”It’s been a long story with Dejan. He’s done everything he can to get ready [for the World Cup], but when it came to deciding [if he would make the squad] he wasn’t. The reason is that he hasn’t played football in a year, but even the medical assessments made this spring have pointed in the direction that he wouldn’t be ready.
“Cartilage injuries, like in Dejan’s case, are troublesome. They are difficult to treat. Plus, he has it in a place that gets a lot of stress. The injury simply hasn’t healed enough to handle that stress. I have high hopes for that and I really hope so.”