Milan fan
01-06-2002, 12:00 AM
Macedonia FYR coach Gjore Jovanovski has been forced to call up seven new players for a friendly tournament in Bahrain after at least 16 players pulled out. "Far too many players are pulling out," fumed the controversial coach.
Jovanovski initially asked 30 players to turn up for the tournament in Bahrain, but 16 players have said they are unavailable due to injuries or commitments with their clubs.
Oka Nikolov (Eintracht Frankfurt), Igor Sasa Nikolovski (Lierse), Mile Krstev (Heerenveen), Igor Guzelov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Marjan Gerasimovski (Legia Warsaw), Igorce Stojanov (Vardar Skopje), Zoran Jovanoski (Sloga Jugomagnat), Zarko Serafimovski (Hapoel Ber Sheva), Goran Pandev (Inter), Goran Stanic (Rabotnicki Kometal), Stojan Ignatov (Sileks Kratovo), Artim Saciri (Malatyaspor) and Aleksandar Mitreski (Young Boys) have all claimed to be unavailable through injury.
Meanwhile, Partizan Belgrade's Milan Stojanoski claimed that he was too busy trying to find another club to play in the tournament in January, Malatyaspor refused to release Goran Lazarevski and Husein Beganovic allegedly has family problems.
Jovanovski, who has upset a number of senior players in FYR Macedonia with his abrasive style of management, has threatened to complain to Uefa and ensure that any players who do not have legitimate excuses for not attending the tournament receive official punishment along with their clubs.
The coach remains determined to play the tournament which will see his side take on Finland, Albania and Bahrain.
"Far too many players are pulling out," fumed the controversial coach. "But we will go to Bahrain – of that I am certain."
In order to ensure the trip goes agead, Jovanovski has now called up goalkeepers Muarem Zekir (Vardar) and Gogo Jovcev (Sloga Jugomagnat), Vlatko Grozdanovski (Cementarnica), Nikolco Tanusev, Jovica Trajcev (both from Sileks), Zekirija Ramadan (Sloga Jugomagnat) and Dimitar Kapinkovski (Pelister).
Only 11 players from the first list of 30 for the Bahrain tournament have definitely confirmed that they are available – Goce Gruevski (Rabotnicki Kometal), Jurica Siljanoski (Elfsborg), Vanco Trajanov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Sasko Krstev, Igor Nikolaevski, Robert Petrov (Pobeda), Pance Stojanov (Sileks), Argend Beciri (Sloga Jugomagnat), Sasko Lazarevski (Belasica GC), Angelko Panov and Dragan Nacevski (both Vardar).
Spartak Moscow's Goran Maznov and Igor Mitreski have yet to decide whether to join the party.
Jovanovski initially asked 30 players to turn up for the tournament in Bahrain, but 16 players have said they are unavailable due to injuries or commitments with their clubs.
Oka Nikolov (Eintracht Frankfurt), Igor Sasa Nikolovski (Lierse), Mile Krstev (Heerenveen), Igor Guzelov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Marjan Gerasimovski (Legia Warsaw), Igorce Stojanov (Vardar Skopje), Zoran Jovanoski (Sloga Jugomagnat), Zarko Serafimovski (Hapoel Ber Sheva), Goran Pandev (Inter), Goran Stanic (Rabotnicki Kometal), Stojan Ignatov (Sileks Kratovo), Artim Saciri (Malatyaspor) and Aleksandar Mitreski (Young Boys) have all claimed to be unavailable through injury.
Meanwhile, Partizan Belgrade's Milan Stojanoski claimed that he was too busy trying to find another club to play in the tournament in January, Malatyaspor refused to release Goran Lazarevski and Husein Beganovic allegedly has family problems.
Jovanovski, who has upset a number of senior players in FYR Macedonia with his abrasive style of management, has threatened to complain to Uefa and ensure that any players who do not have legitimate excuses for not attending the tournament receive official punishment along with their clubs.
The coach remains determined to play the tournament which will see his side take on Finland, Albania and Bahrain.
"Far too many players are pulling out," fumed the controversial coach. "But we will go to Bahrain – of that I am certain."
In order to ensure the trip goes agead, Jovanovski has now called up goalkeepers Muarem Zekir (Vardar) and Gogo Jovcev (Sloga Jugomagnat), Vlatko Grozdanovski (Cementarnica), Nikolco Tanusev, Jovica Trajcev (both from Sileks), Zekirija Ramadan (Sloga Jugomagnat) and Dimitar Kapinkovski (Pelister).
Only 11 players from the first list of 30 for the Bahrain tournament have definitely confirmed that they are available – Goce Gruevski (Rabotnicki Kometal), Jurica Siljanoski (Elfsborg), Vanco Trajanov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Sasko Krstev, Igor Nikolaevski, Robert Petrov (Pobeda), Pance Stojanov (Sileks), Argend Beciri (Sloga Jugomagnat), Sasko Lazarevski (Belasica GC), Angelko Panov and Dragan Nacevski (both Vardar).
Spartak Moscow's Goran Maznov and Igor Mitreski have yet to decide whether to join the party.