The head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) football team, Sergej Barbarez, held a press conference before the qualification match against Austria.
“Tactical discipline in every match is important, whether you play against the weakest or the best. That is the foundation. We can take a lot of things from the first match, and I think we are on the right path to use the confidence.”
“We came here to try to win and go to the World Cup.”
Do you have the lineup ready, and can Karic play?
“Everyone is ready, Tarik Muharemovic is ready. It was not an injury. As for Emir, we are still waiting, as FIFA said, it will happen today. We believe it will be at the last minute.”
You, as a player, played decisive matches against Denmark and Serbia. Will the third time be lucky?
“I am not important here, those guys are important, our country is important, the rest let it go aside. Nikola said it, and I am principled like that; it was a different time, a different team, the guys, and the mentality. Many factors influence it, and, of course, in the end, who the opponent is. I didn’t even know until you mentioned it, those things are for history and should stay there.”
How much does the support of Susic and Ibisevic mean to you? How to replace Dedic and Katic?
“I have to disappoint you, I rarely read our portals and news. It is certainly encouraging when former coaches and players are with us, especially when things are not going well. They know what it means to go through this path, thanks to everyone who is with us. Whoever is not there, we must manage without them. Seven players are missing who could enter the lineup. It doesn’t make a difference for a second; I’m concentrating on the guys we have. We saw the support of the players who cannot play; they came to Zenica. Such people travel thousands of kilometers to be with us. Those are the things that make up a national team,” said Barbarez.
How do the national team players look? Is there pressure?
“I don’t treat this match as a bonus, but as a life opportunity to go to the World Cup. I see in their eyes that they want everything, that they want to show that they are going to the World Cup. And when you fight for something like that, there are no easy matches.”
Lessons from Zenica against Romania for the match in Vienna?
“We saw in Zenica what symbiosis means, a million recordings… In the locker room, I heard the singing, and I was unbelievably happy. That is a sign that people recognize what is happening with us. Yesterday I told our director, it is unbelievable how many people we made happy. That’s why I do this job, to give someone a smile on their face. What did we take from it? We will show tomorrow that the desire and the will were at the same level. A man is always seen twice in life; I hope it will be the same tomorrow.”, N1 writes.
