The past and the future of the Serbian handball can be seen on the ranking lists of the oldest and youngest players in the strongest league in the world, the german bundesliga. There are two Djordjic's there. The oldest Zoran(42), the legendary goalkeeper of many clubs, but also most remembered for his contribution in the penalty shootout of the historical playoff final between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda in 1993, which brought the black-whites their first title in history, and the young Petar (17.9.1990), the third youngest player in the bundesliga in 2008/2009 season. His plays are getting better and better, first playing last season for Wetzlar with 17 and a half years, and this season he confirmed his qualities, playing some good games including against teams like Kiel and Lemgo. Unlike his father, the young Petar plays on the position 'left back'(196 cm).
Hi Petar, what's new in Wetzlar?
– Well, we're training, nothing special. We live in a village in between Gissen and Wetzlar, 5 kms afar from each. We're between two cities. It's nothing big, but it's not bad.
Tell us a little about your club. You're currently 14th in the league, and you're not getting relegated. Wetzlar is a team that is in the Bundesliga for a very long time, but no big successes…
– We're in the bundesliga for 10 years. Last, and this year too, we've been fighting against relegation. That was the only goal. Now we have a solid team, and we'll see how it goes in future. We always have 4000, 4500 fans during our games. Our fans are great. It's nice to play here.
Wetzlar somehow became a serbian colony? After Djordjic, during the season also arrived Krasavac and Stanojevic.
– There were always Serbs here, just less than right now. It seems like the president of the club loves us. Nebojsa Golic played here for many years, then Radoncic, and it seems that they left a good impression. Now here are Krasavac, Stanojevic, my dad and I.
You're third on the list of the youngest playeres for this season, while your dad is the second oldest…
– I don't think of that during trainings or a game. If you think on that considering that every game you play against stars, it would be no good. It's important that you believe in yourself, have respect, and not bother yourself with names. I play my own handball and I try to do the best I can. My dream was that I play in the bundesliga, and that dream is now happening…
You are given positive feedbacks from the german media too…
– The chances I got, I used. I played some very good games. I'm young, and the media follows everything here. I had good games against Lemgo (3 goals), Kiel (3 goals) and Goppingen(4 goals). When I enter and I feel the game, and then score my first goal, then its much easier. It's very important that the coach believes in me also, so that I can play with my 18 years evenly with the others.
Father and a son in the same bundesliga team is the first case in history of the bundesliga…
– My father is healing his knee injury. He has bad luck with the injuries this year, but I hope that he gets better soon and be our goalkeeper in future.
You were on the list of the cadets generation born early 90s, but you were not on the European championship for cadets last summer. What were the reasons?
– I talked with the coach Ivic before the EC for juniors. They wanted me to play for the juniors then. Before that I was on preparations with the cadets in Goca. I was supposed to play against the germans then, but in agreement with the coach, I decided to rest as I had a very tough season. Later, when I got calls, I was injured and I also had things to do with Wetzlar. Last summer I was supposed to play on the EC for juniors. A day before the preparations, I was told i was moved to the cadets squad. Honestly, I'm a bit dissappointed. I was told that a day before the preparations. I didnt play for the cadets EC, because I told Wetzlar when I'm coming and leaving, and I couldn't change the club plan. As a young player, and I didn't want to do that and leave a bad impression, to come before the start of the season, and endanger the whole season.
What do you think about the future? We heard that the Germans want you to play for them?
– It's true. The germans follow handball very much, and after every good game, I get question from the journalists, will I play for Germany? I've been thinking alot on that, but I want to say that in future I don't want to play for Germany, but for my own country. Now the question is, how do people in Serbia think? I'm not going to offer myself to anybody. I won't do that ever. My wish always was that I play for Serbia. But it happened so that I don't play a single game so far, but what future brings, we'll see…
Although without great success on the EC, your generation the '90s' is spoken of as one of the most perspective, as the future of serbian handball?
– Well, yeah. I was with the guys on preparations in Goc. I know the guys, Drasko Nenadic, Sava Mester and the others. They are my good friends, and when I go to Serbia, we always see each other. I think that the generation can do a lot, although they finished 10th on the EC. I hope for better results in future…
