Bosnia and Herzegovina is not Serbia, because they're in the World Cup.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Ray Parlour > Bosnia and Herzegovina is not Serbia, because they're in the World Cup.

Troy Queef: Jan 12, 2013

Being that I am from St Louis, which has the largest Bosnian population outside Sarajevo apparently, I feel it's my duty to post a thread about the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.

History

Bosnia has had a fairly decent footballing history, with teams from places like Mostar, Banja Luka, and Sarajevo acquitting themselves well both in the Yugoslav league and in Europe, and top players regularly being represented in the national team.

Then Tito had to go and die, throwing all the Balkans into chaos and war, with Bosnia (being ethnically split between Croats, Muslims and Serbs) being the hardest hit of the former Yugoslav countries. Many citizens chose to flee the country (mostly to Germany, the US or Canada), and you'll see this in the backgrounds of more than a few players. Also, this war gave us some great music!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-EQJA8Ahac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suAfIe0_pZU

As for the national team, they got started mostly by playing charity friendlies to support those most affected by the war, most notably beating Iran in Tehran 3-1. Following the Dayton Accords and official FIFA recognition of BiH as an actual country, they first played competitive matches as part of qualification for France 98, coming in fourth in their group behind Denmark, Croatia and Greece. Although good results were initially few and far between, rebuilding and international scouting of Bosnian emigrants eventually began to pay off, as they narrowly missed qualifying for Euro 2004: at home to Denmark and guaranteed a trip to Portugal if they won, they were unlucky to earn only a draw and thus allow their opponents to qualify. More shock results came in 2006 qualifying, where they met Serbia for the first time in international competition (they drew once and lost once in games that were heated but resulted in little eventual violence off the pitch) and came within seconds of beating Spain in Valencia.

However, a new, high-quality generation of players finally came up to the senior side in 2010, and gave the Zmajevi (Dragons) their best qualifying result ever: second place behind Spain and ahead of Turkey, and a playoff place against Portugal. While they lost both legs 1-0, it was an incredible psychological boost both to the players and Bosnians at large, which carried over to Euro 2012 qualification. However, in the race to Poland luck was not on the Bosnian side: in a match at France where the visitors were leading (and a win would have automatically sent them through), Craig Thomson awarded a controversial penalty, the French scored, and as such BiH had to go to yet another playoff against Portugal. The home leg finished 0-0, but in Lisbon Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani were just too much, as the Iberians ran away 6-2 winners.

No playoff was needed for 2014 qualifying, though: the Bosnians manhandled European Group G, finishing level on points with Greece but utterly destroying them on goal difference (+24 versus +8). This is the first time Bosnia has qualified to the World Cup or any major international tournament, and this set off wild celebrations throughout the country. However, these parties quickly turned to mourning, as news came in that a car carrying a group of young fans back home from the clinching tie in Lithuania was hit by a truck while driving through foggy roads in Poland, killing three of the four passengers.

The Manager
Safet Susic

A legend for Yugoslavia and pre-Qatar money PSG, where he played 343 matches and scored 172 goals all while never once missing a match due to injury or suspension, Susic previously coached primarily in Turkey before being tapped for the national team in 2009.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City), Jasmin Fejzic (Aalen), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka).

Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk), Avdija Vrsajevic (Hajduk Split), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent).

Midfielders: Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhou Renhe), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor), Miralem Pjanic (Roma), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim), Senad Lulic (Lazio), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB), Tino Susic (Hajduk Split), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros), Anel Hadzic (Sturm Graz).

Forwards: Edin Dzeko (Manchester City), Vedad Ibisevic (Stuttgart).

Players You Should Know About

Asmir Begovic (Goalkeeper, Stoke City)

Like many Bosnians, his family fled the civil war and moved abroad--in his case, Canada, where he played for age-group national teams and was spotted by Portsmouth. Eventually told those dirty Canucks that he wanted to play for a real country in a real federation. Currently bossing it at Stoke, although Arsenal are wanting to spend �8 mil on him. Known to score the occasional goal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsrVNd0f710

Emir Spahic (Defender, Bayer 04)

The captain and defensive rock, Spahic is now playing European football on the reg with Leverkusen after he made $Texas at Anzhi Makhachkala. He's Edin Dzeko's cousin, too.

Zvjezdan Misimovic (Midfielder, Guizhou Renhe)

Bosnia's most capped player with 80 appearances. Got bored with winning the Bundesliga and Russian League with Wolfsburg and Dynamo Moscow respectively, so now he cashes paychecks professionally in the Chinese league.

Miralem Pjanic (Midfielder, Roma)

Arguably the biggest reason Roma finished 2nd in Serie A this year. Top, top midfielder that can and will do anything: go box-to-box, play in an attacking role, be an impact sub, and take free kicks. A legit star in the making.

Vedad Ibisevic (Forward, Stuttgart)

The pride of Roosevelt High in South City STL and St Louis University, Ibisevic had a few false starts at PSG and Dijon before going over to TSG Hoffenheim, where he utterly killed the league until he did his knee. Although still not quite what he was a few years ago, he can still score when needed, and got the goal in Kaunas that punched BiH's ticket to Brazil. Also, his wife is a bit of a munter.

Edin Dzeko (Forward, Manchester City)

You already know about this guy, but in case you've been living under a rock the last few years: Scored loads of goals for Wolfsburg, won the Bundesliga, earned the respect of Felix Magath (which is not an easy thing to do) in the process. Sold to Manchester City for �27 million (at the time the richest fee for a BuLi player), where he has scored loads of goals and become a name regularly bandied about when discussion of Fully Sick XI takes place. Clearly the alpha to Ibisevic's beta, but then again that's what you want in a strike force.

World Cup Group/Schedule

A very interesting group, doubly so considering that Bosnia and Argentina played each other fairly recently, and apart from Messi being injured sent essentially the same sides out that we'll see in Rio. Argentina won 2-0, both goals being quite good ones from Sergio Ag�ero, and I was able to go to that match with a few guys I play indoor with and it was absurdly fun.

Overall, Bosnia are a good team with more than a few good players that could surprise more than a few bigger sides. Plus, if you're into that sort of thing they're a great :unsmith:

uplifting emotional story :unsmith:

, considering the whole civil war thing, Serbs/Croats/Muslims playing and supporting the same team, and the whole flood business that just happened there (which we've already seen some good works done by the national side, including Pjanic buying an entire pharmacy's stocks and sending it to some of the hardest-hit towns). They play their last friendly before the World Cup this Friday the 30th against Cote d'Ivoire, which by all means I urge you to check out.

Troy Queef fucked around with this message at 22:55 on May 25, 2014

# ? May 25, 2014 22:51

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# ? May 4, 2024 23:17

Bogan Krkic: Oct 31, 2010; Swedish style? No.
Yugoslavian style? Of course not.
It has to be Zlatan-style.

Ibisevic's missus has got some hair, doesn't she

# ? May 25, 2014 22:54

Mr. Mambold: Feb 13, 2011; Aha. Nice post.

Good op OP.

# ? May 25, 2014 22:56

vyelkin: Jan 2, 2011

I'm going to cheer for Begovic because it's the closest my country has come to the World Cup since 1986. :canada:

# ? May 25, 2014 23:24

Paperhouse: Dec 31, 2008; I think
your hair
looks much
better
pushed
over to
one side

I got Bosnia and Herzegovina in a sweepstake so I am fully on board. First question, where/what is Herzegovina

# ? May 26, 2014 00:33

crazycarl: Jun 13, 2001; Welcome to TB Diddlers in Mokena.

Where the special is always Dr Rassmusin's Hot Beef Injection and you can play "Whers my Manometer" with other diners

Troy Queef posted:

They play their last friendly before the World Cup this Friday the 30th against Cote d'Ivoire, which by all means I urge you to check out.

This is being played in St Louis and if your within driving distance soccer games here have been very popular

Also I adopted Bosnia for my second team after the US and I'm hoping they get to the knockout round

# ? May 26, 2014 04:18

FullLeatherJacket: Dec 30, 2004; Chiunque pu� essere Luther Blissett, semplicemente adottando il nome Luther Blissett

Paperhouse posted:

I got Bosnia and Herzegovina in a sweepstake so I am fully on board. First question, where/what is Herzegovina

i'm pretty sure she did that Wonderbra ad, OP

# ? May 26, 2014 10:57

url: Apr 23, 2007; internet gnuru

Mr. Mambold posted:

Good op OP.

Agreed.

Can't help but post what I imagine the Brits will sing.

url fucked around with this message at 16:41 on May 26, 2014

# ? May 26, 2014 16:12

Doctor Malaver: May 23, 2007; Ce qui s'est pass� t'a rendu plus fort

I'm so happy for Bosnia. They have been serious contenders for major tournaments for quite some time now, despite the devastation, their FA falling apart, and the fact that many players of Croat and Serb ethnicity chose to play for those two countries.

Troy Queef posted:

Also, this war gave us some great music!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-EQJA8Ahac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suAfIe0_pZU

You can't post just Serbian and Muslim war songs without a Croatian too to balance things out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUbCp2WgkYw The salute at the beginning is what Croatia's Josip Simunic has been banned from the WC for.

Paperhouse posted:

where/what is Herzegovina

The southern part of the country.

# ? May 27, 2014 02:09

Mans: Sep 14, 2011; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Doctor Malaver posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUbCp2WgkYw

that loving voice

# ? May 27, 2014 02:21

Troy Queef: Jan 12, 2013

Mans posted:

that loving voice

That dude's Thompson, the most popular musician in Croatia (somehow) who has the distinction of being banned in at least two countries for rumored Ustase links.

# ? May 27, 2014 02:25

African AIDS cum: Feb 29, 2012; Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack

Free Jackie Arkl�v.

# ? May 27, 2014 02:42

Shrapnig: Jan 21, 2005

vaginal culture posted:

Free Jackie Arkl�v.

Free Jack Yermamoff

# ? May 27, 2014 02:42

Crunkjuice: Apr 4, 2007; That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!

They let jozy score a hat trick on them. What else do you need to know about the team?

# ? May 27, 2014 02:57

shut up blegum: Dec 17, 2008; --->Plastic Lawn<---

Ervin Zukanovic is not going to the WC. He missed a training stage in the US due to problems with his visa. Then he bitched that that it was the fault of the Bosninan football federation and that they can't do anything right. Then the coach decided he didn't want crybabies and cut him from the squad.

Pretty stupid if you ask me, especially since it was the only guy from my team who was going to the WC :smith:

# ? May 31, 2014 10:21

Azerban: Oct 28, 2003

vyelkin posted:

I'm going to cheer for Begovic because it's the closest my country has come to the World Cup since 1986.

gently caress that. gently caress THAT

# ? May 31, 2014 16:09

Doctor Malaver: May 23, 2007; Ce qui s'est pass� t'a rendu plus fort

Bosnia looking good with friendly wins over Ivory Coast and now :mexico:

# ? Jun 4, 2014 14:26

Doctor Malaver: May 23, 2007; Ce qui s'est pass� t'a rendu plus fort

quote:

Bosnian Dragons - from nothing to Maracan� in 20 years

They came from all sides, and some overseas. Asmir Begovic from Canada, via Germany; Vedad Ibisevic from the U.S., via Switzerland. Ermin Bicakcic, Sead Kolasinac, Muhamed Besic, Zvjezdan Misimovic and Sejad Salihovic from Germany, Senad Lulic and Izet Hajrović from Switzerland, Miralem Pjanic from Luxembourg, Tino-Sven Susic from Belgium, Haris Medunjanin from the Netherlands, Anel Hadzic from Austria. Emir Spahic was born in Dubrovnik, Mensur Mujdza in Zagreb.

Fifteen of the 23 players chosen by Safet Susic never even played in the domestic league. Of the biggest stars only Spahic, Dzeko and Senijad Ibricic wade Bosnian-Herzegovinian league lawns, each just until his nineteenth year. Others have started playing football in a foreign land - whether they were born there or exiled. Many have played for other teams in the younger categories. All have some family drama or tragedy behind them, more or less-known to the public: for example, Haris Medunjanin left Sarajevo when he was 7 with his mother and sister while his father stayed - and died.

Twenty years ago, all that Bosnians wanted was to have a team, their team. The path to that led them twice over Croatia.

In winter 1993 a few players to FK Sarajevo, who haven't played a game for a year, pulled out of the city under siege. They fled across Sarajevo's icy runway under sniper fire and managed to avoid the UN troops, whose task was to prevent the entry and exit from the city. Then they went back so that it appeared to the UN that they are trying to get into the city - and to keep them from doing this, they picked them up and drove away outside Sarajevo. At night they crossed the snow-bound mountains and finally were able to come to Zagreb, where Ciro Blazevic (who will lataer manage Croatia to 1998 World bronze) helped with accommodation and equipment.

In February 1993, under the direction of coach Fuad Muzurovic, they played a match against Hajduk Split, the first of 54 in 17 countries from Austria to Indonesia. They gathered aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and their tour included the audience with Pope John Paul II. This team was the first precursor of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the international scene.

In March of the same year, a team gathered called 'Humane stars of BiH' by mostly veterans, who played and lived abroad. They were legends: Blaz Sli�ković (Pescara), Mehmed Bazdarevic and Faruk Had�ibegić (both Sochaux), Refik �abanad�ović (PAOK), Davor Jozic (Cesena), Mirsad Baljić and Haris �koro (FC Zurich), Safet Susic (PSG), Semir Tuce (Lucerne), Meho Kodro (Real Sociedad) and others. They played Belgium's Genk and German Kaiserslautern, although their manager Sead Fazlagić failed to get the first match, unable to get out of Sarajevo.

Two winters later, in late 1995th, Bosnia and Herzegovina national team played its first official friendly match against Albania in Tirana. It was only eight days after the signing of the Dayton agreement that ended the war.

Manager Fuad Muzurovic gathered his players in Zagreb - but since it has still not been a full member of UEFA and the date was out of the official calendar, the big question was whether there will be enough players to field the team. Muzurovic and his assistants have already decided to put on jerseys if need be, just to be able to play the game. "We just wanted to have a team - no matter who can play, no matter how it ends," said Muzurovic. Some of the players were already retired, but somehow they managed to gather the eleven who played in Tirana and lost 2-0. Muhamed Konjic, at that time a solid defender in NK Zagreb, was their captain.

Nineteen years later, the team plays in the World Cup. Yes, the team has ambitions to advance from the group and leave a mark on the world stage as the stars like Dzeko and Pjanic deserve - but for Bosnia and Herzegovina the participation itself is a triumph.

Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Championships is inspiration to the citizens of the country: so far, the most notable appearance of the nation on the global scene. By far the greatest incentive to be optimistic and hope that someday, one day, things will be okay and 'normal'; that Bosnia will indeed get its meaning and be some kind of an actor on the international scene. No matter how the experiment goes on Maracana stadium, Bosnians will have reason to be proud of their country - as they are already proud of their Dragons.

(google translate of a Croatian article)

# ? Jun 15, 2014 14:31

saihttam: Apr 15, 2006; Enter sadman

Here's a good article you all should read http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/kronikorer/bank/dokument/article19060869.ab

# ? Jun 15, 2014 16:46

African AIDS cum: Feb 29, 2012; Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack

So a pretty tame effort and from what I hear Bosnia is nearly a failed state propped up by the UN. Read so many nytimes style pieces about cute little war torn Bosnia coming so far well I doubt this has comforted anyone affected by the floods or forced to walk on green sidewalks. Just a shame. Dzeko did his best.

# ? Jun 27, 2014 06:08

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# ? May 4, 2024 23:17

cowboy beepboop: Feb 24, 2001

i expected a lot more fmro this brave nation i am sad they were poo poo like my country

# ? Jun 27, 2014 10:17

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Ray Parlour > Bosnia and Herzegovina is not Serbia, because they're in the World Cup.