The 55-year-old former Slovenian national team coach will not be up for grabs as a football coach in July. According to the Sportske novosti magazine, he had already signed a new contract 16 days ago, before departing to practice camp in Kranjska Gora. The new deal supposedly ties him to Rijeka for three more years. He has already spent 4 years and 4 months with the club.

According to unofficial sources, the extension was not brought into question for a single moment. Kek has been very open about his desire to stay in Rijeka, which he also re-iterated in an interview for TV Slovenia just a few days ago. When asked if he had received many offers after a “double crown” (winning the Croatian championship as well as the cup), Kek replied: "Not really, because I think I’ve made it sufficiently clear at the right moment that I want to stay in Rijeka and that I was not interested in the so-called ‘amoral offers’, since money is not the only nor the main motivation. I already settled a deal with the president a year and a half ago, and that has been sacred for both or us. There’s been a lot said and written about the contact and its signing, but I was all done at the right time and in the right way. I think my decision is good, but that doesn’t mean I can now do as I please or that I would protected from resignation or replacement when a bad result or negative series occurs. I don’t live with illusions, but as long as I’m happy when going to work I’ll be glad to continue my story with Rijeka."

Rijeka is likely to share the official good news about Kek with its fans next week.

D. S., MMC; translated by K. Z.