NSBiH: Disagreements in the national team are exaggerated

The Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a press release regarding all developments and statements from the coach and players after the match between Egypt and the BiH A team, in which the Dragons were defeated with a score of 2:0. The BiH News Agency Patria (NAP) conveys this very important press release in its entirety:

- The friendly match "A" national team Egypt-BiH, played in Innsbruck on March 5, 2014, attracted public attention not only because of the poor result, but also because of the overall atmosphere that resulted in various analyses and media presentations of the overall situation.

The Football/Soccer Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina is actively and continuously involved in resolving certain disagreements and problems. We do not want to deny that there are different opinions and discrepancies, but we cannot accept that there are problems to an extent that we are unable to overcome and resolve, nor can we accept that every meeting and conversation with different views can be treated as a conflict.

We must accept the fact that our national team's historic qualification for the World Cup in Brazil represents the realization of the dream of numerous generations of fans and players. With top results in the past qualifiers for the World Cup, this generation of "Dragons" has not only found its place in the world elite, but has also entered the group of seeded teams for the first time in the qualifiers for the next European Championship in France in 2016.

There is no doubt that the greatest credit for this success belongs to the players and the professional staff of the "A" national team, but also to all the fans, the media, and the leadership of the Association who provided maximum support to our team and ensured optimal conditions for preparations, at the level of the best world national teams.

Our players were defeated by Egypt with a score of 2:0, but after the match, accusations and whistles followed

Likewise, we must agree that this great generation on the field is led by captain Emir Spahić and one of the most deserving players, Edin Džeko, and from the bench, the head of the professional staff, Safet Sušić, officially declared the best footballer of all time in our region. Whether we want to or not, we must admit that this is the best we have at the moment, as well as the truth that the "A" national team is a rare bright spot in the life of BiH.

At the same time, by qualifying for the World Cup, our national team players have raised the bar of expectations of the BH sports public to an even higher level, so, regardless of the fact that it was a friendly match, the outcome of the match in Innsbruck was presented as a clear failure.

After the defeat by the Egyptian team, some statements by the coach and players were conveyed and interpreted in various ways in the public, and some comments presented the events in a way that is not in the common interest nor can it contribute to overcoming the current situation. The NS/FS BiH does not wish to dispute the existence of certain disagreements in the national team with this press release. They exist, as in any other sports collective. The NS/FS BiH estimates that the disagreements are not to the extent they are presented, but rather that they are different opinions and views on the issues that were discussed.

The leadership of the NS/FS BiH will engage all its resources to initiate dialogue and find solutions to these disagreements. We believe that at this most important moment in the existence of the NS/FS BiH, before going to the World Cup in Brazil, nothing should stand in the way of the successful realization of that project. Not for the sake of the players, nor for the national team, fans, or citizens of BiH.

In this regard, the NS/FS BiH has undertaken a series of activities to harmonize different views within individual roles, responsibilities, and officeholders. Thus, in the past period, constant discussions were held, and daily activities were seriously and continuously monitored and analyzed with the desire that different opinions and statements do not threaten common goals and cause as little damage as possible to the collective. In addition, the NS/FS BiH Emergency Committee, at its session held on March 13, 2014, discussed this topic, but consultations were also continuously held with members of the Mediation and Advisory Board, who made a significant contribution to the analysis of the situation and the modeling of the implementation plan for the "Brazil 2014" project, including finding the best solutions for overcoming certain disagreements.

It is evident that the NS/FS BiH and the "A" national team are going through a path to a major competition that they have not walked before, and that a great challenge lies ahead for everyone, requiring a lot of understanding, tolerance, and unity, without emphasizing any individual interests. The national team is our main goal, and everyone in the Association must be in function of achieving defined goals and implementing planned strategies.
Regardless of the obstacles that appear on this path, we are convinced that we have enough strength, knowledge, and ability to emerge from the current situation stronger and more cohesive, so that the national team can present itself in the best light in Brazil and thus bring joy to numerous fans in BiH and abroad.

The leadership of the Association expresses its absolute support and trust in the Professional Staff and players, from whom maximum seriousness and responsibility are expected. We ask the fans for patience and understanding, which are conditions for creating a favorable environment before the preparations for the World Cup.

We ask the media to support our efforts and contribute to the realization of the goals; they have convinced and shown us many times that they know and can, and that in the end we have the same goals and share common interests. Likewise, we will remain maximally open to the media and allow them to continuously follow the preparations of the national team, conclude from the Association, as reported by NAP.