Zoran Batrović is someone who knew too much about football to be "nailed" to the right touchline throughout his career playing as a full-back - this was at a time when defenders were generally only required to close the approaches to their own goal.
Batrović, however, knew how to break out of the mold. In the early years of his career, he was so dangerous at right back and such a good scorer that it wasn't long before he started playing on the wing.
As a winger, and today that would be a modern winger, he had a great career and did what he loved - he lived life off the field, he never hid it, and he was a real fire on the field.
- That was my rhythm of life - I loved to have fun and play football. I'm one of those who wouldn't be such a good player if he lived like a rough professional. I'm sure of that - says Batrović at the beginning of the interview for "Vijesti".
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Batrović is a Pristina legend, and is still loved and respected by older Partizan fans today, but the 67-year-old ace notes where he played his best football:
- I am a legend of Buducnost, I played the best matches of my career in the blue jersey. I left my mark in Pristina and Partizan, that is talked about more simply because I was appreciated more elsewhere by someone in "their own house" - Batrović notes that, nevertheless, Buducnost is something special for him.
However, the path to the Podgorica club was not easy. Batrović arrived at Budućnost as a Zeta youth player for a trial, but did not pass, only to play his first match in his senior career in the Sutjeska jersey. He was hampered by injury, was loaned to Bokelj, and spent the term that opened everything for him in Bijelo Polje, with Jedinstvo in the Second League of Yugoslavia.
- I must also mention Jedinstvo as an important moment in my career. That's where I gained recognition and in a way broke the ice at a time when a defender was not allowed to cross the center. I became the first defender who started going directly into attack - recalls Batrović, who scored 36 goals in the Buducnost jersey, 39 in Pristina, and 12 in Partizan.
And a roundabout way followed, a return to the capital, where he played from 1979 to 1984.
- In Buducnost, my coaches were Dragutin Spasojevic i Đorđe Gerum, approximately one half-season and Milutin Miso Folic. How do I remember it? I think we all remember the period in Buducnost for the fantastic matches at the stadium under Gorica. We could have beaten anyone there, and they know well how Red Star, Partizan, Dinamo, Hajduk fared...
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Titograd was painted blue.
- The audience came to the stadium because they loved Buducnost, and we played with our hearts for Buducnost. Nobody thought about money back then. We didn't worry, we didn't choose matches, we didn't just wait for someone from the big four to come. We fought for Buducnost, that's why the stadium was full. That's why it's empty now - says Batrović.
He admits that he never really felt like leaving the Future:
- I wanted to stay and I would have stayed if I had asked. I had a conversation with the club's leaders at the time, asked them to fulfill the promise they made to me because they said I would get an apartment, then I was ready to sign a new contract. It turned out that I was blackmailing the club, we parted ways.
Batrović has his favorites among his teammates while he was at Buducnost:
- I liked playing with him the most. Petar Cac Ljumović"He was a phenomenal midfielder, with a very precise long ball, and I was fast. We scored a lot of goals by me going behind the defense, and Caco sending me the right pass at the right time," says Batrović.
He also profited from Mojaš Radonjić...
- Goalkeeper Momo Vujacic He shot the ball, Mojaš headed it to me - it was half a goal. Buducnost had great masters, individuals, players who could win the match on their own, but who also functioned very well as a team.
When asked what his favorite match was from his time at Buducnost, Batrović responded like a cannon:
- Well, I'm the only Buducnost player who scored three goals against Hajduk Split. We crushed them in the Cup and celebrated 4:0, and just three days earlier they beat us 4:1 in Split, and that's when I said we'd get our revenge with interest.
He was a bohemian off the field and a master on it, and if he were born again - he would sign anything to be the same.
- Everything I wanted - I fulfilled - concluded Batrović, who also wore the Deportivo La Coruña jersey and made one appearance for the Yugoslav national team.
Dejo was faster with the ball than without it.
Zoran Batrović didn't think much when he dictated the ideal team for Buducnost.
Among the goalposts is Dragoje Leković.
- A great goalkeeper, standard, stable in every sense, "Chilean" - says Batrović.
The defense is full of aces from all generations:
- Milutin Mišo Folić is at right back. I don't remember him as a player, but everything I've heard about him is the best possible. As soon as he got into the Hajduk jersey, there's nothing to argue about.
The left back is Dragoljub Brnović:
- He played for Buducnost and Partizan, and the national team. He was unstoppable, he played football in both directions and with both feet.
The midfielders are Vojislav Vukčević and Niša Saveljić:
- Vojo was unbeatable in his jumping game, I think he was the best in the league in that regard. There is an anecdote that he told himself. It went like this: "I jump, look at the scoreboard and see the 93rd minute, and I slam the ball into the net". He managed to do all of that while flying through the air - says Batrović with a smile.
- Niša has had a serious career, he has always been a great fighter, he never spared himself.
There must be a place for favorite teammate, Petar Caca Ljumović, in the ideal team.
- Caco was refined, with a feel for the game and assists. Ante Miročević was a player of top quality, movement... Everyone who watched him or played with him knows about Tonk.
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The big trio follows.
- Dragan Guzo Vujović was an unbeatable dribbler - five opposing players couldn't take the ball from him, and Dejan Savićević is the best Montenegrin footballer of all time. He had magic in his legs, and he knew how to skip half of the preparations. The question is whether he would have done everything he did if he had trained with full intensity. Predrag Mijatović is my favorite after Deja, although I can't separate them because they both reached the top. They had enormous quality - Peđa with more running ability, he also helped the defense, and Dejo is someone who solved games. He was incredibly fast with the ball, faster with it than without it. You think you'll take it from him, but nothing came of it.
And the nine?
- Anto Drobnjak was an excellent striker and goal scorer.
Two ideal teams of Zoran Batrović
The best team in Zoran Batrović's selection is:
Dragoje Lekovic - Milutin Folic, Vojislav Vukcevic, Nisa Saveljic, Dragoljub Brnovic - Petar Ljumovic, Ante Mirocevic, Predrag Mijatovic - Dejan Savicevic, Dragan Vujovic, Anto Drobnjak.
The second best team consists of: Momčilo Vujačić - Slavko Vlahović, Branislav Drobnjak, Miodrag Božović, Zoran Vorotović - Janko Miročević, Branko Brnović, Željko Petrović - Žarko Vukčević, Željko Janović, Bajica Martinović.
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