Brondby manager Steve Cooper has responded to claims from the Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach that he dropped a player to aid Wales' World Cup qualifying bid
Andy Hampson Press Association
11:05, 03 Apr 2026
Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper
View Image
Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper(Image: Getty)
Brondby manager Steve Cooper has "laughed off" claims from the Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach that he dropped a player to aid Wales' World Cup qualifying bid.
Sergej Barbarez accused Welshman Cooper of sabotaging Bosnia's preparations for last week's play-off semi-final in Cardiff by deliberately sidelining midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic.
Cooper, the former Swansea, Nottingham Forest and Leicester manager, told Danish channel TV2: "Some people say I should be a little bit angry because it's like an attack on my integrity, but I think any sensible person looked at it and laughed it off and that's exactly what I did."
Bosnia beat Wales on penalties last Thursday before securing a World Cup spot by edging out Italy in another shoot-out on Tuesday.
Tahirovic had apologised to Cooper for Barbarez's words but the Bosnia head coach was in no mood to back down, saying he had created a "puzzle" for people to consider.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!Get all the Nottingham Forest latest via our Facebook page
"I don't think I should apologise for anything," Barbarez said at his pre-match press conference.
"The only important thing for me is that I trust my players and the idea of all this was to create a puzzle for you, so you can think about all these things.
"I had the idea to protect the player. That's where all this talking was from.
"I've known Benjamin for the last two years and I know what a good player he is and how he can be.
"So I think we should concentrate on the match, which is the most important thing for both teams."
Brondby's communications director Soren Hanghoj had refuted Barbarez's claim and said the decision to drop Tahirovic was a "club decision".
Hanghoj told Danish TV station TV 2 Sport: "This is quite a far-reaching speculation.
"Steve has publicly stated the considerations behind the decision – and none of them have the slightest connection with either national team. That goes without saying.
Article continues below
"It is not just a head coach who is the sponsor of a decision like the one in question here.
"It is a club decision that has been made jointly by an entire coaching team and the sporting management.
"And there are not that many Wales fans in Brondby after all."