Steve Cooper: Brondby coach accused of bringing down Bosnia and Herzegovina player before Wales match

Brøndby’s Welsh coach Steve Cooper has been accused of excluding Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder Benjamin Tahorovic from Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Wales.

Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Serge Barbarez made this claim, which the Danish club denied.

Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina meet at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, and play the final at home against Italy or Northern Ireland to decide the winner on Tuesday 31 March.

Barbarez said in a press conference on Monday that former Swansea City coach Cuper had ruled Tajirovic out of his last two matches due to the qualifiers on Thursday.

“Bingo has told me some things that are hard to believe,” Barbarez said. “It has to do with the origin of his coach.

“When your coach, not your national team, wishes you good luck, it leaves room for thought.

“He (Cooper) told him everything would go back to normal after the national team season.

“I’m not like that, I love and appreciate sports and competition more.”

Cooper, who was born in the South Wales town of Pontypridd, is also a former Leicester and Nottingham Forest coach.

In the past, Cuper ruled out Taherovic and Suriname defender Sean Kleiber, saying they failed to “live up to the values” of the club.

Brøndby’s communications director, Soren Hangog, refuted Barbarez’s claims and said that the player’s omission was “a club decision.”

“This is far-fetched speculation,” Hangog said.

“Steve has publicly stated the considerations behind the decision – none of them have the slightest connection to either national team. That goes without saying.”

“It is not only the coach who sponsors a decision like the one in question here.

“It is a club decision taken jointly by the entire coaching team and the sporting department.

“And there aren’t many Welsh fans in Brondby after all.”