Miralem Pjanic (34) decided two days ago to announce the end of his international career after playing 115 matches and scoring 17 goals in the Dragons’ jersey.
Two days ago, Pjanic was a guest on a show where he elaborated a bit more on his decision.
“The time has come for younger players, and the national team needs to ensure continuity for them. A new coach has arrived, and the decision to vacate my spot was for the benefit of the team. Others need to have a bigger role. I’ve been here for many years, and been through a lot, but simply put, it’s the right time for me to go. It would be too much to stay longer. I wouldn’t want to leave a bad memory with people, to be remembered negatively. Definitely one of my toughest decisions, but sometimes we need to make such decisions. I’ve talked about it with my family as well,” said Pjanic.
Following this decision, it’s clear that Pjanic won’t be collaborating with Sergej Barbarez, the new coach of the Dragons and a legend of our football.
“He was my idol when I was a kid. I love him, and I’m glad he’s taken over the national team. He’ll have a long-term contract and time to set things up as he sees fit. He’ll bring new energy and a positive story, and the fans will be behind him. Lately, things haven’t been quite right. I talked to Sergej and informed him of my decision. He’s sorry he didn’t have the chance to work with me earlier,” revealed Pjanic about his conversation with the coach.
He also explained that going to the European Football Championship remained an unfulfilled wish for him. Pjanic wanted to announce the end of his international career after playing in the Euros with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in Germany, but in the end, he was forced to do it this way.
“I wanted to go to the Euros, to end it like that, but we didn’t succeed, and that hit me hard. I love this team, and that’s how I’ve behaved. I’m a player, not a conductor or something like that. I played for my country and my people,” says Pjanic.
When asked about his relationship with the media and the alleged poor treatment some individuals believe he received, he said he has the right to choose whether to give statements after matches or not.
“I’ve never had any special relationship with the media, nor did I want one. They have the right to write whatever they want, and I have the right to give statements if I want to. I’ve had an enormous career, and been an important part of the team, and I’m proud of it. Surely, they didn’t appreciate it as much as they should have, and I have no problem with the fans. It hasn’t been easy for us to play lately, but I have no problem with anyone, and I respect that,” said Pjanic.
Pjanic is currently a member of the Sharjah team in the United Arab Emirates, with his contract expiring at the end of the season. So, it’s very likely that the Dragon will change his environment in the summer.
“My contract is expiring, that’s true. I’ll decide with my family at the end of the season,” Pjanic briefly said at the end of the interview, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
