In 1999, when Đuro Bago was coach of the juniors' team (U-16) in NK Dinamo Zagreb, he discovered then unknown 15-year-old Brazilian striker Eduardo da Silva, who became a star in Croatian football 6 years later.
"This young striker Eduardo will go to Geneva tomorrow and return to Rio de Janeiro, because he is not talented enough for our club Dinamo" said Miroslav Blažević, and then he critiqued his assistant Đuro Bago by saying "Đuro, you have told me that this Brazilian boy Eduardo is world class talented striker, but I think that he is not good enough for our club".
Then assistant coach Đuro Bago cried and answered to his boss: "Mr Blažević, I think still that he is a great talent, I trust in him.
Please, can you hold him in Dinamo Zagreb during this training camp and then we will send him on the loan in our 'branch club' NK Inter Zaprešić for young players where he would get his chance for playing".
Five years later, when Da Silva signed with Arsenal, Miroslav Blažević told the Croatian press: "Really, Eduardo is great player.
One year later, da Silva returned from NK Inter to Dinamo Zagreb, and, after playing very well, Zdravko Mamić changed his mind about him.