Bišcan barred by Baric

Croatia coach Otto Baric said he would no longer select Igor Bišcan for international duty after the Liverpool FC midfield player deserted the team's training camp on Saturday.

Recent recall
Bišcan was recalled to Baric's squad for Croatia's decisive UEFA EURO 2004™ Group 8 play-off game against Bulgaria in Zagreb on Saturday. However, he stormed out of the team hotel upon hearing he had failed to make the substitutes' bench for the match.

'No second chance'
As a direct consequence of the 25-year-old's unannounced departure, Baric said: "While I am coaching this national team Bišcan will never play again. He should have been patient - he will never get a second chance."

'Quality player'
Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Markovic echoed the coach's words. "I've never heard of a similar case," he said. "Bišcan was nowhere for years and after a few good games he was invited back to the national team. And he simply leaves without saying goodbye. He is a quality player but such behaviour will bring him no good."

Houllier support
Bišcan arrived back at training with Liverpool on Sunday and club coach Gerard Houllier said: "Igor came to see me and told me that he simply walked out of the squad because he wasn't in the 18." Croatia defeated Bulgaria 1-0 to earn a two-legged play-off against Slovenia, the winners of which will progress to EURO 2004™ next summer.