Bilic: Keep it shut, Terry
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
Published: Today
SLAVEN BILIC last night hit back at England skipper John Terry and insisted: Eduardo is no diver.
The Croatia boss reckons Chelsea centre-half Terry should get his own house in order before branding opposition players as cheats.
In an exclusive SunSport interview before his country's Wembley World Cup showdown, Bilic said: "John Terry is not talking like that when Didier Drogba goes down for Chelsea.
"I am not saying Drogba is a diver. I adore him as a player but I'm saying when they get a penalty they're not accusing their own team-mates.
"You can't say English players don't dive.
"I've known Eduardo for years. If anyone knows him I know him. He is NO diver. He is a good guy, a sportsman, a professional and a role model of fair play. Sometimes he waits for a contact. Maybe it wasn't a penalty against Celtic but you can't say there was no contact.
"Don't forget he was very badly injured for a long time. And he's just come back.
"I don't care why John Terry did this but it's all part of the game.
"Look, if we're talking about 100 per cent fair play it's also not fair play from Terry to say something like that before the game if he wants to put pressure on the referee.
"That would not be fair play in the same sense as what he was saying about Eduardo, accusing a fellow professional of these things."
Croatian hitman Eduardo was banned for two matches by UEFA after winning a controversial penalty in Arsenal's 3-1 win over Celtic in a Champions League qualifier.
The Brazilian-born hitman will still face England on Wednesday as his ban applies only to the Gunners' games.
Bilic insisted Eduardo has not been affected by the controversy surrounding him.
The Croatian chief said: "You know why he's not affected? Because he's straight, he's clean, he's not guilty. If he was guilty of course he would be affected. But he's honest and knows he's clean."
Bilic believes Croatia can ruin England's World Cup knees-up on Wednesday and avenge their 4-1 defeat in Zagreb last year.
Fabio Capello's men need three points to seal their ticket for South Africa but Bilic is convinced his Balkan underdogs can shock the Three Lions again at Wembley.
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Two years ago, Croatia ended England's Euro 2008 bid and dumped brolly-wally boss Steve McClaren out of a job with a 3-2 win in the Wembley rain. Now the Croatia chief is looking for a repeat despite missing injured Tottenham star Luka Modric.
Bilic said: "That 4-1 England win was deserved, end of story.
"It was a big shock. England are probably thinking, as is their right, that it was a realistic difference between the two teams. But that doesn't change our confidence and mine that we can beat England again.
"I fully believe in the ability of my players. Losing Modric was the biggest blow but we can compensate with our team game."
Bilic has been linked with several Premier League jobs since masterminding England's Euro 2008 exit.
But he refused to say whether he would take a job in England if Croatia qualified for the World Cup.
He insisted: "I have a project. I have a job. I have a contract and all that I'm concentrating on until the end of the qualification campaign is this."
