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Q & A: Croatia coach Mirko Jozic
Posted: Tuesday April 23, 2002 3:46 PM
Updated: Tuesday April 23, 2002 3:48 PM
What
do you think of the draw?
It could have been better, but it could also have been much worse.
Italy are one of the favorites, not only in our group but also
for the tournament. I also believe we have certain advantages over
the two American teams, but we certainly won't underestimate them.
Mexico have twice been in the Final of the Copa America, and Ecuador
have made great progress in recent years.
Who
are your key players?
Everyone knows I expect a lot from Alen Boksic, especially because
he missed the World Cup in France through injury; so he is extremely
motivated. I also expect Bayern's Robert Kovac and Igor Tudor from
Juventus to do well. I hope Tudor will confirm that he is one of
the world's best defenders.
Who
will win the World Cup?
France, Argentina, Italy or Brazil.
Who
will be the surprises?
The hosts, Korea and Japan, who would not stand a chance of reaching
the second round in other circumstances. Also, all the South American
teams should be watched. As for players, the Italians Totti or Vieri,
England's Owen and Spain's Raul have already confirmed that they
are world class.
Will
the conditions affect you?
High temperatures won't create as many problems as the high humidity.
European players, other than those from Mediterranean climates,
will feel it most acutely. We might have a problem with three matches
in 10 days. The important thing will be how to make transfers from
the training camp to the stadiums, because the traffic conditions
are difficult.
Is
third place in 1998 a burden on the present team?
No, it should motivate everybody. In 1998 the team peaked at the
right time, but don't forget that two years later they failed to
qualify for Euro 2000. So for this new team, the lesson from 1998
is that Croatia can succeed.
Are
you concerned that a number of Croat players can't get into their
club sides?
It's a worry, but I have said that players who are on the bench
won't be among the 23, regardless of reputation. The exceptions
will be players with a bright future, such as Bosko Balaban.
What
about Robert Prosinecki?
Prosinecki is a very important team member but he needs to sharpen
up, even though he has made progress since joining Portsmouth. I
don't want the issue to dominate our selection.
What
progress have you made since taking over in February 2001?
We have achieved a balance between young players and the veterans.
Are
young players coming through?
Croatia is an inexhaustible source of young players, but too many
go abroad and too few make progress there, while the others mainly
stagnate. We are lucky -- we reached this World Cup because we invested
heavily in working with young players.
From World Soccer magazine.
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