The best Buducnost team in its 100-year history could only be composed of Husein-Ceno Tuzović, former club director, publicist, journalist, says jokingly, but also in reality Miodrag Božović Count, the new coach of the Podgorica club.
The Count, a former captain, a defender who also marked an era of the Podgorica club - he watched the greatest, played with the greatest - did not get his nickname by chance: it clearly described his striking figure and attitude on the field (and certainly off it). He was a true leader.
With apologies to the great aces of the past, he chooses the ideal team of Buducnost from "his" time - the players he remembers. And that's where he suffered a sweet torment.
- It's unfair to the elderly, but it's easier this way - he says and starts from the goalkeeper:
- Momo Vujacic. A great goalkeeper for his height, he positioned himself incredibly well, guarding Buducnost. He passed on his class to the younger players - Djukanovic, Vuksanovic, Lekovic, Petrovic.
Right back - Zeljko Petrovic.
- He was proof that the best players are made by the street - at least at that time. It's a shame he started playing football late, almost at the age of 18. A versatile player.
Similar, but also different, was Grof's left back - Dragoljub Brnović.
- He was left-footed, played with his right foot, could play on both sides of the pitch. He wasn't too fast, but he read the game very well, always positioned himself correctly. He also crossed when needed. When you saw him in the opponent's half, you knew that a cross was coming, that he was preparing something dangerous for the opponent.
Lastly, a couple of stoppers, a couple of true professionals: Slavko Vlahovic i Nisha Saveljic.
- Slavko played until the age of 35, which was a real rarity at the time. Probably the greatest professional in the history of Buducnost. We learned from him how to treat the blue jersey. Niša was a national team player, he had everything at the top level - defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, set pieces, passes. Also a great professional.
In front of the defense, defensive midfielder - Branko Brnović.
- All-round player, national team player, able to play in various positions, very grateful for the team.
The offensive part of the midfield starts with the biggest possible aces: Tonko Miročević i Dejan Savićević:
- I don't know what else to say except - Tonko Miročević and Dejo Savićević. That's all. Tonko is probably the greatest legend of Buducnost, he wore the blue jersey for 10 years. I had the pleasure, on the other hand, not to play, but to train with Dejo, to watch him from the bench - because during that period I was on the bench or in the stands. I came on against Dinamo at Milan Zivadonovic, that was my debut in 1986. Dejo is the best player I trained with - along with Safet Sušić and Piksi Stojković, with whom I also trained - Božović recalls the period before the 1990 World Cup in Italy, when he was on the wider list Ivice Osim.
- And of course, Peja Mijatovic", with whom I played," says Grof, with a smile.
Mijatović is, of course, next on his team:
- I remember that famous Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus in Amsterdam, when he brought Real Madrid the title after 32 years. I was at the stadium, he left me the tickets. At the end, he scored a goal, unforgettable. After the game, they carried him in their arms through the streets and pubs of Amsterdam, I didn't even manage to get close to him.
Then, Dragan-Guzo Vujović:
- Later, when he returned from America, he was an important player in the team that, with Živadinović on the bench, terrorized rivals throughout Yugoslavia. We were second in the first half of the season, in that league. Guzo was someone who made grandmaster moves both at “Poljud”, and at “Maksimir”, and in Belgrade. He, Dejo, Martać, Daca Mugosa, Brnović, also Marinko Mirotic, Mladen Miročević, then teammates who are no longer with us, Goran Stanisavljević i Miladin PešteracIt was a team that worked wonders throughout the former country.
In attack - Anto Drobnjak.
- He was with me in Buducnost and Red Star. He scored that famous goal against Partizan with his head when we won the Cup. He was the top scorer in the French league, that says it all.
In the goal of the second team, Buducnost, Grof Božović is - Sasa Petrovic.
- There were great goalkeepers, Đukanović, Leković... As for Saša Petrović, I remember the match against Galatasaray in Istanbul, as part of the Balkan Cup. He received a ten from Turkish journalists.
Right back B team - Dusko Vlaisavljević.
- Fast, agile, a true prototype of a right back. He was one of Rad's best players in the best season that team had.
The left side of the field, the entire outfield line, is reserved for Zoja Vorotović.
- Phenomenal player: Sutjeska, Budućnost, Crvena zvezda. One of the first modern defenders, with a two-way game.
Hitchhiking tandem: Vojo Vukcevic - Branislav Drobnjak.
- Vojo was called Grof. A fantastic jump. There is a story when he played in America, in Kosmos: he flew into the air, while he was flying he saw the scoreboard - 88th minute. He stayed in the air until the end of the match, of course, he scored a goal. Drobnjak was also great in the air, he played for the national team, from Buducnost.
Midfield: Ivan-Njaka Radovic i Momir Bakrac.
- Njaka was a real player: a technician, a runner, a fighter. Today we would call him a 'box to box' player. As for Bakrač, he brought the crowd to their feet with his sliding starts - he would skate 10 meters at a time. He went to Hajduk, an excellent midfielder, an all-rounder.
Then, Miodrag Martać:
- He wasn't too fast, in fact he was slow, but he knew how to play. An important part of Živadinović's team, he fit in fantastically.
Two wings: Drago-Četka Kovačević - right, Darko-Daca Mugoša - left:
- Četka played great on the right side, he had speed, dribbling, and Daca fitted in perfectly with Deja, Guza, Brno and the others.
And in attack - Željko Janović.
- Strong, a real guy, he knew how to play, he knew how to 'fight', in football of course - he had everything a real striker should have - says Božović, who regrets that he did not find a place in one of the two teams and Željko-Pipija Božović.
A third team? Some other time: maybe "make" this one that will take over from Monday...
Changing two buses to get to training, Špaco was more than just a coach
Miodrag Božović grew up in Buducnost, grew up with Buducnost. He also remembers the first pictures:
- I had to change two buses to get to training. The younger categories trained in Zabjelo at the time. By "trojka" from Zagoriče to the station where the "Crna Gora" hotel is, then by "jedinica" to Zabjelo. There was a shortage of everything - fields, equipment, balls, but we all had the desire and ambition. Athletes and musicians were very popular in Titograd at the time, we all wanted to be like them - and football players, boxers, and handball players were popular - says Božović.
Along with him, a large group of talented players grew, approaching the first team:
- The Mijovic brothers, Srdan Dmitrovic, Djoko Stanic, Edin Tuzovic, Mijo Radulovic, Zvonko Rmandic, Sasha Tomasevic, Sasha Skara, Zeljko Rolovic, Dejan Vukicevic, Zoki Radunovic...
- And then Željko Petrović, Branko Brnović... And in 1985, during the preparations in Budva, we couldn't believe we were with the first team. We admired the legends: Dejo, Guzu... and then we wondered where we got them from.
Božović made his debut for the first team of Buducnost in 1986 under Milan Živadinović, in Titograd against Dinamo, but he gained real recognition when Stanko-Špaco Poklepović came on as coach in 1987.
- It's interesting that Špaco didn't see me much at the start, he wanted to send me on loan to OFK Titograd. I asked him to stay - to give me three months to prove myself. Later I owe him a lot - both for making my debut for the youth national team of Yugoslavia, in Zenica against Norway, when I came off in the 2nd minute due to a broken arcade in bad weather that can only happen in Bosnia, and for later in 1990 being with the strongest national team before the World Cup in Italy.
For Grof, Špaco was more than just a coach.
- That's when I realized that a real coach shouldn't be judged by results, but by the players he creates, who progress. We all became better players under his leadership.
Božović scored the first goal for Buducnost in 1989 at the stadium under electric lights in Gorica: that summer the floodlights came on, and Buducnost beat Rad 3:0. Anto Drobnjak and Željko Petrović also scored.
- There were also goals, and I remember one against Željezničar, we won 2:1.
In 1992, Grof went to Red Star, again under Milan Živadinović, with whom he won the Yugoslav Cup.
The two best teams of Count Božović
FIRST TEAM: Momcilo Vujacic - Zeljko Petrovic, Slavko Vlahovic, Nisa Saveljic, Dragoljub Brnovic - Branko Brnovic, Ante Mirocevic, Dejan Savicevic - Predrag Mijatovic, Dragan Vujovic - Anto Drobnjak.
SECOND TEAM: Sasa Petrovic - Dusko Vlaisavljevic, Vojo Vukcevic, Branislav Drobnjak, Zoran Vorotovic - Momir Bakrac, Ivan-Njaka Radovic, Miodrag Martacic - Drago Kovacevic, Darko Mugosa - Zeljko Janovic.
DON'T MISS IT
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
