Croatia football updates: Jakić and Jakirović discuss national team developments

Croatian midfielder Kristijan Jakić has commented on his recent performance and the team's atmosphere under new coach Slaven Bilić. Following a 2-1 loss to Spain, Jakić noted a more relaxed environment and increased tactical communication compared to the previous era under Zlatko Dalić. He also shared details regarding Luka Modrić’s locker room speech following Croatia’s 7-0 defeat to England, noting that the captain encouraged the squad to believe in themselves and urged younger players to take on more responsibility.

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirović defended Bilić following the heavy loss to England, suggesting that such results can happen to any coach and dismissing the idea that there is a massive quality gap between the two sides. He criticized the prevailing negativity in the media and highlighted the team's improved reaction during their subsequent match against Spain.

In separate news, Jakirović praised the progress of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. He credited coach Sergej Barbarez and the football association for developing a talented generation of players, including Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović. Additionally, reports suggest that Ivan Bašić may be a target for Hull City during the January transfer window.