EXCLUSIVE: Dragan Stojkovic, coach of Josh Kennedy’s table-topping J-League outfit Nagoya Grampus, has paid tribute to the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign but questioned Serbia’s preparation and training in South Africa.
Aussie junior coach Misha Radovic recently spent a week at J-League leaders - currently five points clear at the top of J1.
There he gained an insight into Stojkovic’s coaching techniques and saw for himself the huge respect Nagoya have for their former star player. He also gauged his thoughts on the recent World Cup.
Radovic, a former Red Star Belgrade and Yugoslav U/21 European champion and UEFA ‘A’ licenced head coach at the Sydney Soccer Academy (www.soccersydney.com), said Stojkovic liked what he saw of the Australians and had stats to back that view.
“Stojkovic had on his file that Australia was the fourth fittest nation at the World Cup,” reports Radovic.
“It was around 113km running as a team against Serbia while Serbia had around 109km against the Socceroos. That 4-5kms is like having an extra player on the field. Stojkovic respects that.
“And he respected the fact that they held out against Serbia with Schwarzer making some good saves then slaughtered them in the second half and finished off the game in ten minutes.
“Now they [Serbia] know and respect that mentality that our country brings. And that includes me - I love that mentality of not giving up and not mattering who you play.”
Stojkovic - one of the greatest ever Serbian strikers who graced international football in the shirt of Yugoslavia - arranged for Serbia to play against Japan in a pre-World Cup friendly.
However, they sent a shadow squad led by one of coach Raddy Antic’s assistants. Despite winning 3-0 in Osaka, this mentality mirrored Serbia’s slipshod World Cup.
“He said he didn’t appreciate that kind of, not lack of respect, but kind of backward thinking. And he had information that the training sessions weren’t appropriate under Antic [at the World Cup].
“Despite having coached at the highest level, Antic didn’t produce that modern technique of playing and coaching. That was the information he had and I believe that.”
Serbia were defeated 2-1 by the Socceroos in their final group game. It followed a 1-0 win over a ten-man Germany and an opening day 1-0 loss to the talented Ghana.
For such a talented squad, it was a surprise they didn't qualify to the knockout stages.
“Stojkovic – along with most in the world media - was disappointed in the results of Serbia particularly as they had such a talented squad," added Radovic.
Meanwhile, the Japanese FA have still not found a new coach to succeed Takeshi Okada as national team coach.
Despite losing that friendly to Serbia, Japan stunned many observers and reached the last 16 in South Africa but are struggling to sign a new coach from Europe or South America.
JFA technical director Hiromi Hara returned home from Europe earlier this week after failing to sign Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, who was sacked as Real Madrid manager in May.
He also failed to sign Spaniard Ernesto Valverde who instead re-signed with Greek side Olympiakos.
Quizzed on Stojkovic’s future, Radovic said: “I believe he’ll stay a long time in Japan and who knows, they may offer him the national job in the future.
“But right now, Nagoya is five points clear at the top of the J-League and that's his focus.”
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