FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Yugoslav Bora Milutinovic expected to be among the 32 World Cup coaches in France – but not as the mastermind behind Olympic champions Nigeria. The widely-travelled native of Belgrade helped Mexico fill one of three places reserved for North and Central America and Caribbean teams only to lose his position following a string of poor results.

Nigeria, desperately seeking a replacement for sacked Frenchman Philippe Troussier, offered Bora 35,000 dollars a month plus hefty perks and he jumped at the chance. Milutinovic, who played in Yugoslavia, Switzerland, France and Mexico, will create history next month with Carlos Alberto Parreira, the Brazilian coach of Saudi Arabia.

Bora has guided Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States and Nigeria in the finals and Parreira will match him having previously guided Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil. Limited preparation time is nothing new to Milutinovic – he took over Costa Rica less than two months before the 1990 tournament – and he has enjoyed reasonable success with Nigeria.

A second-string squad won a Hong Kong four-nation tournament and drew at fellow-finalists Jamaica before losing 1-0 to three-time world champions Germany. “I have never had so many good players chasing places. They are mentally and physically fit and determined. Many have also played before in the World Cup,” he says excitedly.