Croations The Australian June 22, 2005

JUNE 22

Uncertain date.

John Stapleton

THE nation has split: husband against wife, father against son.

With six Croatians on the Australian team and three Australians on the Croatian team, the Croatian community in Australia are suffering from a severe case of divided loyalties.

As Croatian clubs around the country flung open their doors at 4am this morning, many of the members of the families trooping into the bars and auditoriums were be backing different sides.

``It is a win win but whoever wins you are going to be disappointed for the one that goes,'' said 34-year-old Vlado Blazeka, 34, who was born in Australia to Croatian parents.

``I can honestly say, when I found out this was the decider, it took me three days to work it out.''

Mr Blazeka backed Australia against his own young soccer-mad sons, who were backing Croatia.

He said the decision to back Australia in the World Cup was made much easier by the fact there were so many Croations on the team.

Mr Blazeka said Croations had been fiercely proud of their heritage ever since arriving in Australias after World War 2, and many still held close ties to their ``beautiful'' home country. Their pride made the decision of whom to back particularly difficult.

``There are households where husbands and wives are going for different teams,'' he said. ``It is definitely a grudge thing, no, it is more a party, a celebration of soccer and Croations in Australia.''

Although he was backing Australia Mr Blazeka thought Croatia was most likely to winw, ``because of their fighting spirit''. Bemused, he says, ``but the Socceroos have fighting spirit... It is so difficult for everyone.''

President of the Croatian Soccer Club in Adelaide Ivica Jurkovic said Croats in Australia were deeply conflicted.

``The parents who have migrated to Australia from Croatia, they are going for Croatia,'' he said. ``They have Australia in their hearts, but Croatia is their homeland. The second generation are split. A lot are saying whoever wins, we will back them.

``Croatians are enormously proud; and we are all proud of our boys who have made it into the Australian team. In the last 20 years, if it wasn't for the Croatian soccer teams around Australia, the Australian team would not be as good as it is today. A lot of Australians think that as well.

``At the end of the day, whoever goes through deserves it and we sill support them. At least neither team missed out because they didn't have the opportunity.''