International Football
‘WE WANT TO PUT FRANCE’98 EXPLOITS BEHIND US’, SAYS CROATIA, NIGERIA’S WORLD CUP FOES
BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.
Zlatko Dalic, the Coach of Nigeria’s first Russia 2018 opponents, Croatia, has enjoined his players to forget the old glory and face the present reality as the Eastern European side attempts to chart new course in next month’s World Cup.
Croatia was an instant hit in the country’s debut appearance at the World Cup 20 years ago in France. Having attained self-rule in 1990 from the former Yugoslavia, the country’s entry for USA ’94 was turned down.
But four years later, it was like a fairy tale as big teams crumbled miserably under the rampaging debutants.
Croatia beat Germany 3-0 before seeing off The Netherlands in third-place playoff to emerge the best mover ever in the 25 year history of FIFA ranking. On admission to FIFA, Croatia ranked 125th in the world. But following impressive outing at France ’98, the team rose astronomically to the third place, making it the most volatile team in FIFA ranking history.
But that is where the fairy tale ended. In subsequent World Cup finals, Croatia had been a shadow of the France ’98 squad.
The team got eliminated in the first round at 2002, 2006 and 2014 and failed to qualify for the 2010 edition in South Africa.
That was what Dalic, the coach harped on when he was interviewed on Dnevnik Nova TV, a Croatian station. He believes the Croatian side had been living off France ’98 feat for too long.
“I have to say what is good and what is not,” Dalic told Dnevnik Nova TV. “Croatia haven’t done well in a World Cup since France 1998, and going on our quality, we should have.
“We have a brilliant generation of players who, like me, have to know that we can’t live on past glory. Ahead of us is the World Cup, and we have to be at our best there”.
But he is excited that he has three quality players in the UEFA Champions League final – Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren and Real Madrid pair Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic.
“I’m very proud that Croatia has three players in the Champions League final, which proves our quality,” said the 51-year-old. “They won’t be tired and will come to Russia full of confidence and motivation.”
Dalic also has the likes of Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic (both Inter Milan), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan) and Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) at his disposal, and he intends to maintain his faith in them rather than gamble on youngsters at Russia 2018.
“This week we will define a larger squad, and it will comprise players who have spent the last two-three years in the national team,” said the former midfielder. “There will be no big surprises.
“We have great players and a great generation, and we have to believe in this generation at the World Cup. They got us there and we should give them a chance.
“I’m looking forward to seeing a group of youngsters who are the future of Croatian football. But we will introduce them in the [UEFA] Nations League in the autumn to give them the chance to show their quality.
“It will be best for [Borno] Sosa, [Filip] Benkovic, [Duje] Caleta-Car, [Nikola] Vlasic, [Ante] Rebic to enter a new cycle for the EURO 2020 qualifiers and the Nations League.”
Dalic believes that starting the World Cup with a tough opponent like Nigeria portends good for his team. “I’ve always said I wanted tough matches and tough opponents, and we can only progress as a team by playing against top sides and [learning from] our mistakes,” said Dalic. “We don’t need weaker opponents. Perhaps it’s risky of me to feel this way, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He however forgot that Croatia had even tougher opponent in Brazil at the opening match four years ago and yet the team could not make it beyond the group stage.
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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