Slovenia coach sacked over Oblak criticism

Slovenia manager Tomaz Kavčič has been sacked after criticising Jan Oblak for his decision to rest for the remainder of the year and not make himself available for duty with his country.

Oblak pulled out of the national team because of injury, but there were reports in Slovenia that the issue was with the coach. Kavčič took over his role in 2018 and has lost five, won one and lost one of his seven games in charge. Oblak did not play any of those games.

“Ask who? For what? This is the national team. Who do I have to ask? To play for the national team? Why? What is the message that is being sent? What are we saying to the others?” he said in a press conference.

He continued:

“For me, I’m not to blame...I might not be back here but I’m not guilty. All the doors are still open, they have to be open but I want to speak to people face to face, with everyone, and he doesn’t speak to me. Jan...okay, he has messed up, I know this kid since he was 16. How sad...he is my great personal defeat. Despite everything, I didn’t talk to him before the president did and I they told me what he said. I never spoke to him and he told lies from Madrid without speaking to me. I never said anything, it doesn’t make sense. But I keep saying. Slovenia needs him despite everything.”

The Atlético Madrid goalkeeper, of course, is considered the best in the world by some — and obviously, falling out with your star player is not something Slovenia were willing to abide by.