The coach of Vojvodina FC, Ranko Popović, believes that the derby against Partizan is a real chance, and a new test for him and his players.
The players of the old lady are playing against Partizan on Saturday in the derby of the 17th round of Mozzart Bet Super league of Serbia, and Popović is glad to have the opportunity to play against the second biggest rival after the match with Red Star.
– It is nice that we have a chance to play with Partizan right after the match with the Red Star, and I don’t have a problem with that at all. Those are the games that should show us where we stand, and they show how far we have come. This match won’t be the match of the year or decade, as people like to say, but it can show us a lot and determine our direction. This is the best work week we have had since I got here, and it was a pleasure and privilege to watch the team at their training sessions. Also, there is another thing, we should transfer that to the pitch, and if we succeed in doing that, then there’s no fear for us. If we think that we are better than we are, and lose that humbleness, experience tells me that we can then go in the entirely opposite direction, our legs are still not strong enough. The match against the Red Star gives us the right to believe that we should continue our work and follow the same path. If we have that kind of focus and responsibility and eliminate the mistakes, then we should look forward to the match. I wouldn’t say too much about Partizan, so that we don’t get a headache, and we want to be concerned only with ourselves – Popović said.
He pointed out that they are focused only on their play, and they don’t look back at the defeat against Partizan in the last round.
– We are not thinking about the previous defeat against Partizan. I am interested in our reaction after the defeat against the Red Star, and I am happy they were not demoralized, but self-aware, if I can say it like that. We saw why we lost, and I saw they realized why they didn’t win. The players realized that it should be a derby, not because of someone who had done something before us, but because we should play like it is a derby. We have a responsibility to try and win in every derby because of the club we represent, if the opponent is better, we will congratulate them. The fact that Partizan lost the last game is a sign they have weaknesses, just like our defeat revealed some of ours, and on the other hand we showed some good things. If we replace our weaknesses with our qualities, then this match can bring us a lot. Partizan is playing at home again, and that defeat is to our advantage, but we will not be dealing with that, we are focused on ourselves and we believe in ourselves – Popović highlighted.
Matheus Indio and Asmir Kajević won’t be in the protocol for the upcoming match against Partizan.
– Matheus will not be ready because he suffered an injury, similar like his last one, and I hope he will play at least a few games this fall. I don’t like to pick out players, because each individual is important, but while Matheus was on the pitch, we looked more stable. After he left the pitch, we needed some time to adjust, and a minute later we received a goal. That is why it is important when you maek changes, to know why you make them and who enters at which point. I say this only so that we understand each other better, because I know everyone has their favorites. Changes should lead to the advancement of the match, and we don’t make such changes, then the game can regress. Matheus brings us quality, but now is the chance for some other players to show that there are rightly in Vojvodina, and give some sort of signature to what we want. The others are well, Kaja had a fever and won’t be in the protocol for the match because he couldn’t train, despite his great desire to be in the team – Popović revealed.
When asked about how we received the two goals from the Red Star, and whether that will lead to changes on the left flank, Popović responded with a negation.
- If you are asking me whether Giorbelidze will play, he will, because the players should know that the coach believes in him even when he makes a mistake. I will not change players because of one match. All the responsibility is mine, and will fall on me. It is easy to give up a player, you should keep him, because what if the replacement comes and then they also make a mistake, then you will lose two players – Ranko Popović concluded.
