Dinamo Zagreb interest sparks tension around Pogoń Szczecin coach Oscar García

Croatian media have identified Pogoń Szczecin head coach Oscar García as the favorite to succeed Mario Kovačević at Dinamo Zagreb. These reports emerged shortly after Dinamo parted ways with Kovačević, creating uncertainty around García’s tenure in Poland only months into his appointment.

Pogoń Szczecin owner Alex Haditaghi publicly addressed the situation, stating that Dinamo representative Tan Kesler told Zoran Boban he must speak directly with the club owner regarding any approach. Haditaghi asserted that decisions concerning García belong exclusively to him and noted that Boban had not contacted him personally despite having his number.

Haditaghi described the alleged approach as unprofessional and disrespectful, emphasizing that García signed a full three-year contract without a release clause just two and a half months ago. He expressed disappointment that a club of Dinamo’s stature would attempt to poach a coach so soon after his arrival.

The speculation coincided with a disruption in Pogoń’s form, as the team lost to Raków Częstochowa after recording five consecutive league victories. García currently leads Pogoń to fourth place in the Ekstraklasa standings after 13 rounds, having taken charge at the beginning of the season.

Following the defeat, García praised his squad’s efforts but highlighted significant roster limitations, including injuries and the necessity of fielding a right-back from the reserve team due to a lack of alternatives. He declined to comment directly on rumors linking him to Dinamo during his post-match press conference.

During the return trip to Szczecin, García shared images on social media depicting players sleeping on the team bus, captioned as their accommodation for the night. He accompanied one post with Lenny Kravitz’s song Fly Away, fueling further speculation about his potential departure amidst the ongoing controversy.