DEPUTY PRESIDENT NENAD BJEKOVIĆ | HEAD-COACH STOJKOVIĆ IS THE GREATEST NAME IN SERBIAN FOOTBALL, A NATURAL AUTHORITY / PUTTING HIM ON OUR BENCH ONE OF THE BEST MOVES IN THE HISTORY OF THE FA OF SERBIA

The day after the friendly with Bahrain and on the eve of the opening of the World Cup in Qatar, the FA of Serbia Deputy President Nenad Bjeković spoke for our website:

“I have to follow up on the words of the head-coach Stojković stated at the press conference and, on behalf of the entire FA of Serbia, thank the host for the phenomenal reception and warm welcome. We really felt at home in Manama these four days. It turned out we did not made a mistake with the choice of location for the last training match before the World Cup. We played a team that is among the best 15 on the Asian continent, the result was not the priority, but the win was certainly welcomed. It is even more important that no one got injured and that the players adapted to the weather conditions that await us in Doha in the coming days. All in all, Bahrain was a hit and we are packing our bags and getting ready to go to the neighbouring Qatar.”

For half a century, Bjeković has been directly or indirectly involved in activities related to the best national team:

“First, I was a player and a national team player of my country, then as a club official I supported my colleagues on 35,Terazije and in the last few years I have been a part of the system that manages the football organisation. Believe me, never in my career have I had the opportunity to work with such a homogeneous group as the current Serbian team. The guys are really fantastic. Always smiling and cheerful, they support each other and function as a family. Look at the scenes after the birth of Sergej’s daughter, it is as if they all got a new family member” – says Bjeković and reminds once again who gets the greatest credit for the atmosphere in the national team:

“Coach Stojković is the greatest name in Serbian football and he is that natural authority not created by shouting and loud noise, but by personal merits. Aside from his quality as a person and achievements during his playing career, the players respect him as a human being and a man who can explain the most complicated things in football in the simplest possible way. Piksi being on the coaches bench of our national team is one of the best moves in the history of the Football Association of Serbia. In no time he revived the national team and returned it to the top of European and world football scene. We often meet coaches of the strongest football teams and it is impressive when you hear that none of them want Serbia as an opponent at the World Cup.”

With that great win in Lisbon, Serbia attracted the attention of the world football public and made a bid for one of the pleasant surprises in Qatar.

“I went to the dressing room after the win against Portugal and told the players they restored the nation’s faith in Serbian national team and that I was sure that was not their last word on the subject. Even in youth teams, this generation learned to think like champions do, and that is why I am not surprised by brave statements of the players saying they will go to the very final of the tournament. It is obvious that Piksi’s optimism and energy is affecting the entire team. But that is all normal, if they managed to beat Brazil in youth category and win the World Cup, why would they be afraid of anyone now they have matured and grown into great football players. Serbia must be proud of their national team. Please be patient, these guys are just about to bring new surprises and joy” – this is optimism radiating from a man who was incredibly denied the opportunity to take part in the World Cup:

“I was on the list of players the head-coach Miljan Miljanić announced for the 1974 World Cup and literally the night before the trip to Germany, I had a car accident. We were quarantined at the Slavija hotel, I borrowed a Fiat from the goalkeeper Zlatko Milić to go to a nearby street to say goodbye to my children and there was a collision with a tram at the roundabout there. I ended up at the orthopedics and missed the chance of life to be a part of the greatest spectacle of world football. So, Qatar is the most beautiful satisfaction to me. Spending time and working with Dragan Stojković, Stevan Stojanović, technicalstaff and these great guys who play in the Serbian national team make me happy and privileged,” Bjeković concluded in the interview for the FAS website.