Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press Posted Saturday, November 26, 2022 2:27 PM EST Last Updated Saturday, November 26, 2022 2:27 PM EST
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic sent a message to Canada on Saturday at the World Cup. And I didn’t need the F-word to deliver it.
Dalic made a stern statement when asked about John Herdman’s emotional words after Canada’s 1-0 loss to Belgium on Wednesday.
Asked in a sideline interview what he had told his team in a post-match huddle, Canada’s coach replied: “I told them they belong here and we’re going to Croatia. It’s as simple as this. achieve.”
As Herdman delivered the last line with a smile, Dalic clearly didn’t see the humor.
When a Canadian reporter at Saturday’s pregame press conference asked Dalic about his team’s response to Herdman’s heat, the Croatia coach lectured his opposition ahead of Sunday’s clash in the Khlalifa International Stadium.
Dalic used the word “respect” 12 times in his answer.
“The Croatian team deserves everyone’s respect… We respect everyone, equally,” he said through an interpreter. “We expect our opposing teams to respect us. We deserve their respect. Canadians should respect us too. That way of putting words together is not a sign of respect. We are the (2018 World Cup runners-up), not Brazil, Spain or other countries”.
“I will not focus on or comment on other people’s comments,” he added. “We’re ready (Sunday), we’re going to be fit and we’re going to show respect for Canada … and everybody else. We expect respect in the same way that we exercise that vision.”
Croatian striker Ivan Perisic backed his manager, saying simply: “I support the head coach and I can’t wait for the game to start.”
Sunday may prove otherwise, but it looks like, speaking of motivation, Canada has taken a knife to a shootout.
Both the 41st-ranked Canadians and No. 12 Croatia need points from the game. Belgium top Group F with three points, while Croatia and Morocco have a point after their 0-0 draw.
Canada needs at least one point if they hope to have any chance of making it to the knockout round. A loss on Sunday and the Canadians can finish with no more than three points, while Croatia increases their total to four. And whatever happens in Sunday’s game between No. 2 Belgium and No. 22 Morocco, one of those teams will have at least four points.
With only two teams advancing out of the group, that will make Canada’s final group game next Thursday with Morocco meaningless in terms of tournament progression.
“At the end of the day, both teams really have to win this game,” Herdman said.
Croatian journalists did not bother to engage Zlatko with Herdman’s inflammatory words. They had already done it, with the tabloids at home having a field day.
Instead, three of the first four questions about Herdman’s availability were about his hot take after the game. Another came later.
Canada’s coach, who had already addressed the issue on Thursday, tried to laugh off the reaction he had aroused in the Croatia camp.
He insisted he was working “and loving the experience”. And he rejected the claim that his words were just another motivational tool.
“We’ve been waiting 36 years to get here. I’ve used all my motivational tactics in the 20 odd games it took to get here,” he said self-deprecatingly.
But he stood by his words to his players in the post-match meeting after Belgium were simply “to remind them that there is another task ahead of them”.
And he was quick to congratulate Croatia, calling them a “top football team”.
“(A) hell of a test. A hell of a test for this team,” he added. “But we’re excited.”
Herdman called Sunday’s game a “defining moment for Canada in this World Cup. It’s one of those do-or-die games now that we have to play to stay in a World Cup.”
Dalic, for his part, described Canada as “a tough team full of self-confidence”.
The two parties had never met before.
The Croatian squad includes players such as Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Perisic (Tottenham), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) and Mario Pasalic (Atalanta). Only six of their 26 players play at home in Croatia, with four of them at Dinamo Zagreb.
Despite that talent, Croatia had their hands full with No. 22 Morocco in their first game of the tournament, playing to a goalless draw in a game in which each team had just two shots on target.
Croatia head into Sunday’s game on a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) dating back to a 3-0 loss to Austria in June in the UEFA Nations League. Croatia avenged that loss with a 3-1 decision over the Austrians in September.
Croatia has outscored the opposition 9-3 this term, including a win and a draw against No. 4 France.
“With all due respect to Croatia, they have a very, very good team. It’s going to be tough for us,” Canadian midfielder Stephen Eustaquio said. “But it will also be difficult for them.”
The Canadians, who blamed traffic for arriving 41 minutes late to their press conference before the Belgium game, arrived two minutes early on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 26, 2022.