Bora Milutinovic is hugely popular in
China. |
Reveling in his status as an ordinary
tournament spectator, five-time World Cup coach Bora Milutinovic said he never
knew the experience could be so much fun.
"This is the first time in nearly 25 years that I can actually enjoy myself
without the stress of having to worry about my team," Milutinovic said.
"I had forgotten the World Cup is actually fun. I've seen eight matches so
far, traveled, met old friends, and generally enjoyed myself tremendously."
Milutinovic remains the only man to have coached five different teams in the
World Cup, having led Mexico, Costa Rica, the United States, Nigeria and China.
He said he now prefers to simply watch the soccer.
"But that doesn't mean I won't be looking to be back as a coach next time
around," Milutinovic said.
He expects Brazil, which eliminated Milutinovic's China four years ago on its
way to the World Cup title, to win yet again.
Milutinovic gained international fame in 1994 after leading the United States
team into the knockout round. The fact that he was coaching the host team in
that tournament only enhanced his reputation.
"I'm encouraged by how much the Americans have improved since my time, they
completely dominated Italy and certainly deserved to win," Milutinovic said.
"Bruce (Arena) has done a great job with the team and I wish him much success."
Although he remains a fixture in soccer circles in both America and his
adopted home of Mexico, where he now lives with his wife and daughter,
Milutinovic is wildly popular in China, whose team he took to its first-ever
World Cup four years ago in South Korea and Japan.
He retains business interests in China and said it's a pity that the
soccer-mad giant failed to qualify under his successor, Ari Haan, for the World
Cup in Germany.
"It was difficult for him, they have many problems there," Milutinovic said.
Milutinovic left China after his squad failed to qualify for the second
round, but has been back frequently. At the Asian Cup two years ago, the
mop-haired coach was mobbed by fans wherever he went.
"Bora is everybody's coach," said Jim Barch of Princeton,
New Jersey, who brought his family to Germany for the World Cup. "He's one of
those colorful characters that everybody who follows soccer knows."
