Scandalous, interrupted presidental (non-)election - a usual day in the office for FK Partizan’s management

FK Partizan’s management had decided to elect a new president on 24th May. Ivan Ćurković, who’s been currently reigning, functions only as a commissioned president after kicking out the resign of Zoran Popović. The leadership thought this was the right time to elect a new boss.
First there was a great hype around it. The entire assembly was taken to the Zemun training complex, but what was surely the best, it was all broadcasted live on Youtube.
Oh, by the way, journalists were banned out from the event.
What we knew earlier was that there were two presidential candidates, Ivan Ćurković and Nenad Bjeković.

Seriously, was there nobody better?

The scandal started at the arrival of the members. First security guards didn’t want to allow Ostoja Mihajlović to enter. Mihajlović allegedly threatened to call the police, if he was not allowed inside.
In the meantime Partizan’s legendary players arrived, one after the other: Momčilo Vukotić, Ivica Kralj, Savo Milošević, Zvonko Varga, Zvonko Živković (to name a few) and the crowd grew bigger and bigger at the entrance gate. There was candidate Nenad Bjeković among them, too, but if you watched well, you could see Dragan Đurić as well.
Needless to say, the media LOVED the scene, cameras were all on target.

Then finally they were allowed, except for Ostoja Mihajlović.

Bjeković arrives with his hangers-on

(photo: mondo.rs)

At the building’s entrance door security guards checked everyone with metal detectors.

"Everyone" means everyone

(photo: Twitter)

There were many security guards around. As if politicians would have visited SC Teleoptik’s training field, yet in reality just a bunch of demimonde mafiosi Partizan’s leadership wanted to elect a new president.

Rumours talk about Bjeković asking the Serbian police minister to send security guards to Zemun, because, as he said "certain forces will surely cause incidents to make the assembly unable to vote".

Guards with dogs

(photo: informer.rs)

Before the start the opponents led by Bjeković met Vuletić to discuss the case of Ostoja Mihajlović, whether they should let him inside or not. (To be very honest, as my Serbian is still not enough to understand the entire discussion here, I can guess what they were all about. One thing is sure though, Vuletić loves to hear his own voice.)
I made a couple of screenshots.

Since when resembles Vuletić the love child of Jabba and Winnie the Pooh?

When great minds (mwahaha) meet

Then this company entered the chamber. Vuletić grabbed the microphone to open the election.
I swear, they didn’t need more than two minutes to end up yelling and cursing. If I understood well, the problem was that the supporters of Bjeković wanted to have the floor, but Vuletić denied their request saying there was no time for that.
Hell broke loose. Some shouted "it’s unbelievable", "it’s impossible", "it’s mafia". First Savo Milošević had an outburst.

Then Zvonko Varga had a bitter shoutout demanding more respect for former players.

At this point they wanted to vote for validating the election board, but instead Dragan Đurić literally yelled off Miloš Vazura, who was standing at the microphone.

Vazura couldn’t keep things under his control. I didn’t even know this man was this nervous and frustrated and can’t handle conflicts this much.

Then Momčilo Vukotić and Milan Obućina had a short, but very heated argument.

For God’s sake, it was embarrassing and shameful for ME to see the club’s legends getting into such an undeserved situation.

Meanwhile Vazura threw a tantrum demanding to get Đurić out of the room, because he (allegedly) cursed Vazura’s mother.

Just my two cents: being Vazura’s mother is a curse in itself. Let’s not hurt the elderly lady even more.

Then Savo Milošević almost had a physical fight with Milan Obućina. Finally Gordan Petrić had to grab and pull away Milošević before hitting Obućina. (Later Bjeković tried to calm Milošević down.)

(photo: zurnal.rs)

Then the assembly was about to vote, but there were a few people who were present with power of attorney (e.g. Mile Jovičić among others, who had the power of attorney of Tomislav Karadžić). At this point another verbal karate started, because some claimed those with power of attorney should not vote, their votes are invalid. They came up with FSS’s regulations which forbid such "remote" voting. The opposition argued that voters with power of attorney could vote at the previous presidental election without problem. Finally after long struggle they agreed that power-of-attorney-bearers can also vote.
You can watch the entire show here:

At this point came the most normal point of this whole circus. Gordan Petrić had the floor and spoke.

"First, I’d like to congratulate to the team for winning the Cup and being able to enter Europa League. The credit goes to Ivan Tomić and his coach staff to make the team stable. Now, people, what’s going on here? I see people turning against each other who have been friends for 30 years, whom I looked up on, when I was a child. And these people can’t agree on a single thing now! I beg you to co-operate and help Partizan, and if it’s not possible, then I walk out, grow a long beard and move to the mountains instead."

He got a big applause.
Then Vučelić spoke, thankfully it was short. He practically left the chair saying that it’s impossible to work under such circumstances.

That’s all for now, but it’s surely not the end yet.

The Živković-saga

Disclaimer: This blogpost does not want to dispense justice, nor does it want to tell anyone where to get off. It’s not this blog’s job but of the legal services. I just try to summarize all those that happened so far - of course I'll include my own point of view as well, but that's strictly my very own, personal opinion, not some sort of "ex cathedra" manifestation. Anyone can add their opinion, in a cultured, educated manner.

As I wrote in an earlier blogpost, we could all have a sense at the end of the autumn season that Andrija Živković would not stay at Partizan. News spoke about a number of big, European clubs that would have gladly signed the young world champion, but none of them succeeded. Then came the news about a contract with the former manager, Pini Zahavi. The contract included a clause, namely if Živković is not sold until his contract with Partizan expires, then the club must pay almost two million euros of retention money to the Israeli manager.

An average fan would feel dizzy even at this point. What’s this?... What do you mean that the club must pay retention money, if they can’t sell the kid until the expiration of the contract?... Whose idea was this, and most of all, who agreed with it and who signed it?... For whom did it serve good and why? What did those lawyers say who examined the contract before signing it? Has any lawyer examined it at all, or they just signed it and done?...

At this point Partizan’s sports director, Ivica Iliev entered the picture and started his long media-tour. He told to Kurir if they can’t sell Živković, or Živković doesn’t extend his contract with the club, then Partizan may go bankrupt because of that retention money they have to pay to Zahavi (at this point the amount of money was already 2,5 million euros).

"If [Živković] doesn’t extend his contract [with Partizan], then Partizan must pay punishment fee. It means that we can put a padlock on the club. More than 200 families can find themselves in the street, and Andrija will be remembered as the player who made the club going bankrupt", cites Mozzartsport.

Maybe it’s just me, but Iliev seemed to start a kind of manipulative game even at this point. Nevertheless a day later Andrija Živković’s father, Jovica released an open letter. Apart from the heavy, overheated style of the letter

honestly, which parent would not be angry in such a situation, when it’s about their child?...

Živković sr. writes about background details that are at least thought-provoking. He even attached documents to his letter. In short: the father says, Partizan’s then-general secretary Darko Grubor claimed that Andrija Živković is their possession - most probably technically. It means, whatever happens to Živković (transfer, etc.), it is all Partizan’s tether, aka nobody, not even parents can have any word in it. The father goes further: it was the club (and its then-management) that pressured his son into this Pini Zahavi-contract. According to him, nobody was informed about this contract, neither the parents, nor the player and his agent. The father claims, the contract is hidden at a non-public place.

Obviously it’s somewhere at the club, but they will surely never put it public.

Furthermore, Jovica Živković denies those charges that blame him (and his son) with materialism, to be motivated by money only. The father adds, even Real Madrid (!!!) wanted to sign Andrija for 15 million euros (!!!), even though they would have immediately put him on loan. The father claims, other top European clubs had offers for his son, but they refused all of them, because Andrija wanted to play for Partizan.
After this a group of people who are allegedly Partizan-fans also released an open letter, in which they called the young player scapegoat (with additional offensive words), even calling him "zvezdaš".

As if they would have forgotten about Živković’s goals, matches, tricks he did for Partizan as well as his world championship.

Interesting that this open letter was published by a certain Vladimir Vuletić on his own Facebook profile. It’s that Vladimir Vuletić, who is otherwise the chairman of Partizan’s supervisory board.

"Fan letter". Yes. Sure. You get what I mean.

At this point an unbelievably disgusting mud-throwing has started. First Albert Nagy spoke, who was Partizan’s sports director during the Pini Zahavi-contract. He didn’t say many details, rather he just washed his hands. Then spoke Saša Ilić, who only made the upheaval even bigger with his statement, dividing the ab ovo confused, angry and puzzled fans.

I can speak about Saša Ilić only with the biggest possible respect, and now, as a simple, average fan I ask him with the biggest respect never ever to speak in public about what was said behind the doors of the locker-room.

Then even former Partizan goalkeeper Vladimir Stojković spoke, though nobody asked him. On the other hand, as he is in Israel now, he surely doesn’t know any more details about this case than an ordinary, news-reading fan. Meanwhile (upon non-confirmed news) the documents of the Živković-contract are at the police, but nobody mentioned what they investigate and who reported the case to the authorities.
The management keeps silent. (Vazura was just rolling his eyes.) Neither the current, nor the former management members are willing to speak (except for Albert Nagy). Former FK Partizan president Dragan Đurić denied everything. The others didn’t speak a word.
In the meantime Iliev tours around the entire sports media, keeping the public under pressure saying that it's all Živković’s fault, because the player prefers money more than Partizan. This made Živković’s current manager, Predrag Đorđević upset so much that even he released an open letter, in which he turns off the entire Partizan-management saying that it’s not else than blackmailing a 19-year-old kid, who would like to just play football for his beloved team, yet this beloved team’s management makes it impossible. While Iliev keeps the public, the players, the fans and Andrija Živković himself under pressure.

And well, the result is obvious: upon the current state of events Andrija Živković will surely not extend his contract with the club in the summer.

If you allow me to be this personal: I’m terrified by Iliev’s manipulations. I don’t know what he wants with it all, why he is doing it and for whom/what, but he should stop it right now, because it reached the disgusting level.
And if I may add a thought: if I were Živković, I would also not extend my contract. After he gave his heart and soul to the club, that he played and scored even being injured, after all this he is thrown away like an used piece of rag and he is dragged into the mire in front of the public... His heart goes for Partizan, but I personally can understand that he is fed up with it all. He is the most innocent of it all, yet it’s still his name that’s tainted.

The story hasn’t ended yet, but the next sequel is the topic of another blogpost.

News

Milorad Vučelić is the new president of Partizan sports society (also known as JSD Partizan).

I feel the same way as you now, dear Reader.

Former president Duško Vujošević’s mandate has been over, a new president, vice presidents and excecutive committe were elected. Due to rumours Vučelić was voted unanimously.
That Vučelić, who depraved the football team during his approx. 1-year reigning, who sold out the best players, who got Marko Nikolić discharged, who brought here Stefan Babović and Zoran Milinković, meanwhile the team reached its rock bottom, mostly morally, and is 17 points behind the team (I won’t say their name) that is leading the league table.
The vice presidents are Nenad Golijanin and Andrea Arsović.

I wonder who and how drew the otherwise successful sports shooter Andreja Arsović into it.

The members of the executive committee are Nenad Golijanin, Miloš Vazura, Zoran Popović, Vojislav Nedić, Miroslav Nedić, Mlađan Šilobad, Aleksandar Šoštar, Velimir Marjanović, Aleksandar Blagojević, Borko Drašković and Duško Jovanović.
You can really feel the mawkish fart-smell of the overlord/vassal/servant system.
Dear fellow fans and Grave Diggers, this is a very sad day in the 70-year-old history of Partizan.

***

Meanwhile the football players were taken to get flu vaccine, most probably to draw away attention from this shameful president election. Don't ever ask why young, healthy professional sportsmen need such a vaccine, but obviously Bel Medic private hospital needed some extra advertisement.

Team doctor Ilija Rosić heads the line giving a good example

Marko Jevtović is trying with optimisim, but it’s not easy to pretend you’re jolly when you’re not

...when it was Stevanović’s turn, the shiny happy mood was gone

Šaponjić looks a bit confused

Subić probably thinks that it was not included in his job description

Stevanović: "Hey, bro, do you know why it’s good for us?"

Grbić: "Dunno... I was told, if we were good, we’d get chocolate..."

(photos: partizan.rs)

Question of the day

Partizan celebrated the 70th anniversary of its foundation last week, and for this occasion there was 1 (one) official event organized. In UK Parobrod club in Belgrade there was (actually, it's still running) a series of events, organized by creative and enthusiastic fans. The team (officially) doesn't even know about it.

It's something I can't understand. Maybe I'm too naive though, because I thought this anniversary would be a great occasion to release all sorts of books, photo albums, DVD's to celebrate this jubilee as well as fan collectibles available only here, only now. I'm sure fans would love it and these items would be sold out quickly. What I absolutely don't understand is that the social media was totally out of sight.

I have seen it at more than one team, at top clubs as well as at second and third league ones, not just at football teams and not only from Europe that they make a campaign at every social media site they're present at (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), something like "Partizan around the world", they create a hashtag to it and ask fans to take a photo of themselves with a Partizan-relic (scarf, jersey, etc.) wherever they are at in the world, inlands or at a foreign country, with a famous place of that given place in the background. Or make just the relic visible with, let's say, Big Ben in the background. Or anything else. The photo doesn't even have to be new, it can be from any time in the past 70 years. Then to collect all these photos and upload it to one giant album on Facebook or on the team's homepage, or both. Or anything else that's about fans. It's one of the biggest commonplaces ever, but that's why it's so true that fans keep a team alive, always, without them nothing works.

No money would have been needed for this to spend, only a bit of creativity. But even this gesture would have made fans feel important, that we are one big family, where everyone cares for the other.

The question of the day is simple: why did it not happen?
Answer A: because the marketing and PR are totally incompetent and unqualified.
Answer B: because on Planet Vazura & Vučelić celebration = self-polishing.
Answer C: because in fact nobody gives a shit.
Answer D: all of the above.

Put your answers as well as your own thoughts to the comment box.

Open letter of the editors of volimpartizan.net

Yesterday’s match blew the fuse for many fans. The editors of volimpartizan.net wrote an open letter, of which I try to write here the extract. The whole text (in Serbian) can be read here.
It’s quite long even this way, but it is worth to read the whole.

The editors of this homepage of Partizan fans feel the need to address the public and demand in the name of all loyal Partizan fans the immediate dismissal of the team’s management as well as the head coach.
We do it in the name of all fans who truly supports Partizan and who, in the light of previous results, feel hurt seeing all that happens on and out of the field.
What we see now is NOT FK Partizan. Bobek, Moca, Mance, Mijat and the still active Saša Ilić were not, is not fighting for this.

At this moment FK Partizan consists of a bunch of self-styled white-collars, who gave evidence of only their incompetence during their 9 months of reign. The leadership pushed the team on the verge of ruins, their functioning lacks every logical steps up to now. After selling Nikola Drinčić, Branko Ilić, Danko Lazović, Petar Škuletić and Aleksandar Mitrović as well as UEFA’s support for the Europa League there should be more than 10 million euros on Partizan’s bank account. From this money Partizan spent 0 (zero) euros to investment. At the same time they signed only players of free agents. The current leadership follows the policy of the previous one. We don’t even want to give any thought what will remain from the club after those who are currently in power.

The management made evidence of minimal competence during the summer and winter transfer season. As if they would have someone else’s interests in their minds instead of Partizan, as if someone, or someones would control the happenings outside of Stadion JNA. When the current leadership took over authority, Partizan was a serious team that needed only a little investment to be a successful club, even by European standards. Players put their heart out to the field, they were willing to die for the club and all of them understood the responsibility of wearing Partizan’s jersey. These all brought success.

Then came the new leadership and destroyed everything with a stroke of a pen, all that was built through the years before them: positive atmosphere, fellowship and winning attitude. During the winter transfer season they sold out half the team, and when after this (otherwise absolutely predictably) the first failures showed up, they immediately discharged Marko Nikolić. During the summer transfer season they sold out the other half of the club. The new ones were proven to be not better than reserve players. The question is now why the money, that these newcomers get as salary, could not be given to e.g. Danko Lazović, Branko Ilić and Nikola Drinčić? They all honestly had Partizan at heart, but the new leadership ruined them financially.

Then there is Zoran Milinković. We can’t not see the connection between him and the current management. Back then Vuk Rašović was discharged for the lack of good results (the former leadership did everything though for these not good results). Then came Marko Nikolić and it seemed he would pull the team out of chaos. Now we have Zoran Milinković. Since he’s been the head coach, Partizan has a 9-point-drawback compared to the eternal rival. We have only 2 points of advantage compared to the team on the 8th place - in the new championship system the 8th place is the lowest place to be still able to qualify to the play-offs. The question is, why does the leadership use double standars? Why can Zoran Milinković stay on Partizan’s bench? Why does he have support of the entire management? Or from now on the perfect head coach of Partizan will be only that person who watches without a word how the management destroys the team, without raising his word, as they sell out players?

Marko Nikolić was discharged after 3 draws - and these were matches he could not take part in as a head coach. With Zoran Milinković we lost the cup final, we were eliminated from Champions League, we lost at the eternal derby, producing the worst championship the past 25 years... as if the head coach would be giving the title to the eternal rival with one of his hands. And despite all he is still on Partizan’s bench. We demand in the name of all Partizan-fans the immediate discharge of Zoran Milinković as well as the resignation of the entire management led by Zoran Popović.

Currently Partizan is 3rd on the league table, which is inacceptable. It’s still September, but even now it seems we lost this championship. During the summer transfer season we could not sign one normal defender, midfielder and striker (only one left back arrived, but then it was already too late), that’s why we were eliminated from CL. The head coach forces the same tactics on every match, with the same players, while putting players in and out of the team without any logics, even those who performed well on previous games. For this reason numerous players are worn out, even though we didn’t even reach the middle of the autumn season.

Volimpartizan.net has certain informations in their possession that say, nobody wants to take on the position of Partizan’s head coach, because nobody would bear the pressure of the leadership for too long.

Some say, even Darko Milanič was asked to accept the position, but the veteran coach declined it without hesitation.

After we lost the eternal derby, Veljko Paunović’s name showed up as a possible new head coach. It finally didn’t happen, because due to Paunović he would not have been guaranteed that freedom he needs for his work. Nobody, neither young and beginner, nor older and experienced coaches want to accept the position. Behind it all there is one person, Miloš Vazura. He and Milorad Vučelić embody that ordeal Partizan is undergoing now, they are those who keep only their own interest in mind while not willing to guarantee the independence of the coaching staff.

Partizan is going through the worst crisis of their history, and there is only one solution for this: everyone who is responsible for this even just a bit, must immediately leave the club. The team needs a new start, with new people, until it’s not too late, until we can save this season, at least on the European level. That’s why we demand in the name of all loyal Partzan fans the instant discharge of the head coach and the leadership.

In this society filled with corruption, incompetence and injustice we call all loyal Partizan-fans. Don’t watch passively as your beloved club fall into ruins! Partizan will be 70 years old this year. It could survive this long only by your love and loyalty. Now the club needs you even more than ever, please, stand up for it, don’t let it get ruined! Let’s not allow to ruin all that fame, glory and honour that we built up during these 70 years. Changes are inevitable. Partizan can’t wait any longer. Partizan must wake up instead of falling into coma.

Grave Diggers, don’t let your beloved team down, don’t let their history and your love for them get ruined! Don’t let Partizan down!

New management of KK Partizan elected

I could have also gave the title "Nuclear bomb dropped".
In short: after Predrag Danilović resigned, the basketball team of Partizan elected the new team presidency. It has been an open secret for a while that his successor would be Partizan’s former, Minnesota Timberwolves’ current player, 29-year-old Nikola "Pekmen" Peković.
But the real shock brain haemorrhage surprise was not this.
It was the news that Duško Vujošević has (had to?) left Partizan’s bench.
Dear everyone, dear fellow fans and Grave Diggers, I think we can say that an era in KK Partizan’s history has ended.

We can also say that has been rumoured for a while, namely that party politics have wormed their way into the management of the basketball team.

Duško Vujošević’s successor is Partizan’s former player and second trainer, Petar Božić.

On the photo, from left to right: KK Partizan’s sports manager Dragan Todorić, Petar Božić and Duško Vujošević

(photo: kurir.rs)

The rest of the management is, as follows: KK Partizan's vice president as well as Peković’s general deputy is Miroslav Berić. Other members are: Sanja Lubardić, Maurizio Vallo, Milan Iskrin, Pero Šaranović, Ilija Dražić, Vladimir Vrbaški, Boško Janković, Ratko Čakarević, Velibor Jojić, Ivan Trifunović and Petar Grubor.

Berić (left) and Peković

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Photo of the day

There was press conference as well, with the usual commonplaces.

It’s very hard to say anything now, being shocked, trying to get used to the fact that Duško Vujošević is not Partizan’s head coach anymore. (The fact that he stays at the club as advisor doesn’t make it any better.) You think back of all those victories, the long list of players who worked with him and who all play now at top clubs, in NBA, in the national team of their countries. (Think of Bogdan Bogdanović and Joffrey Lauvergne.)
In these moments "thank you" is just a superficial cliché. There's not enough "thank you"-s and gratitude in this world to express it.
Stand up straight and salute.
Now.

Predrag Danilović resigned

KK Partizan’s management had an assembly today at 13:00 without publicity. There had been rumours even before the event that the club’s president and former player Predrag Danilović wanted to resign after 15 years. There had been even worse rumours that the resignation of Danilović would implicate Duško Vujošević losing his poistion as head coach.
After the assembly Predrag Danilović held a press conference where he officially announced his resignation. Here is the summary of what he said to the press.

Partizan was my life, it still is and will always be, but I couldn’t help the club as I did in the past 15 years. I take the responsibility for all good and bad, for all decisions and results.
In the past two years the club had such financial difficulties it had never had before. There are various reasons behind it, and it is not only one person’s fault. We had decisions that were not popular, they were wrong as well, that’s why we ended up in such a situation. I couldn’t keep things under control, that’s why I decided to resign. I hope the next person in charge will be able to help the club better.

Predrag Danilović talked about Duško Vujošević as well.
It’s not the assembly’s duty to decide on Duško Vujošević. I have known Dule for 29 years, he was the reason I came to Partizan. I respect him, he is my second father. I don’t agree with his manifestations though, in my opinion he should not get involved in politics. Dule is an excellent expert, but I think he should not talk about things that are out of a coach’s authority. This is my opinion, I tried to discuss it with him and this is my responsibility.
I don’t know who’ll be the next president. A new Board of Directors must be elected, and this new board will decide about the coach. As long as there is no new board, the Commission will manage the club. The Commission includes Mlađan Šilobad, Dragan Todorić, Mirko Tišma, Budimir Krstović and Ilija Dražić.
When a journalist asked about the debt of KK Partizan, Danilović had just a short reply: - Five million euros.
Finally he said: - I’m optimistic about the club. We won 13 championship titles, there’s no need to worry. It’s a sports team, not some warfare. It’s normal in sports that if things don’t work, we shake hands and part ways.

Former players of KK Partizan messaged Predrag Danilović expressing gratitude for his work.

#DanilovicLegenda pic.twitter.com/8G6wJuKyyO

— Westermann Léo (@lwestermann) August 24, 2015

Dobro pamtim sve... Sve sto bilo jee... @PartizanBC #DanilovicLegenda

— Davis Bertans (@DBertans_42) August 24, 2015

Hvala ti puno , po gotovo za klub ⚫⚪⚫⚪ !!! #PartizanFamily

— Dallo Boris (@1Bobo2) August 24, 2015

Zahvaljujuci njemu Zelim mu sve najbolje ⚫⚪

— Joffrey Lauvergne (@1JOLOLO) August 24, 2015

Here you can watch the entire press conference.

Zvonko Varga discharged

Zvonko Varga was sent off from Partizan’s coach staff after Marko Nikolić. The news is not even official yet, but the facts that the new trainer Zoran Milinković just announced his second trainers today and Zvonko Varga was not among them, what is more, he is even deleted from the coaching staff page of the team’s website speak for itself.

You get what I mean. No press release, nothing. All in stealth mode. Not even a thank you.

Before anyone would complain saying that the new coach has the right to bring his own staff: yes, he indeed does have the right. Fans also have the right to get informations about the changes instead of putting events together as if it was a puzzle game, because the management has been suffering from the worst complication of amateurism. It's called dilettantism, while staying silent, not speaking a word, launching their worst Hollywood-styled satellite smile, claiming that everything is going the finest.

Let's see things, one after the other.
Zvonko Varga earned two championship titles in the 80's as a player before signing to Standard Liége in 1986. Here are the highlights of the 1986 Dinamo Zagreb - FK Partizan derby, that was won solely by Varga. (And those goals...)

As a trainer he spent 6 seasons on the bench, winning the championship title 3 times. He worked with the most different trainers, with Lothar Matthäus, Vladimir Vermezović, Vuk Rašović and of course with Marko Nikolić, among others.
And now he is elbowed into the corner, as if he was some piece of furniture. Some say, he'll be put back to Teleoptik, where he used to be a trainer earlier.

If I was malicious, I'd say, it was all made up to prevent him to start talking and the public would get to know interesting things about the new management, maybe even about how Nikolić was discharged. What keeps on bothering me is this unbelievable and disgusting dilettantism, this backboneless attitude, when it is not simply the lack of professionalism, but they don’t even try to show any seriousness. The only thing that matters is who is whose family member, friend, neighbour, servant, vassal, etc. It doesn’t matter if the person in question is an expert or not. It doesn’t matter if the person in question has experience, committment, routine or results. Even the team doesn’t matter. It clearly doesn’t. All their gestures speak loudly that they take players only as living chess pieces. Fans don't count at all, even if, for God's sake, it's still the fans that keep the club alive, not Čika Acika’s slowly dropping state money.
Apropos, Čika Acika. Of course I’m talking about Vučić, even if I made a vow never to talk about politics. When this terrible, slimy attitude, this "washing my hands" way of thinking, that shifts the blame to others, that is so typical to the highest political circles appears in the club's management, I can't help but think it all has a political tail-wind. And the goal of it all is to discredit Partizan. This awful, dilettant attitude can be found in the political leadership as well as in the team's. What happens in big, happens in little, too. There are these overlord-vassal relations at everywhere, and the worst is that nothing helps against them. None of these rats can be bombed out of their places, not even with a nuke, because the network of friends, family members, vassals, servants and most different servile idiots is too strong. Even if one of them would resign (with or without external pressure), another would immediately get his place. Well, in case they would resign at all, because they would surely keep on lobbying at their political connections until being assured in their position forever.
As long as it's going like this, nothing will change. Until this pussy-lipped whore openly Crvena Zvezda-fan Vučić and his vassals are in power, that Vučić, who was whining in public for not being able to do anything to make a law for the privatization of sports teams, because pleasedearvotersunderstanditistotallyimpossible, meanwhile he occupies every media station in the country, do you know, dear fellow fans, what will we get?
A middle finger, spiced with Čika Acika’s greasy, red-white smile. Maybe we can scream "Vučiću pederu" or "Uprava napolje".

As for Zvonko Varga...

Dear Maestro,
Thank you very very much for all your struggles, your commitment and work that you did with unbreakable faith even when the wind was blowing against you. I very much hope we can see you again soon on Partizan's bench. Maestro, you are not just an old souvenir that the owner simply throws away, getting bored to see it daily. I believe, and I hope many other fans also believe justice, commitment and skill eventually win over lies, backbonelessness and slyness.
We are waiting for you to come back, Maestro.

Actually, we wait for both of you to come back

(photo: sribjadanas.com)

There is something extra for the end of this post.
As I discussed it in the beginning, the new trainer, Zoran Milinković brought his staff with himself. One of them is Zoran Lončar, former player and second trainer of OFK Beograd, his last workplace was the bench of Voždovac. The other one is Ilija Stolica, he has never worked as a trainer yet. Not even at an U6 or U16 team. His "training experience" section is as white as the fresh snow.

Before someone would ask me "but where are the trust and credit?", my answer is "there are none, there haven't been any at all".

Marko Nikolić discharged

There were rumours about it earlier, some say it was on the agenda even yesterday to get rid of the trainer, but the team management couldn’t agree about it.
Today they kicked out Nikolić without much thinking.
The team had an official statement claiming that the lack of good results is behind the decision, and they think the chances to win the championship title this year is in danger for this reason.

You dirty worms, you rotten SNS-asslickers, you sold out half the team. You sold out Lazović, Škuletić, Pantić and Stanković. There are only Kojić and underage Šaponjić there, and this is not enough even for a level Mourinho trainer to make miracles.* And now you have no backbone to admit your faults, instead you blame Marko Nikolić
You corrupted rats, was it maybe Čika Acika and his phone call that made you bring this irrational and irresponsible decision, to act as he wishes, or else you will not get that microscopic amount of state money you might still be eligible for? You bastards, may Genex Tower fall on your heads. You will pay for this, you’ll regret even to be born to this world.

So far no one spoke to the press. Only one thing is sure, the new trainer, that has been found already. His name is Zoran Milinković.

Maestro,
Thank you very much for everything. Thank you for your tremendous hard work, your faith, your committment. Thank you for being always a gentleman in the media. Thank you for bringing the best out of the players. Thank you for serving the team despite the disgusting conditions, even when everyone else would have left it all behind. Maestro, I’m sure you will find a place where you’ll be honoured and valued a thousand times more than here.
All the best!

*Of course I do not question the committment or talent of Kojić and Šaponjić. They are both great strikers and for our great luck they play in Partizan. But the team still needs badly more strikers, because it is higly unfair to expect them to carry the team on their back.

Dragan Ćirić resigned

The news came yesterday, out of the blue. Dragan Ćirić, FK Partizan’s freshly elected sports director has resigned.
We aren’t really pampered with information overload... Ćirić had a brief press release where he explains, when Tumbaković had offered him the position of FK Partizan’s sports director, he started to work with faith and a desire for success, hoping that he could give back something to the club he belonged since the beginning. He adds, in today’s Serbian football faith and desire for success are not enough. When someone works at such a football giant like Partizan, they immediately become a part of Serbian football as well, of that Serbian football that is full of contradictions, personal interests, uncertainty and calculating. For this he does not want to assist. He is a former athlete, now businessman and thanks, but he prefers to stay like that. As closing words he added, he was, is and will be forever for Partizan.

Dear Mr. Ćirić,
As a human, I can absolutely understand you. That’s what I was blabbering about just a few days ago, though I’m sure you see it much more in depths and in details than me. Your press release confirmed my thoughts about Serbian football having that amateurism that has been left here since the 70’s (especially the management of Serbian football), when vassals could get positions instead of experts. You confirmed me that the only solution is to sweep the whole company out and to privatize the entire championship, from Partizan to the smallest teams in the countryside. Until then there will surely be people like you, whose committment is beyond question, but sooner or later the system (and corruption) win over them and they have to give it up, if not else, then for their own health. And they can only watch as corrupted rats let the team rot to the ground.

And to make the shitstorm even larger, Saša Ilić also spoke his mind. He made no secret about his disappointment on Ćirić’s resignation.
- Ćirić would deserve a lot more respect. He was a great player, he knows fans and most of all, he loves the club. I have no idea where it will head - he said, adding, it was not the first time a person with a known and great name leaves the club.
- I thought those times were over. I know Ćirić for years, we played together, he is one of the fairest people I have ever known. I’m sorry it all happened. Partizan is a great team and we shouldn’t allow ourselves to commit those mistakes again we made in the past.

Partizan’s official statement about Ćirić’s resignation can be found here.

Privatisation - the only solution (analysis)

This post will be a non-usual one. It is not about matches, results or events, instead I try to see through all those the former and current management of the football team has made. I also try to come up with solutions, even if I'm not in the position to solve the team's problems (I can still come up with solutions, just nobody in charge will be interested). I still want to give an insight about how those teams do it that are financially more stabile and effective, in terms of league table results as well.
Don't expect deep analysis with diagrams and charts, nor exact terminology. It's still a subjective fan blog, if anyone needs precision and accuracy, then ask an economic expert, there are as many available as stars in the night sky.
The upheaval around selling Petar Škuletić is still stirring. The possibility of selling Ivan Šaponjić has been added, too. Team management members deny everything, nobody knows anything, while fans demand the beheading of the board members, letting their rage out at all social media sites.
Dear Mr. Popović and Tumbaković, it is your shame. You are the bosses, it is your DUTY to know about everything that happens in the team. What is more, you should know about things that happen outside the team. That’s what is called "being informed". It is also called "professionalism". Do you know this word? You know, it is when you follow the happenings of the outside world of sports, not just what’s going on in your street.
Of course, we all know, you and us that this "I don’t know what’s been going on" is a lie. You all know what’s going on and we all know you’re lying. Meanwhile the sky has fallen on the team. We got to know the team has a 14 million euro debit, we got to know that mortgage has been put to Teleoptik SC that is also the place of Partizan’s school of young footballers. We got to know, Russians still haven’t paid a cent for Škuletić. And after all these president Zoran Popović uses the dirtiest trick, blaming former president Dragan Đurić for the indebtedness of the club. Serbian press is echoing from Popović’s mud-throwing as the current president blames the former one for taking out loans from loan sharks and he is the one who pushed FK Partizan into this giant debt. He brought up no evidences, but the public that is always hungry for scandal is chewing on this now, while the fact that auditors marched in to the club to make a list about every single debit stays in silence.
There are many other things that stays in silence, as nobody talks about them.
Like the fact we have been waving to the European cup competitions only from distance instead of taking part in them. That Partizan-employees went on strike after not getting salary for months. That players play for their love for the club, as their salaries are also late for months. That the Serbian Football Association will kick hard into our asses for our debts. That foreign teams easily stepped over us during the preparational matches, and Average Fan couldn’t not think of Lukač’s sad words, when he said ’that’s it, our reality is the SuperLiga, we cannot reach any further from here’.
In the meantime one keeps watching former players as they find foreign clubs for themselves. And Average Fan watches in shock the professionalism of those teams, not mentioning their commitment. It doesn’t matter if we talk about Lokomotiv Moscow, Anderlecht, Borussia Dortmund or Liverpool. There is one common thing in them.
Professionalism.
They mean business. They don’t make a living from state donations or barely available sponsor money. Their leaders are all businessmen who take their job very seriously. They want profit, they want results, not just on the league table, but on the bank accounts, too. There isn’t a single politician around them. They might be found on the tribunes, after they legally bought their tickets while standing in a row, or even, buying it online.
But there is NONE of them in the management. And there are no mastodons either, those fossils who have been pushing themselves into the club’s leadership since the age of Miloš Obilić. These may be found in the club’s museum, if any. There are highly educated managers, PR-managers, experts, talent spotters and trainers at everywhere. Everyone is fully committed, their skills are not a matter of question. They are there, not because they are friends, former classmates or neighbours who put their licking tongues to the best place at the best time.
Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only solution for Partizan is the same as for all other clubs worldwide.
Privatisation.
There’s nothing diabolical in it, to put the club’s directing to the hands of businessmen. Who knows, maybe they’ll even make profit for the team at the end. Because, the thing is, dear readers and fans, as long as the management consists of politicians and fossils, nothing will change ever. SC Teleoptik be sold by auction together with the bench under our bottoms and we end up as beggars. Do we need it?
Absolutely not.
Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, it is high time to kick out everyone from the management. Every single idiot. None of them is allowed to stay even for a moment. Everyone must go, immediately, right now.
Businessmen must be allowed to the club together with investors. NOT friends/neighbours/whatever, but professional ones whose past is open and available. Every single candiate who wants anything from the club (buying, investing, etc.) must be clear about their entire past, the origin of their money, what and how they want to do with the team, even the posters they used to have on their wall as teenagers. If any of them has just one single grey spot on their past, they must go and mustn't return.
No compromises.
Fans must get full service. You know, they are still the basic resource for the club's survival. There must be a full-service webshop where people can purchase even from abroad. Live streaming of preparational matches on the team's own official Youtube-channel. Multi-language infos must be at everywhere. (You know, as long as everything's available only in Serbian, with minimal English here and there, nobody will take us seriously in Europe.) And youth schools, to go on with it, with lots more resources, and NOT with mortgages.
And brutal, hyper-modern infrastructure to the stadium. Not just to the VIP-section, but also to the locker-rooms and corridors. So modern that makes even Real Madrid and Barcelona cry. Plus such an entrance system to the stadium gates that beeps whenever an idiot tries to cross it.
Until it gets real, the club's budget MUST be transparent. As long as the team makes their living from state donations, using tax payers' money, then it must be their first and foremost duty to give account on every single dinar to the public. All the incomes, all the expenditures, all the resources, may it be state or sponsor-owned. And independent auditors must control it all regularly.
Until it doesn't change, nobody should expect results. Neither on, nor off the field.

Ivan Šaponjić: sold out

Bravo, assholes. Well done. Sell out the whole team. Sell all strikers, midfielders, what is more, sell out the grass and the bench from under our bottoms. Sell the U6 players as well. Why not?...
The news was brought by blic.rs. After Lazović and Škuletić 17-year-old Ivan Šaponjić was also sold by Partizan. His new team is Anderlecht, the price was 1,2 million euros. Partizan had only one condition: the still underage player must play at least for 10 matches during the spring season wearing Partizan’s jersey before hitting the road to Belgium.
Congratulations. Nice job. You rotten, corrupted idiots, you are the perfect example of "haste makes waste". Chaos is at everywhere. Do you really want to win the title like this, that we have only one (1) striker, namely Kojić? Marko Nikolić makes no secret about being helpless, nobody asked his opinion from the team management. Yet the leadership will make a scapegoat of him, that’s no question. Nobody is willing to talk to the press, members of the management talk riddles only, that even the dirtiest politicians could learn from them. Do you know, you worms, what kind of an impact it will have on the players and team morals? I can already hear with my mind’s ears your hypocrite talk to the press as you claim, it is not the management’s job to score goals, it is the problem of the players and the trainer, right, dear Mr. Vučelić, may God strike a thunder into your head?!... And we all know, even a fish starts to rot from the head and who is behind it all. No, please, dear Mr. Tumbaković, don’t try to hide. You are the boss. You are responsible for it all, together with your ass-licker rats.
I wish you, all of you that all your dirt may come to surface, to the public. May you all get swept away once and for all by the rage of Partizan fans. And let’s have a new, professional team leadership with businessmen instead of noname idiots, vassals and liegemen. We MUST be a professional club, if we want to conquer Europe instead of waving all cup competitions from the distance.

Update: president Zoran Popović immediately denied the news to hotsport.rs. Yet it came to light that the club has so horrible debits that mortgage had to be put on the Teleoptik training field in Zemun as well as other debits towards the tax officers for 5 years (!!!) now. At least these were those the president mentioned and it is most probably only the top of the iceberg. Oh, and of course Popović is 100 % sure Partizan will win the title.

It's more than painful to say it, but after all these I don't want the team to win the title, because it would justify all the operations of this branch and they would continue destroying the remainings of the team. May they all end up in prison.

Petar Škuletić: case closed

I try to resume this whole story. The waves of shitstorm are so high that they have been flowing over the dams and faeces are getting as high as our knees.

The situation is, as follows: Petar Škuletić signed to Lokomotiv Moscow. The price Russians paid for him is 4 million euros. The striker has already left the team in Turkey and came back to Belgrade. They had a short press conference, he had a few hours left to pack up and he left in the evening to Moscow.
A few weeks ago French team Lille wanted to sign him. Everything looked fine, Škuletić went to France, took part at medical examinations. He was loved around, everything looked to be perfect. The French team offered 2 and a half million euros for him. Yet Partizan’s newly elected management said in the last minute that the Montenegrin striker was not for sale. It caused numerous new grey hair for Škuletić’s manager, the striker just said resigned to a sports site, the world would not collapse if he couldn’t sign to a foreign team, just he had financial problems and his bottom would be soon out from his pants.
A Chinese offer showed up as well, but Škuletić refused saying he’d not want to go to the Far East.

I can absolutely understand him.

Things seemed to calm down. Škuleitć travelled with the team to Turkey for spring preparations, the average fan was already thinking of the upcoming season with Škuletić and co. shooting goals, our name can be engraved into the championship cup in advance, thanks.
Then came the news out of the blue: Petar Škuletić signs to Lokomotiv Moscow, 10 days before the start of the season. Marko Nikolić made no secret about how embarrassing it was all for him. He added, he had and would have no voice in it.
Team leadership immediately started to wash their hands.
All that Dragan Ćirić could say was the following to mondo.rs:
- Well, see, I have no decision-making power here.

WTF?...

- It is very embarrassing - he added.
You get what I mean. FK Partizan’s sports director have no power to make decisions. Ćirić swore by all that is holy he knew nothing about Škuletić’s transfer.
Vučelić tried to explain things to mozzartsport.com:
- The club is in a very difficult financial situation. We indeed refused Lille’s offer about 2,3 million euros. There had been offers from China and Germany, even Sporting Lisboa seemed to be interested, but none of them was serous enough. The first really serious offer came from Lokomotiv, they were even willing to pay the price at once.
Reports talk about the management immediately having a meeting in Belgrade to discuss the fate of Škuletić. Finally they decided (9 "yes" against 3 "no") to sell the striker. Ljubiša Tumbaković allegedly left the meeting like an angry stormwind (he was one of those 3 members voting with "no"). Beside him Dragan Bjelogrlić and dr. Nele Karaljić were against the transfer.

Earlier Tumbaković said, too, he had no knowledge about this entire story about Škuletić, as he was with the team in Turkey for the whole time. When he got to know about it, he immediately travelled back to Belgrade for an urgent meeting of the board.

After all this the question rose: who is responsible for this all? Whose interest is this, to make the team this weak, selling the two best players, Škuletić and Lazović this very quickly, one and a half weeks before the start of the spring season? (And let’s not forget about Fofana being on loan.) Pantić was also successfully thrown out of the team. Who will score goals?
Vučelić gave a very mysterious answer to the "who is responsible"-question.
- The management, of course. - Then he added: - And the trainer.
The journalist surely made a shocked facial expression, because Vučelić gave this explanation:
- It is not the management’s job to score goals. It is high time for the trainer and the players to stop using the management as an alibi. Everyone knows who are to play football - he said.

I hope it is only paranoia talking from me, but why, why do I have the impression the new management wants to make a scapegoat of Marko Nikolić, that finally the trainer himself will leave the team?... Do you still remember of the last days of 2014, when the newly elected leadership instantly wanted to fire Nikolić - only the rage of fans kept them back from making this step.

Škuletić seems to be tired, worn out, fed up and can’t wait to get over this fuss.

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

- It was an offer you get once in a lifetime - he said during the day. - I said earlier to the team that I want to sign to a foreign club. The only thing I regret is that I couldn't win championship with Partizan. But I do believe my friends will win again the title.
He added, he is very glad with the offer of Lokomotiv and feels satisfied.
- I got a phone call early in the morning with the offer. I couldn't even say goodbye properly to the team, only to those few fellow players who were awake at that time.
Some say, this farewell was not this easy, Škuletić had an emotional, tearful leave from Partizan.

(You shouldn’t have said this. Now I will cry, too.)

The best part is yet to come.
Milorad Vučelić said to mondo.rs: what Ljubiša Tumbaković said earlier, that he knew nothing about the striker’s transfer, is false.
- We got the offer from Lokomotiv on Tuesday evening. We immediately had a conference call, including all board members. Everyone knew about it.
Journalists tried to confront the management with their own statements from earlier, namely they wouldn’t sell anyone from the team (yet they sold out the two strikers and Pantić with turbo speed). Milomir Gligorijević explained it as follows:
- We must never, we should never lie to our fans. We could never do such a thing.

Don’t laugh yet, here’s the best part.

- We would leave this club rather than descending to lie. But everyone must understand, the circumstances have changed in the meantime.
This was Gligorijević’s Nobel-prize winner explanation.

And if you’re still not crying and/or raging and want to burn down the house together with every dirty, corrupted, coward liar pigs, then watch this early morning video, because SOS Kanal could catch a very sleepy, very worn-out Petar Škuletić before he left Turkey, with Vulićević, his roommate saying him goodbye at the exit.

Petar,
Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your 21 goals, for being the most reliable member of the team. I hope you'll return to Belgrade one day. And thank you for being able to meet you.
Take care!

Transfer news

The football team signed Bulgarian defender Ivan Bandalovski. The 29-year-old player, who appeared 12 times so far in the Bulgarian national team is to substitute the injured Vulićević.

(photo: partizan.rs)

Bandalovski came to Partizan as a free agent (some rumours say he has been searching for a team for half a year). He signed a 1,5-year contract with the team.

***

As for the others: Danko Lazović left Partizan. He got an offer from China which he accepted. From the Turkey training camp he immediately travelled to Asia.
Danilo Pantić is also sold out. The young midfielder was bought by Chelsea, that immediately put Pantić on loan to Dutch team Vitesse. (Rumours speak about 900 000 euros, that was neither confirmed, nor confuted.)

***

The presidental armchair has not even got warm under the new leadership, but mud-throwing has been started. Milorad Vuličević made his harsh point of view public in mozzartsport.com claiming he did not understand why Marko Nikolić was so upset (the trainer made no secret - also to mozzartsport - about his disappointment after the preparational matches didn’t bring the desired result, to say the least), because the team leadership did not sell any player (sic!!!), what is more, according to the wishes of the head coach they refused to accept the almost 3 million euro offer of Lille for Škuletić as well as Anderlecht and their similarly rich request for Ćirković.

As a top of it all, Vuličević speaks harshly about Pantić, too. I’ll be honest now: I seriously don’t get why he thinks a 18-year-old kid can make a mature, serious decision in a situation that would test even an experienced, older player who has been to many foreign teams.

News from football fields and basketball grounds

Fofana might leave ul. Humska. News, that are not confirmed yet, talk about a Chinese football team that is interested in the Ivory Coast player. Rumours say, Fofana might get to them on loan, but if he is confident enough, Partizan might sell him.

I hope I’m not right, but this waste of such a talented player will strike back.

***

The new presidency has just been elected, but president Zoran Popović has already experienced disagreements with Ljubiša Tumbaković and Dragan Ćirić. The reason is Marko Nikolić, whether he stays or gets discharged. Newssite blic.rs says the Tumbaković-Ćirić duo is forcing to sign Ivan Tomić to Partizan’s bench, while the president stood up for Marko Nikolić. Some say, it is especially tragic because during the presidency election Marko Nikolić was lobbying for Tumbaković.

***

Milenko Tepić won’t be able to play tomorrow against Cedevita. Thank God his injury is not that serious, he really had just a brutal muscle spasm. Yet the problem is that there’s no substitue for him. Additionally, tomorrow’s match is crucial whether Partizan can qualify to the play-offs of Adriatic League.
Note: Partizan plays with Cedevita tomorrow at 17:00. SportKlub 1 broadcasts it live.

New Year news highlights

The football team's leadership has a new target, namely Mijat Gaćinović. It isn’t the first time Vojvodina’s player is tempted to come to Belgrade, but this time the presidency made a firm decision to get the young player. Some say, he is among the top targets the leadership wants to get during the winter break.
So far nobody confirmed the news.

***

The football team’s leadership confirmed Marko Nikolić would stay as Partizan’s head coach. They also confirmed Petar Škuletić got a "tempting offer" from Lille, but the leadership unanimously rejected the offer. They said, even though the team’s financial situation is more than difficult, they still prefer to build a strong basis for the team.

***

You can vote here at mozzartsport.com about the best moments of the year.

***

It very much seems so, Milenko Tepić got only a brutal cramp at the last training. It’s still a question whether he can play against Cedevita.

***

Mozzartsport.com published a list here and here about the basketball team’s highlights. The first list consists of photos only, the second includes videos

Last news-collection of the year

Marko Nikolić stays at Partizan.
So far it’s still unofficial, the news leaked out after today’s (Tuesday) team management meeting. The team leadership had an official press release, too, which is properly evasive and self-adulating. The main (hidden) point is that the management got scared of the possible fury and rage of Grave Diggers.

***

Still talking about Marko Nikolić: Novi Pazar filed a lawsuit against Partizan’s trainer for libel. Nikolić had a heated dispute with the referee of the match played at the beginning of December, then at the post-match press conference he said angrily: this weekend was the rock bottom of Serbian football, adding, it was not the first case such things had happened in Novi Pazar.
Redžep Korać, Novi Pazar’s secretary general said, Marko Nikolić "heated up religious and national arguments among people living in Serbia with his nationalistic words". He added: such words and actions are criminal acts upon the laws of Serbia, with the possible sentence of two to five years of imprisonment. Novi Pazar’s secretary general said, he hoped everyone would learn to take responsibility for their words and actions once and for all, even if this person in question is Partizan’s trainer.
It shows well the seriousness of the case that even deputy prime minister Rasim Ljajić had a word, questionning the efficiency of the police for still not finding the fan who hit Marko Nikolić on the head with a firecracker.

***

Milenko Tepić got injured on Partizan’s Tuesday training. There are no informations on the seriousness of his injury, how much pause he’ll need, if he needs any.
Saša Pavlović will be able to return at the match against Cedevita on 3rd January, if all goes well. But Edo Murić needs at least 2 more weeks for complications. We won’t be able to see him playing before 17th January.

***

Former Partizan basketball player Dejan Musli signed to Mega Leks.

Marko Nikolić discharged?

The news came out of the blue.
It was first mentioned by zurnal.rs, all other newssites took the news over, internet’s Partizan-fan section exploded. Dragan Ćirić doesn’t confirm, nor deny it, rumours speak about Ivan Tomić as Nikolić’s possible successor.
Fans demand the head of the freshly elected presidency. Some of them dissociated themselves when the new leadership members were announced, even suspecting political forces in the background. I can’t confirm, nor deny this suspection (very well, I took over this expression from Ćirić, it seems, I’m not proud of it...), I still find this shit-stirring and secrecy around Nikolić revolting. Even the idea behind it is crazy, Nikolić is a successful trainer, the team could qualify to the Europa League group stage with his help. He demonstrated his skills countless times, players like and respect him, we are the champions of the autumn season, what else do they need? Who dislikes him among the members of the new leadership? Or whose family member/friend/neighbour/etc. is this Tomić that now he must be sat on the bench, after the new presidency started to work?
The leadership will have a meeting tomorrow, until then nobody wants to speak.
And a message to Biljana Obradović: a PR-manager does not speak like this.