No rational person denies the magnitude of the achievement accomplished by the Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić with Pyramids Club during the period in which he assumed the technical management of the Sky Blues' first team.
Pyramids Club has known the path to titles since Krunoslav Jurčić took over the technical leadership of the team at the beginning of 2024, placing five titles in the Sky Blues' museum before departing and leaving behind an undeniable legacy.
"Pages of glory are never turned"... Pyramids bids farewell to Jurčić in an official statement
Yalla Koura interviews Jurčić
Jurčić is the 13th coach at Pyramids since the club's name change, but the Croatian was unlike any of his predecessors in the technical role for the Sky Blues, as he succeeded in proving his worth and giving the team what no one else had provided.
Jurčić has undoubtedly become one of the most prominent coaches to have passed through the Egyptian League historically, as the Croatian coach opens his heart in an interview he conducted with "Yalla Koura" about the period he spent inside Pyramids.
Jurčić opens the museum.. Pyramids' glory maker came from Croatia
Pyramids Club appointed 12 coaches before you, making you the 13th coach. How did you find the atmosphere inside the team and among the players?
"When I joined Pyramids Club, I knew the club had coaches with distinguished careers and shining names, but I also knew they had not won any titles."
"I watched some of Pyramids' matches and concluded that the club has players who are outstanding on an individual level, and that my main task was to build a strong team from these outstanding players."
How did you deal with an ordinary atmosphere that does not encourage competing for titles? You made a real difference and succeeded in instilling a champion's mentality in the team. How did that happen?
"Yes, the biggest problem was the club's lack of fans, which made it difficult to create a winning atmosphere. I realized from the beginning that I had to start this project with all my energy, because it was the only way to compensate for the absence of fan enthusiasm. I believe in my ability to transfer my energy to my team's players, and I think I succeeded in that."
How did you deal with the fact that the team did not have a large fan base? It is rare for a strong team to reach the African Champions League final without enjoying widespread popularity. Can you tell us about that?
"My team's players had a winning spirit. All I had to do was awaken this spirit. I had to convince them that they were winners. We instilled a winning mentality in them. Every training session, every friendly match, every small match was important."
"I insisted that we always win.. We built a winning mentality gradually. I was always encouraging them. We analyzed their performance and pointed out their mistakes, but we always assured them that they were good, that they were strong, and that they would become champions."
All the players confirmed that you were like a father to them, supporting them and contributing to their personal lives, and teaching them a lot on and off the pitch. Can you tell us about your relationship with the team?
"My team's players are my sons. Every problem they face is my problem. You must be honest with your players. When you shout in their faces and when you praise them, they must feel that you are doing so sincerely."
"I taught them to live their lives to the fullest, to live them with their emotions, and to show them clearly. I taught them to always respect the opposing team, and at the same time to believe in their ability to defeat it."
"I always told them: It is better to live one day as a lion than to live a thousand days as a sheep. I loved my team's players with sincere love, and they realized that."
What were your happiest moments with Pyramids Club? And what was the most important match you played with Pyramids, after which you felt proud?
"We won five titles, each victory was a source of overwhelming happiness, and of course, my greatest happiness was when we won the Champions League, there were many important victories that shaped the entire course of our football career."
"For example, the victory over El Gouna (where Dodo scored the winning goal in the last minute), and the victory over Tunisian Étoile du Sahel was also very important, when Adel scored a wonderful goal with a scissors kick. We lived countless wonderful moments."
When did you feel that you had achieved everything you could with Pyramids?
"In my professional career, I always rely on my intuition. I felt that maintaining this level of results would be difficult. I thought the team needed new energy, and that I needed a new challenge."
You are a professional coach with a career full of achievements. Would you consider coaching Al Ahly or Zamalek in the future if the opportunity arises?
"I perform my work with great enthusiasm, and I need a degree of emotional balance before engaging in a new job. We will see what happens in the future."
Egyptian fans believe that Pyramids players are often more lenient in their matches against Zamalek compared to their matches against Al Ahly. I would like to hear your comment on this matter.
"Many of the staff at Pyramids Club previously worked at Zamalek Club, and many of the players played in its ranks. Perhaps this was the reason we did not achieve the desired success in our matches, despite performing well in some matches against Zamalek."
Do you think that refereeing has sometimes contributed to changing the course of competitions in Egypt?
"I am very frank, and I immediately expressed my dissatisfaction with some refereeing decisions on the pitch. If refereeing were always fair, we would have become Egyptian champions."
In your opinion, how can the legacy you left at Pyramids Club be preserved?
"I wish Pyramids Club all the best. I wish them more victories and titles. They will need a lot of effort and knowledge. I had a wonderful time at Pyramids."
"Thank you to my team's players, my lions, thank you to my staff, thank you to the club's management, and thank you to everyone who was part of my journey with Pyramids. Thank you Pyramids, thank you Egypt."
Stability and historic results.. Jurčić reigns supreme among Pyramids coaches
Pyramids' glory maker
Krunoslav Jurčić, Pyramids' former coach, led the Sky Blues team in 132 matches across various local and continental competitions, succeeding in winning 89 encounters, with draws occurring on 25 occasions, while suffering defeat 18 times.
Jurčić opened Pyramids' title museum after leading the team to its first title at the expense of ZED by defeating them in the Egypt Cup final, before adorning the Sky Blues' cabinet with the African Champions League title, then the FIFA Club World Cup, then the African Super Cup, concluding his journey by winning the same championship he achieved at the start of his journey, at the expense of the same opponent.
Jurčić's principles.. Pyramids' path to titles and making history
