Slaven Bilic Names Croatia Squad; Star Striker Eduardo Da Silva Out

May 25, 2009

With an incredibly important qualifier against Ukraine in Croatia coming up for the Croats, National Team Manager/Head Coach Slaven Bilic has named his squad:

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Vedran Runje (RC Lens), Danijel Subasic (Hajduk Split)

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Tottenham Hotspur), Robert Kovac (Dinamo Zagreb), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Hrvoje Vejic (Hajduk Split), Dino Drpic (Karlsruher SC), Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), Hrvoje Cale (Trabzonspor)

Midfielders: Ivan Juric (Genoa), Nikola Pokrivac (Monaco), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dynamo Kiev), Jerko Leko (Monaco), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04), Drago Gabric (Hajduk Split)

Forwards: Ivica Olic (Hamburg), Ivan Klasnic (Nantes), Mladen Petric (Hamburg), Mario Mandzukic (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split)

Eduardo Left Out :

Croatia’s Star Striker Eduardo Da Silva (Arsenal) has been left out of the squad due to ankle injury on the same left leg which Martin Taylor (Birmingham) notoriously broke when a vicious tackle from Taylor was delivered just a year ago that sent Eduardo into a year of rehabilition and immediate surgery following the injury. Although this injury is much different Eduardo was also scheduled to have the plates and screw that were placed to allow his leg to properly heal after last year’s injury removed but for reasons yet to be known possibly from complications the plates were left in place. Eduardo has scored 14 goals in the Croatia kit in just twenty-four appearances and is a major part of Croatia’s tactical system as he lead Croatia through the qualifications for Euro 2008 just a year and a half ago with ten goals. Eduardo did not particapate in the Euro 2008 tournament as he was rehabilitating from the major injury. With Croatia in the midst of qualifying for the World Cup they could certainly use his services which should be available just in time for Croatia’s qualifier against Belarus in August.

Summer Transfers:

With key players Darijo Srna and danijel Pranjic of Croatia set to leave their respective clubs this summer during the transfer window. Club managers will get a last chance to see these two in action this season before the offers come flying in. Srna’s services are being reviewed by Barcelona, A.C Milan and Bayern Munich. As Pranjic seems to be gaining attention high attention from Liverpool as they are in need of a left winger. Srna who is team captain of both Croatia and his current club Shakhtar Donekst captained Shakhtar to victory over Werder Bremen in the final of the last UEFA Cup just last week. As for Pranjic he has been the first choice penalty and free kick taker for his Dutch club Herenveen and finished the season with a total of 20 goals in 30 appearances.

Slaven Bilic:

Even head coach Slaven Bilic has continued to gain massive attention from clubs for his managing services from clubs such as Sunderland, Portsmouth, and more notably Chelsea and Real Madrid with which Real Madrid presidential candidate Eduardo Garcia has claimed that he has an agreement with Bilic to manage Real Madrid next season if he were elected team president. All this attention has annoyed Slaven Bilic as he has continuosly stressed that he is only committed to the Croatia National Team and that he will begin to seek a position at a club only after next year’s World Cup in South Africa is finished.

Outlook on the Qualifier:

With all being said and done all fans can do is eagerly wait for the qualifier against Ukraine and hope for no further squad injuries. Croatia are in second place just in front of Ukraine who sit in 3rd due to Croatia’s 3 point advantage but Ukraine hold a game in hand which would make losing costly for the Croats but it is seemingly unlikely as the only time they have been beaten at Maksimir Stadium was recently in a home qualifier against England in which a disputable red card quickly turned the match in England’s direction. A win and Croatia seemingly gain control of the second spot which would lead them into extended qualifying matches set to be held in November.