Bilic Blasts Rafa & Fergie
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has slammed Premier League clubs for contriving to withhold players from international duty, singling out Liverpool and Manchester United in particular.
England will arguably be missing their most dangerous player and their most reliable midfielder when they face Croatia in World Cup qualifying this week.
Steven Gerrard was declared unavailable after undergoing surgery on his groin a fortnight ago, while Owen Hargreaves is supposedly still struggling with a knee
problem.
Controversy has sprung up over the timing of these injury issues - especially Gerrard, who will rather conveniently return to action for Liverpool this weekend.
A bewildered Bilic insisted it is no wonder England's national team have struggled to be competitive on the big stage when they are hamstrung by their own clubs.
Problem
He said in The Sun: “When your league and clubs are much bigger than the national team you have a problem.
“You can’t help the national team. Put it this way — did Gerrard have to go have the operation now? Is Hargreaves really so injured that he can’t even come to try?
“Of course if my players are injured they’re not playing. Firstly because of them and secondly because we have to have a fit guy playing. I never had a problem with a club that told me, ‘he ain’t gonna come’.
“But using the international break to rest players or for them to have an operation — well, you need to address that.”
Relieved
On the other hand, Bilic is grateful that he will not have to worry about Gerrard's match-winning potential on Wednesday night.
He said: “I’m relieved Stevie G won’t be there — as I was when he was suspended two years ago. He’s one of those players who can decide a game with his energy, technique, skill or strike in one second, even when we’re ready for him.
“I’m relieved big time. The blow couldn’t be bigger for England. Your biggest problem last time was injuries.”