On one hand, a man who lives for victories, for whom football is an emotion, and loyalty to the club is stronger than anything... On the other, a city that carries all of that within itself. And, when they are together, even the impossible becomes possible.
Rijeka and "Rujevica" are reminiscent of South America these days, the Kvarner Bay celebrates the title, but also the Montenegrin expert Radomir Đalović... It is difficult for anyone to convey and describe the pictures from this city, the story of Rijeka and Đalović with more emotion than Danijela Vukušić, a journalist who started at Radio Rijeka, then was part of the editorial staff of Sportske novosti, 24 sata and Nacional, and now writes for Rijeka's Novi list. When Đalović is mentioned, the words start flowing...
- I'm extremely subjective here and I would probably exaggerate with the superlatives, although it's hard to exaggerate now. It's been almost 20 years since he came to Rijeka and there's a 10-year age difference between us, but because of his nature, his character and similarities, it was immediately like "you" from the beginning, and after that it started with "where are you, brother". And it's remained that way to this day - Vukušić began his story for "Vijesti".
How does Rijeka perceive the man who brought it its second title in history?
- As someone who says what he thinks, does what he says, sometimes it's better, sometimes worse, but he became a legend as a player - the way he is and how he played for every club, it can't be any other way. Well, his sprints after goals are legendary, not just the goals - recalled Vukušić.
There were almost no trophies without Montenegrins.
Đalović's title will be remembered, but in Kvarner they remember the Montenegrin's gestures from some difficult times as well.
- He played for us twice, the second time he came we were broke for months, but he was always the first to stand in front of the team, he never ran away from the microphone or any responsibility and he simply carries emotion. And I really mean it - it's human - says Vukušić and reminds us of the now legendary banner:
- They interpreted all of this in Rijeka, and that's why they raised that banner that speaks of his humanity and the fact that he's from Montenegro. But a man is a man no matter where he's from, and the connection between Rijeka and Montenegro dates back a long time. Đale doesn't fake it when it comes to his love for Rijeka, and this city loves him sincerely. I've yet to do a story with him about this success, but I'd like to put on the cover: Thank you, brother. And that's it.
The connection between Rijeka and Montenegro was mentioned, and Vukušić remembers them all - from the unforgettable seventies when he witnessed history as a boy, through Rada i Marko Vešović, all the way to Đalovići.
- I was born in 1972 and I remember when my father started taking me to Kantrida - I remember them all, Dragutin Spasojevic, Miodrag Kustudić, and so on. And indeed there were almost no trophies without Montenegrins. Club President Damir Miskovic invited the entire generation that won the first Cup a few years ago, and my great friend Milan Krlja Radovic (also a legend of Rijeka) called me and pointed to a gentleman with a mustache. It was Kule, Kustudić, the “flying fortress”... Before that I had done interviews with Franco Bekenbauer, Dungom, Željko Obradović, but I only got an autograph from him. The man I used to cheer for when I was five years old.
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Vešović same emotion as Đalović
The second title was signed by Đalović, and the first from 2017 by Marko Vešović.
- We also remember Rade Vešović, and his son Marko has become a legend of the club. It's the same emotion as Đale - how they behave is how they do it. You have to be a bit of a thug, no team from the Balkans has done anything without having thugs. There is that connection with Montenegro, it's obviously a similar mentality, people feel nice here - Vukušić was illustrative.
The interviewee for "Vijesti" returned once again to Đalović and the beginning of the season when he first got the opportunity to lead a team independently.
- It's not that we didn't have doubts, there was also criticism after the defeat, he received five pieces from Olimpija... I noticed that he closed in on himself a little, because he worked for 20 hours with his associates. He believed and worked and created a team that is his image and likeness, the way he wants. He won the title, maybe a double crown will come, and even if he says tomorrow that he is going to Saturn and never coming back, it will remain written in golden letters. Both him and Marko and everyone else from Montenegro.
I can't do that to Rijeka.
There are many examples that Đalović has shown, among other things, why the aforementioned banner about his humanity was created, and one happened when he was the only one from the coaching staff. Sergej Jakirović refused to move to Dinamo Zagreb.
- It was five or six hours of severe confusion, and he was the first to answer my call. I thought everyone was going and wished him luck, and he replied: "I'm not going, I can't do that to Rijeka". He already bought everything back then, and only now - with a team that wasn't created to win anything, but everything that could be sold was sold because of some things that have been going on since the corona.
For the man from Bijelo Polje, the most important thing was to have the trust of the club president.
- First of all, this is Mišković's work, because he is the man who gave Đalović a chance. But Rijeka's game is Đalović's work - it may not be the most attractive, but maybe it would be if there were more better players - Vukušić specified.
Dinamo has Petković, Hajduk has Rakitic and Livaj, and the champion is Đalova Rijeka...
Rijeka became the champion in what was probably the most exciting Croatian championship ever - the club from Rujevica also suffered unexpected defeats, as did Dinamo and Hajduk. Does this speak to the quality of the league or perhaps that it is lacking?
- Dinamo is going through a period of change and certainly not at its previous level, while Hajduk has been in limbo for 20 years, unable to combine the overwhelming emotions and the model of club management. The league is more interesting, and we will see if it is weaker in European competitions - believes Vukušić and recalls another statement by Đalović:
- All of this is perhaps best described by his sentence, which has already become a legend: “And what if we win? Who asks you?” After all, he plays for Dinamo. Bruno Petkovic who scored a goal against Brazil, for Hajduk Marko Livaja i Ivan Rakitić, and the champion is Đalović's Rijeka. What is certainly clear is that the smaller clubs have made a breakthrough and have "stolen" points from the teams that were fighting for the title.
When it's unexpected and shocking, emotions hold you back for a long time.
Can a parallel be drawn between Rijeka's first and second titles?
- The first time is always the first time, and no one expected this - after the 5:0 in Ljubljana (elimination from the Conference League at the beginning of Đalović's term) we said that we would fight for survival. I saw the emotions both times and I don't make a big difference between the first and this title, but when everything is this unexpected and shocking, emotions hold you for a long time, the tears come on their own - concluded Vukušić.
Đalović and Rijeka will try to put an end to an unforgettable season today by winning the double crown - in the second match of the Cup final (the first 1:1), the "whites" will welcome Slaven Belupo at 19 pm, the same team against whom they celebrated the title on Sunday.
Bonus video:
