It's easy to stray from the right path, and hawks know that well.

Seven defeats in a row during 2024, then four in a row throughout 2025. At a time when the Montenegrin national football team was probably in its weakest period since the restoration of independence - Plovdiv and Košice awakened new hope.

"Falcons" showed through two test matches against Bulgaria (1:0) and Slovakia (2:2) that everything that works with them Mirko Vučinić It makes sense, that they are slowly becoming a good team, that they are on the right track...

- What do these two matches tell us? We are satisfied with the results, it is good that we did not lose, but we should be aware that we did not do anything - said Vučinić after the draw with Slovakia, and his statement contains everything that Montenegrin football players need to know.

Especially because it's very easy to stray from the right path and go in the wrong direction, and if anyone has learned that well over almost two decades, it's our national team.

EVERYTHING IS EASIER WITH A GOOD MIDFIELD, WHERE ADŽIĆ IS

Vučinić tested many trump cards through two June matches, as he said after Košice, now no one can "turn up their nose" if they don't play, and how much he wanted to see who he could count on is also evidenced by the fact that the match with Slovakia started with nine new players compared to Bulgaria.

What is especially pleasing, except during the first thirty minutes with Slovakia, is that whoever was on the field, the team did not "lose their heads". They stood well on the field, wanted to play their game (from the goalkeeper) and wanted to outplay their rival at all times.

And all of that is much easier when Montenegro finally has a good midfield after many years, the part of the team that the selectors have struggled with the most in the recent past, where the most quality was lacking.

Now everything is different and promising. Marko Jankovic has become a player whose ideas, inspiration, creations, fight and big heart drive the "falcons". About Andrija Bulatović no need to waste words, because a gem that has been awaited for years has appeared, while Sead Haksabanovic showed how much he was missed and how much more dangerous Montenegro is with him.

Of course, they bring something positive in every match and every minute they get from the coach. Dryton Camaj, Milan Vukotić i Viktor Djukanovic, and it is obvious that the coach has great confidence in Mark Simon, Miloš Brnović, Stefan Lončar... There is also Aleksa Latković, who was stopped from making his debut this June by injury, and for whom Vučinić stressed that he liked everything he saw from him.

Among all of them, there should be room for Vasilija Adžić, another great talent of our football. What is obviously important for Vučinić is that the Juventus midfielder gets more minutes in club football and that after that there should be no problems with his place in the team. Although it should be fair to say that for example neither Marko Perovic There aren't many games left in the Spanish third division, and the match against Slovakia has just started. In any case, for now, the most important thing for Adžić is to maybe change the midfield and finally show his talent.

DEFENSE AND EMPTY MINUTES

With a midfield, Montenegro shouldn't have to worry about attack either. Nikola Krstović showed in Italy what a striker he is, Milutin Osmajić doesn't stop when he puts on the red jersey (seven goals in the same number of last matches), and the captain Stevan jovetić He can still bring a lot to the "falcons".

Much is expected from Andrej Kostić, Balša Sekulić showed in Plovdiv how much it can help.

The part of the team where Vučinić and his coaching staff will have to work a lot until September and the Nations League is the defense. Proof of this is practically all the previous matches, except for the recent one in Plovdiv, where the "falcons" practically always capitulated. Often after their own mistakes, which could have easily been avoided.

So far, not much has changed with Vučinić's arrival, as our net with him on the pitch has not only been shaking against Andorra and Bulgaria.

Of particular concern, and Vučinić did not hide it, are Montenegro's empty minutes. Against Slovakia, the "falcons" were non-existent on the field for the first half hour, and due to similar periods, they were unable to preserve their 2:0 lead against Croatia and 2:1 with Slovenia.

- The boys have to understand that we cannot afford to give away 35 minutes of the first half to our rivals. Neither Brazil, nor France, nor many other powers can afford that, let alone us - stressed Vučinić.

The will, desire, fight for their country and teammates are visible in the eyes of the "falcon". In addition, Montenegro is trying to play football, not to be in a subordinate position even against stronger teams on paper such as Slovakia... The June matches showed all this, but also how vulnerable our national team is. Montenegro is on the right track, but Vučinić and his boys still have a lot of work to do and much more difficult matches ahead - competitive ones, for points...

The least that is expected of the "falcons" after two good test matches is to remain humble, which is what their coach has been asking for since the first moment he sat on the bench of Montenegro. A good performance in friendly matches means nothing if it is not celebrated in those that "must" be won. And those have historically been the most difficult for Montenegro.