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Begovic Called Up for Bosnia Friendly


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It appears that Bosnia and Herzegovina Manager Ciro Blazevic has called up Bosnian / Canadian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic for their August 12 friendly against Iran.

My understanding of the language is extremely limited - but from what I’ve found - Begovic has said he will NOT play v. Iran.

If that is indeed the case, it probably has everything to do with his current club situation since it looks like Portsmouth have signed the previously retired Antti Niemi to back-up the soon-to-be fit David James.

Begovic would certainly be loaned out to another club.

Squad named for Iran friendly:

Goalkeepers:

Nemanja Supiæ, Asmir Begovic, Adis Nurkoviæ

Defenders:

Emir Spahiæ, Ivan Radeljiæ, Sanel Jahiæ, Damir Mirviæ, Boris Pandža, Safet Nadareviæ, Adnan Mravac

Midfielders:

Dario Damjanoviæ, Samir Muratoviæ, Elvir Rahimiæ, Sejad Salihoviæ, Miralem Pjaniæ, Zvjezdan Misimoviæ, Zlatan Bajramoviæ, Senijad Ibrièiæ, Semir Štiliæ

Forwards:

Zlatan Muslimoviæ, Edin Džeko, Vedad Ibiševiæ, Admir Vladaviæ

http://fulltimefootballshow.blogspot.com/

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Training with a national team is never a matter of 'conditioning'. If he wants top level competition on the training ground he can get it at Portsmouth.

This leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and for the first time during this Begovic-Bosnia saga, I think we will lose him.

Oh well. I'm not really that concerned.

As mentioned before, Lars is a better option for now. And we have a number of teens playing at high level European clubs already.

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Hey, on the plus side Streety and MIscewicz are only four years younger than him? Unfortunately the next opportunity we will have to cap-tie begovic wont be until 2011. By that time both Street and Miscewicz and a few other Canadian U20 keepers will be 20.

And we still have Waagner who is between the ages of lars and the youngsters.

In regards to the article though, has he accepted the call up but refused to play? They can call all he wants and he doesn't have to accept it. Although I'd have to agree with Max if he did accept the call even just to train the threat of him leaving our program to play for Bosnia would seem imminent.

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There's a comment where "Anonymous" translated his interview...

---

I'll try to translate you an interview which he gave Oslobodjenje today(Oslobodjenje can really be trusted)

-I have decided to play for Bosnia and Herzegowina.I'm not sure if I will be able to play in the Friendly in august because of some private issues,but I won't change my decision to play for Bosnia-says Begovic who has already signed a document for the FIFA in which he states that he gives up the Canadian citizenship in order to be allowed to play for BiH.

-I signed that document and I have to sign some other papers too.- explains Begovic whose interview in a Canadian radio-show in which he stated that he wants to play for Canada got much attention in Bosnia.

-It was a bit uncomfortable for me to say that I don't want to play for Canada anymore in the Radio-show because I hadn't talked with the coach and the Canadian Federation about that.I wanted them to hear it from me,and not on the Radio and that's why I said that on the Show.To be honest,I didn't expect that it would get so much attention in Bosnia.

Begovic added that he most likely won't be able to come to play in the Friendly,but that he will try at least to come an meet his new teammates.

-I'll try to to the gathering,but I'm not sure about that.As for the WCQ,I'm sure that I will come,if I get a call-up.

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quote:Originally posted by strobe_z

-It was a bit uncomfortable for me to say that I don't want to play for Canada anymore in the Radio-show because I hadn't talked with the coach and the Canadian Federation about that.I wanted them to hear it from me,and not on the Radio and that's why I said that on the Show.To be honest,I didn't expect that it would get so much attention in Bosnia.

Assuming this translation is accurate and the comments true......

It would have been better to not do the interview at all then, or to pick up the phone and call Stephen Hart or Morgan Quarry to let them know of his decision prior to doing that interview, then to be the latest to not only jump ship but be deceitful about it in the process.

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I don't think anyone should believe anything that doesn't come from Begovic himself. The football press in Europe is full of hacks that make up news just to sell papers.

After what he said in the radio interview I won't believe that Begovic has accepted an invitation to play for Bosnia (friendly or no) until I hear it from him (through a verifiable source). It would have been a lot easier for him to simply decline the invitation for the interview than to actually go to the trouble of blatantly lying to everyone over the air.

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quote:Originally posted by Martyr

I don't think anyone should believe anything that doesn't come from Begovic himself. The football press in Europe is full of hacks that make up news just to sell papers.

After what he said in the radio interview I won't believe that Begovic has accepted an invitation to play for Bosnia (friendly or no) until I hear it from him (through a verifiable source). It would have been a lot easier for him to simply decline the invitation for the interview than to actually go to the trouble of blatantly lying to everyone over the air.

You have the perfect username for someone silly enough to have blind faith.

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Well really, if you look at it objectively all you have to go on is conflicting statements from the man himself. Either

a) He lied to one Canadian media

B) He/the coaches lied to the Bosnian media or,

c) The Bosnian media lied

Which is more likely? I'm not completely sure, but if they are equally likely there's only a 33% chance he'll defect.

I should add that this is the point that the Canadian soccer media should step up and ask the CSA if they indeed have been threatened to sue ... presumably Asmir has contacted them by now if it is true.

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quote:Originally posted by Saviola7

Well really, if you look at it objectively all you have to go on is conflicting statements from the man himself. Either

a) He lied to one Canadian media

B) He/the coaches lied to the Bosnian media or,

c) The Bosnian media lied

Which is more likely? I'm not completely sure, but if they are equally likely there's only a 33% chance he'll defect.

I should add that this is the point that the Canadian soccer media should step up and ask the CSA if they indeed have been threatened to sue ... presumably Asmir has contacted them by now if it is true.

Could you clarify what you mean by that? I see no mention of threats of any kind in any posts in this thread.

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Very strange. Not quite sure what to make of this. At the point of believing it (Asmir changing flags) when I see it. Never had the impression he was anything but Canadian, through and through.

As mentioned a lot just doesn't add up. If he were a 17 year old kid, given family influences and other unseen factors, then who can tell? Nothing needs to make sense in those instances but Asmir ain't 17 and he ain't Bosnian even if his father/uncle/cousins are.

And here's the most curious point. If it's personal ambition which is driving the man towards Bosnia that's got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I'd bet my mortgage Canada will make the World Cup finals before Bosnia-Herzegovina ever does.

Very strange. Think I'll wait and see which way this goes before I start making judgments.

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quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

And here's the most curious point. If it's personal ambition which is driving the man towards Bosnia that's got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I'd bet my mortgage Canada will make the World Cup finals before Bosnia-Herzegovina ever does.

Group 5 Team MP W D L GF GA Pts

Spain 6 6 0 0 13 2 18

Bosnia-Herzegovina 6 4 0 2 18 7 12

Turkey 6 2 2 2 6 5 8

Belgium 6 2 1 3 10 11 7

Estonia 6 1 2 3 5 15 5

Armenia 6 0 1 5 3 15 1

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^Yeah, and? Spain goes through. 2nd place might (should) get into the next round. And they'll get drawn against who? We don't know. But it's going to be a tough draw no matter how you slice it for Bosnia.

Turkey has Armenia, Belgium and Estonia in three of their last four matches. They beat Bosnia next month 2nd place is theirs.

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Bosnia is playing Turkey and Spain at home. One win in one of those 2 games and wins over Armenia and Estonia would be enough to get through.

I'm sorry but Bosnia look in a far more better shape to get to a WC. Also add to that the fact that Bosnia would probably be able to qualify to a Euro in the near future. That's another point that could convince Begovic to play for them.

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Belgium are no pushovers and Bosnia have games against Armenia and Estonia as well as Spain and Turkey so that is far from clear cut, Cheeta. Given the circumstances of the departure of the Begovic family from Bosnia I don't think it is hard to understand why there could be a very deep emotional attraction to play for that team instead. Being a refugee forced to leave a country is a different set of circumstances from being an immigrant attracted to a new country by positive pull rather than negative push factors.

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quote:Originally posted by BringBackTheBlizzard

Belgium are no pushovers and Bosnia have games against Armenia and Estonia as well as Spain and Turkey so that is far from clear cut, Cheeta. Given the circumstances of the departure of the Begovic family from Bosnia I don't think it is hard to understand why there could be a very deep emotional attraction to play for that team instead. Being a refugee forced to leave a country is a different set of circumstances from being an immigrant attracted to a new country by positive pull rather than negative push factors.

As usual you have it all wrong. Being a refugee from a country should give you a sense of loyalty to the country that took you in and gave you not only safety but prosperity when the wonderful country you left was going to kill you.

I will wait until we get some official confirmation before I believe he is actually switching, Bosnia could have called him up just to pressure him. However, if he were to switch this would be an even worse case than Hargreaves in my opinion.

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