2011–12 Croatian First Football League

Format changes

On 5 July 2010 the Croatian Football Federation Executive committee reached a decision to reduce the number of teams competing in Prva HNL to twelve for the 2011–12 season of the competition. This meant that the bottom five placed teams would be relegated and only the champion of the 2010–11 Druga HNL would earn a promotion to Prva HNL. This decision was confirmed by the Croatian Football Federation Assembly on 14 July 2010. The twelve-teams format would only be a temporary solution before the number of teams is further reduced to ten for either 2012–13 or 2013–14 Prva HNL season.

The decision to reduce the number of teams competing in Prva HNL was supported by 30 out of 48 Croatian Football Federation representatives, with 13 representatives voting against the proposal and five of them undecided. On behalf of the executive committee, Ante Vučemilović explained that the current format with sixteen teams does not contribute to development of football in Croatia and the standard of its domestic competitions.

However, CFF Assembly on 17 December 2010 delayed the execution of this changes by one year. Instead, the league will stay at 16 teams with only the last three teams being relegated and the first three teams from 2010 to 2011 Druga HNL earning promotion (if they are granted with top level license). In case of 16 teams not acquiring top level license, format with 12 teams will be applied.

On 4 April 2011, CFF announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2011–12 season was completed. For the 2011–12 Prva HNL, only eight clubs were issued a top level license: Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Inter Zaprešić, Istra 1961, Lokomotiva, Slaven Belupo, Varaždin and NK Zagreb. Out of these eight, only Lokomotiva and NK Zagreb weren't issued a license for participating in UEFA competitions. In the second stage of licensing procedure clubs that didn't get a license appealed on the decision and provided new facts and arguments. On 4 May 2011, it was announced that all remaining Prva HNL clubs were granted top level license. Additionally, Cibalia, Rijeka and RNK Split obtained a license for UEFA competitions. Only three teams from Druga HNL acquired the top level license: Dugopolje, Gorica and Lučko, where the latter two are set to play outside of their home venues.

However, Dugopolje didn't manage to finish the season within top five places which would secure them promotion. The remaining clubs were given a deadline until 6 June 2011 to confirm their participation in the 2011–12 season. All clubs of the previous Prva HNL season have done so, with Druga HNL teams Lučko and Gorica applying on the last day. This meant that the format with 16 teams was prolonged by one more season, meaning five clubs are going to be relegated at the end of this season. The status of 14th placed Lokomotiva was in question after the 3rd placed team from Druga HNL, Pomorac, contested the decision of CFF and tried to obtain the license through arbitration. On 9 June 2011, arbitrary committee rejected the appeal with two votes against one. Istra 1961 appealed on the decision to include Gorica in the Prva HNL on terms of their license conditions concerning stadium infrastructure. The appeal was successful and on 20 June 2011 arbitrary committee revoked Gorica's top level license allowing Istra 1961 to remain in the Prva HNL.

Stadia and locations

The following is a complete list of teams who will contest the 2011–12 Prva HNL. The league will be contested by 15 clubs from the previous season plus the newly promoted NK Lučko who replaced the bottom placed team from the previous season, NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac. Druga HNL champions HNK Gorica were initially promoted, but after the appeal from NK Istra 1961, their license was revoked.

Personnel and kits

Managerial changes

League table

For deciding champions, qualification to UEFA Europa League and relegation: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head away goals scored

Results

Top goalscorers

As of 12 May 2012; Source: Prva-HNL

References

References

1. (5 July 2010). "Sljedeće godine Liga 12 pa – Liga 10". Sportnet.hr.
2. (14 July 2010). "Prva HNL od prvenstva 2011./2012. smanjuje se na 12 klubova". [[Croatian First Football League.
3. (20 April 2010). "KONAČNA ODLUKA: Sljedeće godine 'liga 16', od 2011. 'liga 12'!". [[Sportske novosti]].
4. (29 December 2010). "Liga 16 ostaje i slijedeće godine". Prva-HNL.hr.
5. (4 April 2011). "Središnji postupak licenciranja okončan u prvom stupnju". HNS-CFF.hr.
6. (4 May 2011). "Okončan Središnji postupak licenciranja klubova za natjecateljsku 2011/12. godinu". HNS-CFF.hr.
7. (7 June 2011). "Gorica i Lučko novi prvoligaši, Liga 16 ostaje još jednu godinu". Prva-HNL.hr.
8. Strahija, Ivana. (9 June 2011). "Odbijena žalba Pomorca". Sportnet.hr.
9. Zovko, Ante. (9 June 2011). "Istra uložila žalbu na ulazak Gorice". Sportnet.hr.
10. Strahija, Ivana. (20 June 2011). "Gorici oduzeta licenca". Sportnet.hr.
11. Strahija, Ivana. (6 June 2011). "I Gorica u 1. HNL!". [[Sportnet.hr]].
12. "Stadion Maksimir". soccerway.com.
13. "Stadion Poljud". soccerway.com.
14. "Stadion Gradski vrt". soccerway.com.
15. "Stadion Kantrida". soccerway.com.
16. "Stadion Cibalia". soccerway.com.
17. "Stadion Anđelko Herjavec". soccerway.com.
18. "Stadion Aldo Drosina". soccerway.com.
19. "Stadion Kranjčevićeva". soccerway.com.
20. "Stadion Šubićevac". soccerway.com.
21. "Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek". soccerway.com.
22. "Stadion Park mladeži". soccerway.com.
23. "Stadion Stanovi". soccerway.com.
24. "Stadion ŠRC Zaprešić". soccerway.com.
25. "Gradski Stadion". soccerway.com.
26. Glasnović, Mario. (24 May 2011). "Razišli se Halilhodžić i Dinamo". [[Sportnet.hr]].
27. Dubravac, Ante. (26 May 2011). "Jurčić opet u Dinamu". [[Sportnet.hr]].
28. Glasnović, Mario. (1 June 2011). "Marijo Tot preuzeo Lokomotivu". [[Sportnet.hr]].
29. Jurišić, Bernard. (27 May 2011). "Krasimir Balakov novi trener Hajduka". [[Sportnet.hr]].
30. Dubravac, Ante. (16 June 2011). "Elvis Scoria napustio Rijeku". [[Sportnet.hr]].
31. Strahija, Ivana. (21 June 2011). "Rijeka imenovala novog trenera". [[Sportnet.hr]].
32. Jurišić, Bernard. (15 August 2011). "Smijenjen Ivan Katalinić". [[Sportnet.hr]].
33. Strahija, Ivana. (23 August 2011). "Lučko smijenilo trenera, stiglo pojačanje". [[Sportnet.hr]].
34. Glasnović, Mario. (28 August 2011). "Cibalia otpustila Mršića". [[Sportnet.hr]].
35. Strahija, Ivana. (30 August 2011). "Toplak postao trener Cibalije". [[Sportnet.hr]].
36. Strahija, Ivana. (29 August 2011). "Toplak otišao iz Varaždina". [[Sportnet.hr]].
37. Strahija, Ivana. (30 August 2011). "Tomica Kocijan novi trener Varaždina". [[Sportnet.hr]].
38. Jurica, Ivana. (1 September 2011). "Sporazumni raskid s Lokicom, Tomić novi trener". [[Sportnet.hr]].
39. Strahija, Ivana. (6 September 2011). "Lušić smijenjen". [[Sportnet.hr]].
40. Pavlić, Antonija. (6 September 2011). "Petravić preuzeo karlovačkog prvoligaša". [[Sportnet.hr]].
41. Strahija, Ivana. (26 September 2011). "Luka Pavlović podnio ostavku". [[Sportnet.hr]].
42. Ferkal, Krešimir. (4 October 2011). "Horvatu otkaz, Ištuk novi trener". [[Sportnet.hr]].
43. Strahija, Ivana. (15 October 2011). "Tomica Kocijan dobio otkaz". [[Sportnet.hr]].
44. Rupnik, Borna. (30 October 2011). "Poraz od Osijeka kraj za Marija Tota". [[Sportnet.hr]].
45. Gulić, Mišo. (8 December 2011). "Kruno Jurčić postao bivši". [[Sportnet.hr]].
46. (23 December 2011). "Ante Čačić preuzima Dinamo". [[Sportnet.hr]].
47. Gašparac, Maj. (24 December 2011). "Ivković novi trener Lokomotive". [[Sportnet.hr]].
48. Rupnik, Borna. (31 December 2011). "Petravić: Bio sam dovoljno strpljiv". [[Sportnet.hr]].
49. Gulić, Mišo. (4 January 2012). "Karlovčani pronašli spas". [[Sportnet.hr]].
50. Filipović, Vedran. (2 March 2012). "Ganjto samo protiv Dinama". [[Sportnet.hr]].
51. Piršljin, Josip. (18 March 2012). "Ištuk smijenjen s klupe Rijeke". [[Sportnet.hr]].
52. Filipović, Vedran. (19 March 2012). "Skočić: Normalno je vratiti se kući". [[Sportnet.hr]].
53. Tolić, Josip. (22 March 2012). "Balakov: Sve se odvilo brzo". [[Sportnet.hr]].
54. Gulić, Mišo. (22 March 2012). "Mišo Krstičević preuzeo Bijele". [[Sportnet.hr]].
55. Piršljin, Josip. (27 March 2012). "Dražen Besek novi trener Zagreba". [[Sportnet.hr]].
56. Strahija, Ivana. (31 March 2012). "Stanko Mršić preuzima Osijek". [[Sportnet.hr]].
57. Rupnik, Borna. (22 April 2012). "Lončarević dobio otkaz u Interu". [[Sportnet.hr]].
58. Rupnik, Borna. (22 April 2012). "Lončarevića zamijenio njegov prethodnik". [[Sportnet.hr]].
59. Dubravac, Ante. (30 April 2012). "Rijeka ostala bez trenera". [[Sportnet.hr]].
60. Dubravac, Ante. (2 May 2012). "Scoria: Kada Rijeka zove ja nisam ravnodušan". [[Sportnet.hr]].
61. Strahija, Ivana. (1 April 2012). "Varaždin iznevjerili svi". Sportnet.hr.
62. Strahija, Ivana. (23 April 2012). "Proljetno pospremanje u HNS-u". Sportnet.hr.