2009 SU Update: Final Preparations in Ivanjica

The head coach of the Serbian national football team, Branko Vukasinovic, chose 23 football players who started preparations for the Universiade, yesterday, in Ivanjica. The Universiade football tournament begins on June 30th.
The following football players are presently in Ivanjca: goal keepers – Branislav Danilovic (Rad), Budimir Janosevic (Cukaricki-Stankom), Nikola Nakic (Radnicki, Nis); defense players: Sinisa Stevanovic, Milos Karisik, Nenad Adamovic (Teleoptik), Branislav Trajkovic (Hajduk-Kula), Milan Mitrovic, Nemanja Zlatkovic (Zemun), Novica Milenovic (OFK Beograd), Branislav Milosevic (BSK, Borca), Nemanja Milunovic (Mladost- Lucani); centre midfielders – Dragomir Vukobratovic, Branislav Kostic (Indjija), Miloš Janicijevic (Sloga – Kraljevo), Slobodan Simovic (Novi Sad), Zoran Milovac (OFK Beograd), Milan Jeremic (Zemun), Zarko Karamatic (Banat), forward players: Nenad Marinkovic (Teleoptik), Vojo Ubiparip (Spartak Zlatibor Voda), Milos Zivanovic (Hajduk, Kula), and Nenad Sreckovic (Srem, Sremska Mitrovica). Beside the head coach Vukasinovic, the expert staff consists of: Goran Milosevic, Oliver Kovacevic (goalkeepers’ coach), Dejan Suzovic (personal trainer), Rade Jagodic (physician), Nenad Cvetkovic and Nemanja Božić (physiotherapists), Igor Gacic (team manager), Nemanja Nikolic (business manager).

‘This is the extended list of the national team players. Only 20 of them will enter the Universiade Village’, head coach Branislav Vukasinovic said. ‘We have been training for the last two months. The only thing left now is fine tuning.’

This is the first time in 22 years that Serbian football players are taking part in the Universiade.
‘These boys were born in 1988, so they remember star football players such as Piksi and Katanec, who were once members of the Serbian Universiade national team. The most important thing is that players are not feeling any pressure. Only good vibes are present in the team. The reason for that is good results achieved by the A team, the young team and the cadets that I coach. We have the obligation to show Serbian football at its best. After we got together and after the match with “Rad”, it is evident that these boys are looking forward to playing; they are highly motivated and want nothing better than to win.’ Coach Vukasinovic expects full stands and support from the fans during the Universiade. ‘I am sure that our supporters will come to Universiade football matches and root for all teams; exceptional football is expected in Belgrade in the coming weeks’, Branko Vukasinovic concluded.

The first football match of the Serbian team is on June 30th against the University team from Ghana. Two days later, they are to play against Mexico and on July 4th against Great Britain, the last match in the group.

Members of the Serbian Universiade football team