But I have to say I never did. Because while a person can always grow, mature and change, the natural talent that Husejinović has simply can’t be taught. I was worried that Said might have ruined his chance to make it at a big club like Werder, but held out hope that he would pull himself together and get his career back on track. Repentant remarks after a charity friendly for east Bosnian refugees last summer gave me cause for optimism, as did the ecstatic reviews of Bremen fans who had watched him at training.

Then last week, after many months, Said finally got his chance. After sitting on the bench again in a cup tie, he found himself in the squad again in last round’s Bundesliga match against Nürnberg. In just fourteen minutes, he managed a fantastic cross and directly participated in the build-up to Aaron Hunt’s equalizer. Praise followed from the press, the fans and even general manager Klaus Allofs.

“… he was involved in all the dangerous actions. He did very well… now he just has to stabilize [his performances during training]” – Klaus Allofs

What will happen next is open to question. Said didn’t play in the Europa League this weekend because he wasn’t registered for the competition, but he does seem to have clawed back into the squad for the Bundesliga. The competition is stiff, and the coaching staff’s expectations for him in terms of discipline and work ethic are quite high. If he can put in the required effort, however, there’s no reason we can’t hope that Said’s abilities will shine through and that he can stake out a spot in Werder’s rotation. And at that point, the national team could always use another pacy winger.

Haris Medunjanin has a somewhat different life story. Born and raised in Sarajevo’s (in)famous commieblock neighborhood of Ali-pašino polje, he left the country in the wake of the war for Western Europe, re-emerging at age 19 as the best young footballer in the Netherlands. He was part of the Dutch U21 team that achieved such notable success mid-decade, and earned the wrath of many Bosnian fans after apparently rejecting a call up to the Bosnia squad. What exactly happened is unclear, although with the kind of people running things in the FA at the time it seems clear Medunjanin deserves at least the benefit of the doubt. His career has never quite taken off as some might have hoped (allegedly lagging due to attitude problems), but somehow he still found his way to the Spanish La Liga. Playing semi-regularly for Valladolid, he’s currently the only Bosnian in perhaps the best league in the world. Oh, and has been on absolute fire and seemingly incapable of scoring an average goal. Blessed with a fantastic technique and a wicked left foot (not unlike his former neighbor at Ali-pašino and childhood idol, Elvir Baljić), Medunjanin has scored two fantastic goals in just the last week or so. I’ve included some youtube highlights of him below, not including either of these two recent strikes. To put it simply, I expect Haris to see some playing time as a substitute in these two games and I’m excited to see what he can do.

And I largely agree with the conventional wisdom. A draw against Greece would be fantastic, a draw against Portugal acceptable and a draw against either France or Russia serious trouble. Once again, I don’t think anyone is fooling themselves into thinking that Greece would be easy – they’re a very difficult side to play against. But between Gekas/Amanatidis and Džeko/Ibišević, well… I know which Bundesliga duo I would choose. We’d need for everything to fall into place and a fair bit of luck, but it would be the opportunity of a generation.

I’ll try to wake up early tomorrow and give my reaction to the actual draw.

Edit 1: And I’m awake. Ok… let’s do a live-blog kind of thing.

Edit 2: Sepp Blatter = dodgy uncle

Edit 3: Ok… France out of the way. So far so good.

Edit 4: And so Portugal it is. Could’ve been better, could’ve been worse. At least we have the deciding game at home. I think this is doable.

p.s. For anyone wondering what the hell happened to me (all two of you then), my computer with the password(s) for this blog had to go in for repairs. It was just my luck that Best Buy needed a little over 5 weeks to replace the keyboard. Maybe I could’ve figured out some round about way to keep on posting, but it was hard to motivate myself with a full load at college. Either way, the computer is back and so am I.

Fortunately, we got off to an early lead. Ibričić broke through the Armenia ranks in the sixth minute, heading the ball into the post and then heading again to send the rebound into the back of the next. After that we had a number of solid opportunities, ranging from a shot cleared off the line to a catastrophic Edin Džeko penalty. As the game wore on and we failed to capitalize on our chances, some flaws in our play began to appear and the Armenians, besides doing very well in midfield, even got a decent shot on goal. We were fortunate that Nemanja Supić was in surprisingly good form, making a number of solid interventions to justify his status in favor of newcomer Asmir Begović.

All that said, however, it was obvious that we were the better side; our technique and dribbling made the Armenians look plain foolish a couple of times, while Emir Spahić put in a man of the match performance at center back. When Miralem Pjanić and Zlatan Muslimović came in as jokers off the bench, our game noticeably picked up. It all came together in the 73rd minute, when Muslimović finished the play he had started at the halfway line, firing in a superb Džeko assist.

All eyes are now turned to the showdown with Turkey on Wednesday. Whatever issues we may have had playing against a lackluster Armenia team in a half empty stadium, I don’t expect them to trouble us in Zenica. The Turks simply have to win for any real shot at qualifying, but there will be absolutely no lack of motivation on our part either. The game will be epic, and football mania should rise to a fever pitch in Bosnia as the day draws near. Although Ćiro’s tactics remain a mystery (it’s not at all clear that he’ll play 4-4-2 like he did in Armenia), we’re all aware of the individual quality we posses. Turkey is a great team with a number of fantastic players, but on their day Edin Džeko, Vedad Ibišević, Zvjezdan Misimović, Emir Spahić, Sejad Salihović and the others can more than match them.

- Since the questions surrounding Spahić’s health were resolved, the big story in the run up to the qualifiers has been Asmir Begović. Begović had earned the wrath of Bosnian fans following his questionable interview last month, but the opinions quickly changed (as I expected) as soon as he put in some good performances. A surprise injury to David James has meant that Begović saw action in three games for Pompey, including fifteen minutes against Arsenal and ninety against Manchester City. Between that and the Carling cup tie, Begović conceded two goals in some 200 minutes, neither of which for he was particularly to blame (they were a dodgy penalty and an Adebayor header from a corner kick).

Begović arrived at the team hotel in Sarajevo on Monday, the same day as almost all of the other players. The media got a few statements from him on camera almost the moment he got out of the van, and it’s worth noting that he spoke Bosnian very well – I guess just about everything he said on that radio show was a lie. The general impression he has made in training itself has been very positive, with a lot of fans and media outlets commenting that he seems very determined and has made some fantastic saves. Meanwhile, the Bosnian national team has also made a good impression on Begović:

“It’s [completely] different than in Canada, or even in Portsmouth. You can see that people are living for this. At every training session a lot of fans come and watch us work – you don’t have that in Canada, and not even in Portsmouth, for they don’t allow fans to come to the trainings. And no, I don’t regret my decision at all, although it was a hard one to make.” – Asmir Begović

- Whether he’ll actually start against Armenia, however, is unknown. In terms of tactics, the first big question is goalkeeper. Asmir Begović or Nemanja Supić? For me it’s a no-brainer; Supić may have done everything that was asked from him against Belgium, but he’s currently without a club and definitely not in form. Begović, on the other hand, just did very well against two of the strongest teams in the world – he should get the start, and I expect that Ćiro will eventually see reason before kick off. The other big question is that of offensive midfielder, which we’ve discussed before on the blog. Zvjezdan Misimović has accumulated yellow cards, which means that someone will have to fill his shoes. That someone will most likely be 19-year-old wonderkid Miralem Pjanić, who has been performing very well in Lyon so far in the season. Beyond that, the likely names on the starting XI are well known, but the exact formation remains a mystery. The team has practiced with a number of different formations in favor of the traditional 3-5-2, and Ćiro’s statements to the press have not made things any clearer. Nothing’s certain until Saturday, when we’ll see if anything comes of it or if Ćiro was just bluffing for the opposition.

I’m not sure what to think about Ćiro’s decision. Hrgović is certainly not liked by Bosnia’s supporters, and he has a pretty bad relationship with Senijad Ibričić, who he got into a fight with at an indoor tournament last year. One of the key strengths of this team is its chemistry, and this could be like throwing a wrench into an otherwise well-oiled machine. On the other hand, Hrgović is only one man, and on his day one of the best options we have at his position. If Ćiro does start him out at left wing back, Hrgović could allow for Sejad Salihović to finally play a more offensive role. Whatever the case, here’s the full list of call-ups by position.

Keepers: Nemanja Supić, Kenan Hasagić, Asmir Begović

Defense: Emir Spahić, Dario Damjanović, Adnan Mravac, Sanel Jahić, Damir Mirvić, Boris Pandža, Safet Nadarević, Mirko Hrgović

Midfield: Elvir Rahimić, Samir Muratović, Semir Štilić, Sejad Salihović, Miralem Pjanić, Zvjezdan Misimović, Zlatan Bajramović, Senijad Ibričić,Admir Vladavić

Forwards: Edin Džeko, Vedad Ibišević, Zlatan Muslimović

In the meanwhile, some of our players’ club performances have been very encouraging. In particular, Miralem Pjanić scored a fantastic free kick in Lyon’s Champions League tie against Anderlecht, and followed it up today with another goal in Ligue 1. Emir Spahić continues to impress, scoring another goal in the last round and doing well in today’s action as well. David James’ injury in Portsmouth’s match against Arsenal today meant that Asmir Begović got another opportunity between the sticks, which he used to at least stop Pompey’s bleeding in the last twenty minutes (they had let in five until then); assuming that James will be out for at least a week, Begović will have a fantastic opportunity to get some Premiership action and stake a claim for the starting spot in the qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey. Also, we may soon have another player in the premiership: Sanel Jahić seems to be on the verge of signing with Hull City.

16 goals in der ersten Liga might warrant a transfer to FK Sarajevo, but a call-up to the national team is quite a stretch. With all due respect to Mirnel, him making the cut is an insult to all the quality players who didn’t (Ermin Zec comes to mind). What makes it particularly frustrating is that Sadović is a forward, by far our strongest position. I only wonder how much money Munib Ušanović got for this one. Whatever the amount, a good deal of it will probably be spent on Ilidža’s whores and kafane. Unbelievable.

2. In a (somewhat) dramatic turn around from my original post on him, Asmir Begović seems to have firmly decided to play for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Wait, what? Well, following Ćiro’s call-up to the friendly, Asmir clarified some things in another interview or two with the Sarajevo press. He explained loud and clear that he intends to play for Bosnia, but had denied it during the infamous radio interview because he hadn’t yet spoken to anyone from the Canadian FA and didn’t want them to hear it from the media first. He also said that he hoped to be able to come to the preparations for the August 12th friendly in order to meet the team, but that he probably couldn’t make the game itself as his wife was scheduled to give birth on the same day. He assured fans that he’d be available for the qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

Asmir is apparently set to go out to some Scottish club on loan, which means he’ll probably be getting valuable first-team experience in a fairly decent European league. As far as the national team goes, I can see him as our starting goalkeeper by the end of the year. Much of it depends on Hasagić’s health, but I honestly can’t see Supić providing too much of a challenge. On a related note, I will never understand the fans’ bizzare love for Nemanja Supić. He did well enough when called upon, but from the way he’s treated on the Bosnian internet you’d think he was the second coming of Enver Marić.

Beyond that, I don’t really have much to say. The topic has been done to death on both sides of the Atlantic, often getting hyperemotional and way too political. Whatever. Sorry Canada.

3. The new season is starting up across Europe, and our players have already put in some nice performances. I watched both Wolfsburg v. Stuttgart and Hoffenheim v. Bayern, and our Bundesliga quartet played fairly well. Zvjezdan Misimović scored a fantastic goal from just outside the box to seal the game for Wolfsburg (first of the Bundesliga season… Youtube clip below), and Edin Džeko created a couple of nice opportunities that he failed to punctuate with a goal. Sejad Salihović had a very nice game against Bayern, playing a little more forward than last year, while Vedad Ibišević made a nice assist for the team’s only goal and nearly scored himself with a header. Meanwhile, in France, Emir Spahić couldn’t have wished for a better start with Montpellier, scoring a 90th minute equalizer against Paris Saint-Germain in his Ligue 1 debut. Montpellier had been down a man for much of the game, making Spahić’s performance at CB all the more impressive. Also, potential returnee Haris Van Međunjanin scored against Wolverhampton.

4. As far as the game itself… what to say? I’m in Sarajevo at the moment, so I’ll be able to head out and see it from the stadium myself. From what I’ve heard, Iran is missing several key players due to the aftershock of this summer’s political events, which should make our job quite a bit easier. Fair enough if you ask me. We’ve already played several friendlies with Iran in recent years and it’s almost always ended up with a defeat on the field and chaos off of it. Why? Because our corrupt FA officials (most notably the departed Ahmet Pašalić) arranged to get bags full of cash under the table from their Iranian counterparts. In return, Iran would get to play a friendly against a real “European” team and prove their footballing prowess by defeating our motley crew of disgruntled veterans and anonymous nobodies (think Mirnel Sadović). Well now it’s time for revenge. This is the last opportunity to hone our tactics before facing Armenia, and so our players will take it seriously. On paper, anything less than a convincing win would be a disappointment.

That said, a couple of recent developments have probably forced Ćiro to shuffle and re-shuffle his line up. As I mentioned earlier, Begović won’t be playing because he’s expecting the birth of his first child on the same day. Similarly, Misimović will be staying behind in Germany due to some problems with his father’s health. The first bit of news leaves Nemanja Supić’s starting spot assured, while the second means that Misimović won’t even play a single half. Seeing as we can’t count on Miske for the qualifier against Armenia, it’s probably better that way. Who exactly will replace him, however, is still less than clear. On the injury front, Zlatan Muslimović and Elvir Rahimić both wont be able to show up, but the latter can now be replaced by Zlatan Bajramović, who apparently no longer feels any pain in his big toe (fingers crossed). With all this in mind, my projected line up is on the right; perhaps not ideal, but more than enough to deal with a depleted Iran squad.

Keepers: Asmir Begović, Adis Nurković, Nemanja Supić

Defense: Sanel Jahić, Adnan Mravac, Damir Mirvić, Safet Nadarević, Boris Pandža, Ivan Radeljić, Emir Spahić

Midfield: Zlatan Bajramović, Dario Damjanović, Senijad Ibričić, Zvjezdan Misimović, Samir Muratović, Miralem Pjanić, Elvir Rahimić, Sejad Salihović, Semir Štilić

Forwards: Edin Džeko, Vedad Ibišević, Zlatan Muslimović, Admir Vladavić

So here are they key points to consider.

1. It looks like we’re finally set to have a final resolution to the whole Begović soap opera. As you’ll remember from my last post, Begović caused a stir earlier in the month when he apparently appeared on some left-field Canadian radio station and abruptly claimed that he never had any interest in playing for Bosnia-Herzegovina and that it had all been a big misunderstanding. Munib Ušanović, our beloved general secretary, seemed to (for once) do his job, firing back in the Sarajevo press that the paperwork had already been sent to FIFA and that he was in daily contact with Begović’s father. He even threatened to sue the Canadian FA for dragging their feet in the matter and let the papers run a copy of Begović’s signed statement to FIFA requesting a change in sporting nationality.

So what the hell is going on?

Well, come August 12th, we’ll know for sure. Begović now has a call up to a legitimate friendly and no excuses for not showing up. If he does, we have our keeper for the future. If he doesn’t, we can finally and conclusively put the issue behind us.

2. In general, this is a very good list. When I think back to some of the nobodies that were forced into the team by their agents in years past (Mario Bozic what?), well I guess we have a lot to be thankful for. It’s not that every player here is the kind of quality that I would like to see in the Bosnian national team, but at the moment this really is the best we’ve got. And you know what? That’s comforting.

3. The line-up is easy enough to put together. Ćiro has been playing 3-5-2 since the days of Šuker and Prosinečki, and it’s proven to be most effective formation for us as well. Supić is going to start between the sticks, but Begović is probably already the better player and we could see him as well if he actually shows up. Spahić, Nadarević and Pandža worked great in central defense last time, and if it’s not too broke then there’s no need for Ćiro to try and fix it. Salihović will again be forced back to play as a left wing-back, and since Berberović is injured we’ll probably see Sanel Jahić step in as his counterpart on the right (thank God). Elvir Rahimić is a lock for the middle, and his partner will probably be Samir Muratović, who’s secured his spot in the national team even if he just got into deep shit on the club level. With Vedad Ibišević completely healthy and back in form (he just scored against Panathinaikos), we’ll finally get to see his long-awaited partnership with Edin Džeko back in action.

4. But wait – I forgot the attacking midfielder. And therein lies the issue. Under normal circumstances, Bundesliga record-breaking Zvjezdan Misimović is the obvious choice, but due to accumulated cards he wont be available in the upcoming qualifier against Armenia. That means that we need to find a replacement quick, and the game against Iran is probably the last chance we’ll have to try one out. Now, many will suggest Semir Štilić, who’s making a strong case to become Misimović’s successor, and some will even put forward Pjanić. At the end of the day, however, I think the spot will likely go to Senijad Ibričić. Why? First and foremost because Ćiro loves him and continuously tries to find a place for him in the line-up; if he’s been able to put him in at left wing-back and striker, then what’s going to stop him from giving him a shot at his natural position? And although a lot of fans are starting to get annoyed by Ibričić (partly due to Ćiro’s favoritism and partly because his refusal to leave the subpar Croatian league has begun to boarder on the absurd), it’s important to remember that he was the man orchestrating the midfield behind – wait for it – Džeko and Ibišević, way back in that fantastic youth team a couple of years ago. That U-21 generation has already become the backbone for the current A-team (Pandža, Salihović, Džeko, Ibišević), and it’d be nice to see Ibričić reprise his role as the playmaker against a relatively weaker opposition.

How do I feel about this? Firstly, I’m disappointed that we just lost a guy who is a year or two away from being a regular in the premiership and who would have provided us with security between the sticks for a solid decade. Given the nature of these things, I think we can hold out hope until the upcoming friendly in August (wasn’t he at the Bosnian embassy a few days ago to sort things out with his passport?), but I wouldn’t invest too much into it. Shame – goalkeeping has historically been a weak link for the Yugoslav countries, and we honestly don’t have anyone quite as good as Begović coming up to replace Hasagić.

But secondly, I’m honestly flummoxed as to why anyone, given the choice, would opt for playing international football for Canada, a country that has more polar bears than football fans. At least when the United States was treading water in the Subotić affair with Serbia, they were able to (somewhat) legitimately argue that a player is more likely to play in the World Cup with the United States than with a 2nd-to-3rd-seed UEFA country. Granted, I’ve actually read Canadian fans make the same argument with Begović, but it’s hard to take it as anything but a bad joke. Canada has not only made just one appearance at the World Cup, they’re currently lying in last place in their CONCACAF qualifying group with a grand total of zero wins and a -7 goal difference. Say what you will about Bosnia’s modest results since independence, but we’re still far ahead of Canada as a footballing country by any objective account.

Furthermore, the number of people who actually care about football in Canada could fit into Koševo, while the number of people who actually know about Begović would probably fit comfortably into Otoka. In choosing between Canada and Bosnia, Begović has a choice between either playing against Barbados and Honduras in half empty empty stadiums or facing some of the top players in the world in the seething cauldron that is Bilino polje with an entire people on its feet. If Begović prefers the former, perhaps he isn’t the kind of player we’d want to see in a Bosnian shirt anyway.

Since Felix Magath has admitted that he will be leaving Wolfsburg for Schalke at the end of the season, it’s become increasingly clear that Džeko isn’t particularly interested in staying behind. He recently revealed to the German press that he’s keeping his options open, and Bosnian media claim that his manager has already traveled to London for talks with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. All three are interested, together with just about every other major club in the world that’s looking for a striker. AC Milan probably has the best chance out of the continental clubs, as not only have they been following Džeko for some time, they are also his favorite club from childhood (or second to Željezničar at least). As much as I don’t like the Serie A, I think Milan would be a great fit; not only is it one of the most famous clubs in the world, but you’d assume that Džeko would almost be guaranteed a starting spot (half of the Rossoneri strike-force is on the verge of retirement). Arsenal seems like the next likeliest candidate, since Mostar-native and trusted Wenger-assistant Boro Primorac has been trackin Džeko since he first arrived in the Bundesliga. Given Džeko’s stated desire to move to the Premiership, I’d even say that a move to the Emirates is the most likely option. With Arsenal, however, much depends on what happens with Adebayor (and maybe even van Persie and Bendtner). Similarly, Chelsea’s interest probably hinges on the possible sale of Drogba. To round out the big four, Liverpool and Manchester United are also both interested, but I don’t see him starting out at either of the two beyond rotation, and Džeko will be looking to move somewhere where he can play right away. Given all of this, I’d give the edge to Milan and Arsenal, with the latter slightly in front. Of course, with so many clubs interested, anything is possible. Anything except Sunderland at least.

- Of course, in highlighting Džeko and Grafite’s contributions to Wolfsburg’s title run, I’ve neglected to mention the remaining member of the Wolves’ trinity: Zvjezdan Misimović. Our offensive mastermind has been pulling the strings from Wolfsburg’s midfield, and has had the best season of his career in the process, tallying somewhere between 19 or 21 assists. The exact number depends on whether you believe Kicker or Sportbild respectively, but both agree on one thing: whatever the figure, Miske has just set the Bundesliga’s single-season assist record. This is a fantastic achievement by any count, and a sure measure that Misimović has entered the prime of his career.

On the verge of turning 27, Misimović has not attracted the same interest from big-name clubs as his teammate and compatriot. The situation with Magath, however, has raised doubts about his future as well. Misimović has brushed off the speculation for the moment, claiming that he hasn’t had any concrete offers, but nonetheless making to sure to leave the door open by noting “Who knows what the summer will bring?” Although his relative lack of speed has always brought his value down, a rumored 8 million Euro release clause in his contract would surely be enough to lure the interest of top clubs from Germany and elsewhere. With the recent soap operas surrounding Diego and Ribéry, two of the Bundesliga’s top clubs may be looking for reinforcements in midfield, and Misimović could well fit the bill. Whether anything will materialize, however, remains to be seen. Bayern is a particularly appealing option, as this will likely be Misimović’s last chance to play in one of Europe’s top clubs. From the sound of it, however, Uli Hoeneß is pretty hostile to the idea, perhaps still smarting from the fact that he gave Zvjezdan away for nothing only a few years ago.

- Unfortunately, two players who probably won’t be moving to any top clubs are Hoffenheim’s Vedad Ibišević and Sejad Salihović. Both are young (24) players who played crucial roles in the village club’s early season fairytale. Unfortunately, after setting the scoring charts ablaze and attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Inter Milan, Ibišević suffered a terrible injury in January that he’s only now recovered from. Not surprisingly, Hoffenheim’s form took a nose-dive towards mid-table following this disaster, and Salihović’s stock inevitably dropped after a string of sub-par performances. The future looks bright, with Ibišević back in training and Salihović spearheading recent Hoffenheim victories, but neither of the two will be making the blockbuster moves that some were predicting back in December.

From a Bosnian perspective, however, their performances in the Bundesliga (together with those of Misimović and Džeko) have hardly been in vain. This year has seen a surge in interest for Bosnian players and talents on the part of German clubs, and that can only be a good thing for Bosnian football and the national team. Ermin Zec, one of the Croatian league’s biggest talents, is free from his contract with HNK Šibenik at the end of the season, and had been linked with a free transfer to Schalke even before infamous Bosniophile Magath decided to move to Gelsenkirchen. Lech Poznan maestro Semir Štilić has already been linked with various illustrious German clubs, and he could well make a move over the summer as well. Even a relatively unknown Bosnian-American defensive talent, Nurdin Hrustić, is apparently on the verge of signing with Borussia Dortmund.

- Following our schooling of their national team in Genk and Zenica, a similar situation has developed in Belgium. Defender Safet Nadarević, currently toiling away in the Turkish top-flight, has aroused the interest of Anderlecht, with the Brussels club also casting an eye on captain Emir Spahić. Both of these players are expected to move somewhere during this transfer window, and Anderlecht seems like an attractive destination for someone at Nadarević’s level. The Krajišnik is rumored to be looking for a move to England, however, and more power to him if he manages one. Spahić’s situation is a little different, since he’s actually been without a club since the “messy divorce” with Lokomotiv, but he’s too big a name not to have one by the time we face Armenia and Turkey. His story has been one of the more disappointing ones for Bosnian fans this year, with many hoping that he could still move to a reputable club like PSG or Hamburger SV. As of right now, however, I don’t think anyone outside of Spahić’s closest friends has any idea where he’ll continue his career. But let’s get back to Belgium. Admir Aganović and Sulejman Smajić have had excellent seasons at FCV Dender, and some are saying that they’ll be making a move up sooner rather than later. All in all, it adds up to make for an exciting summer transfer window for fans of Bosnian football.