Changing the strategy for the survival of clubs

The coronavirus epidemic, the interruption of competitions and training, as well as the rather uncertain future, will put all sports teams in great trials when it comes to the way of further functioning, according to the director of the current Montenegrin football champion, Sutjeska, Nikola Jovović.

Domestic football teams, many of which were barely making ends meet, now face potentially big problems.

- Clubs that are dominantly on the budget of the Municipality, and such is the case with Sutjeska, will face difficulties, because the crisis will affect all economic spheres, it has already affected many, it is inevitable that it will also affect sports, in this case football - he believes Jovovich.

However, it is equally difficult for those clubs that do not depend so much on money from local self-governments, as on the private sector, sponsors, and even those that have so far managed to operate on the market, through the sale of football players.

- Something unforeseen happened, which disrupted everything, and I don't think there is a club, at least not in Montenegro, that will not feel the consequences. A crisis is coming and crisis measures must be considered, and this also implies a review of the further strategy of running clubs. Something will definitely have to change.

How the crisis will affect in the short term, Jovović describes on the example of Sutjeska:

- We have a closed budget for this competitive season, until the end of May, but if the league continues, and therefore extends by two months, that already requires large additional funds. Especially for us, who have 25 footballers with professional contracts, and we pay about 200 euros to the state annually through the players' salary tax.

Last season, the people of Nikšić advanced to the second round of the Champions League and received over one million euros from the UEFA prize fund.

- This made it easier for us to function and to a great extent helped us to close the budget, but also made it easier for the Municipality, even though a lot of funds were spent on travel, organization of matches, premiums... If it were not for those funds, it would be even more difficult for us now - adds Jovović.

The long-term consequences cannot yet be predicted...

- Many things are undefined, primarily because it is not known how long the epidemic will last, when and if the competitions will continue at all. What will happen to the transfer window, the players whose contracts expire in June, and what will happen to the footballers on the sidelines, whether European matches will be played - there are many questions that no one can answer and that is what makes the situation the most difficult - he points out. director of Nikšićan.

Sutjeska is second in the table, has 11 points less than the leading Buducnica, but is counting on placement in Europe, at least in the qualifications for LE - therefore, and new funds from UEFA. The question, however, is when those games will be played...

- At this moment, it is hard to even imagine that the borders will soon be able to open. Without funding from UEFA, an additional, major problem would arise.

However, Sutjeska is as ready as she can be to meet the crisis, explains Jovović.

- The time is coming when all clubs will have to turn much more to players from their own school. There will be no more money to bring in players from the sidelines, to pay for their contracts, accommodation... Everyone will have to behave more rationally. I'm glad that in most games this season we had seven, eight, or even nine local players in the team, not only Montenegrins, but those born in Nikšić. This is the path that should and must be followed - concludes Jovović.

We expected praise and support, not ban

Tomorrow, the National Coordination Body and the Institute for Public Health of Montenegro could make a decision on the continuation of collective training of sports teams.

Director of Sutjeska Nikola Jovović believes that some things could have already been done...

- This is not a criticism, on the contrary, we appreciate everything that the health services have done in Montenegro to suppress the pandemic, but when it comes to sports and training, I think that a lot of time has been lost. We, for example, have three courts, we proposed that only two players train at a time on those three courts, far from each other. In three or four different times, the whole team was able to train, respecting all possible measures - from independent arrival and departure, arranging the equipment... We expected praise and support for that, not a ban. I say this because, for example, the players individually go to train in Trebjesa, and there they meet 500 people - notes Jovović.