Bosnia & Herzegovina star Damir Mrsic has pledged his loyalty to national team coach Mensur Bajramovic for this summer's European Championships.

		“	Every game I play for my country is a pleasure and a privilege	„
		Damir Mrsic

Mrsic, who is one step away from the FIBA Europe League Final Four with Fenerbahce, received a visit from the Bosnia-Herzegovina federation, led by coach Mensur Bajramovic, at the second play-off quarter-final match in Istanbul last week.

Bajramovic discussed Mrsic's availability for the finals of Eurobasket 2005 in Serbia & Montenegro from September 16-25 after suggestions in local media that he was "over the hill".

"I told them I would be pleased to represent my country again in the European Championship finals," Mrsic told PA International.

"They told me that they were not sure whether, at my age (he will be 35 on October 25) I wanted to play for the national team.

"I told them that every game I play for my country is a pleasure and a privilege.

"And I would be delighted to captain my country if I was asked because it would be a great honour."

Ironically, Bosnia-Herzegovina have been drawn in Eurobasket 2005's tough Group C which includes Slovenia, France and Greece.

But the Balkan republic have proved to be extremely difficult to beat in recent seasons and could sneak into the elimination round.

Head coach Bajramovic believes all four teams have equal chances of finishing first in the group, and is hoping his team will win at least once which might be sufficient for them to progress into the second round.

"The group is really uniform, although our rivals' rating is higher than ours," said Bajramovic.

"However, we are not going to surrender in advance. I expect that we shall have good preparation and the power to triumph at least once.

"The result will greatly depend on the composition of our rivals' teams, as all three teams have some NBA players available."

But Bajramovic has already had more than his share of bad luck, six months before the tournament starts.

Damir Krupalija, a pillar of the national team, has had knee surgery and is doubtful for the finals.