Steve Cooper at centre of Brondby row as Bosnia and Herzegovina boss alleges sabotage | OneFootball

Steve Cooper has been accused by Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach Sergej Barbarez of sidelining Brondby midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic because of Wales’ upcoming World Cup play-off, a claim denied by the Danish club.

According to Nottingham Post, the teams meet in a play-off semi-final in Cardiff on Thursday. The winners face Italy or Northern Ireland five days later. Barbarez made his allegation at a Monday press conference in Sarajevo.

Barbarez claimed Cooper, appointed Brondby manager in September, had purposely left Tahirovic out of the last two matchday squads due to the qualifier. He suggested it related to the coach’s roots, said Cooper wished the player but not the national team good luck, and indicated things would return to normal after the international window.

The Pontypridd-born Welshman, formerly of Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Swansea, has previously said Tahirovic and Suriname defender Sean Klaiber were omitted for not meeting club values, and declined to go into specifics.

Brondby communications director Soren Hanghoj refuted the allegation, calling it far-fetched and insisting the selection decision had no link to any national team. He said it was a collective club call by the coaching staff and sporting management, and noted there are not many Wales fans in Brondby.

It is said Cooper has since received a telephone apology for the accusations.

Source: Nottingham Post