Former Partizan ace Đorđe Tomić, in an interview with MONDO, reflected on the stormy days of the black and white team and the changes on the bench – the departure of one of his former teammates and the arrival of another.
Former Partizan ace Đorđe Tomic like all partisans, he has a hard time experiencing the turbulence in Humska, bad results, departures and arrivals of coaches he knows very well, because he played with both of them in different episodes. With Gordan Petrić met at the beginning of the nineties when they were starting their careers, and Igor Duljaj he welcomed in the first team as one of the leaders of the championship team.
Before the 169th eternal derby, the former representative of FR Yugoslavia commented for MONDO on the change of coach and the chances of the black and whites at the “Rajko Mitić” stadium.
“First of all, I see what is obvious – that it is a difficult situation. I also feel sorry for Gordan and he was shaken by everything that happened. With his arrival last summer, the team started well, played well and looked good. They also played big games in the Conference League, after all, Cologne and Nice are not just anybody, and in the match against Zvezda Partizan was closer to victory. I’m sorry that everything happened like this in 10 days after Moldova. That away victory did not foreshadow all of this. I’m also sorry of the club and Gordan, we played together, we know each other. Of course, I feel sorry for the players as well, they lost confidence, you can see it in the last two games. The situation in the club is constantly difficult and they really struggle and suffer. I repeat – I’m sorry “, Tomic said.
Although Gordan Petrić does not give the impression of a person who loses control over his words, gestures and thoughts under emotions, Tomić has known him for decades and is sure that the situation shook him. Although it was not visible from the outside even when he was leaving.
“It is very difficult, being the coach of Partizan is a very difficult job, especially when you love the club and especially feel the responsibility when you played in it, when you grew up there… He knew what he was getting into this summer, he wanted to help because it was also difficult when he was coming in. He is a calm, composed, honest, very good and honorable guy. He kept all that inside for a long time and of course it shook him. He also saw the difficult situation in the club and that the team is in a difficult moment, but simply this defeat obviously completely disturbed the players and it must have been very difficult for him.”
As with Petrić, Tomić was also a teammate of Igor Duljaj in Humska in the 1990s. While the black and white “ten” was on the back of our interlocutor, the “kid from Topola” was starting a great career and didn’t wait long for his chance. As Tomić remembers, Duljaj did not “join” the team, but took his place practically immediately, as soon as he appeared among the seniors.
“He was a reserve for a short time, he immediately became a regular. Of course I remember him and I remember every match with him and every child who entered at that age. Duljaj, Aca Vuković, Mateja Kežman, Goran Arnaut… It was there.” aždaja’, I remember one derby against Zvezda, in which they had Mile Aćimović, Miodrag Pantelić and Cunet Gojković, who was a terrible player. Duljaj played there, took over Gojković, stopped him and showed that he will be a miracle. We won 2 :0. Duljaj was a better player than many think or remember. After all, he and Albert Nađ played together in 2003, when we entered the Champions League, and along with Jokanović and Brnović, I put the two of them among the few best players in that position. He also “ate” the Swiss in the national team jersey. Of course, if he wasn’t what he was, he wouldn’t be in Shakhtar and leave such a deep mark.”
How much can coach Igor Duljaj do during the three-day preparation for the first “eternal” derby. How does the locker room react to such drastic moves in bad weather and does shock therapy even exist?
“Duljaj is dedicated, he loves football and is serious about coaching. He is a real Partizan, he is honest and I believe in him. We wish him all the best and God willing we win, we would all be happy if he started the derby with a triumph. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have time at all and can only talk to try to do something, to shake them up before the match, to “attack” them.… Playing in Partizan is always an honor, and the eternal derby is something special, surely it can lift them up a bit. The same applies in life and in football – when you think it’s the hardest, everything can turn around. The players have quality and nothing to lose. Zvezda has that big point advantage, and Partizan is in such a situation that nothing can be won this season and that’s what it is. However, he can win a lot in the derby. If they believe, if they go to the match with faith in victory and if they were able to play like that against Nice and beat Cologne, why couldn’t they also do Zvezda at ‘Maracana’? We hope to win, but it won’t be easy. Of course, if one match can change things, then it’s that match – the derby,” Tomić said.
“HONOR TO JAJA, BUT TIME IS FOR VIDIC”
Along with the “eternal derby”, the March presidential elections in the Football Association of Serbia are also a major topic among football fans. Đorđe Tomić raises his voice for Nemanja Vidić, with respect for Dragan Džajić.
“I think Džaja is a legend, he can also be an honorary president, but I think it’s time for a new generation to step up – Nemanja Vidić, Danko Lazović, Milan Lane Jovanović… I think it’s time for Nemanja’s team. Everyone has a very good opinion about him, he is a character, a fighter and my support goes to him, and Džaja is of course a legend and Serbia should not be divided. I don’t think it should even come to this and to voting in general, but it would be nice if the younger forces take over. Some big players have already missed it, but I think it would be nice if new energy came now,” Tomić told MONDO.