Ahead of Thursday’s World Cup play-offs semi-final, Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez has accused Cooper of deliberately sidelining midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic.
The two nations meet in Cardiff with a place in the play-off final at stake, where the winners will face either Italy or Northern Ireland for a spot at this summer’s World Cup.
But the build-up has been overshadowed by Barbarez’s claims that Tahirovic’s recent absence from the Brondby IF is linked to the international fixture.
Tahirovic, 23, has not started any of Brondby’s last four matches and was left out of the squad entirely for their two most recent games prior to the international break.
His last appearance came as a late substitute in a goalless draw against FC Midtjylland on March 1.
Barbarez suggested the situation had been explained to him directly by the player.
“Benjo has told me some things that are hard to believe. It has something to do with his coach’s roots and origins.
“When your coach wishes you, but not your national team, good luck, everything is much clearer.
“He (Cooper) has told him that everything will return to normal after the national team season. I am not like that, I love and value sport and competition more.”
Cooper, appointed Brondby head coach in September, has previously stated that Tahirovic—widely regarded as one of the club’s key players—was left out along with defender Sean Klaiber for failing to “live up to the values” of the team, although he declined to expand further on those reasons.
The allegations have been firmly rejected by Brondby.
Responding on behalf of the Danish club, communications director Soren Hanghoj dismissed the suggestion that the decision had any connection to the upcoming international fixture.
“This is quite a far-reaching speculation. Steve has publicly stated the considerations behind the decision — and none of them have the slightest connection with either national team. That goes without saying.
“It is not just a head coach who is the sponsor of a decision like the one in question here. It is a club decision that has been made jointly by an entire coaching team and the sporting management. And there are not that many Wales fans in Brondby after all.”
Hanghoj reiterated that the call to omit Tahirovic was made collectively rather than by Cooper alone, stressing that no external factors influenced the move.
The controversy adds an extra layer of tension to what is already a high-stakes encounter in Cardiff.
Tahirovic, who has scored twice in 24 appearances for Bosnia, has been a regular figure for Brondby since joining from AFC Ajax in 2024, making 44 appearances for the Danish side.
His recent absence has therefore raised eyebrows, particularly given the timing ahead of a crucial international window.
Cooper, a Pontypridd native and former manager of Nottingham Forest, Leicester City as well as the Swans, has yet to respond directly to Barbarez’s latest remarks.
His Brondby side currently sit sixth in the Danish top flight, with internal team standards cited as the basis for recent selection decisions.
