Hadžibegić summed up his impressions: We created an atmosphere of trust

A year and a day ago, in November 2019, Faruk Hadžibegić had to "justify" a 7:0 defeat against England in London.

Twelve months later, in November 2020, the mood is brighter - Stevan Jovetić and company won group 4 C of the League of Nations with a convincing victory against Cyprus (0:1), they qualified for League B, and they are going to the winter representative break in a much better mood.

There is, of course, a "light year" between the quality of England and Cyprus, and Montenegro will try to position itself somewhere in between.

- London is still burning me - said Hadžibegić with a smile, at the press briefing the morning after his most convincing victory on the Montenegrin bench.

- If we look at the situation before London and in London, I think we did a lot of good things to get to the current mood. It was most important to me that we return from that shaken situation to an atmosphere of trust between us. For me, it is the biggest victory, if you can talk about victory. The relationship between the players and me, between them, in training and in matches, is the way I like it, open - that we can tell each other everything we think, and that we know that we have a common project. It seems to me that we are on the right track, although not everything looks the way I would like and the way I want - said Hadžibegić.

The overall impression that his selection left in the C League of Nations is positive, and a good game and a convincing victory against Cyprus in the decisive match "erased" some weaker or weak editions from previous duels, when on several occasions the result was better than the game .

- We will not always be able to win 4:0, although some think it is easy because the rival was Cyprus. No more easy opponents. Look at the national team from the surrounding area and how they are doing. Serbia has an exceptional team, but they got into a difficult situation. Neither BiH nor Croatia is doing very well in the League of Nations. We have to find our place. A 4-0 win is a nice thing, we played well, everything is fine, but we have to fix a lot of things to make everything right. I want us to create a cult of victory - we can lose to a better one and we have to accept it, and we can also beat them, but we don't have to think that we are really better. We want victory to be something that is normal, to have that mentality. I learn from those who have achieved results - said Hadžibegić.

Next comes the draw for the World Cup qualifiers (December 7), Montenegro is waiting for him from the 4th hat. It is clear that it will be hellishly difficult qualifications, which will be played from March to November next year, where only one national team will go directly to the World Cup, and the second-placed team will go to the playoffs, in which they will have to pass two more "filters".

Alternatively, in the event that some things coincide in the qualifications, related to the results of other selections, Montenegro could additionally valorize the first place in Group 1 C of the League of Nations and qualify for the playoffs for the World Cup, to try to find a way to found North Macedonia, albeit through easier "channels".

- I would like us to go to the European Championship as North Macedonia. But, Montenegro has produced many great athletes, maybe we should see what we can fix in our house, before looking at what the neighbors are doing. Maybe we don't have the conditions, quality and luck to go to a big competition. However, as far as the Macedonians are concerned, that should be a motive for us to say more - when they succeeded, what we couldn't do either.

One good game, one convincing victory, should not obscure other problems, and some are evident - the young national team, for example, which should be the largest base of future senior national team players, finished last in the qualifying group.

- Miki Vukotić (youth coach) and I are part of the Association's program, and the problems are more or less the same. Not all players have a lot of playing time in clubs and that is why we have oscillations in the game. The agreement is that as soon as the opportunity arises, we will transfer someone from the youth selection to the A selection. It's easier when you have a result to use all that. I think that there is a greater obligation here in the A selection than in the youth team. As I expand the list to players from the domestic league, we will see what can be taken from the young national team, but there is a big difference in quality, competition - concluded Hadžibegić.

I am proud to be the selector of CG, I would like to continue together

Faruk Hadžibegić's contract with FSCG expires on December 31 - he wants to continue.

- I think the logic is to continue together, and if we don't continue, we will drink brandy as friends. For the first time, actually, I have a friend as president, but it is clear that this is work, not friendship - said Hadžibegić.

He led Montenegro with a lot of emotions, he emphasized...

- I do not forget that I am Bosnian, but I am extremely proud to be the coach of Montenegro and I am XNUMX percent committed to it. And, even though I am Bosnian, if we were to play against Bosnia and Herzegovina, if I could, I would give them five pieces - said Hadžibegić.