In 2 Meters - Jure Marelja - Croatian Water Polo Federation

Croatian club coaching trio champions - Sandro Sukno, Elvis Fatović and Jure Marelja. Three Croats who won the national league title in the 2024/25 season. To be more precise, they defended what they had won the season before. Moreover, they continued what they had achieved the season before the previous one.
In sports, winning a trophy, a championship is always a great success, but to succeed in defending a trophy or achieving a streak of victories, such as three consecutive years, is truly impressive. Each of the three mentioned strategists had their uniqueness, not one of them had the trophy handed to them. They had to fight for it, outwit opponents, overcome all problems in one season. However, what Jure Marelja did in Croatia deserves a special mention. Not only because our website, logically, primarily focuses on Croatian clubs and competitions. The achievement of coach Jure Marelja, the guest of the "U 2 metara" section, is special for two reasons.

Two achievements
First – the third consecutive Croatian champion title on the bench of Split's Jadran was achieved in a season of high-quality competition, strong competition from teams like Mladost, Jug Adriatic osiguranje, and the rest of the domestic league should not be neglected. Let's not forget that success in the Croatian Championship was significantly influenced by the results in the Premier League (determining the order in the domestic playoffs), which was by far the highest level of quality in Europe.
Second – it is worth recollecting the period that immediately preceded the 2024/25 season, or the summer of 2024 when Jadran significantly changed the team.

– The biggest challenge for me was actually that the summer was ending and I had just returned from Paris, from the Olympic Games where I was an assistant to coach Tuck. I was not in the club all summer - says Jure Marelja, coach of the Croatian champions, Split's Jadran.
– I remember I had an agreement with Mladen Drnasin, who was still the club president at the time, to take about 20 days off. I returned to work after 8 days, even though the national team players were still on vacation. I couldn't stay calm because I knew we had a lot of work ahead of us and little time.

Summer of big changes
Let's remember, in the summer of 2024, Jadran saw the departures of Luka Bukić, Josip Vrlić, Konstantin Harkov, Đuro Radović, as well as both goalkeepers, Ivan Marcelić and Mate Anić. The best goalkeeper in the world, Marko Bijač, arrived. Ivan Domagoj Zović returned, Marin Tomasović signed... It was a completely new team.
– I wasn't thinking about what we would do and how we would do it, but to 'get our heads together' as soon as possible, characters, game, and everything that makes a team, and to start the season. Those were my first thoughts. However, during the time I was absent, Joško Joke Kuhar, the conditioning coach, worked with the team, who has a similar approach to training. He proved to be extremely good, professional for the first team. Of course, plus Andro Franičević, who worked with the boys on some pure water polo matters. So, the situation while I was away all summer was excellent. I must also mention Renco Posinković, who was also with the national team the whole time, but whose role and significance in the coaching staff are of immense importance and help. From working with goalkeepers, which Bijač only confirmed, and onwards - Marelja emphasizes.

I never stopped questioning myself
What were your thoughts before the season, after seeing the 'ins' and 'outs' during the transfer window, and realizing that, for example, Mladost had significantly strengthened? Did you think that defending the title was an 'impossible mission'?
– The feelings and thoughts were mixed. Doubt and self-examination are the driving force that always pushes you forward. I never stopped questioning myself, but I believed in the guys... I did! From the very beginning. I think I managed to transfer that belief to them. There was no reason not to believe in them. From their training approach, the way they train, their professionalism, and the conditions we have in the club. So, I was convinced of achieving results, now what kind of result... There were questions, but from the beginning, I set the highest goals.

Complete change of play
Compared to the changed locker room, how much did you have to change the game?
– Completely! In water polo, you have players like Josip Vrlić who, when he approaches the 2-meter mark, you are sure to have depth in the attack and shooters on the 5-6 meter line. I do not diminish the value of my current centers, but they are completely different types of players. Vrlić gets you 8-12 exclusions per game. That's one detail. I had shooters before like Harkov, Bukić, Marinić Kragić, Fatović, and Butić, a whole plethora, then two national team players left. Each one on one side. I lost one defender, Biljaka. We found ourselves in a position where we had to change the focus of the game from center-based to more transitions, dynamics, movements. It changed radically. Plus defense with one player less.

However, this question could also be linked to the season before because even then, in the summer of 2023, you lost many important players (Šetka, Burić, Dobud, Zović, Delić…).
– All three teams are completely different concepts, different formations by character. Each required a certain mental and physical effort to bring them to an optimal state. However, I had great player support. Two seasons ago there were some very high defeats, but I never felt that they, the players, doubted.

The Cup final shook us
In the final series for the Croatian champion title 2024/25, both clubs, Jadran and Mladost, entered with the knowledge that up to that point, both teams had not won any trophies. However, Jadran had played three finals before the Croatian Championship final - Super Cup, national cup, Premier League. None of those three matches ended in Jadran's victory. At that moment, it seemed like your team was 'cursed' in the finals that season.
– The Super Cup is just a single match, so I somehow cope with that easier, but the Cup shook us all. We didn't expect to win everything and that Jug wasn't a strong opponent. Jug is excellent, has a number of great players, and they are fantastically led. Anyone who says they will beat Jug in a game is not normal. But... the Cup shook us. It didn't derail us in the sense that we started doubting, but the blow was really strong.

Trophy for Mislav
In recent days, within the ranks of the club from Zvončac, after the triumphant celebration, everyone mentions one name to whom they dedicate this title. And so does coach Jure Marelja.
– This is for our Mislav Bezmalinović, who left us last summer. He was also building this. I'm sorry he didn't celebrate with us, but I believe he was up there watching us and celebrating with us.

How much do you absorb from coaching with Ivica Tuck, where you are his right-hand man in the 'Barakudas'?
– I think we are, in our own way, different, but I think I absorb from everyone. Working in the national team has certainly helped me the most. What Tucak and all top coaches carry, is that they maybe help you shorten that path in situations that are either crisis-ridden or unpredictable. It's great to sit down with Tuck or talk to Ratko Rudić, hear from Milo Nakić, run into Joka Kreković who says something casually, meet many different Split coaches, and get some thoughts. This is especially pronounced when it comes to national team competitions.

Are you thinking about Jadran next season?
– Of course, I am thinking. It is extremely difficult after setting the expectations of us at the highest level over the past seasons. I am thinking about how to continue in that tone because I will never give up on the desire to be the best. First, I have to discuss this with the president, with the board, but I will not give up on the desire to stay at the top.