Ex-Nottingham Forest and incumbent Brondby head coach Steve Cooper has been alleged to have excluded Bosnia and Herzegovina central player Benjamin Tahirovic prior to the nation’s World Cup qualifying semi-final encounter with Wales this Thursday.
Hailing from Wales, Cooper, at the helm of the Danish outfit since September 2025, faced claims from Bosnia and Herzegovina national team manager Sergej Barbarez, who asserted that Tahirovic’s non-participation “is linked to his manager’s national background”.
Wales will welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Cardiff City Stadium this Thursday, where the victorious side will contend for a final spot at home versus Italy or Northern Ireland the following Tuesday.
Barbarez’s assertion was refuted by the club from Denmark.
During a Monday media briefing, the Bosnian manager stated: “Benjo conveyed to me certain matters that are difficult to accept. This is connected to his trainer’s background.
“When your coach extends good wishes to you, but not to your national squad, it prompts contemplation.
“He [Cooper] assured him that things would revert to their usual state after the international duty period.”
“My approach is different; I cherish and appreciate athletics and rivalry more.”
‘Extensive Conjecture’
Soren Hanghoj, Brondby’s head of media relations, has challenged Barbarez’s assertion and declared that the player’s exclusion was a “decision made by the club”.
Hanghoj remarked: “This is rather broad conjecture.
“Steve has openly declared the reasons underpinning the choice – and none of them have any link whatsoever to either national team. It is self-evident.
“The endorsement for a decision like this does not come from merely one head coach.
“It is a choice by the organization that has been arrived at collectively by an entire managerial staff and the athletic administration.
“And ultimately, there are not a great number of Wales fans in Brondby.”