Ante Miročević, the first blue icon: The future and I grew up together

Buducnost has had and still has many great football players, club legends, in its 100-year history. It has also had several icons - and Ante Miročević was the first, and for some the biggest.

He was the first representative of the greater Yugoslavia from Buducnost. Captain of the SFRY national team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics - also as a Buducnost player. The first player from Podgorica to receive an apartment from the club; the first player for whom Buducnost received foreign currency - in pounds sterling, when in the summer of 1980 he left Titograd straight to the cradle of football, the English Sheffield Wednesday.

The whole of Yugoslavia knew him, his mastery was admired not only by the Titograd audience; he was respected and esteemed in all stadiums, from Skopje to Ljubljana, Rijeka to Novi Sad.

The legendary Tonko has earned many, many more epithets: it is enough to read what his contemporaries, the famous players of Buducnost, say about him in the "News" series on the occasion of the centenary of the club, which is still in existence.

And what does Tonko say?

His interview is also a kind of homage to former, post-war Buducnost footballers, big names unknown to the younger audience, who laid the foundations of the great Buducnost and opened the doors to the golden era of the 70s and 80s, an era that began precisely with Ante Miročević.

And Tonk's "ideal" team of the Future of all time is different - it exudes respect and admiration for the former stars; it exudes the class and elegance that he himself had.

- Football didn't start with my generation, Buducnost played, and existed, before us - he says at the beginning.

And how did Buducnost play?

- There were so many great football players that to this day I still don't understand how the club managed to enter the First League, then be relegated to the Second, how it wasn't a standard first league player.

As a kid, Tonko, growing up in the Preko Morača area of ​​the city, in the first, "white" building built in that part of the city, had the opportunity to meet his idols.

- Krgin, Decevski, Dragan Popovic, Jovo Sutulovic...what names, the players of Buducnost, I looked at them like gods. Well Lazo Radovic who used to come here to see his sister, later a player for PSV Eindhoven, then Niko Radovic, played for BSK, Hajduk, goalkeeper Bozo Belojevic, a great parader... That was the Future of my childhood, and as the city expanded, I grew with the generations - says Ante Miročević.

The part of the city of Preko Morača was a large field - a place to play as much as you want, Tonko and his friends from the area (one of them Zoran Filipovic(went to Red Star at the age of 14) played football from morning till night.

- Bećirovo polje, where the building of the Television of Montenegro is now located, towards the technical faculties, that was our playing area. OFK Titograd was making selections at that time, and Blazo Grbavcevic, our neighbor and former OFK Titograd player took us there. They were there Caco Ljumovic, Nikola Jovanovic, Slobo Milacic, brothers Jovićević...

Miročević quickly played for the first team, became a star, and the "romantics" from Durres also reached the Second League - in which they played against Buducnost.

- OFK Titograd was a breeding ground for football players, we played without any pressure, we even beat Budućnost, which was under pressure - under pressure, with constant ambitions to fight for the First League. One year, Titograd was even close to qualifying for the elite.

Tonko became a member of the Olympic national team of Yugoslavia from OFK Titograd, which at the time was played by second-league football players who were considered amateurs.

- There was the famous winter Titograd tournament, which was attended by the USSR national team. As a 19-year-old, I played for the Montenegrin national team, and I was able to show myself on that, then, big stage, in extremely popular matches.

Everything was ready for the big move into the Future.

- By people coming to a club like it was, for example Bosko Jabucanin, who did not show much, Buducnost finally understood what it wanted and what it could do, and OFK Titograd offered that base.

It was 1973 and around that time the golden era of the Titograd club began. Still in the second division, with a four-year curse of relegation to the play-offs (the famous qualifiers) for entry into the First Federal League.

- I found myself in a fifth relegation, from Maribor, with an excellent coach. Dušan Duce Nenković, who laid the foundations of a generation that would later achieve the greatest successes. The elimination by Maribor was a great trauma - just that one elimination, and there were players who 'survived' all five of them! Can you imagine that? Dragan Sakovic, for example, he didn't use a penalty, Buducnost didn't go through, he wanted to leave the club at all costs. That's how big of a shock it was. A curse, a misfortune, I don't know what to call it, because Buducnost was better than its rivals in most of those qualifiers.

Before the match against Maribor in Tiograd, Miročević understood for the first time "from the inside" what Budućnost represented - for Titograd, for all of Montenegro.

- We were in quarantine, in Virpazar, there were seven to eight thousand people in front of the hotel - it was positive hysteria, but also an indicator of how much the club was loved, how people experienced Buducnost, and what the Buducnost players represented. You can imagine the sadness when you lose the qualifications - you have to wait another year and a new chance. The players are valued and respected, but the club is poor, without proper training conditions.

Tonko Miročević remembers preparations at Veruša after being relegated by Maribor - new coach, Dusan Varagic, and the players are still under the impression of the fifth missed chance.

- We eat jam and pate with bread between training sessions, and Varaga gathers us together and asks: “Do we want to go to the First League?” We all answer in unison: “We do.” I remember that moment like it was yesterday, it remains in my mind as a turning point.

The rest is history: The Second League was divided into East and West, and Budućnost walked through its group and entered the elite in a big way: the golden era of Titograd football began.

- Everything had changed. Football players, who had been public figures until then, were now a level above. Whenever there were receptions, everyone rushed to have their picture taken with us. If I had money to spend as many times as I visited party secretaries, I would be a rich man - Tonko recalls, with a smile.

- Buducnost has always had great players, but that period, after entering the First League - well, that was terrible. We had 30 great players, I remember that at one point we had as many as eight goalkeepers at the same time.

The first first league match after returning to the elite and pictures from another time: Buducnost - Radnički Kragujevac, August 17, 1975. Hot Titograd summer, but rain and mud, and a full stadium. The ball landed on Ante Miročević's head in the 25th minute, and Buducnost won 1:0.

- I scored a goal with my head, which is very interesting, because ten years later I scored a goal with my head on my debut for Sheffield. And much earlier, on my debut for OFK Titograd against Famos, I also scored a goal and we won - Miročević recalls.

Just like that, Tonko was destined - a big star of the Future, at that time an Olympic representative.

- I remember the match against Italy in Mostar, young people played for them Barezi, Tasoti, Gali... Mostar was burning, we won 5:2. That victory resonated so much that people talked about it for months.

Only later, in the late 70s, did Miročević play for the A national team of Yugoslavia, and he reveals that he almost became a national team player for the second-league team Budućnost, in 1974.

- Montenegrins made fun of the Federal captain after the 1974 World Cup in Germany Miljan Miljanić - why didn't he take me? And there was always a player who traveled who was known not to play. And there was one from the Second League, Abid Kovacevic from Borac, a great striker, later played for Dinamo and Inter.

Return to Buducnost - the second first league match in Titograd after 12 full second league years was a real football festival - Hajduk was coming, and the whole city headed to the stadium! "Only" 18 thousand fans stood in the stands.

- It was the best possible presentation of the first league team Buducnost against Hajduk Tomislav Ivić who dominated those years. We lost 2:1, but I don't remember Hajduk ever beating us again in Titograd. In terms of the number of inhabitants of the city, in terms of the size of the stadium, we had the largest audience in the former Yugoslavia.

It was the most successful generation of the Future.

- We played in the final of the Marshal Tito Cup, the semi-finals of the Balkan Cup, we were sixth in the Yugoslav league - all in two years. And the league was so strong that it was harder to stay than to enter it. And we were lucky that Varagić stayed with us for the first season in the first league, and that we were then led by all the great coaches: Marko Valok, Dragoljub Milosevic, no matter what, but also Miso Folić, Gojko Zec, p Dragutin Spasojevic.

For seven years in a row, Miročević played for the first team of Buducnost, was the first big star, became a national team player, before moving to Sheffield Wednesday in 1980, for whom he played with great success for three whole years.

Cup Final: I will never be able to forgive myself...

The Yugoslav Cup final between Buducnost and Hajduk at the “Marakana” in Belgrade, 1977, was the crowning glory of a generation.

- I don't think there was a Montenegrin who didn't know about that match - Miročević remembers.

He also remembers the defeat - 2:0, in overtime.

- I think experience was the deciding factor. That generation of Hajduk played in the Champions Cup, won four or five cups in a row before that, and we only had experience of strong matches from the domestic league.

And yet...

- It was like an unwritten rule that the team that takes the lead first wins the Cup. It so happened later that Borac from Banja Luka, Rijeka, Velež won the Cup...

Buducnost could have taken the lead against Hajduk.

- I will never be able to forgive myself. Great move, Radovan Kovačević gives the ball to Drago Kovačević, who runs down the right side and crosses. The ball flies straight at my head. Hajduk goalkeeper Katalinić was known as a line goalkeeper, I knew that, but he did a 'feint' - he started as if he was going out, then came back to the goal. I saw that he was going out and tried to head it over, and he just caught the ball on the goal line. I could have received it and then chosen where to shoot.

However, the opposing goalkeepers knew about Tonko and were preparing for him...

- I often shot from 30-40 meters. Goalkeepers would 'break through' me, stay on the goal line and receive the ball on their chest. Interestingly, I gave goals to every goalkeeper who received the ball on their chest like that after my attempts from a distance in the next game.

That's how Tonko punished - with goals.

- I remember a lot of great games in the Buducnost jersey. For example, Partizan came, 15 thousand spectators - the motivation was sky high, we won, and the happiness was endless. I also remember a game against Red Star in Belgrade, in 10 minutes they gave us three goals, in the same way - Džajić passed and crossed, the first or second post. Filipović gave us three, Savić one goal. In the sequel, we reduced the score to 3:2 with two quick goals, then 4:2, then 4:3. And in the last seconds - I go to the goal alone and lob Dik Stojanović. The ball hits the crossbar, the referee blows the whistle for the end.

Tonk's ideal team - a tribute to the great post-war football players, Dej, Peđa and brother Janko

Ante Miročević's "ideal" Buducnost team exudes class and elegance - above all, respect for older players.

These legends fit into his understanding of football:

- In goal Božo Belojević, a great and attractive goalkeeper. He came to Buducnost from Partizan. I remember that after his active playing career he often came to the club, that used to be the rule, he was active in the veterans' section. Right back - Mišo Folić, I played against him, later he was my coach. All of Buducnost's post-war players left a big mark. So did left back - Niko Radović, a legend of BSK, Hajduk, and of course Buducnost. He could throw over 50 meters.

Ibrahim Peko Methadžević and Branko Rašović make up Tonk's stopper pair.

- Methadžević wore the Buducnost jersey for 20 years, he should have, and had to, be a member of the Yugoslav national team. Brano Rašović also left a big mark, he played for Partizan against Real in the 1966 Champions Cup final.

When choosing his last midfielder, Ante Miročević pays special tribute to his late brother Janko.

- He was probably in my shadow. He had numerous offers, he was supposed to play for the national team. He didn't, because of local stories, which were very 'influential' at the time. Few people know that he played left wing in OFK Titograd, in his youth career he was a classic number ten. It was only Varagić who brought him back in Buducnost.

Tonko chooses the next, left and right halves: Lazar Radović and Predrag Mijatović.

- Lazo Radović was a player - an excellent technician, very rational, made few mistakes. Great career, played for PSV. Peđa Mijatović is one of the rare ambitious footballers who had both knowledge and goals. He showed that, he brought Real Madrid the Champions League after 32 years.

In attack, as half-forwards, sometimes wings, whatever, Miročević chooses: Dejan Savićević and Vojin Škoba Božović.

- I remember the preparations in Berane, I returned to Buducnost from Sheffield. A new generation was growing up, when I saw how those guys played, I said to Bata Bulatović, the general secretary: enough is enough for me. And Dejo was the leader of that generation - the future of Buducnost, the future of football. A miracle. It's a shame he didn't have more continuity.

At the top of the attack - Milutin Mišo Pajević.

- A native of Cetinje, a great player. One of three brothers, and one of them played for Partizan, with Bobek.

Miročević's second best team, Buducnost, consists of:

Momo Vujačić - Slavko Vlahović, Cveto Savković, Vojo Vukčević, Rajko Folic - Dragoljub Brnović ("rational, football thug"), Petar Caco Ljumović ("lucid, lively"), Gano Ćerić - Drago Kovačević ("a thoroughbred player"), Dragan Guzo Vujović - Vlado Milić.

Tonko says about Guz Vujović:

- It's a shame he wasn't given more attention. Those types of players - 'difficult', but great connoisseurs, individuals, were great legends in their clubs: Safet Sušić, Kule Aćimović.

Tonko finally adds:

- Many, many great football players. Željko Petrović - an 'all-round' player. Duško Vlaisavljević, the legend of Buducnost. Not to mention Niša Saveljić, Viktor Trenevski, Radovan Bošković, Josip Štefanić, Mac Rogošić, Milan Stanić, Bob Drobnjak, and only after him Branislav Bod, then Franović, and only then Mojaš, Bajica...

The two best teams of Ante Miročević's Buducnost

Ante Miročević's ideal Buducnost team looks like this:

Bozo Belojevic - Miso Folic, Peko Methadzevic, Branko Rasovic, Niko Radovic - Janko Mirocevic, Lazar Radovic, Predrag Mijatovic - Vojin Skoba Bozovic, Dejan Savicevic - Milutin Pajevic.

The second team consists of:

Momcilo Vujacic - Slavko Vlahovic, Cveto Savkovic, Vojislav Vukcevic, Rajko Folic - Dragoljub Brnovic, Petar Caco Ljumovic, Gano Ceric - Drago Kovacevic, Dragan Vujovic - Vlado Milic.