" Marko Grujic has big plans "

Marko Plans To Strike Gold For Club And Country



Thursday 15th march 2018


Marko Grujic has big plans this summer – for club and country.

The 6ft 3ins Serbian powerhouse has set his heart on helping Cardiff City earn promotion to the Premier League and hopes that will keep him in the thoughts of Serbian coach Mladen Krstajić.

Grujic, the son of a Belgrade football journalist, has been selected for international friendlies against Morocco and Nigeria during the international break, which starts after Cardiff’s Championship match at Derby County on Sunday.

Serbia have qualified for the Fifa World Cup finals in Russia during June after finishing top of a qualifying group which included Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

They have been drawn to play Costa Rica, Switzerland and Brazil during the finals this summer.

He has already earned four senior international caps and will fly out next week to join his national squad.


“Hopefully I will get the chance to be in Serbia’s World Cup squad,” The 21-year-old told Cardiff City’s media department. “Every 90 minutes I play for Cardiff will help me achieve that.

“I want play a really big part here to help this club and put me in the right place for the future.

“My aim is to push as hard as I can in training and give 100 per cent in training to achieve that.”

Grujic was in Serbia’s Under-20 World Cup-winning squad in New Zealand last summer, when they defeated Brazil 2-1 in the final and won a Serbian Superliga winners medal with Red Star Belgrade in 2015-16.

He was manager Jurgen Klopp’s first Liverpool signing, although he was immediately loaned back to his home city club.

Liverpool paid more than £5m for Grujic, who has made eight substitute appearances for the Merseyside club and has now added steel and quality to Cardiff’s midfield.


He has been compared by pundits and journalists, perhaps unfairly, to Serbian team-mate Nemanja Matic, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure in style and has certainly made a major impact with the Bluebirds.

Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds are unbeaten in nine league matches when Grujic has played – seven wins and two draws. They have scored 17, conceded four and kept four clean sheets.

He can operate in a defensive midfield role breaking up play, loves to go forward, is strong in the air and all the energy needed for a box-to-box role.

Grujic has a natural ability to to take up good positions, while his movement and awareness are excellent.

He can be reckless in challenge, but is maturing and improving under Warnock’s guidance.

Grujic slotted in alongside Joe Ralls and Callum Paterson when he first played for City, while is now working alongside Paterson and Loic Damour.

“I’ve had a particular role to play in a few games,” he says. “You may see the attacking side of my game a bit more. The gaffer knows what I can do and that I don’t have a problem playing different roles.

“The gaffer is an experienced guy. He’s won promotion even times, keeps teaching us the right things and knows exactly what we need to do to be in this position and keep it going until the end of this season.


“We’re one big team and he is a big part of that. There is great team spirit and no doubt our dressing room is one of the best around.

“We have a really good chance of earning promotion and the lads would have the chance to play Premier League football for Cardiff City.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for us and we just have to keep on doing what we are doing.”

Liverpool manager Klopp has talked about Grujic’s ability, saying: “When I came here our scouts showed me some footage of a skilled player from Red Star Belgrade. We watched it, spoke to him and we met.

“He’s a young boy, a tall boy who is quick and good at technical things. Marko can play passes and dribble, but he has to develop.”


This stage of Grujic’s development is with Warnock’s Cardiff City and he said after a telephone call from Klopp.

“The manager (Klopp) did most of the talking and told me about the plans that he had for me,” said Grujic.

“His vision is that I should be something between a No. 6 and a No. 10, a box-to-box midfielder.

“When a coach like that calls you on the phone personally, that’s the greatest privilege. That call really cemented my desire to join Liverpool.

“I would choose Liverpool over Real Madrid and Barcelona. I love the club.”

For the rest of this season, though, Grujic is a Bluebirds and is intent on a promotion charge. How he would love to be playing for Liverpool against Cardiff City in the Premier League next season.

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I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

I'm sorry but Grujic is twice the player Gunnar is already and he will improve.
I'm hoping if we go up Liverpool will give him to us for another season

Strange the different opinions.

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

He’s abit rash at times but we haven’t lost in the league with him in the team? He’s leagues ahead of Gunnarsson

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

He’s abit rash at times but we haven’t lost in the league with him in the team? He’s leagues ahead of Gunnarsson

we were top of the league before gunnerson got injured.

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

He’s abit rash at times but we haven’t lost in the league with him in the team? He’s leagues ahead of Gunnarsson

we were top of the league before gunnerson got injured.

We also had NML playing out of his skin

I rate Gunnars highly. He's a leader and reader of the game. He breaks up play and can make surging forward runs.
Grujic has great potential, but he loses possession too much and his passing is either sideways or wasteful too often

I rate Gunnars highly. He's a leader and reader of the game. He breaks up play and can make surging forward runs.
Grujic has great potential, but he loses possession too much and his passing is either sideways or wasteful too often

Wise words mun bluemun mun

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

I'm sorry but Grujic is twice the player Gunnar is already and he will improve.
I'm hoping if we go up Liverpool will give him to us for another season

Strange the different opinions.

I agree, there is a reason why Gruijic plays for Liverpool and Gunnarsson doesn't, and never will. He is streets ahead in ability although catching up in terms of development.

He's faster, passes better, better in the air with just one weakness of being a bit rash in a challenge !

If Gunnarsson ever gets fit enough to play for us again he will hold and then Gruijic will be released to play further forward and do more damage, at the moment he's doing a job for Warnock and doing it very well.

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

I'm sorry but Grujic is twice the player Gunnar is already and he will improve.
I'm hoping if we go up Liverpool will give him to us for another season

Strange the different opinions.

I agree, there is a reason why Gruijic plays for Liverpool and Gunnarsson doesn't, and never will. He is streets ahead in ability although catching up in terms of development.

He's faster, passes better, better in the air with just one weakness of being a bit rash in a challenge !

If Gunnarsson ever gets fit enough to play for us again he will hold and then Gruijic will be released to play further forward and do more damage, at the moment he's doing a job for Warnock and doing it very well.

Our midfield options for the run in will be stronger than at any point in the season, Warnock has a great dilemma on his hands......

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=194039

maybe Cardiff could sign him permanently

maybe Cardiff could sign him permanently

Sammy boy, no chance mucka

Marko is the real deal, he's slotted in well, he makes mistakes, what footballer doesn't other than Messi however he has eye for detail, has composure and confidence about his game, he plays with maturity, I like the guy and hope he continues to do well for us

if we get promoted i think theres every chance we see him back here next season

He has to work and develop but been impressed overall. Facts are out of 9 games he has played we have won 7 and drawn 2. Condensed just 4...

Lots more potential but happy overall.

maybe Cardiff could sign him permanently

Sammy boy, no chance mucka

Yeah no chance. even if Liverpoo don't want him someone will gamble - Spurs , Leicester etc

Marko is the real deal, he's slotted in well, he makes mistakes, what footballer doesn't other than Messi however he has eye for detail, has composure and confidence about his game, he plays with maturity, I like the guy and hope he continues to do well for us

I noticed in the Brentford game that he doesn't panic at all when he's being closed down. He'll turn and look for the best option and that's why he's different class.

Marko is the real deal, he's slotted in well, he makes mistakes, what footballer doesn't other than Messi however he has eye for detail, has composure and confidence about his game, he plays with maturity, I like the guy and hope he continues to do well for us

I noticed in the Brentford game that he doesn't panic at all when he's being closed down. He'll turn and look for the best option and that's why he's different class.

its also why we conceded the first goal

Marko is the real deal, he's slotted in well, he makes mistakes, what footballer doesn't other than Messi however he has eye for detail, has composure and confidence about his game, he plays with maturity, I like the guy and hope he continues to do well for us

I noticed in the Brentford game that he doesn't panic at all when he's being closed down. He'll turn and look for the best option and that's why he's different class.

its also why we conceded the first goal

That is true Paul He certainly made up for it though with his overall performance.
People have had a go at me for saying Manga takes too long on the ball saying he's great etc ( I don't rate him ) but a midfielder can't do it

If Grujic was a Prem player he'd have done much better v. Man City. Yet he really struggled, especially first half.
Gunnars is, after all, captain of Iceland a team who've done pretty well on the international stage.
Marko has great potential, but it remains to be seen whether he can fulfill it.
He'll play better with a holding midfielder like Gunnars releasing him.

I’ve yet to see him play like a ‘powerhouse’ as described in the OP.
He’s done just ok for me and I’m certainly not going over the top on his ability/performances like some.
He is improving slowly, I voted for him as MOM against Brentford and I’d definitely prefer him over Gunnarsson any day of the week.
The way Liverpool are playing and improving lately I can’t see him getting a sniff next season.

I've got mixed feelings. Conceded a pen. Gave away a goal v Brentford and they should've had a pen for his handball. Often looks for the easy ball as well as diving in too much
Our best midfield would be Gunnars, Ralls and Paterson when everyone's fit, without a doubt .
I can see he has class, but too many costly errors for me.

I'm sorry but Grujic is twice the player Gunnar is already and he will improve.
I'm hoping if we go up Liverpool will give him to us for another season

Strange the different opinions.

I'd love to have him her for another season when we are in the prem

Rough around the few edges, shows moments of top league quality and shows the young learning side with his mistakes, definitely got more ability than Gunnarsson.

I do love Gunnar for how much he has done here and his commitment but past few seasons he has been caught out a lot of times and lacks ability I am all for 110% players but they need to have some sort of ability, like picking a pass or calmness on the ball but he lacks a lot of that.. for me I think it's a case of sentiment with some for Gunnarsson, we have seen it time and time again holding on to players who are holding us back rather than pushing us forward.