Slovenia return to Katanec for inspiration
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
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Srečko Katanec has been reappointed Slovenia coach, a decade after ending a successful first spell that brought qualification for UEFA EURO 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
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Srečko Katanec has been reappointed Slovenia coach, with hopes high that he can repeat the feats during his first spell when he guided the team to their first two major final tournaments.
The 49-year-old has been in talks with Aleksander Čeferin, president of the Football Association of Slovenia, for the past fortnight following the resignation of Slaviša Stojanovič on 11 December. Katanec will have just over a month to prepare for his first test, a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 6 February, but FIFA World Cup qualification is the long-term aim.
He has been successful in that endeavour before, following up an appearance at UEFA EURO 2000 by seeing the team through to the World Cup two years later. The former Yugoslavia defender resigned after Japan/South Korea and has since coached Olympiacos FC and the national teams of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the United Arab Emirates.
Katanec, who will be formally unveiled on Friday, is expected to be assisted by Aleš Čeh and Željko Milinović, with Nihad Pejković acting as goalkeeping coach. Slovenia lie fifth after four games in Group E.
