SALVADOR, Brazil – Croatia coach Niko Kovac is trying to combine some traits he learned in Germany with the Balkan flare and unpredictability in his World Cup game plan, and so far his players like it.
The ex-Croatia midfielder was born and raised in Germany, spending years playing in the Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV and Bayern Munich. He's pushing professionalism and a winning mentality.
Croatia forward Ivan Perisic on Saturday said Kovac "played in Germany for so long and that's why he has that German mentality."
Perisic says "it is important for us because that is exactly what we sometimes need."
Kovac, 42, played 83 times and scored 14 goals for Croatia. Some players he now coaches, including Darijo Srna and Ivica Olic, were his teammates before he quit playing in 2009.
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