Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia has hired former defender Josip Simunic, who was banned for 10 games for leading fans in a pro-Nazi chant, to assist new national team coach Ante Cacic.
Simunic missed the 2014 World Cup over the incident in the qualifying playoff against Iceland in 2013.
It highlighted Croatian football's ongoing struggle with discrimination.
Croatia has been deducted one point in its European Championship qualifying group after a swastika was painted on the field before June's match against Italy. Croatia must play its next two home qualifiers in an empty stadium.
Simunic is on the coaching staff of Cacic, who has been given a contract through the 2018 World Cup. He won the domestic double with Dinamo Zagreb in 2012.
Croatian federation president Davor Suker says "we rely on Croatian brains."
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
