Croatia national team coach, Tomislav Obradovic has expressed that his side are far ahead and better than their Nigeria counterparts ahead of World Cup clash next year.
Croatia are paired in the same Group D alongside Nigeria, Iceland and Argentina in the 2018 World Cup to be staged in Russia from June 14 to July 15 next year.
Although this is the first time the two sides will be drawn together at the group stage of the biggest global football event, Obradovic boasted that the Super Eagles of Nigeria lack the quality to overcome his side.
The two sides clash in the World Cup at the Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad on June 16, 2018 for their tournament-opening clash.
The former Rwandan Under 20 National team manager admits that there are several individual quality players in the Nigeria team, but he believes they lack all-round team characteristics that will be enough to subdue his side.
The manager acknowledges that Nigeria could be deadly in counterattack and says he troops must be wary of that tactics when they play against Nigeria.
Speaking to Sportske Novosti, Obradovic boasts: “Compare all of them with their characteristics? Everyone is similar and quick, good within a group. But where are the world-class players?
“It’s probably quite enough, but as a team I do not think they have world-class quality. Why do I say that? They have too many players with the same characteristics.
“They cannot beat Croatia. Not in one segment of the game. Neither technical, tactical, nor organisational, nor in any sense.”
“The only way they can outsmart us is if they threaten us from the counterattack because they have such players, quick, fast.
“We have to hold the ball, wait and play our organised football because we are better, disciplined, stronger on the ball, better one on one,” Obradovic boasted.
Obradovic who managed the Rwandan national U-20 team for two and a half years, failed to qualify the country for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup before he was relieved of his duty in early January, 2008.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
