PHOTO: Bilic: Croatia Has A Captain – Kovac!

The media started writing about the captain and everyone forgot that Robert was here after Niko left, Bilic said.

The Fiery Ones held a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel, before a friendly match with Romania, which will be played on Wednesday. One by one, Croatian squad players kept arriving: Nikola Pokrivac, Ivica Krizanac, Danijel Pranic, Niko Kranjcar…

Some 20 footballers are available for the Romania friendly, while two are injured – Nikola Kalinic and Ivo Ilicevic. Hrvoje Cale was who plays in Turkish Trabzonspor, was included, along with Ivan Juric.

- Cale did not play due to an injury, unfortunately, but we have been keeping an eye on him ever since he started regularly playing in turkey, just like Ivan Juric who plays in the same position as Niko Kovac, who said goodbye to the team – Croatia manager Slaven Bilic told a press conference.

Bilic believes the Romanians are tough rivals, because they caused problems for France, Italy and the Netherlands in the “death group” at the European Championship, while they lost their shot at the quarterfinals against the Dutch.

Dudu ready for the matches

- Romania rarely or never loses at home. Mutu and the company are hard to beat and we can`t day this is a dress rehearsal before the qualifiers, because we will be playing the first match on April 1 in Andorra, but it is important to see where we are and how the team members respond – Bilic said. When asked about Eduardo da Silva, he replied that hw observed him at practice last week, while Wenger said he can no longer advance at practice sessions, but just at matches, because he lacks playing.

- Dudu is in the line-up and we are very happy that he has fully recovered, he is seriously competing for the line-up, however, he will not start on the first line-up, but later on in the match – Slaven Bilic.

Those who arrived or are yet to arrive at the Sheraton Hotel are: Stipe Pletikosa, Danijel Subasic, Vedran Corluka, Josip Simunic, Robert Kovac, Hrvoje Cale, Hrvoje Veic Ivica Krizanac, Danijel Pranjic, Nikola Pokrivac, Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar, Ivan Juric, Ognjen Vukojevic, Darijo Srna, Ivan Rakitic, Eduardo da Silva, Mladen Petric, Ivica Olic and Mario Mandzukic. 

When asked b reporters who the captain was, Bilic replied that the media started writing about the captain, but forgot that after Niko left, Robert was there. Croatia has a captain – Robert Kovac!

Take a look at the attached photo gallery: Croatian Football Team Gathers At Sheraton Hotel.