“We’ve changed coaches, presidents, players, and referees—everything, it seems—yet we still can’t become champions. Why is that?”

Dear friends, you have changed everything except one crucial element: yourself. You are the primary source of negativity, a toxic presence that drags down everyone striving to improve. You believe you have the right to criticize because you pay for a membership or season ticket, or because you’re a frustrated journalist, or perhaps because you hold a grudge against a coach from 20 years ago who you believe hindered your dreams of becoming a professional football player.

The truth is, you are simply a frustrated individual. The only time you feel validated is when you win a betting ticket or when Hajduk wins a championship. In all other situations, you feel worthless and may go to great lengths to sabotage those around you. Yes, that’s right—the problem does not lie with the coaches, referees, or players; it lies with you.

Find something meaningful in your life and stop dwelling on the negativity surrounding the football club. Invest your time and money in worthwhile pursuits, such as your daughter’s education. By shifting your mentality, you may discover that winning championships and competing with rival supporters matter less. It’s important to move beyond thinking solely about winning and the belief that your mood should depend on the outcome of a league championship.

Perhaps then the whole region will be able to produce something more than just souvenirs for tourists, and the city will become greater than just a crowded nest of negativity after the club loses something as irrelevant as a football match.