Dardai on Tabakovic ahead of national team debut: "His dream"
The first nomination of his striker Haris Tabakovic for the Bosnian national team invited Hertha coach Pal Dardai to joke. "I'm such a good coach, I made him an international. The manager too, of course. The line-up comes from the top. It's good that you always write in," said the Hungarian with a laugh in the direction of sporting director Benjamin Weber.
However, Dardai left no doubt about Tabakovic's qualities ahead of the game against Karlsruher SC on Saturday (8.30pm/Sky and Sport1). "That was his dream. We support that. We are very happy if we have helped a little. Because he scores the goals here and does a very good job for the team, defensively as well," said the 47-year-old. Weber added: "He has also simply earned it through his performance."
Tabakovic joined the Berlin second-division club from Austria's first division in the summer and led the scoring charts before the matchday. The 29-year-old, whose parents fled to Switzerland from Bosnia during the war, played for the Swiss national youth teams.
He has now been called up by national coach Savo Milosevic for Bosnia-Herzegovina's European Championship qualifiers in Luxembourg (November 16) and against Slovakia (November 19). "I was aware that I would have to make a decision at some point, and I'm very happy that I might soon be able to play my first game for Bosnia-Herzegovina," Tabakovic told Kicker.
Dardai shares the wish of all club coaches. "I am happy. That's wonderful. But I'm also happy if he comes back healthy," he said.
Hertha BSC forward Haris Tabakovic will face his former club Karlsruhe SC this weekend in Bundesliga 2, as he continues to impress in his new team. Tabakovic's impressive form in the league has earned him a call-up to the Bosnian national team, where he will play against Luxembourg and Slovakia in upcoming European Championship qualifiers.
Source: www.dpa.com
