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Euro 2008 - Croatia v England

Ozren Podnar reports on the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifying game

Slaven Bilic, troubled Croatian coach, "Beating England Would Be My Biggest Success"

The Croatian soccer team coach, Slaven Bilic, has had an eventful first month of his tenure. Having been appointed in late July thanks to overwhelming support from the media, the former West Ham and Everton defender debuted with a resounding 2-0 win over Italy in Livorno, but weeks later came close to considering early retirement from the international game.

A mere five days before a crucial away game to Russia at the start of the Euro 2008 qualifiers, three of his players abandoned the squad in the middle of the night to attend a party in a Zagreb folk music club. Unluckily for the three party animals, a shooting and subsequent fighting occurred at the Fontana night club that night. The media showed up and reported on the presence of Bosko Balaban, Ivica Olic and Darijo Srna.

After reading the reports of the players' night out, the usually calm and diplomatic Bilic went berserk, banishing all three of them from the camp and suspending them from the Russia game.

"I cannot trust them any longer. If I pardoned them this time, how long would it be before they did a stunt like that again?" said Bilic to unanimous praise from the press, the fans and colleagues.

Bilic's decision was all the more courageous seeing that Croatia was without several regulars, due to suspensions (Joe Simunic and Dario Simic) and injuries (Igor Tudor), not counting Rangers' Dado Prso, who has retired from the national team.

Such a weakened team was expected to be thrashed by Russia, now coached by Guus Hiddink, but still managed to scrape a good 0-0 draw at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow.

Bilic was not allowed to enjoy the triumphant mood for long, since a daily newspaper printed a story on his alleged love affair with a stunning TV hostess, Mila Horvat.

Nobody would have flinched over another soccer-showbiz liaison, but for the fact that Bilic is married and reportedly having strained relations with his wife.

Not accustomed to such intense media pressure, the coach was extremely irritated and came within inches of quitting the job.

"Some things around soccer are disgusting and I was aware I could not avoid them altogether. But I am not ready to take them if my family is affected," said Bilic, denying any contacts with Mila, a popular figure since starring in a World Cup program on Croatian national television.

"I have never even had a cup of coffee with the lady, let alone anything more than that," said a credible Bilic, one of the very few soccer players to boast a university diploma (in law, to be precise).

Coach more important than the players

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The FA Chairman Vlatko Markovic hurried to encourage the coach and offer him his support.

"At this time, Slaven Bilic is more important to us than any individual player," said the severe 69-year-old former footballer and coach, in charge at the FA since 1999.

Recovered from the recent stress, Bilic has turned to the forthcoming clash with England on October 11th in Zagreb.

"Although the England game involves three points, just like the one against Andorra, there is no doubt that this will be a great, a special day for us. The most attractive team in the world will visit us," said Bilic in a press conference.

England are the hot favourites in Group 5, but Croatia expect to qualify in second place and in order to achieve that they plan to win their home games. Let us not forget that Croatia have never been beaten in a competitive match at home, a run which comprises 12 years and 28 games without defeat.

"I know the English very well. With some of them I used to play. They have a high quality squad, an illustrious past and great supporters. No doubt, it would be the greatest win in my soccer career. I have the players who are capable of achieving that," claims the coach, who tasted much success as a Croatian international.

Bilic played an important part in the heyday of the Golden Generation of Suker, Prosinecki, Boban and Asanovic, forming a tough and competitive back three with Igor Stimac and Dario Simic or later Igor Tudor, the best defence Croatia has ever had.

The interest in Croatia for the game against England is enormous and a stadium holding three times as many spectators as Zagreb's Maksimir would be sold out. Still, only about 40,000 will make it, including some 4,100 English fans, although the Croatian FA says it has received no less than 7,000 requests for tickets.

There is no doubt that the security in and around the stadium will be superb, but England fans should exercise restraint in wandering some of the streets of Zagreb sporting England scarves and shirts.

There is a reason to believe that those home fans present at Maksimir will not be the most fervent, because the average ticket price will be around 45 GBP, a tad too much for the average local supporter.

This suggests that there may be thousands of ticket less "soccer-crazed" guys wandering through the city looking for "excitement" in the shape of ambushing the visiting fans wherever the occasion may arise.

If it was Scotland coming to Croatia, there would be no need for such warnings, though. When Scotland played in Zagreb six years ago, the local fans fraternized with the Tartan Army, drinking and singing together before and after the 1-1 draw. The mingling scenes witnessed then may not be repeated this October in the Croatian capital, but the last time these two sides met in a competitive fixture at Euro 2004 in Portugal, the game passed without incident.

Croatia Team Profile Euro 2008

For more information on travelling to Zagreb visit the Soccerphile forum

Ozren Podnar

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