End of October, break in CL and national competitions, and
start of action in national teams, its right time for talk with Portland's and
Serbian line player, Ratko Nikolic. Time for talk with Nikolic were never
enough, cause we are months away from June success in qualification in Nis and
very close to start of EC qualification and WC in Croatia, and of course on the
middle of club season, where Porland wantto achieve their goals.
Ratko, hello! You have a good start in ASOBAL this year.
Seven rounds without defeat, just two tied (Logrono and Leon).
– We started very well in ASOBAL, but we had a lot of
problems with injuries up to six players. That tempo, wednesday-saturday, non-stop
traveling, made that, I have to say, bad day against Logrono. We almost lost,
but all of us gave maximum and took that happy point.
Portland"s ambitions are always the same. But team had a lot of changes in comparation
with last season (Baic leaves, Saric, Nikcevic came). Is Pamplona stronger or
weaker than season before?
– We got a lot with a new players, with Nikcevic and Saric of
course, but we lost one Ivano Balic. Its not important, if he is playing or
not. Balic is Balic. Personaly, i miss him a lot, cause we know eachother and
had very good cooperation. With him on the court is totally different story.
But, what we have to do? Team is good and I hope that we can win something this
year.
Nikcevic is injured, Saric is constant at the goal….
– Nikcevic has injury of lateral knee ligament, but now is
ok and ready, what is very good news, especially for Serbian national team. In
case of Danijel, he is sharing time on goal with Svenson and doing that very
well.
In CL you already lost two games (Chehov, Koper). Now, you
don't have chances for any mistake, if you want to qualify for the second
round.
– Now, we missed to win in Koper, but for us was more important
match against Granollers in ASOBAL. In
Pamplona coming Koper and Russians, we are going to Romania, so I think, that
wouldn't be problem for us. We lost in Russia 8 goals, but we had a lot of
problems, firstly with VISA (three of us got VISA a day before the match), then we traveled whole
night, came to Russia early in the
morning and same afternoon had to play. It would better not to go in that
circumstances. But, we still have three game more and I am optimist that we
will win all.
You played with Chehov in Russia less than 48 hours after
the game against Logrono. In that circumstances, do player know, where he is,
in which time zone, part of planet, or….
– That is horrible, particularly cause we had a lot of
injured player. In one moment, there was just nine players in the team, so we
strengthed our squad with one younger player (18 years old). We played in Tuesday evening, then traveled all day long and had another match. This
is really cruel. It is impossible to avoid injuries, and you have to have two
good players in every position, to keep on track with tempo and form. When you can have a break, all of us going to
actions of national teams. I am only one
who played 60 minute, because Perez injury. Coach saving me a little bit in
defence, because that rhythm totally pump out player, so in one moment I wished
to say – People, I can't anymore. I want to go home". This is catastrophe. We
are most tired from the trips…
When we speaking about favorites for winning of CL, we need to
mention Kiel and Ciudad Real. Do you have some other favorites?
– There are Ciudad Real, Kiel, Barca and Zagreb. Zagreb will
make a mess for a many of big teams.
When we are talking about Zagreb, do you reading this novel
about Ivano injury? Some of the Zagreb directors complain that Portland and
Balic's manager knew that Ivano has that serious injury and now, Portland want
to prosecute Zagreb because of ruin honour of the club.
– I heard they sad that Portland knew for the injury.
Really, I didn't know for that. I was constantly here with Ivano, and nobody
didn't know for that problem. He past all the medical tests. I think he was ok
here. That is something what happened after…
Something more about favorites…
– Don't forget us. We are favorites from the shadow (J). It is not smart to
make joke with us. This is best position for Portland. Nobody counting us
seriously fot the title. When we were favorites, we always do nothing. From
that side, this is better. When we become complete, everythni can happen.
We already know that Danijel Šarić and you are very good
friends. Before the june, there were that story about him and national team,
but he refused to come back to national team. You know situation very well. Do
you think that is final decision?
– Sincerely, I don't want
to talk about that, but it is not final decision and you will see that very
quick.
Your comment about the qualification group for Austria 2010
(Russia, BiH, Italy, Swiss and Faroe Island).
– This games (Faroe and Italy) will serve like a warm up for
the WC in Croatia. Russians and we are favorites, but don't forget, there are
Bosnians and Swiss too. It will be very interesting to compete in this model of
qualifications.
that Serbia will play in second round of World championships, even if we know
that rivals are very good and on the same level as we (Danmark, Norway, Egypt).
– I am standing behind my words. We cant promise final or
semifinal. This team of Serbia will give maximum and big success could be to
entry second round. It will be very tough. Serbia has one good generation, I
believe in that guys and me, that we might be a surprise of the WC 2009.
How big is motivation to play for national team after happy
end in Nis (win against Czech Republic) and totally mad celebration after that?
– I past a lot of things in my carrier. I played for
Yugoslavia and also Serbia and Montenegro. I a big patriot, love Serbia and
like to come on every action of national team. About Nis, I need to say that my
born place is Bukovik, near Arandjelovac. Then, Arandjelovac is my city and Nis
is on the third place in my heart. This summer, I was in one city in south
Serbia in family visit, but I need to visit Nis, just for one hour, just to
drink a coffe. How big is love of that people for handball. They helped us a
lot. Without them, that crowd, probably, today we couldn't talk about Croatia
and WC.
That is Balkan way of sports understandings, very warm. Two weeks
ago, we spoke with Steiner Ege, goalkepper of Norway and he didn't know in
which group is his country at WC.
– Oh, many of them, don't know. Kieling for example. Relax, they have time. They will learn… .
Ž.B
Translation : S.O.S
ALSO IN ENGLISH
BERTRAND GILLE FOR BALKAN-HANDBALL.COM: "ALWAYS WANT TO WIN"!
