Slovenia captain Robert Koren praised the balance and camaraderie
of the provisional squad announced Tuesday for the World Cup, eight
years after the country's first appearance at the tournament was
affected by disunity.
Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, defender Bostjan Cesar,
midfielder Andraz Kirm and strikers Milivoj Novakovic and Zlatko
Dedic are the other core players in coach Matjaz Kek's 30-man
squad.
"Before we had one star in the team," Koren said. "Now we are
trying to play more as a team than have one star in the team. We
are really good friends and developing a team spirit."
Slovenia went home from the 2002 World Cup in disarray after
three straight losses and a damaging rift between the coach and the
team's best player.
The team qualified for the 2010 World Cup by ousting Russia
in a big upset in the November playoffs on away goals. With a
population of two million, Slovenia will be the smallest nation at
the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa.
Slovenia is in Group C with Algeria, United States and
England.
Kek has to announce his final squad by June 1. The team will
play a friendly against New Zealand on June 4.
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Squad:
Goalkeepers: Samir Handanovic (Udinese), Jasmin Handanovic
(Mantova), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam), Jan Koprivec
(Gallipoli).
Defenders: Bojan Jokic (Chievo Verona), Marko Suler (Ghent),
Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble), Branko Ilic (Lokomotiv Moscow), Matej
Mavric-Rozic (Koblenz), Dejan Kelhar (Cercle Brugge), Elvedin
Dzinic (Maribor), Miso Brecko (Cologne), Aleksandar Rajcevic
(Koper), Suad Filekovic (Maribor).
Midfielders: Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow), Andrej Komac
(Maccabi Tel-Aviv), Rene Krhin (Inter Milan), Mirnes Sisic
(Giannina), Darjan Matic (Rapid Bucharest), Dare Vrsic (Koper),
Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse Arnhem), Robert Koren (West Bromwich
Albion), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa), Valter Birsa
(Auxerre).
Forwards: Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne), Zlatko Dedic
(Bochum), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional
Funchal), Miran Burgic (AIK Solna), Tim Matavz (Groningen).
