It is not lost on Zoran Mamic that, whenever he gets set to face a team featuring Gareth Bale, the Welshman seems to hit his stride right at that exact same time.
"We were just speaking and joking the other day how Bale obviously waits when he will play against my coaching staff and me and then decides to play his best football," the Croat tells The National, days out from his Dinamo Zagreb taking on Bale's Tottenham Hotspur in London, in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash.
Mamic encountered Bale during his time as Al Ain manager, when the UAE champions met Real Madrid in the 2018 Fifa Club World Cup final in Abu Dhabi.
Days before, Bale had struck a hat-trick in the 3-0 semi-final victory against Kashima Antlers and, despite not adding to his tally in the showpiece at Zayed Sports City – Madrid won 4-1 – he was later voted the tournament's best player.
Rather conveniently, Bale is in pretty rude health once more, notching twice for Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday to climb to six goals in his past six matches. On loan from Madrid, Bale's resurgence has helped sparked his team's.
Not exactly perfect timing, then, for an opposition manager.
“What can you say about a player of his quality?” Mamic says. “When he is in good shape like he is at the moment he is almost unstoppable, and we will have to try to find a way to manage him. Actually, if you have any idea or advice, please let me know.”
The last line is delivered with a smile, conveying both a relish in the glamorous tie upcoming and the recognition his team, much like Bale, enter Thursday’s contest in fine form, too.
Croatian champions in 14 of the past 15 seasons, Dinamo perch again at the top of the top-flight table, and remain on course for a domestic double having last week qualified for the semi-finals of the Croatian Cup. Success has extended to this season’s Europa League, as well: Dinamo are unbeaten thus far, winning seven of their nine matches.
His playing career bookended by Dinamo, Mamic returned to the capital club in June 2019, initially as sporting director, following three years in the Gulf. Brief spells in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr and Al Hilal sandwiched two years at Al Ain, where Mamic secured the club's first league and President's Cup double.
He became Dinamo's permanent manager last July for a second time – his previous tenure stretched 2013-2016 – replacing the short-lived Igor Jovicevic. Jovicevic had succeeded Nenad Bjelica only months before, but the league was halted amid the pandemic and results stagnated somewhat after the restart.
Mamic reprised his role as Dinamo wrapped up the title. He has since overseen a stellar 2020/21 season: his side have lost four times in 37 matches across all competitions, albeit defeat in the Uefa Champions League play-off to Hungary's Ferencvaros particularly stung.
That obvious blow aside, the transition from boardroom to dugout has been relatively seamless.
“Exactly,” Mamic says. “I was a sporting director before becoming a coach, so it wasn’t a new territory for me. The situation with Covid-19 resulted in the club parting ways with the former coach – after that things didn’t work out like we hoped and I took the responsibility also as the head coach.
“At the start the team was a bit down despite that we had won the league title and it wasn’t easy to get to the top level. But we believed in them 100 per cent and I was certain this team has amazing potential and quality. With time we created this great chemistry and wins came as a result.”
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Bale and Kane make Premier League team of week
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The results bear that out. Dinamo have won 18 of their past 22 matches, and finished top of a Europa League group that included CSKA Moscow and Feyenoord. In the process, they did not concede in their opening five matches, setting a competition record.
It led last month to a potentially tricky two-legged test against Russia’s Krasnodar, but Dinamo won both legs to prevail 4-2 on aggregate and set up the tie with Tottenham. Second favourites for the trophy, the English club provide stern opposition, but would be wise not to underestimate Dinamo – even if Mamic acknowledges his side “did not get lucky in the draw”.
“The team has amazing confidence at the moment,” he says. “With the same spirit we will enter the games against Tottenham. They are a big team with amazing players, but my team plays for the win in every game.”
Mamic is reluctant to single out whom among the Tottenham squad impresses him the most – “the team is always what brings out the individual” – yet he does praise the team’s attack, particularly in transition, with Bale, Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane.
That quartet excelled on Sunday, in the 4-1 victory against Palace at the same Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Dinamo visit. It underlined a turnaround in fortunes: Spurs ride a four-match win streak, scoring 13 times during the run, and have reemerged as contenders for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Currently, they lie seventh.
Considering the upturn, Mamic could be forgiven for not exactly looking forward to taking on Tottenham, first on Thursday and then six days’ later, in Zagreb.
“You can ask that after the two games and I’ll answer,” he says, smiling again. “But as a sports person it is always interesting to test yourself against the best.
“We will play against the best players, a great coach and in an amazing stadium, so it will be a nice experience. Of course, despite all that and with all due respect to Tottenham, we will be playing to win. Just like in any other match.”
Mamic, 49, was at the clubs’ only previous meeting, in the Europa League in 2008. Tottenham triumphed 4-0 at White Hart Lane; a young Bale, incidentally, performed at left-back.
“Of course a lot of things have changed since then; they don’t even play on the same stadium,” Mamic says. “Every season they invest a lot of money, [chairman] Mr [Daniel] Levy is leading the club with great vision and play and everyone can see that. The club has grown in so many ways in the last decade, but so has Dinamo.”
For Harry Redknapp then, read Jose Mourinho now. Mamic respects hugely the Portuguese manager, and will no doubt enjoy pitting his wits against one of the most decorated coaches of all time. Mourinho has won the competition twice already.
“Like I said, it is great to test yourself against the best, and Jose Mourinho is definitely one of the best coaches in the world in the last decade or more,” Mamic says. “He won so many trophies with several clubs and he earned his respect from everyone, including me. His teams always play tactically near to perfect, with a lot of energy and great pace, so it’s nice to watch them.
“He plays similar football now in Tottenham, and especially they look good in the last few weeks with a lot of power. It will be interesting to play against him, and it would be especially interesting to beat him.”
Mamic has little doubt Mourinho will have done his homework on Dinamo, highlighting that “to be on the level Jose Mourinho is you have to respect every opponent and treat every game as the most important one”. However, he suggested Tottenham might witness “some surprises” from their visitors on Thursday.
Mamic places little substance in the reversal of the tie’s legs, especially given the pandemic necessitates matches still taking place without fans in attendance. Originally, Dinamo were drawn at home first, with the return fixture in London.
Yet, with Spurs’ neighbours Arsenal in action at Olympiakos on Thursday, and Uefa rules stating two clubs from the same city cannot play on the same day, the games were switched.
For what it is worth, one of Mamic’s most memorable victories with Dinamo came against Spurs’ bitter rivals – a 2-1 win in the 2015/16 Champions League. That Arsenal side, managed by Arsene Wenger, boasted Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud.
Actually, a "North London Double” would constitute a decent entry on the CV.
“It was in the Champions League group stage a long time ago, before I came to the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” Mamic says. “It was a nice win and we had a very nice team, but I am sure that this team can achieve great results, too.
“Obviously, to be in the Europa league last 16 is already a great achievement, but I have a feeling we have more to say in this competition. I have enormous confidence in my team and my players, and it would be very nice to accomplish the 'North London Double', as you’ve called it.”