The Glory Days Of 1991

[FR Sloboda]

remeber when red star won the european cup wat a great team

[Pape]

Yup heres a good article on Jadransport.org

We are all Brothers - Just remember Bari ...
A commentary

19.10.2006 by Erik Bickford

In the past century, the world has seen many significant changes. Although many atrocities have taken place on all corners of the globe, there have been moments in history where celebration counters these dire times. The world celebrated when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took those first steps on the moon in 1969. People gasped in amazement when Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered the almighty Mt Everest in 1953. Medical breakthroughs and cures helped save lives across the globe from then so-called “incurable” diseases. The list of achievements by mankind goes on and on.


Remember Bari?
But stop in the central square in Belgrade and ask the locals what moment in time gave them the most euphoric feeling? Well that’s another story. It happened almost over 1000 kms to the west of Belgrade in an Italian city called Bari on the 29th of May 1991. Its been 15 years since Red Star Belgrade won the then named European Cup, now named Champions League trophy. I was an 11 year old boy, watching the game live over 20,000 kms away, at a Yugoslav social club in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. Over 400 men, women and children held their breath as Darko Pancev stepped up to the spot, to take that now famous penalty kick. “Surely, he cannot miss!”….. “He’ll score, no doubt about it, the cup is ours!” were the words around the red and white streamered club room.

I remember looking around the room, seeing grown men look more anxious at that precise moment, then they probably were awaiting the birth of their first born child. Sweaty palms, Teeth firmly chewing on the collars of their shirts, some, so overwhelmed with nerves couldn’t even watch. Women held hands so tight, you could see the skin turning blue and the blood circulation surely struggling, yet no one dared complain. I was there with my Father, of English descent, and my Mother, a mix of Ex-Yu background. I remember sitting on my Fathers shoulders and watched it happen. Darko Pancev stepped up, eyeballed the goalkeeper, and after a brief pause, took a few brisk steps up and slammed the ball into the back of the net. The cup was won! I recall the commentator screaming “Darko! Darko! Darko!” He screamed down that microphone a million words in Serbian I hardly understood, The euphoric tone though, sent a clear message of emotion. You could almost picture the guy, in a cooped up media box, crying his eyes out in joy. Men drank whiskey until their livers failed, and women drank sljivovac all night until they too were as fluorescent as the drink itself. Yet at the age of 11, I didn’t really understand how great an achievement this was? 15 years on, the message is crystal clear, and I understand very well. Belgrade still clings on to this moment, and why shouldn’t they? An achievement so great, forever etched into the history books. No one, can ever take it away.

Red Star 1991 - a multicultural mix
Was this the most talented team ever in football history? The question is debated constantly. I look at the team sheet in absolute awe, the quality of this team cannot be described by any words, it always leaves me breathless. A great mix, The Croatian wizard Robert Prosinecki was unbelievable with his pin point passing and seemingly endless time on the ball. Serbian greats like Mihajlovic and Jugovic were a class of their own, and left opposition players baffled long after the 90 minutes were up. Refik Sabanadzovic, although a Serb national, has always claimed his pride in his Bosnian roots. He left his opponents helpless and would rather die than let an opposition player pass through his defence. Dragisa Binic, of a Serbian Father and Slovenian Mother, was the workhorse up and down the centre and flanks. Binic was an underrated player, whose efforts were grossly important to the teams success. The Macedonian duo of Darko Pancev and Ilija Najdovski. Najdovski with his iron like tackles in defence, and Pancev with that knack of being in the right place at all the right times to knock the ball in the back of the net. The Montenegrin Genius, Dejan Savicevic… need I say anything more about this man?

Throw in all the other greats like, the captain Stojanovic, Markovic, Romanian Belodedici who defected to Yugoslavia, and you have a monstrous team. This team, I have no doubt was, and will be the greatest club team in history. For one major reason… It had no million dollar imports like the western giants did. No South Americans to add some flair, no Germans to add some muscle, no Italians to inject passion. They had it already, it was all home made, and boy oh boy! Did it make you salivate! 1 united team, All Ex-Yu nationalities were involved in this triumph. However, The Ex-Yu nations and some of their people now divide themselves. Some unfortunately criticise each other depending on what colour, religion, race, and what side of the border they live on. Don’t get me wrong, it is all peoples right, to live autonomous and free, and I am not questioning the reasons nor the validity of any of the Ex-Yu nations. However, the Ex-Yu people must take stock, the 90-91 season for Red Star was a victory for all people associated with Ex-Yu. They should all stand up and be proud of what they achieved together and united.

FARE action week - JadranSport's commitment
This week UEFA launched its seventh FARE action week. The Champions league games will address, with the assistance of players, the fight against racism, and ethnic divides in football. "UEFA", said Lennart Johansson, President of UEFA "is proud to be backing the FARE Action Week against racism and discrimination. We appreciate the opportunity to underline our unwavering commitment to eradicating racism in our game. We know that racism cant be beaten in a single week, but we hope these activities will be a catalyst that engages more and more members of the football family in the fight against racism and discrimination."

In my last article, I would say that 75% of the comments were politically motivated. This attitude must stop, and we all must realize, that together, across different borders, you can still be proud of your past triumphs and embrace a successful footballing future together. Leave the politics to the parliament, and the history to the historians to debate. Lets all rejoice, the fact that we all are passionate about football and discuss it in a non-offensive or non-racist environment that is provided by us at Jadran Sport. And please, remember Bari.

http://www.jadransport.org/articles/3448.html