HEAD COACH DRAGAN STOJKOVIĆ ON CERTAIN QUALIFICATION TO EURO 2024| THIS IS A GIFT TO SERBIAN FOOTBALL AND THE COUNTRY OF SERBIA

Serbia is close to qualify for the EURO after 24 years! Montenegro was defeated in the most important match of the qualifiers, so it is not surprising that the coach Dragan Stojković is in a good mood, who can slowly celebrate a great success with the players and his coaching staff.

“It was a very difficult game in a psychological sense, because three days ago we returned from Budapest without points. We wanted this victory very, very much. I congratulate the guys not only for the victory, but on the approach that makes me very happy as a coach. We showed a solid character, the result rewarded them in the end. I am happy as their coach, happy as the coach of the national team because we did something good for Serbian football and this victory is a gift to Serbian football and Serbia. We waited a long time for this and, in my opinion, we absolutely deserved to win tonight.

“The team deserves all the praise, whoever started or came into the game deserves the praise.” I know it can always be better, and it will be better, but here, there is such pressure that only the result counts. We were in one knockdown situation after the World Cup, we had to raise the team and wait for the qualifiers, be ready to achieve a new goal. Nothing is easy, you must have a vision, you have to make sacrifices on the pitch.”

“The conceded goal had an impact and I immediately made changes in the half-time. Football is a game of mistakes, the one who makes fewer mistakes has a better chance of scoring a goal and winning. Mitrović’s first goal is phenomenal, I was wondering where he wanted to go, and then suddenly the great shot and great mastery. The second goal is the result of an intelligent action, Sergej – Tadić – Mitrović. That’s the football I like to watch. The beauty of football. I wish Montenegro all the best, I have many friends there, I’m sorry that we were in the same group. Montenegro has great potential, they must work and never give up, they will have another chance”.