Sarajevo - Former Croatia coach Ciro Blazevic signed a two- year contract Thursday in Sarajevo to take over as trainer of the Bosnia-Herzegovina national team. Blazevic, who led Croatia to the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup, fills the post after his predecessor Meho Kodro was sacked earlier this year when he refused a friendly match against Iran.
He said he would take his job seriously and would try to move Bosnian football from its current lowly position.
"I talked to most of the players from the team and none of them refused my invitation. If it happens that some of them do not come, the doors of the national team will be closed for him," Blazevic told reporters in Sarajevo.
"I will not beg anyone and will not ask twice," said Blazevic, who expressed his optimism in bettering the team's position in the forthcoming qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
During his career Blazevic, who was born in the central Bosnian town of Travnik 73 years ago, led more than 20 football teams, including the national teams of Switzerland, Iran and Croatia.
Blazevic's first concrete task with Bosnia will be a friendly against Bulgaria on August 20 in the central Bosnian town of Zenica.
