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Quit smoking, Kostelic urges Prosinecki
ZAGREB, April 4 (Reuters) - Croatia's World Cup slalom winner Ivica Kostelic has urged national soccer team's veteran playmaker Robert Prosinecki to quit smoking ahead of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
'It's in our national interest to make Robert quit smoking,' Kostelic said while hosting an anti-smoking telephone hotline.
'Look at how he plays and runs as a smoker. Imagine what he could do if he stopped smoking, no one could come near him,' Kostelic was quoted as saying in Jutarnji List daily on Thursday.
The 33-year old Prosinecki, now with English first division side Portsmouth, is key to Croatia's midfield, depleted since the departure of several internationals who helped the squad to third place at the 1998 World Cup in France.
The former member of Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade, Real Madrid and Barcelona, is known to be smoking at least one pack of cigarettes a day.
In a separate occasion, national coach Mirko Jozic, addressing journalists in the wake of Croatia's second goalless draw in World Cup friendlies, also said the squad had no one better than Prosinecki at the moment.
'I wish we had five players who are younger, faster and better than Prosinecki, but we don't.
'We have to make do with what players we have. When you lack creative players in the midfield, it's up to attackers to work more and move around a lot, but this has been ignored,' he said.
Croatia drew 0-0 against Bulgaria and Slovenia. They play two more friendlies, against Bosnia in April and Hungary in May, before travelling to Japan.
They are up against Italy, Ecuador and Mexico in group G.
ZAGREB, April 4 (Reuters) - Croatia's World Cup slalom winner Ivica Kostelic has urged national soccer team's veteran playmaker Robert Prosinecki to quit smoking ahead of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
'It's in our national interest to make Robert quit smoking,' Kostelic said while hosting an anti-smoking telephone hotline.
'Look at how he plays and runs as a smoker. Imagine what he could do if he stopped smoking, no one could come near him,' Kostelic was quoted as saying in Jutarnji List daily on Thursday.
The 33-year old Prosinecki, now with English first division side Portsmouth, is key to Croatia's midfield, depleted since the departure of several internationals who helped the squad to third place at the 1998 World Cup in France.
The former member of Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade, Real Madrid and Barcelona, is known to be smoking at least one pack of cigarettes a day.
In a separate occasion, national coach Mirko Jozic, addressing journalists in the wake of Croatia's second goalless draw in World Cup friendlies, also said the squad had no one better than Prosinecki at the moment.
'I wish we had five players who are younger, faster and better than Prosinecki, but we don't.
'We have to make do with what players we have. When you lack creative players in the midfield, it's up to attackers to work more and move around a lot, but this has been ignored,' he said.
Croatia drew 0-0 against Bulgaria and Slovenia. They play two more friendlies, against Bosnia in April and Hungary in May, before travelling to Japan.
They are up against Italy, Ecuador and Mexico in group G.