Vladimir Jovanovic, former head coach of Partizan, spoke ahead of the first EuroLeague derby of the season, which will be played between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda on Thursday.
The departure of Dusko Ivanovic from the coaching seat of the red and whites will have a bombshell effect, but only until Thursday when the court of the largest arena becomes the stage for a new encounter of those who share fans and unite hopes for the national value of this sport. As always, when the “Eternal Derby” is on the schedule, there’s an eternal pause, until it becomes clear who will come out on top this time. It’s more than just a game, more than just prestige.
“Every derby carries a dose of uncertainty regardless of the team’s quality, individual abilities, or the role of the host. It has always been difficult to predict who is in a better position to celebrate, except in some rare occasions in the past when the difference was quite obvious. Since the season has just begun, and both teams have made significant changes in their rosters, the role of the nominal host, especially playing without the other team’s fans, can be of crucial importance in these conditions.
Having a packed Arena with your supporters is never a small thing, especially at the start of a long competition, and it’s only the fifth round to follow. Therefore, the ‘Grobari’ can be an important ‘sixth’ player for Partizan. Just as on October 30 when the same rivals will play within the ABA League,” Vladimir Jovanovic tells Sport Klub.
The former highly successful coach of the club from Humska (with three championships, both regional and Serbian, and two national cups) believes it is too early to draw conclusions about the level of play, individual performance, and the team’s overall picture, not just for our representatives in the elite competition.
“All teams have barely been together for two months, and hardly anyone has started with a complete squad. The preparations are getting shorter and shorter, and when you have a World Cup in the same year with a significant number of first-team players with important roles in the national teams, there’s no talk of satisfactory form at the end of October.
This isn’t just visible in Crvena Zvezda and Partizan, but also in teams that dominated from the beginning to the finals of the EuroLeague in the past season, like Olympiacos. Still, most EuroLeague teams are struggling in some aspects. That’s why it’s not the right time to criticize the ‘Eternal Derby’ so soon,” he added.
Many new faces have arrived at Mali Kalemegdan , making it easier to list those who have stayed, but the list is not yet finalized.
“There are many new faces in red and white, and such things require time and patience to reach the right form. There’s no doubt about the experience and quality of players like Miloš Teodosić and the other newcomers, international players of the EuroLeague level, with notable roles. I’m not one of those who will say it’s difficult to handle so many players who are competing for a place among the top 12. The EuroLeague is a challenging competition, and even those with minimal ambitions, which is certainly not the case with Red Star, must have, as it is now popular to say, a ‘deep’ roster.
In other words, at least 14 or 15 players. That’s how all reasonably competitive EuroLeague teams operate. But there’s another, more significant problem, not the ‘they have too many players’ problem, but finding the right role for all of them. It won’t hurt to have extra players, but it can be challenging to make them fit.”
Unlike their eternal rivals, Partizan has retained some key players, with changes occurring in positions one and five. Is the center position currently the Achilles’ heel of the most decorated Serbian club?
“These are the most sensitive positions on the team, and there is quite a number of people lamenting the departure of Mathias Lessort, but also Jama M’Baye and Dante Exum, believing they don’t have adequate replacements. I would like to remind everyone of the beginning of the past season, not to go back further in the past, when out of those three, two were on the team. And how well the black and white team played, with a win-loss ratio…
When Lessort arrived at the club, he was just a good EuroCup player, at that level, regardless of where he came from and which competition he officially participated in. Zeljko elevated him, but it took enduring his transformation period, nearly a year and a half, to become a player who makes a difference in the EuroLeague.
The same applies to Exum, despite his NBA experience. He didn’t start performing at his best overnight, not until he became much better than when he was with Barcelona. In fact, that’s what brought him back to the American professional league. To conclude, Obradović has expertly and carefully selected this Partizan team. Like his predecessors, it will get better over time, don’t worry. Then we can discuss whether they are at the level of a French national player or Exum.”