Euro 2008 preview: Croatia v Turkey - Bilic blames Beckham

The further Croatia progress in Euro 2008, the longer the shadow they cast over England.

The closer the Croats get to the final, the deeper the fears grow about England's prospects of finishing ahead of them in the race for the solitary group qualifying spot for the World Cup finals.

And the more we ask ourselves how a nation of just 4.5million people can excel here in Austria, when we cannot even make the tournament.

Croatia boss Slaven Bilic had a few ideas of his own about the reasons for England's failures yesterday as he prepared his team for their quarter-final against Turkey here tonight.

In a thinly-veiled attack on the culture of celebrity that has spread through English football like a virus, Bilic blamed players from 'wealthier nations' for distancing themselves from the fans.

He said their inaccessibility stopped kids getting close to their heroes and sapped their passion for wanting to follow them into the game.

"People are crazy about football in Croatia," Bilic said at the Ernst Happel Stadion when he was asked how such a small nation could have achieved so much.

"Children play it everywhere. The stars are perhaps closer to kids and the common folk than in some larger, wealthier countries.

"A kid can meet a player like Nico Kovac in half an hour after training or at a hotel somewhere. That's easier in Croatia.

"We are talented in sport, in general, especially sport where wit is important, especially sports in which it isn't only physical strength that matters."

Bilic's press conference yesterday provided little comfort for England fans.

There was a sense as he spoke of a Croat team on the rise. The tone of the questions and answers suggested that Bilic and his side see their recent success as the start of a new golden era.

He tried to avoid comparisons between this side and the team that reached the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup.

But the clear implication was that this is a Croatia aiming not just to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa but to excel there.

The only words of consolation Bilic saved for England concerned the fact that both Croatia and Russia, England's tormentors in qualifying, have made it through to the last eight here.

Bilic declared: "I said at the time that our qualifying group was the most difficult and the reaction was laughter and ridicule.

"I said all along that the Russians were a great team and, I can't be sure, but I think England and probably Israel would have qualified for this tournament if they had been in an easier group.

"You saw what the Russians did to the Swedes. They broke them. They tore them apart. They showed their quality.

"But we knew before we got to Austria that we had a strong foundation for this tournament and that we could qualify for the quarter-finals and even further."

Bilic, of course, was keen not to underestimate the Turks, who produced a stunning comeback against the Czechs to snatch a quarter-final slot.

Turkey's morale is as high as Croatia's and Bilic said that every side in the last eight had an equal chance of winning the tournament.

"I don't think there are favourites now," Bilic added.

"All eight sides have come this far due to three tough matches.

"But for us, a good result against another team is no longer a surprise.

"On the contrary, the opposite would be a surprise."

In none of these games is there a clear favourite.

All are favourites for title of European champion.

England, it seems, will not be up against an underdog but a team that has regained its status as one of football's world powers, when the race to qualify for South Africa 2010 begins in the autumn.

Fabio Capello's first competitive game - Andorra in Barcelona - could not be much easier. His second - Croatia in Zagreb - could not be much harder.

Turkey boss Fatih Terim said: "This could be the war of the century. Many incredible things have happened to us in this tournament. Nothing is impossible.

"We have proved we can win after going behind but Croatia have not done that."

Croatia v Turkey Quarter-final tonight, Vienna, KO 7.45pm. Live on BBC1
Last Three Meetings:
June 1996: Croatia 1 Turkey 0
June 1997: Croatia 1 Turkey
1 March 2004: Croatia 2 Turkey 2

Match Odds: Croatia 10-11, Turkey 11-4, Draw 2-1

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