The international defender gave an interview to the Australian Associated Press (AAP) regarding Croatia's chances of progressing to the knock-out stage of the World Cup 2006 Finals. Australian born Josip Simunic sent a message to the Aussies calling him a "traitor" for choosing the Croatian national team instead of the Socceroos.

"I don't really care what anyone says or anyone thinks, that doesn't worry me at all. I've been through a lot in my football career and I'm very thankful to a lot of people... and when someone says to me on the streets I'm a traitor or a villain, I don't care really. Australia is a free country and everyone's able to say and think what they want. So it doesn't worry me at all," Simunic told the AAP.

Australia and Croatia have a special relationship, with each team having players originating from the other. Jossip Simunic graduated from the Australian Institute of Sport and Australia is his birth country.

Croatian coach Zlatko Kranjcar and federation president Vlatko Markovic have labelled Guus Hiddink's team as an easy passage to the knockout stages. The winner of this match will probably secure the second place of Brazil's Group F. Kranjcar has also labelled Japan as an easy team to beat. Croatia secured it's place in the 2006 World Cup Finals in the European Qualifying Groups Stage, finishing unbeaten.

However Simunic had a different view on the issue. "Australia is a big threat. I see both (the Socceroos and Japan) as dangerous but more Australia because a lot of players are playing in Europe. If you take a team too lightly that's the biggest mistake you can make... Australia is a very, very, good team, they have very, very good players and they play at a lot of very good European clubs," the Croatian international defender added.

Simunic used to play for Melbourne Knights NSL in the Australian league and is currently playing in Germany's Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin.

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