World Cup 2010 qualifiers

World Cup Qualifiers Schedule

The race towards South Africa starts in August

Fabio Capello has his work cut out for him. England start their qualifying campaign for the next World Cup on September 6th away to Andorra four days before meeting their recent nemesis Croatia in Zagreb.

Present at the negotiations in the Sheraton Hotel in the Croatian capital were David Rodrigo of Andorra, Arno Pijpers of Kazakhstan, Bernd Tange of Belarus, Aleksei Mikhailichenko of Ukraine plus Capello and the host Slaven Bilic.

It took six and a half hours in Zagreb for the six coaches from the teams in the England's group to reach an agreement on the calendar and in the end both Capello and Bilic claimed they were very happy with the outcome. The Ukrainians were reportedly the least satisfied as they didn't want to play in June of 2009 and ended up having to visit Croatia and entertain the same team in the space of four days.

"I thank Belarus and Andorra for accepting some compromises, as without them it would have been difficult to reach the agreement," said the Croatian coach, who was only unhappy with the trip to Belarus on August 19th next year.

"It's FIFA's date for friendlies so we'll be able to count on our internationals just three days before the trip," moaned Bilic.

Capello on the other hand stated he got exactly what he wanted – an easy opener with Andorra, a relatively lightweight rival in Belarus for the closure and both Croatian games in September.

Group 6 – qualifying calendar

2008

20th August
Kazakhstan vs. Andorra

6th September
Croatia vs. Kazakhstan
Andorra vs. England
Ukraine vs. Belarus

10th September
Croatia vs. England
Andorra vs. Belarus
Kazakhstan – Ukraine

11th October
Ukraine vs. Croatia
England vs. Kazakhstan

15th October
Croatia vs. Andorra
Belarus vs. England

2009

1st April
Andorra vs. Croatia
England vs. Ukraine
Kazakhstan vs. Belarus

6th June
Croatia vs. Ukraine
Kazakhstan vs. England
Belarus vs. Andorra

10th June
Ukraine vs. Kazakhstan
England vs. Andorra

19th August
Belarus vs. Croatia

5th September
Croatia vs. Belarus
Ukraine vs. Andorra

9th September
England vs. Croatia
Belarus vs. Ukraine
Andorra – Kazakhstan

10th October
Ukraine vs. England
Belarus vs. Kazakhstan

14th October
Kazakhstan vs. Croatia
Andorra vs. Ukraine
England vs. Belarus

Note: Only the group champions qualify for the World Cup directly, and the second placed team enter an additional qualification round against another of the eight best runners' up out of the total of nine European zone groups.


England games
2008.
Andorra vs England (Sep 6th)
Croatia vs England (Sep 10th)
England vs Kazakhstan (Oct 11th)
Belarus vs England (Oct 15th)
2009.
England vs Ukraine (Apr 1st)
Kazakhstan vs England (June 6th)
England vs Kazakhstan (June 10th)
England vs Croatia (Sep 9th)
Ukraine vs England (Oct 10th)
England vs Belarus (Oct 14th)

Copyright Soccerphile & Ozren Podnar


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World Cup draw brings England and Croatia together

Disturbing Durban Draw:

Oh no, England vs Croatia again!?

An unpleaseant realization for England and Croatia: these teams will meet each other again in the European zone of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers! The whimsical Lady Luck decided that competing alongside England and Croatia in the Group 6 will be Ukraine, Belarus, Kazahstan and Andorra. The draw has not amused the English fans, with the wound inflicted by Croatia very fresh, but the trips to Kiev, Minsk and Almaty cannot be pleasant either.

Ukraine, the quarterfinalists of the last World Cup, have had a meagre Euro qualifying campaign, but cannot be easily dismissed, specially in the early stages of the new qualification cycle. The odd Belarus side proved capable of losing at home to Luxembourg, winless for ages, but also of defeating Holland on the last day of the competition. Kazahstan offer more of the same uncertainty: the Asians kicked out Serbia from Euro by beating them 2-1 last March. They will also naturally want to avenge Englishman's Sacha Baron Cohen's massive insult dealt upon the whole nation through the infamous movie featuring Borat, one of Cohen's alteregos.

Inspite of the euphoria reigning because of the historic 3-2 win at Wembley, Croats are not exactly happy to see England. Coach Slaven Bilic said the draw in Durban has been particularly cruel to his team, although he believes Croatia can hold their own against any of the world's leading teams. "At least it will be nice to play at Wembley again", said the former West Ham and Everton defender.

English players have been trying to regain confidence after the scorching last week's defeat that cost them a place in Austria and Switzerland. Michael Owen offered an expert opinion that "no Croatian player could currently make the England team" just days after Portsmouth's coach expressed pretty much the same view. With such awareness of other teams' qualities England may have been lucky to finish third, level on points with Israel. Steve McClaren's successor will be lucky if he can count on a healthy Owen to reinforce the depleted England attack rather than Owen the soccer analyzer.


European zone qualifying groups

Nine top teams qualify directly. Eight second-best teams play-off to produce the remaining four WC participants.

Group 1: Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta
The most evenly balanced group with three strong competitors and not a single true minnow.

Group 2: Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg
The group with the lowest specific weight. Not much difference in quality between the top seed, Greece, and the third, Switzerland.

Group 3: Czech Republic, Poland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, San Marino
Northern Ireland were the most improved team in the past qualifiers. It is conceivable they may make the life bitter for the Czech Republic and Poland.

Group 4: Germany, Russia, Finland, Wales, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
Germany will win the group yet again. Russia are better than Finland. Wales may upset someone on a good day.

Group 5: Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia
Spain and Turkey will take the top two spots. Probably in that order, too.

Group 6: Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Andorra
England have the potential to win the direct qualification. Croatia are likely to battle it out with Ukraine for that consolation second spot that leads to the playoffs.

Group 7: France, Romania, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Faroe Islands
France and Romania are highly fancied, but Serbia plays well against the best.

Group 8: Italy, Bulgaria, Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia, Montenegro
Lucky, lucky Italy. Unlucky Montenegro. A potentially good national team have to start from the bottom. And Ireland have a real chance!

Group 9: Holland, Scotland, Norway, Macedonia, Iceland
Holland face a serious challenge from Scotland and Norway. Macedonia and Iceland will molest a favourite or two.

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No rush for England's poisoned chalice

"There are not many candidates because it looks a bit like a crocodile that opens the mouth and says: 'Jump into that.' Once he's in there, he's eaten. And once you have eaten four, five says: 'No, maybe I don't jump in there.'"

So went the words of Arsene Wenger, the best coach working in England at present.

In the old days, before the savaging of Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor by the tabloids and the realization that the real money and chances of success were to be found in the Premier League and not the international game, the nation’s best coach would have leapt at the chance of managing England.

Not any more. In the aftermath of Steve McClaren’s quick exit from Soho Square, the candidates for the top job have been scurrying into the shadows. Like schoolkids desperate for the teacher not to pick them to answer a tricky question, the candidates are doing their best to look at their shoes instead.

Aston Villa coach Martin O’Neill could probably have signed a contract the day after the Croatia fiasco had he wanted to, but yesterday appeared to shut the door. “It’s gone for me. It’s absolutely gone,” he said.

Reading’s Steve Coppell would appear to be the best English candidate working in the Premier League, but also realises his nationality counts against him this time.

If the next leader of the Three Lions must be English, the options are fast disappearing beyond Coppell. Alan Curbishley now says he is no longer interested, Harry Redknapp’s colourful reputation surely precludes him and the FA are unlikely to go crawling back to the doors of two men they have previously fired – Glenn Hoddle and Terry Venables.

Almost certainly, the FA will pick another foreigner, following the appointment of Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2001.

Jurgen Klinsmann is believed to be interested and would have little trouble adapting once again to London. Indeed, ‘Klinsi’’s articulate and popular persona would probably pull the fans and media onside from the start, in a way few recent England coaches have succeeding in doing.

But the German legend still lives in Santa Barbara, California, which entails a day’s commuting and eight hours’ jet lag to reach England. His refusal to accept the USA job is still clouded in mystery and a flood of criticism will be inevitable as soon as results get sticky with England. The risk that it could all end in tears just looks too great for FA chief executive Brian Barwick to approach him in the first place.

Fabio Capello is the only man to so far declare his candidacy. The 61 year-old has long had an eye on English football, perhaps since scoring for Italy at Wembley in 1973, and had expressed an interest in replacing Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford back in 2002.

Capello has fallen out with a number of high-profile players over the years, including David Beckham, Alessandro Del Piero and Ronaldo, but boasts a stunning coaching CV including seven Serie A shields (four with Milan, two with Juventus and one with Roma) and two La Liga titles with Real Madrid.

Milan’s unforgettable 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in the 1994 Champions League Final in Athens remains perhaps the apex of Capello’s coaching history.

The other big name still in the frame is Jose Mourinho. The recently-departed Chelsea coach is surely a little tempted, or else he would have publicly ruled himself out this week.

Instead, the mercurial Portuguese is playing a game of brinkmanship, aware that vacancies may pop up before the end of the year at Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid.

While Mourinho’s family allegedly are keen to resume their London life, one cannot help but wonder how coaching a discredited national team without competitive fixtures for another year can compare to leading one of the European club heavyweights.

It is hard to see how maverick personalities like Mourinho could enjoy the amount of down time this position entails, when a man of his calibre could surely walk into one of the top jobs on the continent over the next few months and before long cross swords again with the best in the UEFA Champions League.

A team booed off by its own fans as it lost embarassingly on a bleak and rainy winter’s night was no advert for the manager’s job.

And perhaps all speculation on on this issue is pointless as the fault lines in English football run too deep for any magician to swan in and wave a magic wand in the first place.

In the 1970s and ‘80s, the outstanding English club coach, Brian Clough, winner of two European Cups, longed to be picked as England manager.

But in 2007, for coaches of real talent from whatever country, the chance of supping nectar at the helm of a top European club outshines the poisoned chalice of the England manager’s job by some distance.

Can you blame them for avoiding the telephone after all they have seen recently?

The top job has now become “the impossible job”, as a previous victim Graham Taylor memorably noted, adding that his advice to any future encumbent of the cursed throne would be this:

“Win every game!”

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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England all played out again

The Emperor has no clothes and it’s official.

For the first time within the walls of the awesome citadel that is the new Wembley Stadium, the English national team has come a cropper in a big way, and this time there can be no hiding from the naked truth.

Now let these sombre words ring out across our green and pleasant land: England are a mediocre football nation and it’s high time we accepted it.

One final appearance in 57 continuous years of international football competitions tells its own story and cannot by any logic justify the perennial Mount Everest of expectations heaped upon the Three Lions.

As the 3-2 victory over England by a competent yet not exceptional Croatian eleven on Wednesday proved once more, there is simply no case for believing we deserve a place at the high table of the world’s football nations, so please don’t try to make it.

After such a miserable and humiliating surrender, can anyone seriously believe we can win the 2010 World Cup? Will the patriotic punters be out in force again to waste their money, like they have for the last forty years since we won the World Cup at home?

That the English invented the sport and still sustain a 92-team professional league is utterly immaterial if the national team consistently fails to perform, yet year after year, an inferno of fan fervour is stoked up by London’s boorish tabloid media with no basis in reality.

But the media is only partly to blame for the unrealistic expectations and to a great extent is only a mirror of the national zeitgeist.

The obscenely ballooning waistline of the cash cow that is the FA Premier League is also only reinforcing an existing tunnel vision shared by millions throughout the home of football.

There is a foreign influx in our leagues and globalization all around us, but it clearly does not follow that a great domestic league can produce a world-class national team.

So who do we blame this time?

The usual suspects for the latest shambles are lining up and while they all shoulder a part of the blame, are mostly red herrings while the prime suspect is still at large.

Steve McClaren is not the main culprit and I take no pride in having predicted as soon as he was appointed that he would fail.

Although guiding your club to 15th place in the Premier League is not the best preparation for coaching your country, McClaren had served apprenticeships under Alex Ferguson and Sven-Goran Eriksson and there were no realistic alternatives for England last summer.

While some fans are slating McClaren for starting with 4-5-1 at home, without Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney his striking options were limited and when reinforcements did arrive in the shape of Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe, the much-needed punch up front was still lacking.

In fact, the catalyst for England’s comeback was the arrival of David Beckham, in perhaps his last national team appearance, after halftime, a player from Major League Soccer who provided an artistry and finesse with the ball otherwise lacking from his team on the night.

The English players’ superstar salaries are almost irrelevant too. Serie A pays huge wages but that never stopped Italy’s national team winning the World Cup impressively last summer. And English players certainly do not lack passion. If anything, they play with too much heart and not enough head, yet England critics routinely bemoan a lack of passion and self-belief as the reasons for falling short.

That there may be too many foreign players in England for the national team’s good is also an argument that looks shakier by the day. In fact, on the evidence of last night, no wonder Arsene Wenger shops overseas.

The dissections and post mortems on the corpse of England’s latest failure are everywhere, though few have realised the fatal disease is merely an inherited and myopic attitude that the English way is best.

Like Charybdis, the fearsome whirlpool of Greek mythology, our semi-permanent debate on the national team ends up going round in circles of self-delusion, our consistent demand for unrealistic success devouring all passing managers lured too close to the job.

This insular hara-kiri was evident off the field as well as on. Thousands of England fans pointedly ignored the Wembley announcer’s request to respect both national anthems by booing Croatia’s loudly, before revelling in taunting the traveling fans with several renditions of ‘You’re not singing anymore’, only to be confounded as supersub Mladen Petric speared a spectacular 25-yard winner with 13 minutes remaining.

‘Rule Britannia’ is still one of our favourite songs, but its boasting of global dominance had a particularly pathetic ring at Wembley last night, a specious self-aggrandizement amid the carnival of English obsolescence on the field.

Sheltering from the Wembley monsoon while the queues to the tube station still stretched down Bobby Moore Way a full hour after the final whistle, I got talking to some Croatian fans, who gave me some refreshing points of view on our particular malaise.

The heavens were downright miserable, but there was some blue-sky thinking to be found beneath the deluge.

“England has good players, but they don’t play as a team,” thought Branko from Dubrovnik.

“You’re right,” I said, “but we don’t know any different.” Contrary to some opinions aired this week, England can produce great talents.

I could reel off names such as Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews, but from more recently, what about John Barnes, Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker and Chris Waddle from the 1980s and David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Owen and Rooney from the ‘90s.

“Your style is twenty years behind the times,” offered Zlatko from Mostar. “You hit long high balls to the big forward, Crouch. We know that is what the English do. It is simple to play against.”

“Well Crouch did score tonight,” I offered in defence, but I broadly agreed with his analysis.

“Look at the Germans,” said Goran from near Split. “They work hard the whole time too, but they do it as a team.”

I then racked my brains for times in my life when England have played with great fluidity and got stuck on a handful of occasions: In the latter stages of Italia ’90, for the first half of a friendly against Mexico in 2001, against Italy in Rome in 1997 and most famously smashing the Netherlands 4-1 at Wembley in Euro ’96 and Germany 5-1 in Munich five years later.

Our national style still leans towards passionate and direct attacking – ‘droit au but’ –‘straight to goal’, as the motto of Marseille says. And we have to change this mindset, wholesale, from the grass roots up, if we want to challenge for international trophies.

One final in 57 years of FIFA and UEFA competition is surely proof there is a hairline fracture in the monolith of the Football Association, a lingering faultline that cannot and should not be attributed to any particular coach or set of players.

The one excuse I didn’t hear on the tortuous journey from the Wembley mega-arena back to my home in North London was perhaps the most obvious one: Croatia were just better than us.

“Wake up,” Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said succinctly post-match. “We’re simply a better team.”

They undoubtedly were the superior side, having defeated England home and away in the qualification campaign, yet I still heard a fan moaning that England had played badly and lost to ‘a shit team’. ‘Yeah, they are a shit team,’ echoed his equally dim friend.

Well, relativism aside, any team who tops a UEFA qualification group cannot by any sound reasoning be made of caca.

The Croats gave England a footballing lesson in both Zagreb and London in soaking up pressure, throwing bodies into attack or defense appropriately, counter-attacking and shooting from distance.

But what really stood out for me at Wembley was their outfield players’ superior technique.

The Croats’ creed is possession, like it is for all great football nations, while England still go for broke in the final third and try to hit that killer ball into the channels or lump it onto the head of that big lad in the box, too often finding their optimistic punts intercepted or overhit instead.

On the night, Shaun-Wright Phillips typified what is wrong with English football. Energetic and brimming with passion, the Chelsea winger charged goalward whenever he was given the ball, but too often his ardour burned out as he mishit a cross, collided with a defender or ran the ball out of play.

Time and again, England played without any telepathy when they managed to get the ball near the opponents’ box, while every Croatian tap, layoff or backheel seemed to be wired to an incoming teammate.

The Croats clearly knew how to counter-attack better than we did, sprinting upfield, stretching our retreating defence and hitting first-time passes to runners without hesitation. They built a shape-shifting, multi-dimensional game which defeated our rigid, one-dimensional structure with ease.

We might lazily lump all Eastern European football nations together as tough, former communist, crack army sides from chilly lands, but remember Croatia, like Romania, is essentially a Mediterranean country whose warm weather breeds skilful ballplayers.

Facing Italy across the Adriatic, Croatia has only been a country since 1991 and with a population of under five million, has in that short space of time, produced stars of the calibre of Zvonimir Boban, Alen Boksic, Robert Prosinecki and Davor Suker.

Yet however you compare the two countries, England should be a far better football nation than Croatia.

Once again, I fear we will skirt around the answer to our ills – a complete and radical overhaul of the coaching culture.

The intangibility of the problem and its equally nebulous solution just discourage us from addressing it properly, and so England stumble to under-achievement every time.

It almost seems a treasonable offense to the Anglo-Saxon virtues ingrained in our national game to tell our kids to keep the ball instead of to ‘get it in there!’, to think about their shape and position instead of to ‘get stuck in lad!’ and to bring others into attack instead of to ‘go on your own, son, have a pop!’ etc.

The continental method does seem anathema to a windy Sunday morning league game in Rotherham, but ask yourself who is the more successful soccer nation – Italy or England?

‘Look at Arsenal,’ Zlatko continued. ‘They have a great coach and play in a European style but are an English team’.

Treating football seriously from a young age also draws us into a political debate we would rather steer clear of, that of mass education’s historic lack of importance in England in general.

If we want well trained footballers, we need well educated players, who understand the professional commitment and the intellectual ability the game demands at the highest level.

‘What about Wayne Rooney?’ you holler. Nothing can compensate for raw talent like his, surely; only to a point. Imagine what Gascoigne could have done with the self-discipline of a Zinedine Zidane, or how Rooney could prosper with the spatial awareness of strikers like Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry or Henrik Larsson.

On the train home, there was no anger, nor misery at England’s premature exit from Euro 2008, just a resigned mood, an unspoken acceptance that we have seen it all before.

I really felt that maybe for the first time, an accommodation of our ineptitude had begun to set in with the fans, a growing acceptance of the obvious mediocrity we have been dealing with for years.

Make no mistake. This umpteenth failure for England will not be the last, unless we do start again from the grass roots, bite the bullet and admit the FA’s manuals are mistaken in many ways and our coaching outdated.

Or, we can bury our heads in the sand once more, blame Steve McClaren or whoever underperformed last night and come 2010, summon up the blood to bellow from the rooftops our belief that England can win the World Cup, if only we the fans and they the players want it enough.

Unless there is a revolution, the future history of the England team writes itself.

All may not be lost however. As I traipsed down the many steps from Wembley’s upper tier, and some fans began to sing ‘Jose Mourinho’, I began to think that the foreign influx in our game could end up being the solution instead of the problem, whoever the next coach may be. The tide of the world game is all around us now, at home and abroad.

And what is for sure is that England’s national football culture, more than ever, is all played out.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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World Soccer News

World Soccer News
for week of November 22th

Tradition smashed as England exit Euro

England's elimination from the European championship was the top story around the world: foreign fans and the media respect English soccer far more than those at home and the failure of the Three Lions has been greeted with as sense of shock and awe.

In Croatia, the fans celebrated the triumph with crackers and fireworks, seeing the 3-2 win at Wembley as one of the three greatest ever in the 16-year history of the national team. The other two are the 3-0 thumping of Germany in the 1998 World Cup quarter finals and the 2-0 defeat of England last year in Zagreb. Although England is not at their finest hour, beating them away from home will guarantee a place in the national soccer history for the Croatian team that achieved that.
The result will no doubt be long remembered as well in Russia, who scraped through with a shameful 1-0 win in Andorra. It was the case of the smallest of the qualifying nations helping the largest nation to qualify too: Russia outnumbers Croatia by 33-1 in population, its territory 300 gimes bigger than Croatia's.

The disconcerted and poorly coached English team have made history too: this is the first time that England lost both games to an opponent during one qualifying campaign. In the former 24 qualification cycles (11 for the European championships and 13 for the World Cups) no other team had been able to defeat England twice. How dramatic that this tradition should have ended when a mere draw would have secured the home team a place at the biggest soccer event for the next two and a half years.

Real Madrid renew Drogba offensive

Real Madrid representatives met with Didier Drogba's agents late last month in order to discuss the options for bringing the big Ivorian to Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid's directors initially put a stop to the operation cosnsidering that the fee Chelsea asked, a reported 40 million euros, was too high for a player close to his 30th birthday.

According to The Mirror, the Spaniards may have changed their position and are now ready to pay the said fee, while Chelsea have started to negotiate the purchase of Nicolas Anelka, currently of Bolton Wanderers. It is possible that the new Real offensive for Drogba may be related to Ruud van Nistelrooy's recent muscle injury, which will presumably keep the Dutchman out of action for ten weeks.

Totti rejects Italy yet again

Italy has reached another final stage thanks to their agonizing 2-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park, but their star striker Francesco Totti has not changed his mind. "I will not return to the national team. I know the rules of the team and I could not possibly think of a comeback to the Azzurri," said Totti in reference to the unwritten rule that only those players who have achieved qualification should be used in the final tournament.

"I took my decision immediately after last year's World Cup finals. I am in no quarrell with (coach) Roberto Donadoni and the Football Federation. My relationship with them is clear and civil. I can only wish my teammates the best of luck at the Championship," said the 31-old Roma captain, who collected 58 caps for Italy.


Benítez denies Bayern rumours

Liverpool's coach Rafael Benítez will not move to Bayern Munich any time soon. "I have heard the rumours last weekend and it is flattering when I'm related to other big clubs, because it means I'm doing a good job. But, as always, whatever the club may be trying to contact me, I am very happy with my current club, my fans and the city. There are so many things I wish to do here, so I plan to stay here for a long time," wrote Benítez on Liverpool's web page.

Houston retain MLS title

Houston Dynamo have retained the Major League Soccer championship by beating New England Revolution in the playoff finals 2-1. The Revolutionaries from Boston went 1-0 up through a Taylor Twellman goal in the first half, but the champions turned it around thanks to strikes from Joseph Ngwenye and Dwayne De Rosario.
The Texan team became the first MLS club to have defended the MLS title after DC United achieved that in 1997. For New England this was the fourth loss in the finals and the second in the row to Houston.

Nine arrested over incidents in Serie A

Nine Genoa and Sampdoria supporters have been arrested in Italy on Wednesday on suspicion of having caused incidents before the Genoa city derby played on September 23rd. The accusations include battery, infliction of injuries, unauthorized carrying of guns and causing material damage.
13 other persons have been investigated for possible participation in one of the many violent episodes that have been marring Italian soccer.


Riquelme: "Return to Boca inevitable"

One of the key members of the Argentinian national team, Juan Román Riquelme, delighted his fans again with his display that included two goals against Bolivia in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
His coach Alfio Basile did not spare compliments regarding the masterful midfielder.
"Riquelme is phenomenal. His two goals were extraordinary. I'm full of pride and joy for having such a player on my team," said Basile, relieved that his gamble of fielding an inactive player in the first place.

Riquelme, for all his skills, has been out of action at his club Villarreal since the start of the season due to contractual and personal issues with the coach Manuel Pellegrini and the chairman Francisco Roig. Boca Juniors have stepped up their efforts to bring Riquelme back after five years in Spain and Villarreal seems to have softened their posture regarding the transfer fee.

"Boca Juniors is my home and I know I'll be back. Perhaps even as early as for the World Club Championship in Japan. I hope my status will be resolved soon, because the players like to be in action every weekend," said the creative midfielder who has scored 17 goals in his 45 appearances for Argentina.

Riquelme (29) has won one Intercontinental Cup and three Libertadores Cups with Boca, including one last June while on loan from Villarreal.

Copyright Ozren Podnar/Soccerphile

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Euro 2008 - Croatian squad for the Wembley game

Know England's next rivals

The chequered squad - Pride of Croatia

By Ozren Podnar

Manager Slaven Bilic, the former West Ham and Everton defender, usually deploys a 4-4-2 system with Pletikosa on goal, Corluka and Simunic as full backs, Simic and Robert Kovac as central defenders, Srna and Kranjcar as wide midfielders, Niko Kovac as a defensive midfielder, Luka Modric as an attacking midfielder, Petric or Olic as the second striker and Eduardo as the main striker.
In the current Euro qualifiers Croatia have won eight, drawn two and lost only one game, on Saturday to Macedonia, after learning that they had already qualified thanks to the Russian defeat to Israel. It will be interesting for Steve McClaren to learn that their next rivals have never lost two qualifiers in a row, but then again a draw at Wembley would be just fine for both teams.
Since coming on to the international scene in 1994, Croatia has lost just six out of 67 qualifying games, none of which have been at home. The men in the red and white chequered shirts have made it to six out of seven major competitions (Euros and World Cups), and only missed out on Euro 2000 - by a single goal!

Stipe Pletikosa
/STEE-peh PLE-tea-coss-ah/
Goalkeeper
1st January 1979
Spartak Moscow
64 caps

Big and agile goalkeeper. Made his debut at 19 for Hajduk Split. Spent a stint as a second-choice keeper for Shakhtar Donetsk, which unnerved both him and his Croatian fans. Now a regular at Spartak.

Vedran Runje
/VED-run ROON-yeh/
Goalkeeper
10th February 1976
Lens
4 caps

A decent club goalkeeper, formerly of Hajduk, Marseille and Standard. Highly respected at all of his clubs, has had few chances due to the dominance of Tomo Butina and Pletikosa in goal over the past 7 years.

Vedran Corluka
/VED-run CHOR-look-ah/
Defender
5th February 1986
Manchester City
15 caps

A prodigy. Former Dinamo star who immediately made an impact upon joining City last summer. Tall, strong, but a technically gifted defender. Can perform both as full back, centre-back or defensive midfielder. Participates in the play.

Dario Simic
/SHE-mitch/
Defender
12th November 1975.
AC Milan
93 caps, 3 goals

The most capped player for Croatia. Made his debut for Dinamo Zagreb at 16. A tigerish defender used both centrally or to the right. Rarely features in the Milan squad, which the Croats find hard to understand. A true professional, lives for soccer.

Robert Kovac
/KOH-vutch/
Defender
6th April 1974
Borussia Dortmund
67 caps

Arguably the best Croatian defender. Won plenty of honours at Bayern Munich plus an eventually anulled championship with Juventus. Capable of marking his player without a foul.

Josip "Joe" Simunic
/YOH-sip SHE-moon-itch/
Defender
18th February 1978
Hertha Berlin
57 caps, 3 goals

Australian born. Amazingly technical, but also a wildly aggressive player. Four expulsions in the Bundesliga over the past year bear witness to his aggression. Three yellow cards at the Australia game at last year's World Cup courtesy of Graham Poll's poor record keeping.

Marko Babic
/BUB-itch/
Midfielder
28th January 1981
Betis Seville
45 caps, 3 goals

A highly professional, strong, dependable left midfielder. Sometimes used as the left wing-back, which he resents. Prefers playing upfront. Recently sidelined to make room for Kranjcar. Moved from Bayer to Betis last summer.

Darijo Srna
/DA-ree-oh SER-nah/
Midfielder
1st May 1982
Shakhtar Donetsk
51 caps, 15 goals

Regular as a right midfielder. Strong and enduring as a horse. Very dangerous at set pieces. Originally from Hajduk Split, has starred for Shakhtar Donetsk since 2003. He is ocasionally used in a more defensive position with his club.

Niko Kovac
/NEE-koh KOH-vutch/
Midfielder
15th October 1971
Red Bull Salzburg
72 caps, 12 goals

Germany born, like his younger brother Robert. May be 36, but this seasoned veteran has plenty of fuel for some more tireless running around the midfield. A superb ball winner who often comes forward and scores. A long and distinguished career in the Bundesliga.

Luka Modric
/LOO-kah MOD-rich/
Midfielder
9th September 1985
Dinamo Zagreb
18 caps, 2 goals

The most talented player to come out of Croatia in the past five years. A wonderfully gifted ofensive midfielder reminiscent of Johan Cruyff. Lots of strength in his fragile body. Mobile, fast, clever with the ball, seems destined for Arsenal or Chelsea.

Niko Kranjcar
/NEE-koh CRUNCH-ar/
Midfielder
13th August 1984
Portsmouth
37 caps, 5 goals

Hyped as the greatest Croatian player for the XXI century, has not lived up to the expectations. Still, has found some of his early form in his second season at Portsmouth. Attacking midfielder by formation, usually played on the left side of the midfield for the national team. Technically gifted.

Jerko Leko
/YER-koh LEH-koh/
Midfielder
9th April 1980
Monaco
48 caps, 2 goals

Tall, elegant, powerful, early on drew comparison with Frank Rijkaard. Upon transferring from Dinamo Zagreb to Dinamo Kiev has host much of his initial reputation, but still useful in the national team when Niko Kovac is injured.
Not entirely serious approach to soccer has cost him a bigger career.

Milan Rapaic
/ME-lun Rup-EYE-itch/
Midfielder
16th August 1973
unattached
49 caps, 6 goals

Naturally talented left or attacking midfielder. Possibly the best dribbler in the squad. Has had a very chequered career club-wise, which has discouraged managers from using him more. Despite his age, still in good shape and may be recalled to Croatia provided he finds a club. Has plenty of offers but has high financial demands.

Ivan Rakitic
/EE-vun RUCK-it-itch/
Midfielder
10th March 1988
Schalke
4 caps, 1 goal

A supremely talented scoring midfielder. Subject of a soccer war between Croatia, his parents' country, and Switzerland, his country of birth. As usually happens with the people from the Balkans, his ethnic origins prevailed, enabling him to make his debut for Croatia last August. Born to be the leader of the team over the next ten years.

Danijel Pranjic
/DAH-nee-yell PRUN-yitch/
Midfielder
Heerenveen
2nd December 1981
6 caps

A speedy left midfielder or wing back. Extremely fast on the break, packs a tremendous shot in his left foot. Currently the second choice for the left side of the midfield, behind Kranjcar, tied with Babic.

Eduardo da Silva
Forward
25th February 1983
Arsenal
20 caps, 13 goals

A clinical finisher with pure Brazilian technique. Came to Zagreb at 16, signed for Dinamo and spent some time on loan at neighbouring Inter Zapresic. Returned in 2003 to become an instant hit with fans and coaches alike. Last season scored an amazing 53 goals in all competitions for club and country. Currently at Arsenal, where he still has to adapt to the more physical English game.

Mladen Petric
/MLAH-den PET-rich/
Forward
1st January 1981
Borussia Dortmund
19 caps, 8 goals

A great striker who can equally well perform as an attacking midfielder. Born in Switzerland, won trophies both with Grasshoppers and Basel before joining Borussia last summer. Scored four goals against Andorra a year ago.

Ivica Olic
/EE-vee-tzah OH-litch/
Forward
14th September 1979
Hamburger SV
49 caps, 8 goals

The Croatian international with the most titles of this generation. Won back-to-back Croatian titles with NK Zagreb and Dinamo in 2002 and 2003 before collecting two Russian Leagues and Cups plus the 2005 UEFA Cup with CSKA Moscow. A powerful winger or central striker reminiscent of Alen Boksic. Less prolific for country than for his clubs.

Bosko Balaban
/BOSH-koh BAH-lub-bun/
Forward
15th October 1978
Dinamo Zagreb
34 caps, 10 goals

Aston Villa fans may disagree, but Balaban is a hell of a forward, who simply did not get a fair chance at Villa Park when John Gregory, the manager who signed him from Dinamo in 2001 left the club. Able to create his own chances. Dangerous from set pieces. Scored plenty of goals for Rijeka, Club Brugge and Dinamo. Currently injured.

Ivan Klasnic
/EE-vun KLUS-nitch/
Forward
29th January 1980
Werder Bremen
26 caps, 8 goals

Called "Killer Klasnic" spent most of the year on the sidelines because of a mysterious kidney disease and two attempted transplants. Now with his father's kidney fully operational, Klasnic worked hard to return to form and finally featured for Werder amateurs in the German Cup - with goals!

Also used in the current qualifiers:
Igor Budan (forward)
Mario Mandzukic (forward)
Goran Sablic (defender)
Anthony Seric (defender)
Ognjen Vukojevic (midfielder)

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Euro 2008 qualifiers: England to qualify after all

European qualifiers

Greatest day for English soccer. And England did not even play.

Ozren Podnar reports...

What a wonderful Saturday for English soccer! England did not play, though, but Israel did, and Macedonia too. Not only one result went England's way on that glorious day, but two! Israel achieved the unimaginable feat of beating Russia by 2-1, when even a draw seemed unassailable; an hour later, an unbeaten Croatia finally succumbed to lowly Macedonia, who so rarely win a game at home (four in the last seven years, to be precise).

Any of these unlikely scores would have saved the Three Lions from the instant ignominy of elimination from the forthcoming Euros. In the end, both results came out just as if Steve McClaren himself had designed them.

McClaren has been subject to thousands of abusive articles stemming from his less than brilliant performance as England coach, but the stick he's got may eventually prove quite unjustified. It turns out that the despised and reviled team coached by an apparently inept manager need just a draw at home on Wednesday to qualify.
What's more, they can actually win their qualifying group, if they defeat Croatia by 2-0 or three goals' difference at Wembley. How's that for a failure?

McClaren "not content with a draw"
Offered a lifeline by an unfancied third party in the shape of Israel, McClaren plans to take full advantage of this new situation and prove that England have deserved to qualify on their own merits. Thus his team will not attempt to snatch a meager point against Croatia, but will go for an outright win.

"It's not in England's nature to go and play for a draw," McClaren said, according to AFP.
"We're there, we're in the driving seat. It's up to us to make sure we finish the job off.
"Whatever the formation is going to be, we have to be positive and go out to win the game.
"That is what we've been doing in the second half of the campaign. That has got us results and we must continue that.
"That's how we are going to get a result on Wednesday. But we must get the balance because ultimately we know a clean sheet will get us through."


It is extremely fortunate that Croatia have already mathematically secured their qualification, incidentally for the fourth consecutive major event, so that their squad will be optimally relaxed at Wembley. For Croatia is not Israel. The Slavs are so happy they have qualified for the European Championship that they will go to London relaxed and without the competive edge that characterized them throughout the campaign.

England, have no fear
The relaxation was obvious in the second half of the Macedonia game: after learning during the half-time interval that Israel had done the job for them, the players returned to the muddy Skopje pitch with the idea of going through the motions. Between the 70th and the 80th minute, the Croat defense looked nothing like the usually ruthlessly efficient machine that had kept a clean sheet in eight of the ten previous games. The result of such an approach was the first loss in a qualifying game in 50 months, the first-ever defeat against another ex-Yugoslav team after 19 positive scores and the first-ever defeat in Slaven Bilic's era.

After losing in Tel-Aviv, the Russian coach Guus Hiddink said that he expected the Croats to fight at Wembley just as hard as the Israelis had against his squad.
"Bilic's team has the qualities to defeat England and enable us to qualify after all," said the Dutchman. The odds of that happening are extremely low.

The Croats may have a clever and ambitious coach in Slaven Bilic and good individual players, but it is not in their nature to over-exert themselves if the result does not matter to them. The most that Croatia will aim for will be a draw or a minimal loss which would enable them to finish the competition as the group champions. And such an approach may well delight Steve McClaren and his depleted squad. Euro2008 is now just inches away.

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Estonia win edges England closer to EURO 2008

After months of real uncertainty and voices of doom, England’s qualification for Euro 2008 looks ever more likely now after the three lions cruised past Estonia 3-0 at Wembley on Saturday.

Steve McClaren can sleep that bit easier than when England succumbed lamely 2-0 in Croatia a year ago, only days after tying the mighty Macedonia 0-0 at home.

First-half strikes from Shaun-Wright Phillips, Wayne Rooney and an own goal by Estonia’s Taavi Rahn sent England into a 3-0 lead with 33 minutes on the clock and the contest was as good as over.

The pre-match atmosphere was far from tense. Confidence in English fans was high following the Wembley win over Russia in September and the media were far more interested in the England rugby team's World Cup semifinal against France in Paris that night than the football team's clash with Estonia.

McClaren's men profited from being out of the spotlight for once and looked relaxed as they eased into a comfortable lead in the first half before turning on the auto-pilot.

Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole spurned chances to extend England’s lead in the second half while the visitors failed to create any genuine opportunities to reduce the deficit.

The real talking points emerging from the game concerned McClaren’s team selection and England’s chances of pulling off a win on the artificial surface in Russia on Wednesday.

Portsmouth’s Sol Campbell donned an England shirt for the first time in 16 months and performed creditably, but former Arsenal teammate Ashley Cole was worryingly stretchered off just after the second half began and will be on the sidelines in Moscow.

Everton's Phil Neville should replace him then as he did on Saturday, although Chelsea colleague John Terry is still hopeful of returning from injury in time for the big game in Russia.

The Wembley crowd of 86,655 also responded negatively to the insertion of Frank Lampard in the 70th minute in place of Michael Owen.

There was no call for such boorishness. McClaren had already done the right and popular thing in picking in the in-form Aston Villa man Gareth Barry from the start ahead of Lampard, whose displays for his country have, in the unanimous opinion, left a lot to be desired.

In addition, Owen was due for replacement on the day after struggling to spring the offside trap set by the Estonian backline, and Lampard was the logical replacement as an advanced and attacking midfielder.

England are now five points clear of third-place Russia in Group E with two games remaining, well aware a win in Moscow on Wednesday would guarantee them second place behind the Croats and a place in the finals.

Russia were well beaten 0-3 by England at Wembley in September and will be itching for revenge. The Field Turf surface at the Luzhniki Stadium will give Guus Hiddink’s team a slight advantage, but not as much as the expected sell out crowd of over 84,000 could.

Croatia kept up the pressure on the two nations just below them with a 1-0 win over Israel in Zagreb. The Croats, three points ahead of England, travel to Macedonia on Wednesday before concluding their campaign at Wembley on the 21st of Novermber.

Russia, with a game in hand, have still to travel to Israel and Andorra, and are well aware that a win over England on Wednesday will put them in the driving seat for second place and a ticket to the finals.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile


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Brazilian Eduardo Shines in Croatia

Eduardo da Silva marca 32 goles en cuatro meses

El delantero más en forma en la actualidad europea podría ser el brasileno naturalizado croata del Dinamo Zagreb, Eduardo da Silva. En algo más de cuatro meses de la presente temporada, el ariete de 23 anos cumplidos en febrero ha marcado nada menos de 32 goles en 29 partidos disputados, todos ellos competitivos menos el amistoso de la selección ante Italia en Livorno.

El último de ellos vino en la ida de los cuartos de final de Copa ante el Inter en Zapresic (2-1 para el Dinamo).

El balance no se refiere sólo a las competiciones croatas, sino también a los encuentros en las copas europeas y de selección nacional.

El jefe del Dinamo de Zagreb, Zdravko Mamic, ha prometido que no iba a vender a Eduardo como mínimo antesdel otono del 2007, para dar una oportunidad al equipo deprogresar en Europa.

He aquí el resumen de los goles marcados por la perla del Dinamo desde el pasado 19 de julio.

En la Liga de Croacia: 15 goles en 15 presencias

Copa de Croacia: 5 goles en 3 presencias

Supercopa de Croacia: 2 goles en 1 presencia

Copas europeas: 5 goles en 5 presencias

Selección croata: 5 goles en 5 presencias

Total: 32 goles en 29 encuentros disputados

Copyright EFE

Oliver Holt

Steve McClaren and Paul Robinson weren't the only Englishmen to get it all horribly wrong in Zagreb last Wednesday night.

"Award-winning" Mirror hack Oliver Holt produced a tour de force of ignorance, malice and bias in his preview to the Euro 2008 qualifying game in Croatia's capital.

Entitled "DANGER LURKS FOR MCCLAREN IN CITY OF HATE" Holt tries to whip up the xenophobia ahead of the game and justify his prolonged anti-Sven, anti-foreigner agenda.

Here are a few gems from the piece:

"THE last time I visited Zagreb, in the late Eighties when civil war was coming to Yugoslavia, the train from Venice arrived in the dead of night.

The hard, searching faces that always haunt railway stations after dark stared out from the shadows and said silently that this was not a place to loiter."

Actually Zagreb is well known for its safety 24/7, then and now; even children can "loiter" at low risk.

"As we hurried away with our backpacks to try to find the address where we were staying, shapes followed us at a distance, only turning away when we rang on a bell and a door opened."

Oliver is obviously a nervous traveller.

"The England team are staying in a deluxe five-star hotel a couple of hundred yards from that train station, a hotel that wasn't there 18 years ago."

The 81-year-old Regent Esplanade hotel, where the England team stayed, was around when Oliver last brought his backpack to Zagreb, but he must have missed it in his haste at being 'followed'.

"But along with the battalions of new coffee shops that crowd the city streets, there is still a distinct edge-of-Europe feel to the Croatian capital."

Ollie's a star at geography. Zagreb is slightly to the west of Vienna.

"The faces are hardened by the pain of war now, smoking is still endemic, racism is rife and there is an underworld menace about the men who cluster outside the hotels in their black leather jackets."

Olllie hits the nail on the head about smoking, but is off the mark on racism. Racism is an issue to be addressed in all societies, including the UK, and it is unfair to point the finger at Croatia. Has Mr. Holt heard of Stephen Lawrence and Anthony Walker?

The Croatian FA is keen to promote its joint bid with Hungary for Euro 2012 and have implemented strict anti-racism measures at domestic games, the Croatian team carried an anti-racism banner on to the pitch before the match and there were no complaints of racist chants directed at England's black players, similar to those endured by the U-21 team in Leverkusen, Germany, the day before the senior match in Zagreb.

"Zagreb still feels like a cloaked danger, a place tilting between light and darkness, a place that doesn't quite know which way things are going to go."

"Somehow, that seems to make it the perfect venue for John Terry's England side to play a match which is absolutely pivotal to its hopes of putting the waste of the Sven Goran Eriksson years behind it."

England lost 2-0, a worse result than any achieved under Sven Goran Eriksson in a qualifying match, there were no reports of racist incidents at the game and Croatia's opening goal was scored by a naturalized Brazilian. More and more Brits have decided on "which way things are going to go" in Croatia by returning to the Adriatic resorts in summer and buying up holiday homes there.

The only trouble was seemingly caused by ticketless England "fans" trying to break through the security cordon outside the Maksimir stadium, followed by the abuse of the England players on the team bus by more disgruntled English supporters after the game.

We're looking forward to Ollie's previews of Israel, Russia and Estonia -- no doubt Andorra will be more to his liking and John Terry's England might actually win there.

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Maksimir Stadium

England will face off against Croatia in their fourth Group E Euro 2008 qualifier in the 40,000 capacity Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb on October 11.

The stadium (known locally as Stadion u Maksimiru), is home to one of Croatia's top clubs, Dinamo Zagreb, and is
located in the north eastern part of Croatia's capital Zagreb about 3.5km
from the city center and across the street from Zagreb's Zoo. The stadium is part of the Svetice recreational and sports complex, to the south of Maksimir Park. The first stadium in the area was built as far back as 1912 and underwent re-construction from the 1940s - 60s. Maksimir Stadium was again updated for the Universiade Games (World Student Sport Games) between 1986 and 1987 and plans are in the making to expand the stadium yet again to a 60,000 capacity and add a retractable roof.

Maksimir Stadium
Maksimirska 128, 10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel: +385 1 232 32 34

Getting to Maksimir Stadium

Zagreb is well served for public transport by a tram network which links the main railway station and the city's main square, Trg Bana Jelačića.

The nearest station to the stadium is Bukovacka.

From Zagreb station (Glavni Kolodvor) take tram line #4 towards Dubec. From Trg Bana Jelačića Square, take either tram #11 or #12 running to Maksimir in the direction of Dubec or Draskovićeva. Tram #7 also goes to the stadium.

Journey time is around 20 minutes and costs 8 Croatian kuna (1.60 USD) if you buy your ticket on the street car or 6.50 kuna (1.30 USD) from one of the city's numerous newspaper kiosks. A one-day pass for the Zagreb tram is currently 18 kuna (3.10 USD).

Croatian league football matches in Croatia usually take place on Sundays, as in nearby Italy.

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Maksimir Stadium

England will face off against Croatia in their fourth Group E Euro 2008 qualifier in the 40,000 capacity Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb on October 11.

The stadium (known locally as Stadion u Maksimiru), is home to one of Croatia's top clubs, Dinamo Zagreb, and is
located in the north eastern part of Croatia's capital Zagreb about 3.5km
from the city center and across the street from Zagreb's Zoo. The stadium is part of the Svetice recreational and sports complex, to the south of Maksimir Park. The first stadium in the area was built as far back as 1912 and underwent re-construction from the 1940s - 60s. Maksimir Stadium was again updated for the Universiade Games (World Student Sport Games) between 1986 and 1987 and plans are in the making to expand the stadium yet again to a 60,000 capacity and add a retractable roof.

Maksimir Stadium
Maksimirska 128, 10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Tel: +385 1 232 32 34

Getting to Maksimir Stadium

Zagreb is well served for public transport by a tram network which links the main railway station and the city's main square, Trg Bana Jelačića.

The nearest station to the stadium is Bukovacka.

From Zagreb station (Glavni Kolodvor) take tram line #4 towards Dubec. From Trg Bana Jelačića Square, take either tram #11 or #12 running to Maksimir in the direction of Dubec or Draskovićeva. Tram #7 also goes to the stadium.

Journey time is around 20 minutes and costs 8 Croatian kuna (1.60 USD) if you buy your ticket on the street car or 6.50 kuna (1.30 USD) from one of the city's numerous newspaper kiosks. A one-day pass for the Zagreb tram is currently 18 kuna (3.10 USD).

Croatian league football matches in Croatia usually take place on Sundays, as in nearby Italy.

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Croatian Players Fined For Nightout

Night Club Costs Players Fine & Game

Los tres "juerguistas" multados por abandonar la concentración

Tres internacionales croatas, Darijo Srna, Ivica Olic y Bosko Balaban, han sido multados por 30.000 kunas (4000 euros) cada uno por haber abandonado la concentración en Catezke Toplice para pasar la noche en el club nocturno Fontana.

Esta multa es sólo una parte de la sanción impuesta a los jugadores, quienes han sido descartados para el encuentro clasificatorio para el Europeo ante Rusia en Moscú.

Aunque muchos en Croacia opinan que el verdadero perdedor ha sido la propia selección, muy debilitada de cara al importante duelo con los de Guus Hiddink, el presidente de la Federación,
Vlatko Markovic, está abogando por sanciones aún más severas.

Por otro lado, el seleccionador Slaven Bilic ha pedido a la Federación que no imponga más sanciones a los "pecadores", para que puedan estar disponibles para los encuentros ante Andorra e Inglaterra en octubre.

- "No han cometido traición, como algunos dicen, sino sólo una tontería." - dice Bilic.

El capitán Niko Kovac ha pedido a Bilic que perdone a los tres jugadores, pero el seleccionador quiere afirmar su autoridad ante las insinuaciones del antiguo entrenador croata, Zlatko Kranjcar - hijo del nuevo jugador del Portsmouth, Niko.

- "Bilic no tiene control sobre los jugadores", ha manifestado Kranjcar, destituído hace dos meses por mala imagen del equipo en el Mundial de Alemania.

El asunto ha sido comentado por el ministro de cultura, educación y deporte, Dragan Primorac, quien por su parte ha manifestado que no iba a intervenir a no ser que esté violada la ley.
Copyright OP/EFE/Soccerphile

Croatia - Bilic Hurt By Sex Rumours

Croatia Coach Threatens To Quit Over Sex Rumours

Le relacionaron con una morena de la tele

Slaven Bilic amenaza con dimitir por rumores sobre su vida privada

Aunque Croacia saco un valioso punto en Moscu ante Rusia, su entrenador esta contemplando dimitir.

El seleccionador croata Slaven Bilic a sus 38 ańos no está acostumbrado a estar en el foco de la atención pública. A eso se debe su reacción de amenazar con dimitir de su posición porque la prensa le había relacionado con la presentadora de televisión Mila Horvat.

Segun un diario, Slaven Bilic - del que se dice que se está divorciando - pasó unos días alegres con la morena espectacular, hecha a conocer durante el Mundial de Alemania.

La noticia fue, según ambos, falsa.

- "Últimamente se están publicando cosas que no tienen que ver con fútbol. Me relacionan con una muchacha con la que ni siquiera he tomado un café y a quien vi sólo en la televisión." - expresó un indignado Bilic.
- "Aquellas historias han herido a mi familia porque fueron demasiado lejos y por debajo de cualquier nivel civilizado. Por eso estoy contemplando dejar el puesto de seleccionador."

Lo que más le enfadó a Bilic fue el momento de la publicación de la noticia - el día del encuentro de Croacia ante Rusia. Sin embargo, pese al estrés provocado por la supuesta mentira y pese a la baja de siete titulares, Croacia sacó un valioso empate en Moscú.

Copyright OP/EFE/Soccerphile

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A "Joke" Puts Police On Alert

VIDUKA'S CROATIAN HOUSE UNDER SURVEILLANCE?

Por una "broma" del comentarista guardan la casa de Viduka

Una broma del comentarista de la televisión croata Bruno Kovacevic dirigida al capitán australiano Mark Viduka ha causado una reacción del Ministerio interior croata y el despliegue de policías delante de la casa que Viduka tiene en Croacia.

Después de que Kovacevic "recordara" a Viduka de que tiene casa cerca de Dubrovnik, como quien dijera "ojo como juegas ante Croacia", en el Ministerio del interior pensaron que algún aficionado local podría arremeter contra la propiedad del futbolista australo-croata, sobre todo si hoy jueves las cosas no salen bien para el equipo adriático en Stuttgart.

- "El comentarista pudo haber dado involuntariamente una idea a alguien para cometer un delito. Imagínense cuanta gente acaba de enterarse donde se encuentra la casa."
- comentó el portavoz de la policía croata Zlatko Mehun.

El diario australiano Sydney Morning Herald fue el primero en descubrir ue policías armados vigilan los alrededores de la casa del futbolista de orígenes croatas.

En la Televisión nacional croata (HRT) afirman que no creen que "el despliegue de agentes sea consecuencia del mencionado reportaje" pero anuncian que la directiva del HRT discutirá las frases de aquel reportaje por la posible falta de responsabilidad del periodista.
En Alemania, mientras tanto, hubo un ligero incidente en la rueda de prensa organizada por Croacia, ya que los representantes croatas prohibieron a Joseph Simunic hablar en inglés con los enviados de Australia, justificándolo con que "el croata es el único idioma oficial aquí."

Y es que Simunic nació en Australia y domina mejor el inglés que el propio croata. De nada sirvieron los apelos de los australianos, quienes destacaron que Mark Viduka tiene permiso de hablar en croata durante las ruedas de prensa que da Australia. (EFE/OP)

Hajduk Coach Attacked and Beaten

Colombia? No, Croatia

Hajduk's coach beaten up by thugs. Press suspect fans, who profess inocence

"These Romans are crazy", used to say Obelix to his pal Asterix. "These Croats are crazy" more accurately describes the state of mind of some people surrounding Croatian football.

On March 12, some 80 fans of Hajduk Split invaded the corridor to the dressing rooms in the Poljud Stadium, apparently in search of the home players, who had played to a disappoiting draw against Slaven Belupo.

The 1-1 score in fact suited Hajduk, helping them qualify for the Championship playoffs, rather than for the Relegation playoffs of the Croatian League. Still, as the game was utterly insipid and uneventful, the fans must have thought that the game had been fixed and that the players had betrayed the famed "Hajduk heart".

Guards, police and a timely locked door saved Hajduk's players from the wrath of their ultras, but the next day the coach Luka Bonacic angrily dismissed claims the game had been arranged.

- "What should have we done, throw everyone forward when a draw was quite enough? I stand by my players and if anybody tries to touch them, they will have to deal with me first."

Someone must have taken Bonacic's words literally. Four day later, last Wednesday, two unknown men ambushed the coach in the doorway of his apartment building and beat him up severely with a baseball bat and an iron bar. A neighbour that happened to come inside the doorway in the nick of time probably saved Bonacic from more harm, driving away the two assailants.

Bonacic (51) was taken to the hospital where a light brain concussion and several injuries to the head, arms and body were diagnosed.

Whoever attacked the coach is not known, but the media immediately suspected Hajduk's ultras, known for their violent behaviour, either toward their rival groups or toward their own team.

Fans condemn the act

The main ultra group, Torcida, vehemently distanced themselves from the act, calling it barbaric, and Bonacic himself said he did not think the fans were responsible. Perhaps somebody else used the previous incident at the Poljud stadium to lay the blame on the ultras?

- "I wish I knew who it was. I'm not so much interested in who the actual attackers were, but rather who's behind it and what the motive is."

Since the assailants were not masked, Bonacic gave the detectives a description of one of them, but in spite of an identity-kit published in most Croatian media, the police are still in the dark as to the identity of the perpetrators.

A hard-headed man, Bonacic ignored the doctors' orders to stay at home for a couple of days; as soon as he was discharged last Friday, he travelled with Hajduk to Rijeka, with his head still bandaged, where his team played a big League game.

- "I cheated on the doctors, for which I appologize. But, I dare those who may wish to attack me again to come forward. If something is to happen to me, it doesn't matter whether it does in my home or in Rijeka. They can stop me from being with my team only by shooting me."

For the time being, noone has accepted the last coach's challenge. Luckily, the police has put all Hajduk directors and the coach himself under round the clock surveillance, while the investigation is in progress. With little hope of accomplishing anything, to be sure.

Last June, a noted players' agent Dino Pokrovac was shot to death in Zagreb, presumably over a debt related to some of his money-lending activities, but no arrest has been made. A few months later, Dinamo Zagreb's head coach Josip Kuze's car was set alight in Zagreb, again with no definite suspects, let alone indictments. There is no reason to believe this last act of footballing violence will come any closer to a resolution than the previous ones. (op)

HNL: Naslovi se osvajaju u gostima
Dinamo zeli rekordnu seriju
HNL - Usporedba s proslom sezonom
Dobro je zvati se Dinamo
Neka Svedska strahuje
Najbolje gol razlike u europskim ligama
Usporedna ljestvica
Argentina ili Hrvatska, pitanje je sad

Viduka

Mark Viduka Won't Spare Croats

Fútbol internacional - Australia

Mark Viduka amenaza a Croacia

"Ignoraré mi origen y saldré a ganar"

Perdedor de la final de la Copa de la UEFA ante el Sevilla, el australiano Mark Viduka del Middlesbrough ha vuelto los ojos hacia el Mundial, donde su selección se enfrentará con el país de sus padres, Croacia.

Los kanguros llegarán a Alemania con seis jugadores de origen croata, entre ellos Viduka i Josip Skoko, quienes triunfaron en el fútbol croata, militando en el Dinamo de Zagreb y en el Hajduk de Split, respectivamente.

- "Skoko y yo somos muy ligados a Croacia, pero ignoraremos nuestros fuertes lazos con el país y saldremos a ganar." - dijo Viduka, cuyo primer equipo europeo fue el Croatia Zagreb (hoy Dinamo).

Los emigrantes croatas en Australia están divididos, admite Viduka.

- "Se que muchos australo-croatas irán a favor de Croacia. Mi familia animará a Australia, no hay duda. Llevo la camiseta australiana."

Desde luego, el delantero no se rinde de cara al Mundial pese a la mayor reputación de sus rivales del grupo F.

- "El grupo con Croacia, Brasil y Japón para mi es uno de los más duros en el Mundial. Brasil es prácticamente seguro para pasar adelante, todos le ven así, y los demás son candidatos para la segunda plaza. Somos tres los que pretendemos a pasar como segundos y será sumamente difícil." - opina el robusto ariete.

- "Los pronósticos son difíciles de hacer, pero estoy convencido de que nosotros, Australia, pasará a la segunda ronda. De qué forma y a expensas de quíen, es menos importante. Quien sabe, incluso Brasil puede quedar eliminado."

Croatia: Still Hopes for Bilos

Boca's Star Now Accepts Croatian Offer

Daniel Bilos ahora acepta la oferta croata

Nueve meses después del inicio, la campańa "Bilos para Croacia" todavía no ha llegado a su fin, pero ahora el argentino-croata parece más cerca a la selección de sus abuelos.

- "He recibido el mensaje de su agente (Hugo Omar Issa, n. del a.) diciendo que ha optado por Croacia. Puede ser que lo ha convencido nuestro juego ante Argentina", ha manifestado el presidente de la Federación croata, Vlatko Markovic, aludiendo al amistoso en Basilea, que se saldó a favor de Croacia por 3-2.
- "Su inclusión en el equipo no depende de mi, pero hay buenos motivos para tomarlo. Es joven y gran jugador, no veo por qué no convocarlo."

Desde que Croacia se le acercara por la primera vez, Daniel Rubén Bilos, entonces del Banfield, pedía tiempo una y otra vez, obviamente calculando con una posible convocatoria por parte de José Pékerman. Cuando esta finalmente llegó, Bilos se olvidó de Croacia y debutó con Argentina el pasado noviembre en Qatar.

No jugó muy bien al estar convalesciente de la neumonía y no volvió a ser convocado por Pékerman, pero Croacia siguió interesada. Encontró un "hueco" en el reglamento de la FIFA, que al parecer no prohibe el cambio de selección al jugador que ha actuado con otro equipo sólo en algún encuentro no oficial.

Tal fue el caso con el croata Josip Weber, quien disputó tres partidos no oficiales con Croacia ante Australia en el 1992, sin que ello lo impidiera naturalizarse belga e intervenir con Bélgica en el Mundial del 1994.

Por otro lado, en la selección croata puede haber algunos que no darán una bienvenida al novato.

- "?Qué es eso? Acaso es Croacia una institución caritativa? Me sorprende Bilos, porque un día dice sí y otro día no." - ha seńalado el lateral derecho Darijo Srna en el diario Vecernji list.

- "Ahora que hemos ganado a Argentina y que se ha enterado que para el no hay sitio en su selección, le gustaría ponerse la camiseta croata. Creo que Bilos es buen jugador, pero..."

Dado Prso, triple ganador del concurso de jugador del ańo en Croacia, ha comentado que "Bilos debía haber llegado antes. Creo que al Mundial deberían ir los que han disputado las eliminatorias."

Futbol en Croacia

El empate del Hajduk no les convenció
Los ultras intentaron agredir a los jugadores por sospecha de amańoUna treintena de aficionados ultras del Hajduk Split (según algunos informes, hasta 100 de ellos) invadieron los corridores camino al vestuario en el Estadio Poljud en el intento de agredir a los jugadores de su equipo.
Previamente, una parte de la afición había atraído el grueso de la policía simulando una pelea en la tribuna Norte, lo que abrió el camino a un grupo de los hinchas hacia los vestuarios.
Aunque el Hajduk anoche logró clasificarse para la Liguilla por el título con un soso empate casero ante el Slaven, los ultras consideraron que el resultado fue manipulado. Cuando aparecieron en los corridores, el fisioterapéuta del Hajduk, Filip Brnas, cerró con llave el vestuario dejando a los hinchas gritando "tongo".

Tres guardias privados no pudieron contener a los ultras y uno de ellos resultó levemente herido, pero la presencia de varios policias regulares ante el vestuario detuvo al grupo.
- "Las fuerzas antiviolencia se han dirigido ya al Poljud", les avisaron los policías, lo que convenció a los ultras a empezar la retirada.
Mientras tanto, los jugadores se quedaron encerrados en el vestuario y salieron sólo cuando recibieron seńales de que los violentos se habían alejado del estadio.
El Hajduk había empatado a uno con el Slaven, lo que le bastó para entrar en el grupo de seis que dirrimirá el título, pero los aficionados estuvieron arrabiados por la falta absoluta de ambición por parte de ambos equipos.
- "Estoy decepcionado por la reacción de los aficionados. Hace dos semanas estuvimos lejos de la Liguilla por el título. ?Para qué insistir en una victoria cuando ya teníamos un resultado que nos satisfacía? - comentó el entrenador local Luka Bonacic.
op

Fútbol internacional - Croacia

Había criticado a los ultras
Apalizado el entrenador del Hajduk

El entrenador del Hajduk Luka Bonacic fue apalizado y herido de gravedad anoche ante la entrada de su casa en Split. Bonacic, golpeado repetidamente con palos de béisbol, sostuvo heridas en la cabeza y los brazos, pero está fuera del peligro de vida.

Fue transportado e ingresado al Centro clínico de Split y permanece en el departamento de la neurocirugía.

A la policía Bonacic le ha informado que dos agresores encapuchados le asaltaron con palos y que el intentó defenderse, pero no ha podido dar más detalles de los autores del crimen.

Se sospecha que los agresores podrían ser algunos de los aficionados del Hajduk, irritados porque el recién nombrado técnico había criticado la conducta de los ultras, que a menudo intimidan a los jugadores y la directiva. El pasado sábado unos 80 ultras invadieron el corridor hacia el vestuario en busca de los jugadores, descontentos con su juego ante el Slaven Belupo. Al día siguiente, Bonacic comentó que los ultras se habían equivocado y la reacción de los gamberros de Split no se hizo esperar.

El alcalde de Split Zvonimir Puljic y la mayoría de los jugadores y directivos del Hajduk visitaron a Bonacic en el hospital.

- "Es el dia más difícil de mi mandato. Creo que todos los ciudadanos sentimos lo mismo ya que esta ciudad no conoce este tipo de violencia", matizó Puljic.

Al contrario, los ultras del Hajduk son de sobra conocidos por su vandalismo e incidentes, sobre todo en los enfrentamientos con su propio club y el archirrival Dinamo de Zagreb. Varios hinchas del Hajduk fueron condenados a prisión por haber intentado matar a un seguidor del Dinamo en diciembre del 2004.

El presidente del Hajduk, Branko Grgic, dijo que todavía no entiende cómo su entrenador pudo haber sido golpeado en la cabeza con palos de béisbol.