FRANCE 98 – Yugoslavia – S. Santrac: “I never said that Iran would be easy to beat”

Slobodan SANTRAC, YUGOSLAVIA team coach (Group F)

News from SAINT-ETIENNE, Saturday 13 June

How are you going to approach the match on Sunday 14 June against IRAN?

“We’re always a bit worried before the first match, as we have a high opinion of our opponents and always take them seriously. Considering the results from the first matches, all the teams have opportunities to snap up. I want my team on Sunday to use all its flair and know-how against IRAN. But the truth will be found on the field.”

What’s the latest on the line-up?

“As things stand, I don’t think that Dejan SAVICEVIC (8) and Nisa SAVELJIC (14) will be in the team. I’ll name my team on the day of the match.”

What do you feel about playing your first match at SAINT-ETIENNE on Sunday 14 June?

“What’s important is not what I think, but what my players think about the stadium and the atmosphere. They need to be in the condition they were in when they played the friendly against NIGERIA.

You said IRAN were an easy opponent, do you expect them to be a walkover?

“I never said that IRAN would be easy to beat. I’ve never split teams into ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’. IRAN is a team to look out for. Just as we have, IRAN fought the qualifiers and came out on top. They deserve as much credit as we do.”

Numerous Yugoslav trainers have worked in IRAN; how can this help the Iranians in the Sunday match?

“The influence of some Yugoslav trainers is clear in IRAN; we find excellent technical grounding in both squads. IRAN plays a similar game to YUGOSLAVIA “