Croatia boss Bilic shrugs off Ireland challenge

Slaven Bilic has shrugged off the threat of the Republic of Ireland in their Euro 2012 openerin Poznan on June 10 by declaring that his Croatia team are better, and proved as much in their goalless draw in Dublin last August.

Bilic has been in buoyant mood since Croatia beat Turkey in the qualifying play-offs and though since then they have been alongside Spain, Italy and Ireland in Group C at Euro 2012, he fully expects his team to progress to the knock-out round.

But he has warned that the first game, against Giovanni Trapattoni’s men, will be make-or-break for their chances of progression.