to have to start thinking about how to organize this thing. (laughs).“
gullSwiss and French companies advertise in Croatia because they know there will be visibility on my networks.
Do you put a lot of money into your club?
“Zero euros. I haven’t yet invested any money of my own since I took over the club. You shouldn’t believe that you get rich playing for Croatia. People imagine that with me, it’s It’s Qatar and Saudi Arabia but not at all. The budget comes only from sponsorship and partnerships. Our main sponsor is Ladbrokes. (Editor’s note: a sports betting agency). They support D1 and D2 clubs but they made an exception in P1 for Croatia. It’s thanks to my power on the networks. They have real visibility and a return on investment. I’m talking about the companies that help us on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. I have nearly five million followers across all networks, including 300,000 Belgians. Last year we had McDonald’s. These are partners who set five-figure budgets. We have ten to fifteen sponsors each season. We have already had companies from France and Switzerland displaying posters in Croatia because they know that I have a large community in their country.”
-Croatia Wandre has 12,800 followers on Instagram, FC Liège in Challenger Pro League has, for example, only 8,800.
“There are people who come from the depths of Belgium to see Croatia. We even had Parisians. They obviously hope to meet me to take a photo but it creates a real community. At each home match, I a bit of a show, with a tifo and smoke bombs. People love the atmosphere at home. My absolute dream would be to bring Luka Modric to a Wandre match. (laughs). It’s the Croatian legend. But last year, I managed to get a video of Ivan Perisic to wish a speedy recovery to one of my players who had just made the Crusaders.”
gullI am a supporter of FC Liège, I always wanted to get involved there but I was never called.
Is the club ready to move up to the national series?
“Yes, why not? It’s my dream to go higher. What’s a shame is that we’re at the end of a cycle with a lot of executives who want to stop playing football after this season. It will be necessary to revive young people but also to be followed by the political world. (Editor’s note: the mayor of Liège) came to the refreshment bar to make me promises, notably for lighting and a youth school. But nothing has changed yet. I would like to have beautiful infrastructure and a synthetic to set up the school. With my aura and my networks, I’m sure we can have 500 young people.”
We feel you are passionate about the management of your club.
“Yes, really. When I was young, I was more the type to play Foot Manager than Fifa. I do TV, I have lots of businesses but what fascinates me is football . Doing the transfer window, looking at how to improve the stadium, imagining the new jerseys… I love it. We redid the locker room, it feels like we’re in D1 with individual lockers, a fridge, seats, etc. players have cut fruit on the table in the middle of the locker room There are a lot of D2 clubs that don’t have an installation like that. If I win EuroMillions, I buy a club directly at the pro level.
With a preference for a particular club?
“My favorite club is RFC Liège. I am a true Blood and Navy. I always wanted to get involved in this club but the managers never called on me. It’s a shame. J “Could have helped with my notoriety When we see that Croatia is followed more on Instagram than Liège, it’s not normal… It’s a club which must return to the highest level and which has the potential.”
gullI had set myself the goal of transferring a professional player before I turned 30: it was done with Kays Ruiz at Francs Borains.
RFC Liège has just announced that comments are now prohibited on its social networks.
“Is it true? Pff, we have to give freedom of expression to the supporters. The comments also create the flow on the networks. I too, I get comments about my club and about myself but we have to accept it. We don’t can’t please everyone.”
Unique in Pro League: RFC Liège prohibits comments on its Facebook page
Let’s stay in Challenger Pro League: last summer, we also saw you in the role of agent by being involved in the arrival of former PSG Kays Ruiz at Francs Borains. Is this another ambition?
“I have always been immersed in the world of agents since my father was one. I set myself goals in my life, such as transferring as an agent to the professional world before I turned thirty. I achieved it via the structure of Joseph Biersard, a former pro who was a goalkeeper at Eupen I still sometimes observe young talents with him Kays Ruiz followed me on the networks and I was able to help. was a one shot I think.”
