World Cup: Slovenia player by player

Slovenia cannot wait for a dismal World Cup finals to end.

GOALKEEPERS

MARKO SIMEUNOVIC

NK Maribor goalkeeper Simeunovic is still the first choice for the national team. Simeunovic is one of the stars of Slovenian football and his excellent form over the past four years with Maribor has helped them to win the championship and join the Champions League for the first time. National team coach Srecko Katanec only used three players regularly from the Maribor team in the qualifying campaign and Simeunovic was part of this crew. Most Slovenian players are based abroad and several Spanish and Italian clubs have watched Simeunovic but he has remained with Slovenia's league. His strengths are all round competence and command of his area. He has fine reflexes and reacts well in one-on-one situations with forwards where his reading of the game can save goals for Slovenia. He is good at catching high crosses and is very confident in his own ability. Simeunovic now knows that coach Katanec can call on Lokeren's Mladen Dabanovic if he loses form so the star player can afford no complacency.

DEJAN NEMEC

Signed by Bruges two years ago, he will not be a first choice for Slovenia and has only played one game for the national team since his introduction to the squad two years ago.

MLADEN DABANOVIC

A solid and reliable deputy to the talented and respected Simeunovic. He plays for Lokeren. An international for more than six years with good technique and bravery in his position but not a likely starter at any match in the World Cup.

DEFENDERS

GORAN SANKOVIC

A powerful and hard tackler who is a good header of the ball. May be too physical for some referees but is not a certain starter by any means and will be used to fill in for others as and when on either side of the defence.

MUAMAR VUGDALIC

Fast and a good tackler, Vugdalic rarely goes far up field but a very responsible defender and coach Katanec enjoys working with such players. Recently recovered from hepatitis and may not feature as a starter but a good squad player especially if Slovenia are trying to hold a lead or draw.

MARINKO GALIC

A Maribor player who is one of the top performers for the national side's defence. Galic plays as a straight sweeper for his club side but is more flexible in Katanec's system that can be more defensive than a club side and is based on a very hard running game. Galic is the player meant to benefit from the space created by other's hard work in the back line and he does it well with excellent technical skills. He is calm on the ball and others can protect him when he moves out of position. The sweeper then passes the ball and can dictate the tempo of the Slovenian attacks and Galic is very attack-minded when Katanec gives him freedom to advance. He is most comfortable as the middle defender in a withdrawn role at the back with two other defenders in front of him as he is not very fast and can be exposed if runners come at him from midfield. The other players are there to make sure that this does not happen.

ZELJKO MILINOVIC

Milanic's deputy if the aging player succumbs to injury or suspension. Fills a similar role to the veteran and can be used specifically as a man marker. He is faster and stringer than the man he deputises for in the squad but less accomplished in technique and performance.

ALEKSANDER KNAVS

Knavs forms a good central pairing in defence with Milanic and his uncomplicated game is based on long clearances with his head and feet but mainly his head. Jumps well and tackles strongly but the rest of his game amounts to very little. He does the job as coach Katanec wants it done and that is mainly to get rid of any danger.

SPASOJE BULAJIC

Katanec uses this player regularly despite his club career being very unimpressive. Bulajic is a former Maribor player and has also played in Slovenia for Rudar, SCT and Publikum. The 25 year old was tipped as a star of the future before the move to Germany. Bulajic helped Maribor to two championships before he left and he was the 1998 Slovenian Player of the Year. He can often take the sweeper role of Galic is pushed up into the midfield areas but is frequently used as one of the three defenders and can play on either side of Galic. This tall player scored on his debut for the national team but Katanec showed faith in his ability even after relegation with Koln to keep him in his squad. Comfortable in his passing and positioning, Bulajic should keep his place into the finals.

NASTJA CEH

Left-footed with a very good shot but he may not start matches for coach Katanec. Quick and agile, he prompts play very well and is a great team player and the best young prospect in the side most of whom played at Euro 2000.

MIDFIELDERS

RAJKO TAVCAR

Nine German clubs have fielded Tavcar on the left side of midfield and can perform a role as a man-marker as he is not a strong attacker but can be a determined defender.

AMIR KARIC

A strong runner in midfield and good tackler, Karic is one of the players relied on by coach Katanec to close down options for the opposition. Generally he plays as a defensive midfielder with excellent stamina but he can also score goals if given the chance. Katanec does not like players with a strict defensive role to get too far forward so Karic patrols midfield but is not used as a man marker. He can tackle quite violently but his disciplinary record is not too bad. Katanec places great emphasis on his players performing disciplined roles in the team formation and Karic is his ideal defender in the middle of the pitch.

DJONI NOVAK

Djoni Novak is one of a pair used by coach Katanec to attack as wingers. Novak is quick and skilful with excellent ball control and Katanec uses the Le Havre player in a free wide role. Novak is a good crosser and the main threat for an attack that relies on his ability to create space with his passing into the penalty area. A criticism of Novak's play is his poor finishing. He rarely scores for his French club and is not a serious threat to score for his national side. Coach Katanec has a precise role for the player and he performs it well with excellent natural speed helping him to influence the game from his wide position.

ALES CEH

This midfielder is one of the most experienced Slovenian players and was part of the first squad to take the name of Slovenia following the break up of the former Yugoslav republic. According to coach Katanec Ceh is one of the players who do not attack. He is told to stay and help his defence and does not have permission to get involved in attacks. He has no record as a finisher so this is no great loss but his main assets are in his stamina, positioning and good tackling habits. He can man mark but Katanec rarely uses such a system these days relying on players like Ceh to dominate the space in midfield to disrupt any attacks that the opposition can mount. Ceh puts in exceptional energy and effort into his defensive role but his negative approach may be found out by more sophisticated attacks in the summer.

MIRAN PAVLIN

The Freiburg midfielder is a defensive player in the national team's system and he started in the back line before being moved further up field. A good runner with the ball he is told to hang back and prevent his defenders from becoming to exposed if the Slovenians have to withstand pressure. Experienced and well discipline he obeys the orders of coach Katanec and rarely contributes to the attacking play but while he is in the side Slovenia can rely on his effort and attitude to close down as much of the midfield area as he can.

MILENKO ACIMOVIC

An in and out performer who rarely repeats his best form in the Red Star Belgrade side for Slovenia. He can be marked out of the game and simply eliminated from team play by a hard working midfield opponent but has good touches if he could find the stamina and determination to impose his game on players of a lesser ability. As far as the Slovenia team goes he is something of a luxury and far less effective as an attacking midfielder than the imperious Zahovic.

SASO GAJSER

He played little part in qualifiers but is a regular in the squad for Katanec. A ball winner on the right side of midfield who is not really a starting option for the coach if he can rely on Novak.

ZORAN PAVLOVIC

Pavlovic is a contender to at least play some part at Slovenia's first major tournament and he has a good free kick with his right foot. Shots from distance are something of a speciality for this out of contract player and add some flair to a game based on running and tackling, covering and chasing in midfield.

STRIKERS

MILAN OSTERC

Determined striker who can sometimes be left up field with little help in Katanec's system. He can take defenders on by himself though and is a good target man for high crosses and passes. Neat control of the ball helps gain him time and space but he is really an untested finisher at this level of the game having played in Yugoslav club football for most of his career. He reads the play and runs of attacking partner Udovic well and is a mobile player who is always receptive to passes from midfield.

SASO UDOVIC

The main attacking option for Katanec's team and mush depends on him if Slovenia are to make a good show of their matches in the finals and at least threaten goals. A tidy and well balanced runner with the ball he works across the defence and down channels all the time looking for an opening and his strike rate for Slovenia is respectable. The best feature of this Hapoel player's game is his direct style and ability to finish a move from close to goal.

MLADEN RUDONJA

A fast player who is used in wide role by the Slovenian national side but he plays in club football as a more central striker. Rudonja has struggled with Portsmouth this season and he scored the winner in the play-offs to clinch a place at the finals with a win over Romania but he is generally kept away from the penalty area in Katanec's team plan. Rudonja is used as a wide player to put crosses into the opposition's penalty area as Katanec favours this attack with a strong defensive unit behind the wide players to prevent the concession of goals. The coach sometimes uses two wide players to operate down either wing and escape most defensive duties and Rudonja benefits from this free approach to his game and has good ball skills.

ZLATKO ZAHOVIC

If the Slovenian side may seem too defensive and to lack glamour in comparison to other Euro 2000 finalists, Benfica's wayward striker adds the extra imagination to their best attacks and can win games at this high level. Zahovic was unhappy in Greek football after a move from FC Porto. He has been linked with a move back to the Portuguese champions where he created his reputation for unpredictable attacking play and excellent finishing. This striker is good in the air and excellent in possession with the ability to create play and finish with calm assurance and confidence. The 29 year old was Slovenian Player of the Year last season and the major star of his country's national side. He justifies the adoration with great talent and consistent good performances for the national team where one major tactic of play is to put him into the area with the ball at his feet or to aim for him with crosses. While with FC Porto he hit seven goals in six games in the Champions League and this attracted the attention of the Athens club. A deal was made but the volatile Zahovic punched his coach and left for Valencia before finding a better move with Benfica. Born in Maribor, Zahovic has never played football in Slovenia. Partizan Belgrade signed him as a 16 year old and he has spent the last eleven years in other European leagues.

SENAD TIGANJ

Strong in the air and used to hold up possession for runners to join the attack. Tiganj can look ponderous and is unproven at the highest level.

SEBASTJAN CIMEROTIC

He should be one of the stars of the Slovenia team and if they progress the Lecce player can impress many observers with his technique and ball-skills. But he has a real tendency to over-play chances and a powerful defence could easily push him from the ball and he is often used as a substitute rather than a starter.