Dejan Lovren will be left out of the Croatian Euro 2016 squad over his demand to be in the starting line-up.
It is never boring when Croatian Football Federation is concerned and on April 12, 2016, the news about National coach Ante Čačić suspending Dejan Lovren from the squad hit the media.
The Liverpool centre-half commented coach Čačić’s way of managing the team after last month’s international break when he was named among the substitutes for a friendly against Hungary. Lovren later threatened to snub this summer’s finals unless he was given a guarantee he would start, but that move has backfired and now he will not be considered for the national selection at all.
Čačić, who met with the defender over the weekend, stated: “I already said when I was appointed that the Croatian squad is above any individual. I will not give up that view for anyone. There is no place for ultimatums in the Croatian locker room, there should be respect for the Croatian jersey, teammates, and the coach.”
Lovren has been told the door is open for a return to the squad in future if he apologises as Čačić also added: “I hope he will accept the decision in a mature manner and realise that even the best players put themselves in the service of the collective first and then think about themselves”.
It seems that the authority of the coach is shaken, although it is not a big surprise for those who follow Croatian football, as coach Čačić was named after Zdravko Mamić nominated him. It raised questions about his overall competence, and it seems the players are feeling it as well as the fans.
