Bosnian FA boots out foreign coaches

Published November 5, 2006

SARAJEVO, Nov 4: The Bosnian FA (NFSBIH) has dismissed national team coach Blaz Sliskovic and the coaches of all its other representative sides after a poor start to Euro 2008 qualifying.

“All coaches have been dismissed and we will advertise all coaching staff posts,” executive board member Muhidin Rascic told the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje.

The executive board have not discussed a demand from the 13 Bosnia players, all foreign based, who this week threatened to boycott international call-ups unless the heads of the NFSBIH resigned.

Bosnia have failed to qualify for the finals of a major tournament after a decade of trying, and the same applies to junior selections.

The national team's Euro 2008 campaign began with a 5-2 win at Malta before they lost 3-1 at home to Hungary, drew 2-2 with Moldova and crashed 4-0 at home to Greece.

Sliskovic, who narrowly failed to take Bosnia to the finals of this year's World Cup and Euro 2004, resigned after the Hungary game but was persuaded to stay on.

Earlier this year, his contract was extended until mid-2008.

The domestic league is also in a poor state, mired in allegations of corruption and match-fixing.

The NFSBIH is run on ethnic lines that reflect the delicate balance between the country's two parts, the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat Federation, created after the 1992-95 war.

The 13 players plus former captain Sergej Barbarez, who retired after the Greece game, called for the resignation of the NFSBIH board's Muslim, Serb and Croat members and of the national team director.

“These gentlemen in the (NFSBIH) do not want to face the truth and admit to themselves what they have done for the team, besides degrading its honour and constantly disturbing relations among us,” said the players in an open letter published in the Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz on Tuesday.—Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...